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DJI you are killing me with unannounced mandatory firmware
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JustinMcFarland
Second Officer
Flight distance : 191896 ft
United States
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I know I'm just another one to complain about the firmware, but really DJI there's got to be a better way. I fly a couple of times per week, most of the time it's up in the mountains where I'm lucky to get cellular data service.  But this video shows what happens increasingly often now, I can't fly until I've updated the firmware.
I can understand if it's been a month since I've last flown, there are likely some updates I've missed.  But I am flying twice weekly, and I update whenever I can, whenever I'm prompted, and have the ability to do so. But when you surprise us like this and I'm up in the mountains, often I don't have connection to any internet.  This trip to the mountains was a waste.

Even though I finally got the firmware downloaded and installed, it took so long that I missed my window of opportunity to fly and record the images I had planned that day.

Is there an upcoming schedule for firmware that I'm not aware of?  Would it be too much to ask if this were on a specific day, so we could plan for it?  Or is it already and I'm just not aware?

For those that will SURELY say, just connect everything before you leave the house... that's nice and all, but I've got everything packed into a backpack, it's not convenient to unpack the drone, unpack a battery, power on my tablet and connect it to the controller I've just unpacked... just to see if DJI has snuck in a last minute mandatory surprise firmware.  I mean who's to say that I can check it, and they won't send it out the minute after I pack my drone gear back up?

Anyways, enough of my rant.  When this one hit me, I was quite upset, although I held it together fairly well for the video naration.  Other than this, I've really had no issues with DJI and I've been flying every week for 2 years.


2017-9-18
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Irate Retro
Second Officer
United States
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So who held the gun to your head and made you click update?
2017-9-18
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ALABAMA
Captain
Flight distance : 10442687 ft
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Irate Retro Posted at 2017-9-18 06:42
So who held the gun to your head and made you click update?

LOL  Good question, Irate
2017-9-18
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hallmark007
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Flight distance : 9812789 ft
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That's tough, it can be a bit of a nuisance but when you know you are not going to have wifi would it not be a good idea to spend 2 minutes to check before you leave home.
2017-9-18
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JustinMcFarland
Second Officer
Flight distance : 191896 ft
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Irate Retro Posted at 2017-9-18 06:42
So who held the gun to your head and made you click update?

Ummm.... the "you can't use this app, nor launch, until you install this mandatory update" fairy.
Some updates are optional at the time, but sometimes as in this situation, I couldn't proceed in the app until it was installed.
2017-9-18
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Mark The Droner
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Flight distance : 2917 ft
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I see these posts quite often.  What I'm not clear on is, what if you were using Litchi?  Would you still not be able to fly without updating?  
2017-9-18
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microlinux
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JustinMcFarland Posted at 2017-9-18 12:28
Ummm.... the "you can't use this app, nor launch, until you install this mandatory update" fairy.
Some updates are optional at the time, but sometimes as in this situation, I couldn't proceed in the app until it was installed.

IOS or Android? I've never seen any such message on Android.
2017-9-18
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Irate Retro
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microlinux Posted at 2017-9-18 13:00
IOS or Android? I've never seen any such message on Android.

Me neither.  Android here as well.  But you do bring up a good point; this could be a difference with the DJI Go app on the different OS's.  Apple users are used to being told what to do like little children, so it does make some sense.
2017-9-18
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Mark The Droner
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Flight distance : 2917 ft
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Haha... I'm gonna remember that and use it next time I talk to my daughter who likes apple hahaha
2017-9-18
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RtinTN
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Flight distance : 469734 ft

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Irate Retro Posted at 2017-9-18 13:16
Me neither.  Android here as well.  But you do bring up a good point; this could be a difference with the DJI Go app on the different OS's.  Apple users are used to being told what to do like little children, so it does make some sense.

It is a samsung tablet he is using, so I would guess Android?
2017-9-18
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Irate Retro
Second Officer
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One thing I'm confused about:  If you fly twice a week, why are you just now getting a required firmware update on your P4?  There haven't been any updates since the failware was released in July.  (Ignoring the recent beta of course.)  Someone correct me if my information is wrong...?
2017-9-18
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DJI Susan
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As far as I know, we didn't announce any mandatory firmware recently but Spark. I'm sorry if this bothers you, please keep the screenshot if similar warning message pops up. I'd like to look into it.
2017-9-18
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RedHotPoker
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Flight distance : 165105 ft
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In over two years, I have never had a single mandatory firmware update message.

Probably because I like to keep my drone updated with the most current firmware and Go app.


RedHotPoker
2017-9-18
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Aardvark
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Irate Retro Posted at 2017-9-18 14:06
One thing I'm confused about:  If you fly twice a week, why are you just now getting a required firmware update on your P4?  There haven't been any updates since the failware was released in July.  (Ignoring the recent beta of course.)  Someone correct me if my information is wrong...?

There was a P4 RC update a few days ago (perhaps a week) to V1.9.3. Which announced itself through the aircraft status page, overall status if I remember correctly.


Edit:- I believe part of V1.9.3 was to enable flight head tracking on P4 while using Goggles. I've not had a chance to try yet.
2017-9-19
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JustinMcFarland
Second Officer
Flight distance : 191896 ft
United States
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Thanks for the feedback everybody, but when I can skip the firmware update while up in the mountains, I do it and then I update when I'm home afterwards.  I just couldn't get around this one, trust me, I tried closing the app, disconnecting, reconnecting, but I couldn't get around that mandatory download.

As to the question about me flying a couple of times a week, or at least weekly (I flew last night, and plan to fly tonight), it doesn't matter how often you would fly, the firmware is going to be pushed out at the same time.  It's possible I was one of the first to see it that night.

Also, for those who suggest to keep it updated at home, yes, of course I do that too.  But there's nothing preventing it from being mandated 5 seconds after you've packed up to head to the mountains.

Next time, I'll get a video of myself attempting to bypass it.  Unfortunately though, sometimes I've got a small window of time to shoot in, especially at sunset.  And I'll just go ahead and anticipate the next suggestion of "setting up earlier", well most of the time I'm on a bike ride or a hike, so I get there when I get there.

Thanks
2017-9-27
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