Hi,

I am one of those idiots who hasn't done enough research to find out that DJI Phantom 3 Standard has a major issue with firmwares, and I paid a lot of money for it.
As soon as I've got the drone set it prompted me to update the firmware. Done. That would be the moment I regret the most.
I didn't knew at the time, but due to that update my drone was now limited to a height of 6-10 meters from that point, due to lack of video signal.
Video signal dissapears when all signal indicators show full bars, so I do not want to hear DJI asking me stupid questions.
I want them to admit that they have done a mistake and most of all I want a solution.

All the P3S owners are asking for a solution (check this forum if you do not trust me), not for stupid questions like: are there any interference? is your antenna in a correct position ?

PS: If I would like to film from 6m height I would just buy a GoPro with a longer stick.

Relax! Go through your settings. You are in the default settings in Beginner Mode. Your settings can and will change back to the default when you do the update. Take a breath and go through your flight settings, Height, Max. Distance, RTH height, etc and all will be well.

Sounds like beginner mode is turned ON. I have a P3S and freaking love it. Takes time to go through the settings and get it all set up correctly. Are there some issues? Yes. but eh.

Does beginner mode cause the video signal to blank out like the OP has stated?

sorka95032 Posted at 2016-6-16 20:14
Does beginner mode cause the video signal to blank out like the OP has stated?

prob made that up.

i spent almost a day going over videos and horror stories to learn what to do and what not to do when i got my drone. Take some time and find these videos. everything from beginner mode to CSC avoidance is covered and its saved my ass more than once before. Best of luck with your new drone!

ZeeKeezer Posted at 2016-6-16 22:43
prob made that up.

No, I don't think so. I have had video loss as well as connection loss of control while having full bars showing. This has only recently begun. My P3S is still on 1.4.6 FW, too. I believe it is an issue with the GO app itself as that is the only thing changing versions in my setup.

However, Mine is usually at least 1000' away when it does it. It has done it the last few times I've flown (I don't fly everyday).

Hey bro you are not the only one having this issue.. i m loosing radio signal at 40m - 60m.. some people loose video signal.. it comes with the new 1.6.80 update, and thee are lot of people out there having the same issue.. if you ask DJI they will say to send the drone back to repair, that is the only thing they say and still there is no clear solution for this.. but we can wait for another fixed firmware upgrade, 3 days ago came a new firmware for phantom 3 pro, so I hope standard will also get new one very soon, and if it is not going to fix the problem, we all have send i back, including you and me..

and last, if you have passed 14 days, then they will not give you a refund, but they will fix it when you send it to DJI...

"All the P3S owners are asking for a solution (check this forum if you do not trust me), not for stupid questions like: are there any interference? is your antenna in a correct position ?"

Not this one, my P3S is just fine and with the newest firmware 1.6.80. I went out the other day and got to just over 1000m out before turning around, could have kept going if wanted. I do think that some of these units are having an issue with the update, but it's not all of us P3S owners that have issues. I think it's one of two possibilities, either some of these units have some components that are different from one another and the new firmware doesn't take well. Or the install of the firmware is being corrupt, even if it says "update complete". There are ways to downgrade or reinstall this firmware, that's what I'd do.

wmcvey Posted at 2016-6-17 11:15
"All the P3S owners are asking for a solution (check this forum if you do not trust me), not for stu ...

Please fly a little further and let us know..Add my bit, best I got today was around a 1000' but have gone a lot further..I also just ran the downgrade 105.70+ and it has added a little range and signal drops less than new firmware;  but I dropped at 300' - 700' all with good line of site. And was very intent on antenna angle.

Seems it will drop with the quad at certain angles - so maybe something in the app or RC side..there are some houses near by end of flight..I was working on 360 pano's and dropped signal on almost every 360..

I've been flying this area a number of times and have videos 1500' range..so I know how far it should go. I've watched and followed video...plus watched dozens of advice pieces...starting to think a group of ( craft or remotes)  may have an antenna issue ( I trouble shoot stuff for a living new to DJI) be great if they announced these things and list serial numbers. There are some videos on an antenna fix next on my list..

If I could wish for anything it would be straight answers from DJI instead of us guessing I would give so much more respect!! Outside that aspect DJI service and support can be great!! Give it time it is an advanced craft and not really a toy, learn what you can because it will help and make the experience a lot more fun!! cheers Darrin

A quick update: found out that some p3s' don't have a problem with the recent firmware update, while some of them are having a hard time.

Stop with all that nonsense with the beginner mode and other settings. (checked, double checked, triple checked, installed and reinstalled all the settings in the last 3 days)

ZeeKeezer Posted at 2016-6-17 10:43
prob made that up.

lol and you base that stupid statement on what evidence

scarper Posted at 2016-6-17 04:44
lol and you base that stupid statement on what evidence

LoL it's called a joke. Ever heard of a joke sweetheart ?

Hi, electronics do have issues sometimes. You can contact DJI for repair, or call dealer to exchange a new one if you just bought it.

edu0939@gmail.c Posted at 2016-6-17 18:37
A quick update: found out that some p3s' don't have a problem with the recent firmware update, while ...

http://forum.dji.com/forum.php?m ... D369%26typeid%3D369
May I suggest you contact Dji online support to arrange to send your equipment back to DJI for analysis and repair the above link shows how to contact them using this Dji Go app as I did
I hope you get flying again soon

edu0939@gmail.c Posted at 2016-6-17 18:37
A quick update: found out that some p3s' don't have a problem with the recent firmware update, while ...

Are you flying in the same spot, and not next to like an interstellar antenna? lol, but yeah id try different areas if you haven't yet

I think a lot of these issues with the P3S has to do with terrain. Me personally I fly in my yard in a pretty urban area so my expectations are not very high...if I was in the middle of the desert with nothing and no one around me, I'd expect the range to be superb. Best thing to do is go somewhere very remote with no trees and just flat land and nothing else around. If you still get these problems, then send it in for repair.

Are you an Idiot that bought a P3 Standard, or an Idiot because you bought a P3 Standard???
I very happy with my P3 Standard.
Just curious...

edu0939@gmail.c Posted at 2016-6-17 13:37
A quick update: found out that some p3s' don't have a problem with the recent firmware update, while ...

Edu0939, some guys don't have problems with P3S and also they didn't check the forum. But here is A LOT of people with the same issue. We tried everything. I think there is no chance to fix it until DJI will release a good firmware. Keep calm. We are waiting. If it is not goint to work I personally will go to a "we fix every drone problem" in my country.
Next time you'll know to do a good research.

P3s is great I like it better than my p3a

As a fellow Phantom 3 Standard owner, I am having the exact same problem. Loosing RC signal at a ridiculously close range. I made a post on here about it a few weeks ago and general consensus was that it is a firmware issue. DJI released one for the Standard a few weeks ago (1.6) but apparently that just makes the problem worse, so I haven't done that update, I'm going to wait for the next one (still on 1.5.7).

I can still fly but only 200m away and not more than 70m high, and that is out in the middle of no-where in a flat, open field with absolutely no physical or electrical interference and correct antenna placement. In wide open space like that I should have no problem flying 500m away and almost as high. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED with my Phantoms range.

shayanza@usc.ed Posted at 2016-6-18 05:44
I think a lot of these issues with the P3S has to do with terrain. Me personally I fly in my yard in ...

Anytime I am near a wifi connection (everywhere in town) my P3 4K gets dropped video and connection.  Which I bought it to fly intown, and the tech guys said it's electromagnetic interference from flying in town so don't fly in town.  So guess I should box it up and return to best buy?  The 5 gHz is being inferred with wireless modems?

baerboy22 Posted at 2016-6-19 02:05
As a fellow Phantom 3 Standard owner, I am having the exact same problem. Loosing RC signal at a ri ...

Yeah mine gets that way at 100 feet up from take off, or about 200 feet out away from me.  VERY limited range, even in the middle of the desert, or on a tall hill, or anywhere like this.  In town it is completely unflyable.

verticalisland1 Posted at 2016-6-21 03:57
Anytime I am near a wifi connection (everywhere in town) my P3 4K gets dropped video and connectio ...

Yeah I definitely feel you on that...I'd say try going somewhere remote to fly and if you still have the same problem then you know its a defect with the drone and you can get a replacement. Rather than returning the P4 I'd say give that a shot first. If it works fine in a remote area then you know its from the interference.

I've got a P3S as well and I've not had any issues with signal strength or video signal after the latest firmware. It did revert back to beginner mode which I had to disable but so far I've not had any issues. Mind you since the latest firmware I've not taken it beyond 300-400 meters horizontal distance and about 50-60 meters altitude.  What I have noticed which is odd is that right when I'm beginning a flight I'll get the odd video glitch but after about 60 seconds everything seems to work the very best. I know this doesn't give you any answers to your problems but at least you can rest assured it's not all P3S that have the issues you describe. Sounds like you've got a settings issue or just a wonky bird. If it's setting you can fix it. If it's a wonk  bird dji can replace it. or at the very least should.

shayanza@usc.ed Posted at 2016-6-17 18:44
I think a lot of these issues with the P3S has to do with terrain. Me personally I fly in my yard in ...

In a remote area, rural by the ocean, I've had no signal issues until hitting 2200 meters distance. At that distance with a P3S I'm not complaining. Haven't tried it in an urban landscape but here in Canada without a special permit you're not supposed to fly in urban areas anyways.

paul@paulmwatso Posted at 2016-6-21 08:51
In a remote area, rural by the ocean, I've had no signal issues until hitting 2200 meters distance ...

Yeah that's great, I've had similar results in open areas so there isn't any problem there. Urban areas just present a lot of problems between obstacles, interference, power lines, etc so can't really expect the same type of results in that kind of environment

I received a replacement drone from Amazon, I still have the same problems.I can confirm that the initial version of the drone 1.2. something gave me around 40 meters range, while after update it went back to 6-10m. Anyone has a solution to this problem ?

Hi,

You're not a idiot but I know how you feel! I have he P3S now for about 1/5 months and I haven't been able to fly it further than 30 meters without a RC signal lost notification. After contacting DJI support trough email I could send it in for repair. Today I finally received it back, repaired... But after trying it out the problem isn't resolved. I emailed support again today and waiting for reply. Now I am extremely frustrated and disappointed. This has taken me many days of testing, re-updating, up an downgrading, IMU calibrations, re-linking, reinstalling phones and i-pad, reinstalling the go app, re-installing wifi settings, checking every setting in the app, copter and rc, browsing forums, looking online for solutions but nothing seems to fix my P3S. I still have less than a month to get it repaired or replaced before I go on a holiday where I plan to take some aerial video's. I trust DJI will come up with a proper solution but spending €600 on a quadcopter and not been able to use it proper for almost 2 months now is really disappointing

Hopefully there's someone on this forum who knows a magical solution. Please feel free to share..

I'll join the chorus.  I already own a 4 that flies great.  My son got a 3S and it's garbage about RC and video signal.  We can take turns in the same spots, including rural flat fields, and mine can head out a mile without issue and his can't make it a hundred feet.  Latest firmware installed.