Brand new user - got P3S as family Christmas gift and learning to fly. Third flight this morning (it's been cold here, so I've had little chance to practice), kept receiving "disconnected" message on app. Is it possible that I am too close to the house and getting interference from the wifi in house? I have current firmware, it has flown successfully from the same location before. Only difference is possibly a very cloudy day (Maine cloudy) - would that affect connection? I restarted everything several times - it would connect, then drop out. Got "weak transmission" warnings prior to each disconnect message. (patience appreciated for an old grandma just learning)

You lost video signal. If you're flying in the city you'll have much reduced range than out in the open country

From what others on the Forum told me they were able to get the Phantom back when that happened because it's the video not the control signal if it happens again try just flipping the switch on your left hand side on the controller if it is only the video signal it will put it into return to home if you lose control signal it should automatically go return the home

Steve-76 Posted at 2016-12-27 12:25
You lost video signal. If you're flying in the city you'll have much reduced range than out in the open country

Many thanks for your response. I'm actually in rural Maine. Couldn't be further from a city. Although we do have large metal-framed greenhouses. Would that affect it? My bigger question is WHY I would lose the video signal. That's the entire reason for buying the thing is to get video of the farm.

dovetail185 Posted at 2016-12-28 08:25
Many thanks for your response. I'm actually in rural Maine. Couldn't be further from a city. Although we do have large metal-framed greenhouses. Would that affect it? My bigger question is WHY I would lose the video signal. That's the entire reason for buying the thing is to get video of the farm.

It could be to do with how you are flying. Are you perhaps flying directly over your head? If so, that will cause weak signals. Try flying further away and not over your head.

Metal buildings can give interference. As above mentioned avoid flying directly overhead. Keep controller pointed at the p3. Do not fly behind buildings. As a beginner keep it in beginners mode. i.e. close, avoid trees and take your time and have fun. YOur camera video is separate video from the view in you phone/tablet and will normally be uninterrupted. Clouds have no affect. YOu may have poor video on phone/tablet, but will still have solid aircraft control.

stuka75 Posted at 2016-12-27 17:04
Metal buildings can give interference. As above mentioned avoid flying directly overhead. Keep controller pointed at the p3. Do not fly behind buildings. As a beginner keep it in beginners mode. i.e. close, avoid trees and take your time and have fun. YOur camera video is separate video from the view in you phone/tablet and will normally be uninterrupted. Clouds have no affect. YOu may have poor video on phone/tablet, but will still have solid aircraft control.

Not flying over my head, totally in Beginner's Mode, controller was pointed at P3, did not fly behind buildings (there aren't any to fly behind). It was about 25' away at most and even once I landed it, restarted everything, reconnected, it lost signal before i had even taken off again. Not sure how the camera video could be separate from the phone video, but it didn't record anything but a single frame, which I can't even view because it's just a blurry thumbnail on the app under the videos. Aircraft control was fine. But I am trying to resolve this so that I am able to shoot video - otherwise this thing is really just a toy...

dovetail185 Posted at 2016-12-27 18:53
Not flying over my head, totally in Beginner's Mode, controller was pointed at P3, did not fly behind buildings (there aren't any to fly behind). It was about 25' away at most and even once I landed it, restarted everything, reconnected, it lost signal before i had even taken off again. Not sure how the camera video could be separate from the phone video, but it didn't record anything but a single frame, which I can't even view because it's just a blurry thumbnail on the app under the videos. Aircraft control was fine. But I am trying to resolve this so that I am able to shoot video - otherwise this thing is really just a toy...

First off, I'm also an old timer from Maine too. You said you had the controller pointed at the P3. Was the antenna tip also pointed at it? If so, you don't want to do that, don't know if that would cause your problem, but surely won't help. When flying your P3 your antenna should be tilted towards the right on your remote. Myself I have my antenna tilted at about 2 o'clock. Also, are you flying around or behind any trees? As for viewing the video, did you take the SD card out of the camera and put it your computer to view?

Jake Phantom 3  Posted at 2016-12-28 09:20
First off, I'm also an old timer from Maine too. You said you had the controller pointed at the P3. Was the antenna tip also pointed at it? If so, you don't want to do that, don't know if that would cause your problem, but surely won't help. When flying your P3 your antenna should be tilted towards the right on your remote. Myself I have my antenna tilted at about 2 o'clock. Also, are you flying around or behind any trees? As for viewing the video, did you take the SD card out of the camera and put it your computer to view?

I wasn't flying close to trees, but in our field, which is quite open. So there was nothing between me, the controller and the drone. Alas, I cannot say exactly where the antenna was pointed other than sort of 45 degrees from the controller and up. You're saying to point it off to the right? I'll give that a try. I did not remove the card because when I checked the video on the app is said 0:00:00 and only showed a single blurry frame. I'm not worried about that video really, but how to prevent this from happening in future. Today was snowy, as will be the next few days, so I won't get an opportunity to test anything for a while. I feel like a kid with a new toy, but no batteries...  Thank you for your reply and suggestions.

dovetail185 Posted at 2016-12-28 17:59
I wasn't flying close to trees, but in our field, which is quite open. So there was nothing between me, the controller and the drone. Alas, I cannot say exactly where the antenna was pointed other than sort of 45 degrees from the controller and up. You're saying to point it off to the right? I'll give that a try. I did not remove the card because when I checked the video on the app is said 0:00:00 and only showed a single blurry frame. I'm not worried about that video really, but how to prevent this from happening in future. Today was snowy, as will be the next few days, so I won't get an opportunity to test anything for a while. I feel like a kid with a new toy, but no batteries...  Thank you for your reply and suggestions.

If you haven't, watch this video that was put out by DJI. It's all about antenna orientation.

what firmware is in the aircraft

Jake - thank you, I'll watch ASAP! Fansbc - I'll need to figure out how to determine what firmware - but it's whatever it updated to when I unboxed and updated. So most recent as of Christmas 2016. (yes, TOTAL newbie)

Jake Phantom 3  Posted at 2016-12-28 15:07
If you haven't, watch this video that was put out by DJI. It's all about antenna orientation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ5WJKcu3HI

VERY helpful, thank you!

Thank you for all the answers and advice. I was able to fly again today - after a big storm the last few days - and video with ZERO problems. Looking forward to some amazing footage with this little darlin'.

Any other advice for newbie is always welcome!!

I had the same problem for about 2 weeks straight. I took it in to see if they could help when my p3a was new

FlybyKnight Posted at 2016-12-31 20:04
I had the same problem for about 2 weeks straight. I took it in to see if they could help when my p3a was new

What was the result? Did they need to repair anything or show you anything different? I think my problem was corrected by a combination of antenna adjustment and moving further away from the wifi in my house.

dovetail185 Posted at 2017-1-1 06:04
What was the result? Did they need to repair anything or show you anything different? I think my problem was corrected by a combination of antenna adjustment and moving further away from the wifi in my house.

Sorry I guess I hit the post button before it was done.  Long story short it turned out to be the plug on my LG tablet.  Replaced by Verizon .  Everything good now. But sure was a  pain to fined.  Every time  took drone in it always worked then would start  acting up again.