Good morning folks,

Has anyone ever experienced a sudden drop of P3P remote battery life and charging capacity?
This all started a couple of weeks ago when the remote would charge only to 3 bars/led lights rather than the usual 4.
A full charge used to also last me quite a few flights, but now I'm barely getting 2 in before the remote battery is near depleted.

I did upgrade my aircraft firmware in DEC 2016. I'll be doing checks today to see if the remote requires one too.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

Yorick

So yeah tried the a 2.0 USB stick with the latest firmware on the root. Remote doesn't react when turned on, even after 2-3mins.

Yorick Nicholls Posted at 2017-1-10 23:17
So yeah tried the a 2.0 USB stick with the latest firmware on the root. Remote doesn't react when turned on, even after 2-3mins.

If you're running firmware newer than 1.3.2, then you would update the RC via the Go app and not the SD card. Just to clarify, how long are you leaving the RC on the charger?

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-1-11 00:15
If you're running firmware newer than 1.3.2, then you would update the RC via the Go app and not the SD card. Just to clarify, how long are you leaving the RC on the charger?

Thank you for replying.
I'm running 1.10.90, the latest on the DJI P3P page. It's been applied to the aircraft, all batteries, and the remote as well from what I can tell from the green light after connecting the remote direct to the drone by cable.

The remote only charges to 70% (3 LED lights), it won't charge the last and I don't know why.
Furthermore the battery depletes itself at an alarming rate when I fly.

It didn't used to do that a few weeks ago. And the drone is quite new.

I plan on bringing the remote with my to Australia for a checkup during my upcoming short 1.5week leave. Hopefully a tech might diagnose it there.

Yorick Nicholls Posted at 2017-1-11 12:17
Thank you for replying.
I'm running 1.10.90, the latest on the DJI P3P page. It's been applied to the aircraft, all batteries, and the remote as well from what I can tell from the green light after connecting the remote direct to the drone by cable.

The RC will have a different firmware version than the aircraft. Currently the RC version is 1.8. Since the RC's battery is a LiPo battery, you can try fully discharging the battery, then recharging to see if this helps. Worse case, this is most likely a battery issue with the RC itself.

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-1-11 13:44
The RC will have a different firmware version than the aircraft. Currently the RC version is 1.8. Since the RC's battery is a LiPo battery, you can try fully discharging the battery, then recharging to see if this helps. Worse case, this is most likely a battery issue with the RC itself.

How can I find out what my RC firmware version is?
I shall attempt a full discharge shortly and see how the recharge behaves.

Furthermore, when currently recharging the remote STOPS charging by itself. Even before reaching 50%. I find I have to replug the AC cable to get it going again. Strange...

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-1-11 13:44
The RC will have a different firmware version than the aircraft. Currently the RC version is 1.8. Since the RC's battery is a LiPo battery, you can try fully discharging the battery, then recharging to see if this helps. Worse case, this is most likely a battery issue with the RC itself.

Nevermind, I found it.
I do indeed run 1.8.0.

Yorick Nicholls Posted at 2017-1-11 14:25
How can I find out what my RC firmware version is?
I shall attempt a full discharge shortly and see how the recharge behaves.

Are you sure that the it's not an issue with the charger? Have you happened to try another one, if possible?

DJI-Jamie Posted at 2017-1-11 15:07
Are you sure that the it's not an issue with the charger? Have you happened to try another one, if possible?

Well the charger charges my batteries fine, no I don't have another. Just the one that came with the P3P. The others are for P3S so battery end only, not dual-function.

Yorick Nicholls Posted at 2017-1-11 20:53
Well the charger charges my batteries fine, no I don't have another. Just the one that came with the P3P. The others are for P3S so battery end only, not dual-function.

May I know how long you've owned it?
If no improvement after you tried the methods mentioned, please feel free to get in touch with our support via support@dji.com to send it in for a further evaluation by engineers.

I acquired it new only in October 2016. Began really using it in Nov.

Have checked the firmware version, and it is the latest 1.8.
Have tried fully discharging the battery, which can only be done manually as far as I understand it. Battery is near 0%, currently on a fast-beep, but still not fully depleted. This thing takes a while...
Did try and replug the AC for a few secs recently, and it still showed charging to 3 led bars, not the full 4. I don't know why.

What's strange is that during the discharge process, at times the battery would show 1-1.5bars, when only a few minutes prior it was complaining from low battery. So something seems a little out of whack.
Perhaps it might indeed be worth sending in for a checkup. Do you have a service centre in BRISBANE AUSTRALIA to whom I can drop it to? I will be there from 15-24 JAN.

I found a thread in which the original post had the exact same issue: http://www.phantompilots.com/thr ... lly-charging.42953/
Problem with me is that, unlike for him in the end, my remote controller continues to show the same symptoms:

• Charges only to 2 LED, with the 3rd LED flashing (so 70%).
• It even recently charged to only 2 LED, which had me worried, but then returned to 3 on the next charging round.
• Will only last 1.5 full drone flights until the remote begins to BEEP as a low battery warning.
• But I can continue to fly for quite a while, even with the warning going. I haven't yet gone to the point of the remote dying during the flights.
• It's almost as if the battery monitor miscalculates. But that wouldn't explain the 3 LEDs out of 4...
  

So something is evidently off here. For a new drone bought only last Oct 2016.

I've tried to bring the remote to AUS for DJI Warranty Care, and it was rejected on the grounds that it needs to be returned to China (where it was sourced) as DJI do not offer International Warranty Cover. I find it quite negligent but whatever...

Friends of mine who's remote is now no longer powering up, but who's battery remains chargeable to 100%, have given me their remote for me to swap the battery packs from. As a test.
Given the cost of sending my drone to China and back might almost equate the cost of a new remote, I'm considering breaching warranty and trying a battery switch. Maybe my battery is dying. Factory fault maybe...?

Thoughts anyone?

I tried depleting the battery with a rubberband on the throttle. It will beep to no end. Who knows when it would die. The remote would probably experience damage from the overheating before then. It does get hot after hours of beeping.

Bumping the post as I think it's sunk to the bottom of the tables.
Appreciate any help anyone can provide.

Again I've checked the firmware, it's updated.
I've tried depleting the battery to no end, it beeps endlessly.
I've been told the battery is a LiPo therefore it would have a memory, and that may contribute to the issue. But how to fix that...?

Update:
I have just tried to swap the battery pack for another good unit, and the symptoms persist.
It is therefore not battery related, but another component of the remote controller.

My battery on my friend's remote shows 4 bars, so it confirms it to be fine. Their remote though can't turn on, so theirs is a totally different matter.

Any ideas?

so many things that can go wrong.
the batteries are a Li 18650 these can fail and have a reduced life.
components of a transmitter it could be a bung chip in the radio on the voltage sensor
mumbling of various other issues regarding radio transmitters, makes me suggest the following options

1#  downgrade firmware on the radio, then if problem persists
  
2# Get a new radio!

RC_Wolf Posted at 2017-1-27 23:04
so many things that can go wrong.
the batteries are a Li 18650 these can fail and have a reduced life.
components of a transmitter it could be a bung chip in the radio on the voltage sensor

Thanks mate, methinks a downgrade is indeed a good next step.
Eyeing out another 2nd hand remote from Australia. Might do as a replacement if the above proves fruitless.

no worries, I didn't think to advise a test of the battery,
I'm not sure what the capacity is in the DJI radio but worth a looking at  
you can youtube several methods for testing a 18650 lithium.

at the end of it all you can sped hours trying to nut out a bug
it's just less stress to get a second radio.

I am having the same problem with my Phantom, it does not load more than 2 lights and it does not reach me to fly 1 battery of the ship ... someone found some solution ?? .. Thank you.