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Flying Blind with a Phantom P2V+ v3.0 and NEW v3.12 Firmware –A REAL TEST!! Now that I have your attention. I am Flying in NAZA-M with IOC enabled.
My Phantom (BB) is a Phantom 2 Vision+ v3.0, bought December 31,2014 and its name is: BirdBrain (aka. BB).
When I got home from work tonight I thought about a number of the recent threads and posts I read on doing the 3.12 firmware upgrade, questions on would the RTH work if this or that happened, what if my phone or tablet shuts off and loses signal etc., what if my Phantom flew away and so on…and folks having had issues with the 3.12 upgrade in general not to mention the3.10 fiasco and so on.
I had done the 3.12 firmware upgrade from 3.08 firmware within a day of it having come out with no issues to speak of to this point with 12+ successful flights (flying from full to near empty battery on every flight) and no/nada/none/zero negative outcomes to this point so I thought I would put BB through a real test tonight.
Test 1 - Would BB (my Pantom) fly reliably without a Phone or tablet device connected and return to home safely (RTH) when I turned the RC off? And left it off?
After grabbing a cold one, I took BB out to the back yard to launch BB from the last spot I launched BB from yesterday and please note: I had my phone/display turned off and I did not do the compass dance! I was totally relying on the previous Compass calibration from my last day’s flight.No phone/tablet hooked up, nothing!!
I turned BB on, waited for Sat lock confirmation with all the correct light sequences and then lifted off (remember, no phone or display connected! I am flying blind by modern day accounts). I had checked my watchbefore lift-off and figured I would fly for about 8 minutes in the general area before conducting the RC shut down. After about 8 minutes flying I did it, Ijust shut the RC off with BB a few hundred feet away from me and sure as winter is long, BB appeared to raise to my RTH (160’ and just a guess because I had no phone or tablet connected) BB flew back over my lift off spot and landed within a couple of feet from where we lifted off. I totally let BB land on its own without any input from me whatsoever…I was absolutely ecstatic…Flying blind, turned off the RC and back BB came with absolutely no intervention by me during the landing. Wow! I could not believe this.
*******The answer to Test 1 was YES!
Test 2 - Would BB fly reliably without a Phone or tablet device connected and return to home (RTH) safely when I turned the RC off and then turned it on again to allow me to try to control the landing?
After grabbing a sip or two from the cold one, I took BB back out to the yard again to launch BB from the last spot I launched BB from 10 minutes before and please note: I still have my phone/display turned off and Idid not do the compass dance! I was totally relying on the previous Compass calibration from my last day’s flight.
I turned BB on, waited for Sat lock confirmation with all the correct light sequences and then lifted off again (remember, no phone or display connected! I am flying blind by modern day accounts). I had checked my watch before lift off and figured this time I would fly for about 4 minutes (still the same battery as in Test 1) and in the same general area as before. I am now conducting the RC shut down and turning the RC back on. After about 4 minutes flying I did it, I just shut the RC off with BB about two hundred feet away from me and then turned the RC on again a few seconds later and as sure as beer sucks being warm, BB appeared to raise to my RTH (160’ and just a guess because I had no phone or tablet connected) and flew back over my lift off spot and I had full control of BB’s orientation etc. during the landing and BB landed within a foot from where we lifted off…I was absolutely crazy ecstatic…Flying blind and having turned off the RC to enable RTH and then back on again and had full control during the landing…Absolutely awesome!
*******The answer to Test 2 is YES!
Test 3) What would happen to my Phantom (BB) if my phone/tablet malfunctioned/turned off during flight?
After grabbing yet another sip from the cold one, I took BB backout to the back yard again and with a fresh battery this time, I again launched from the last spot I launched BB from 5 minutes before and please note: This time I turned my iPhone on, put it in Airplane mode and enabled Wifi and selected the Phantom (BB) as my network and I did not do the compass dance again! I was totally relying on the previous Compass position from my lastday’s flight. I turned BB on, waited for Sat lock confirmation with all the correct light sequences, 9 satellites displaying on my iPhone and then lifted off. I flew around for about 5 minutes and then I just did it again. Ilet BB hover a couple hundred feet above me and then I shut my iPhone off As in“Hard off” as in totally powered it down and BB just kept hovering above me asI did this, I then flew BB around for about 4-5 minutes, I then tried Home Lock (S2 in positon 3) from a fair distance away and BB came right back, I then put S2 back into positon 1 and then I flew BB back out quite a ways. This was aninteresting test for me at this point as my iPhone had been off for a while during flight and I then simply turned my iPhone back on, left it in Airplane mode and re established my Wifi with my Phantom (BB) wondering if everything would re connect and as sure as Shania Twain and Katy Perry are sexy (they are Vixens not Phantoms), everything on my iPhone displayed as it should, i.e. Altitude, Distance, Battery, TX Charge level etc. etc….and then I did it again, I just shut the RC off to enable return to home (RTH) and then back on again afew seconds later and sure as most of Canada is North of the 49th, BB raised to my RTH (160’ and this time I could see it because I had my iPhone connected) and flew back over my lift off spot and I had full control of BB’s orientation etc. during the landing and BB landed back to where we lifted off from,…Wow, I could not be happier.
*******The answer to Test 3 is Nothing other than you will not have a display and you should bring your Phantom back immediately by whatever is the safest alternative for those around you first and you second at that time! If you are not in NAZA-M, my recommendation is that if you have lost sight or control of your Phantom visually or cannot see the Phantom on your display and are uncomfortable trying to fly it blind then it would be best to shut off your RC and let the Phantom come back home and let it land where it should, you could turn your RC back on during the Phantoms descent and orient/navigate it on the way down. Otherwise, if in NAZA-M you could do the same as previously mentioned above, otherwise, if comfortable, put S2 in position 3 and bring the Phantom back overhead in the Home Lock position and land it as soon as possible. Either way, as the Phantom is landing you now have the ability with the RC in the on state to control the orientation/speed ofdescent during the landing.
At one point during may last flight I had 34.2 mph showing on my display and wish I had another set of hands to capture that but BB was going like a freaking rocket…On that note, I did do a distance test tonight as well. As you can see from the attached photo I was quite a ways out when I lost signal (a long, long way out like 2,1415'), I thought about pushing BB further out but I would rather have BB come back than have BB become a distant memory…All I did when BB was out of range on the phone display was put S2 in position 3 (HomeLock for me) and pulled back on the stick until my display showed BB back in range, I then put S2 back into position 1 and brough BB back via normal means…..WOW…What a thing of beauty….I love this stuff.
Please remember to RTFM and visit the DJI download page forthe latest updates at: www.dji.com/support and navigate to your appropriate model for the latest release notes, manuals and software/firmware updates….I have added a pict below with the firmware versions i have been running without any problems.
Happy Flying and good success with your updates/upgrades.
P.S. I conducted a few more tests but I am tired at the moment and am still compiling data, that said, I am confident in the new software/firmware. You need to read the manual, understand the procedures forupgrading and more importantly, you need to understand these Phantoms are not a toy, they are a joy and you should treat them as such, after all, you paid good money for them.
For the record, i have not done or had to do any IMU calibrations from new, i do however make a point to check all IMU and other values each time i perform any Software or Firmware upgrades to ensure the Phantom (BB) is within specifications.
DJI, You could do a much better job at including a “how topage” with a few easy to follow click here icons to direct users to for assistance. As well, your 3.6 and 3.8 software with the included 3.08, 3.10 and then 3.12 firmware upgrades have caused a ton of confusion with your naming conventions… DJI, and curious onlookers, I hope you are listening and will be reading!
P.S.S If I am incorrect with respect to any procedures described above, I apologize and will correct upon being duly notified. Thank You.
P.S.S.S - DETAILED DESCRIPTION ON HOW I UPGRADED TO 3.12 WHICH HAS BEEN FLAWLESS FOR ME
There has to be some subtle difference as to how some did their upgrades vs. how others did it..I am pretty picky when it comes to deleting and reinstalling software but it seems to work for me.
Procedure for me was:
Turn on computer I use for my updates (a 7 year old laptop/PC that just barely runs Windows 7 and does nothing but iTunes and the Phantom Softwares and not a single other program or app or anti virus software is on it).
Completely Uninstall old 3.6 software from the computer using the windows uninstaller and delete shortcuts from the desktop.
Restart computer/Flush the Toilet (basically make sure everything I had deleted went where it was supposed to go and no left over cache or crap info was floating around and to make sure no system files were accidentally deleted and no errors on the restart).
Download new software .exe file
Install new software
Restart computer/Flush the Toilet (basically make sure everything I installed went where it was supposed to go and no left over cache or crap info info was floating around and that I had no errors on the restart).
Plug Phantom into computer
Turn on RC and TX
Turn on Phantom and let it warm up
NOTE: I always turn on the RC then TX and then the Phantom in the same order after I plug into the computer as if I were going to fly it.
Launch 3.8 Phantom Vision Assistant software
Update Software and verify updates were installed.
Check all settings on Phantom (IMU etc. and made sure none of my NAZA-M or anything defaulted back to Phantom, IOC was still on and so on),
Check RC Calibration
Close the program
Turn off Phantom then Tx Then RC
unplug Phantom from computer
Plug in RC, then turn on RC then TX then Phantom.
Launch RC Vision Assistant
Check for updates, apply updates if any updates present,
Recheck RC calibration and settings
Close RC Assistant
Turn off Phantom then TX then RC
Unplug RC from computer
Turn off computer.
Go outside
Go through Preflight
Turn on RC then TX then Phantom and do the compass dance once SATS acquired.
fly the Phantom with a few basic maneuvers to make sure everything is o.k....have been flying it like I stole it...
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