DJI Phantom - A Word of Warning

[eyeflying]

Just wanted to share this cautionary tale...

If you own or buy a DJI Phantom and you wish to change any of the setting on the Phantom';s Naza Flight Controller, make sure you download the Phantom';s Naza Assistant 2.02 software to do this. DO NOT under any circumstances use the standard Naza Assistant 1.8 as you will definitely  ';brick'; the Phantom';s Naza beyond repair!

I know this to be true as I';m trying to fix a Phantom for another member of this Forum who made this very easy mistake.

To date, I have spoken to DJI North America and two of the main UK dealers for DJI and none of them can offer a solution to restoring the Phantom';s firmware.

DJI in China have said that the Naza would need replacing with a new Phantom Naza so I spoke to a UK dealer who has stock of these. However, they have tried to repair another crash damaged Phantom and they installed a new Naza (dedicated Phantom version) but cannot get access to the settings as it says it needs to update its firmware but then just locks up when it tries to do so. They have tried two different Phantom Nazas and both have the same problem so it would seem that changing the Flight Controller is not a solution to a ';bricked'; Naza either.

And before anyone suggests it... the standard way of forcing a Naza Firmware update (F1 to F2) does NOT work with the Phantom.

Just thought I';d post this cautionary advice whilst I continue to try and find a solution for a very frustrated would-be-Phantom-flyer!

[Gaza07]

Oh thats not good thanks for letting us know 

[guest325]

A good reason for going for an open source flight controller, not good enough really there should have been some sort of a block in the software/firmware stopping this from happening!

[eyeflying]

After many, many attempts at finding a solution and after several emails to DJI, plus a long phone conversation with them - they';ve given me a fix - and it works!

There is a way to restore the Phantom Firmware after all but for some reason, DJI don';t want this fix published. I suppose they want to sell you a new Flight Controller instead??

[Jumpy07]

Is it they don';t want the standard Naza M firmware installed on Phantom version ?

[eyeflying]

I think its probably a safety issue. It is possible to flash the Phantom with the standard Naza Firmware but then you';ll have issues with stability due to the fact the GPS and the compass are in different locations. There are also issues with the Phantom';s Tx controller too and the way its configured

They really want the Phantom to be an out-of-the-box solution - I don';t think they want people messing with it.

[Rudeboy]

Any chance you could pm me the fix, I have a phantom and a normal naza so could be handy should I ever mix the 2 up and put the wrong firmware on one!!

[NorCal]

Response to Multi-Rotor UK

To date, I have spoken to DJI North America and two of the main UK dealers for DJI and none of them can offer a solution to restoring the Phantom';s firmware.

Could you please post some more details about the dealers and how you reached DJI North America.  I can';t find a telephone number for North America (and they are notorious for not responding to emails).

I';m really afraid that I may have messed up huge time and "bricked" my MCU by updating to 3.01.  This was in response to a prompt that popped up in the assistant advising me of the update, so I thought I was following instructions.  Sure, there is a warning about the update not being for the Phantom, but it is pretty buried in the docs and overwhelmed by the pop up notice.  Oh well, I';m a new Phantom flyer, and I really loved the little beast, so I';m more hurt about this and looking for a fix than wanting to fix blame.

For the record, now the aircraft idles normally with the throttle back, but it will not begin to rev until the stick is at 50%.  Also, what would normally be one blinking light when it has satellites and is ready to fly, it has two in quick succession.  So, I';m not about to try to fly it in that condition, although I did a sort of taxi test by revving it up just enough to lift off a couple of inches.  BTW, I was in a room where the only things at risk were the Phantom (probably already trashed), myself, a lamp and some knickknacks.  Anyway, it lifted off nicely, but I had to be really ginger on the throttle.  Now, once it is past 50%, it revs up very quickly.

It looks like the 3.01 and the pop up message may have just shown up on the scene, as of May 1, so I suspect there might be a tide of people like myself that were led down the garden path by the prompt.  Hopefully, there will be answers for them on how to restore the firmware.

Thanks in advance for any help.  Believe me, it will be appreciated.

Cheers!

Gene

[robshaw]

I';ve just bricked £230k';s worth of conveyor equipment after a firmware update failed at 42%. Unfortunately for me these modules aren';t open source either..... So here';s to non Naza controllers. (For the moment anyway, until my crius megaP falls out the sky).

[macspite]

I';ve just bricked £230k';s worth of conveyor equipment after a firmware update failed at 42%.

Ouch! I hope the cost isn';t coming out of your wages ...