Firmware upgrade concerns

[BrianA.]

I haven't been flying much in the last year. Today I decided to get back into it and start flying again. I checked for firmware updates but have been a little leery to update from something that works. My current version is 757 (I think) since when I select software updates, it says downloaded version is 757. The concern I have is that I know that more recent updates have had issues and some advanced features have been password protected. Questions is should I update firmware or just go with what I have? Are there any new features/fixes that I should just bite the bullet and update?

 

[DCH]

I have tried them all, some have improved features but some come with anomalies and problems. The worst was a gimal buzz that plagued some Pluses but not others. That buzz problem seems to be fixable with a gimbal specific update available here on the forum that works great.

About the only added feature that comes with Build 822/829 was a digital zoom [1x, 2x, 4x, 8x], which I think -and most here will agree is useless on a platform like this, especially since you have to stop recording to change the magnification. And for that useless feature we get a password locked calibration menu. To me this feature is not worth the update.

My Pius worked fine until I did my first update, then it seems like I have had one problem after another. All of them seem to be fixed now, but what a forkin hassle it has been! And for what? A digital zoom I never use? Oh please spare me that experience!

If I had your Plus with 757 and had no issues, I would leave it installed and go with it it indefinitely. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This really seems to apply to Yuneec firmware. @Ty Pilot is still using an early firmware and is having no issues whatsoever, and he has no intention of updating anything.

 

[BrianA.]

I have tried them all, some have improved features but some come with anomalies and problems. The worst was a gimal buzz that plagued some Pluses but not others. That buzz problem seems to be fixable with a gimbal specific update available here on the forum that works great.

About the only added feature that comes with Build 822/829 was a digital zoom [1x, 2x, 4x, 8x], which I think -and most here will agree is useless on a platform like this, especially since you have to stop recording to change the magnification. And for that useless feature we get a password locked calibration menu. To me this feature is not worth the update.

My Pius worked fine until I did my first update, then it seems like I have had one problem after another. All of them seem to be fixed now, but what a forkin hassle it has been! And for what? A digital zoom I never use? Oh please spare me that experience!

If I had your Plus with 757 and had no issues, I would leave it installed and go with it it indefinitely. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! This really seems to apply to Yuneec firmware. @Ty Pilot is still using an early firmware and is having no issues whatsoever, and he has no intention of updating anything.

Thanks. I've been out of the loop for a while and the last I read, the gimbal issue was hit or miss and others had more issues on top of that. I think I will keep with the "if it aint broke, don't fix it til it is" mindset. The ONLY issue I've had is loss of stick control but it is intermittent. First was no down stick. Just a slow rise of the aircraft, but, I was eventually able to get it back on landing and reboot it and the problem went away. A few flights after that, I had no forward stick, also intermittent. Had to turn 180 and back the aircraft to land. Reboot and all was OK. Made me a little nervous since I spent a lot on this drone and I don't want to see an expensive pile of parts laying on the ground. Still have not idea what the root cause of this "feature" is.

 

[DCH]

The ONLY issue I've had is loss of stick control but it is intermittent. First was no down stick. Just a slow rise of the aircraft, but, I was eventually able to get it back on landing and reboot it and the problem went away.

This is an ongoing intermittent issue for some, myself included, we are calling this Uncommanded Ascent or "UA", and I take it very seriously because it varies in degree, and sometimes there is no ability no descend at all, and I have to hand-catch mine and do the triple tap on the red button to get it to shut down. Fortunately it does not happen very often and it is easy to mitigate.

Therefore I ALWAYS make the following procedure part of my pre-flight -every flight:
I arm the motors and lift off to an elevation of about 4'~6' and see if it will hover without rising. Then I check down stick response by descending 2' or so. If all is well I retract the landing gear and proceed with the flight. If there any rise whatsoever, or any sluggishness in descent, I land and power-cycle the aircraft. That always fixes it. The point of this check is, if it fails and refuses to descent at all, I can hand-catch it before it gets out of reach. I highly recommend you start this practice.

 

[BrianA.]

This is an ongoing intermittent issue for some, myself included, we are calling this Uncommanded Ascent or "UA", and I take it very seriously because it varies in degree, and sometimes there is no ability no descend at all, and I have to hand-catch mine and do the triple tap on the red button to get it to shut down. Fortunately it does not happen very often and it is easy to mitigate.

Therefore I ALWAYS make the following procedure part of my pre-flight -every flight:
I arm the motors and lift off to an elevation of about 4'~6' and see if it will hover without rising. Then I check down stick response by descending 2' or so. If all is well I retract the landing gear and proceed with the flight. If there any rise whatsoever, or any sluggishness in descent, I land and power-cycle the aircraft. That always fixes it. The point of this check is, if it fails and refuses to descent at all, I can hand-catch it before it gets out of reach. I highly recommend you start this practice.

Great information and thanks for the tip. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that has had the problem. You would think that this would/could be solved with a firmware and/or software update. Almost like having those infamous MS Windows "undocumented features" that are fixed by rebooting and/or power cycling your computer. First time I had this happen, I had just changed batteries and almost didn't get the thing to come back down. I had that sinking feeling in my stomach when I saw I had no down stick control.

 

[Mike Irish]

Thanks. I've been out of the loop for a while and the last I read, the gimbal issue was hit or miss and others had more issues on top of that. I think I will keep with the "if it aint broke, don't fix it til it is" mindset. The ONLY issue I've had is loss of stick control but it is intermittent. First was no down stick. Just a slow rise of the aircraft, but, I was eventually able to get it back on landing and reboot it and the problem went away. A few flights after that, I had no forward stick, also intermittent. Had to turn 180 and back the aircraft to land. Reboot and all was OK. Made me a little nervous since I spent a lot on this drone and I don't want to see an expensive pile of parts laying on the ground. Still have not idea what the root cause of this "feature" is.

Hi Brian. I totally agree with you: (If it ain't broke, don't fix it)
Ride on.
Cheers.
Mike

 

[PaulEden]

So the DJI (I'm not an owner of their stuff) mantra of "update,update,update" doesn't apply? My new H Plus is arriving in a couple of days so I'll check what firmware it comes with.

About digital zooms, they do have their use, sometimes. They allow a pilot who spots something interesting in the distance to have a quick, closer look at it so they can decide if they should actually go in for a closer look. But the downside of locking parts of the application out do seem to more than outweigh that in this case.

 

[Mike Irish]

So the DJI (I'm not an owner of their stuff) mantra of "update,update,update" doesn't apply? My new H Plus is arriving in a couple of days so I'll check what firmware it comes with.

About digital zooms, they do have their use, sometimes. They allow a pilot who spots something interesting in the distance to have a quick, closer look at it so they can decide if they should actually go in for a closer look. But the downside of locking parts of the application out do seem to more than outweigh that in this case.

Hi Paul. I have a H Plus and I have used the digital zoom but i am not a fan of it. It i suppose has its uses?
Mike

 

[PaulEden]

Everything I write here before the 2nd of July is supposition. My H Plus doesn't arrive 'till then.
My comments were more a general defence of digital zooms. I've recently got a new phone, A Galaxy S20 Plus (I'm a sucker for anything with 'Plus' in its name, it seems) and the digital zoom on that, up to x8 is really pretty good, given the right light.