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1.9.9

RickF1

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Updating the fly app from 1.9.4. To 1.9.8. The weird thing is the app downloads and installs as 1.9.9.
 

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this often happens when a small amount of code is changed or there is a bug in the original 1.9.8
i updated my Mini 3 pro with the DJI RC yesterday and also my I pad and they both showed as 1.9.8
then just now after reading your post i looked into the App store and sure enough there was a update message saying 1.9.9 so i updated it ,and low and behold its still saying 1.9.8
i wouldn't worry about it ,i am also going to check the DJI RC controller and see if the same thing happens with that
 
just checked the mini3 pro with the DJI RC no mention of 1.9.9 so it cant be much of a change from 1.9.8 will have another look before i fly again in a few days time
 
Updating the fly app from 1.9.4. To 1.9.8. The weird thing is the app downloads and installs as 1.9.9.
When it comes to DJI firmware and software, apply the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" paradigm. It really is the only way to insure reliability and usability.

D
 
When it comes to DJI firmware and software, apply the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" paradigm. It really is the only way to insure reliability and usability.

D

Be aware that opinions differ. I've done every update on six DJI drone models and never encountered an issue. And I've enjoyed all the new features and capabilities offered by the updates.
 
Be aware that opinions differ. I've done every update on six DJI drone models and never encountered an issue. And I've enjoyed all the new features and capabilities offered by the updates.
I don't really offer opinions. I offer observations.

I guess you haven't experienced the erroneous NFZ feature or the "you must login to DJI to fly" feature when you're miles from Internet and/or cell service. I guess it all depends on one's use case. I fly multiple times a week in remote locations. So I can't be bitten by sudden requests to "login" to DJI or erroneous NFZ's, which plague new firmware and software. And if it's crash reports yer hankerin' for, the entire "Pilots" franchise of forums are littered with post-firmware-update crash reports.

If you're flying for phun from your back yard close to WiFi or within cell service, then following every update may work for you. If you're flying professionally, I HIGHLY recommend you stick with what works.

This popped up on an "updated" drone about 6 months ago. Don't you just love the ChinEnglish?

1680369453413.png

This was on a job 90 miles from home with a survey crew deployed costing thousands of dollars. Imagine telling the client, "Sorry...my drone won't fly." Fortunately for all of us, I had my hacked, legacy firmware, legacy software drone with me and was able to fly unabated.



This one popped up nowhere NEAR a military base or military routes. No NFZ's. No NOTAM's. Just a random error in a zone I had flown dozens of times before. Again, grabbed the legacy iPad with legacy software and flew unabated.
1680369602227.jpeg

But you do you.

D
 
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I don't really offer opinions. I offer observations.

Observations and experience, as well as opinions, differ with respect to updates.

I guess you haven't experienced the erroneous NFZ feature or the "you must login to DJI to fly" feature when you're miles from Internet and/or cell service.

No. I try to remember to log in prior to leaving a service area.

And if it's crash reports yer hankerin' for, the entire "Pilots" franchise of forums are littered with post-firmware-update crash reports.

I've seen numerous such reports. I've noticed that many problems reported as related to software and firmware updates are actually related to other issues. There have been problems, though. But, I have never encountered anything debilitating in my flight experience with Mini, Mini 2, Air 2, Air 2S, Mini 3 Pro, or Mavic 3. (I waited until all features were enabled to purchase.)

If you're flying for phun from your back yard close to WiFi or within cell service, then following every update may work for you. If you're flying professionally, I HIGHLY recommend you stick with what works.

'Phun' may be an acronym I don't know.

I primarily fly recreationally, but when appropriate, I operate under my Part 107 rating. From Florida cypress swamps and bays, to Louisiana bayous and coastal marshes to Colorado mountains and Utah dune fields, often without cell or wifi service (not that it's required for flying), it has been my experience that following every update has resulted in no issues for me. Same in my back yard.

On a peripherally related note, in the unlikely event of an incident that resulted in the involvement of enforcement agencies, attorneys, or courts, I suspect that an official or plaintiff's attorney would be quick to note that a drone pilot was operating with outdated software and firmware not recommended by the drone manufacturer. (I do not suggest that it would be a substantive issue w.r.t. actual operation or safety.)
 
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Observations and experience, as well as opinions, differ with respect to updates.



No. I try to remember to log in prior to leaving a service area.



I've seen numerous such reports. I've noticed that many problems reported as related to software and firmware updates are actually related to other issues. There have been problems, though. But, I have never encountered anything debilitating in my flight experience with Mini, Mini 2, Air 2, Air 2S, Mini 3 Pro, or Mavic 3. (I waited until all features were enabled to purchase.)



'Phun' may be an acronym I don't know.

I primarily fly recreationally, but when appropriate, I operate under my Part 107 rating. From Florida cypress swamps and bays, to Louisiana bayous and coastal marshes to Colorado mountains and Utah dune fields, often without cell or wifi service (not that it's required for flying), it has been my experience that following every update has resulted in no issues for me. Same in my back yard.

On a peripherally related note, in the unlikely event of an incident that resulted in the involvement of enforcement agencies, attorneys, or courts, I suspect that an official or plaintiff's attorney would be quick to note that a drone pilot was operating with outdated software and firmware not recommended by the drone manufacturer. (I do not suggest that it would be a substantive issue w.r.t. actual operation or safety.)
I fully agree. Neglecting a software update prompt can have serious implications for a professional pilot's responsibility.

It is essential to bear in mind that as per part 107, a comprehensive pre-flight inspection of the drone must be conducted before taking off. As a professional pilot, I consider firmware updates to be a standard maintenance task for the aircraft, which should be followed by a test flight before it is put back into service. By conducting this test flight in a controlled environment, seasoned pilots can identify any abnormalities before they arise on-site or off-grid.

Given these factors, I make it a point to apply updates promptly. In an industry that is continually evolving with changing regulations and standards, it is imprudent to publicly advocate for outdated firmware.

Having flown drones for nearly a decade, I have hundreds of hours of experience flying various models, from self-assembled quads and fixed wings to DJI drones, particularly since the P4P. At present, I own and operate several DJI drones, including the prosumer M3, as well as enterprise-class drones like the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T. My Part 107 certification and countless hours of flying professionally since 2018 have taught me the importance of being proactive. In my opinion, discovering an issue on-site, particularly with a large crew, only occurs when pilots are unprepared.
 
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Observations and experience, as well as opinions, differ with respect to updates.
The math doesn't change. As noted before (and apparently dismissed), the entire Pilots franchise is littered with post-update-crashes. You can dismiss them as pilot error if you wish. The sheer numbers say otherwise.



No. I try to remember to log in prior to leaving a service area.
I did. And then was prompted to login an hour later outside a service area. That happened ONCE years ago. Since then I have been proactive with software and firmware to insure that never happens/happened again.


I've seen numerous such reports. I've noticed that many problems reported as related to software and firmware updates are actually related to other issues.
Dismiss them if you wish. As noted before, the numbers are too large to ignore or chalk up to pilot error.



There have been problems, though.
Absolutely. Without a doubt.

Inspire 1 firmware update v1.10.xx throttled back video transmission signal strength. This was due to an FCC ruling. This update rendered Inspire 1's all but useless beyond 500'. Now you can argue that it is "proactive" to do all updates willy-nilly regardless of results. I would argue the opposite; That UNDERSTANDING your firmware and software updates can mitigate problems. And "testing before you fly" merely REVEALS these problems, which are incurable if you're not diligent with fully understanding your firmware and software. This is just one of MANY examples. Say you install a firmware update a week before a job, and discover the update has created a bug. What do you do? Exactly. You do nothing. Why? Because DJI offers no options to roll back firmware or software. You are STUCK buddy.

Ask anybody whose drone has been erroneously grounded when flagged in an erroneous NFZ. That also happened to me ONCE. Now I'm proactive with firmware and software. I also learned out to clear out erroneous NFZ's from the flight controller. So being erroneously grounded will never happen again.



But, I have never encountered anything debilitating in my flight experience with Mini, Mini 2, Air 2, Air 2S, Mini 3 Pro, or Mavic 3. (I waited until all features were enabled to purchase.)
Yep. Consider yourself lucky, sir. And based on your style of flying, your livelihood is not depending on your drone's reliability.




'Phun' may be an acronym I don't know.
It's just a silly "street" way of spelling "fun."



I primarily fly recreationally, but when appropriate, I operate under my Part 107 rating. From Florida cypress swamps and bays, to Louisiana bayous and coastal marshes to Colorado mountains and Utah dune fields, often without cell or wifi service (not that it's required for flying), it has been my experience that following every update has resulted in no issues for me. Same in my back yard.
And I fly strictly professionally. If not being paid, I'm doing R&D. I honestly haven't flown "for the fun of it" for years. So I absolutely can NOT afford the luxury of risking breaking a perfectly-working drone. There are no "feature" carrots for me. I fly by stick or waypoint (third-party software). Beyond those basic flight modes, there are no features I want or need.





On a peripherally related note, in the unlikely event of an incident that resulted in the involvement of enforcement agencies, attorneys, or courts, I suspect that an official or plaintiff's attorney would be quick to note that a drone pilot was operating with outdated software and firmware not recommended by the drone manufacturer. (I do not suggest that it would be a substantive issue w.r.t. actual operation or safety.)
I would disagree. A case could be VERY easily made that firmware updates are not always safe. I would have no problem printing up 100 or so pages of post-firmware crash reports for his/her honor.

If we're to reach an agreement here, I think a compromise is in order; Anybody flying the way I do follow my firmware/software paradigms. And anybody flying the way you do follow yours. That seems like a good compromise to cover both the professional and recreational flyer.

D
 
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I fully agree. Neglecting a software update prompt can have serious implications for a professional pilot's responsibility.
I disagree. A strong case could be easily made to show software/firmware updates are not always safe.



It is essential to bear in mind that as per part 107, a comprehensive pre-flight inspection of the drone must be conducted before taking off. As a professional pilot, I consider firmware updates to be a standard maintenance task for the aircraft, which should be followed by a test flight before it is put back into service. By conducting this test flight in a controlled environment, seasoned pilots can identify any abnormalities before they arise on-site or off-grid.
Yep. So now let's say you found a problem due to a firmware update an entire week before a shoot. How do you fix it??? OR...you get out on your jobsite just to find that NOW it is a no fly zone. You can't test for that at home. NOW what do you do?

I greatly look forward to your answer.



Given these factors, I make it a point to apply updates promptly. In an industry that is continually evolving with changing regulations and standards, it is imprudent to publicly advocate for outdated firmware.
By a company who is continually introducing new bugs (see post-firmware update crash reports) and erroneous no fly zones (see screen shots in my previous post!!!). Your unshaking faith in DJI to have your better interest and livelihood at heart is your business. But that is NOT a path I walk. And my path has netted literally 100% reliability on all jobsites. Remember, both times I was grounded I was able to correct the problem by using my spare UNUPDATED drone.




Having flown drones for nearly a decade, I have hundreds of hours of experience flying various models, from self-assembled quads and fixed wings to DJI drones, particularly since the P4P. At present, I own and operate several DJI drones, including the prosumer M3, as well as enterprise-class drones like the Mavic 3E and Mavic 3T. My Part 107 certification and countless hours of flying since 2018 have taught me the importance of being proactive.
I have been flying gasser helicopters since the '80's. Then I took a break from flying around 1995 and started back up with Quadcopters (Phantom 1) in 2013. My company went online in 2014.


Like you, hundreds of flight hours and a litany of drones. I agree with you 100% about being proactive. Being proactive with firmware and software - not just installing them willy-nilly, but understanding the repercussions - means having an exit strategy. When you install bad firmware that causes bugs, how do you uninstall it? And if you want to sit here and tell me that with all those drones and all those firmware and software updates that you've never experienced a bug of any kind, then we're just going to have to agree to disagree.




In my opinion, discovering an issue on-site, particularly with a large crew, only occurs when pilots are unprepared.
Wrong, sir. Erroneous NFZ's DO NOT reveal themselves until you get on the jobsite. Now I don't know about you, but I fly all over the place under many conditions, including near CLOSED airports. I have had DJI try to ground me more than once for these erroneous NFZ's. I have hacked my drones so I fly anyway. But if not for the hacking, I would be grounded and would NOT KNOW until I was ON the jobsite. NO amount of diligence can prevent that scenario.

I'm not here to change the way you handle your updates. But I AM here to warn others that it absolutely is NOT all flowers and unicorns when it comes to these updates. If that is your experience, you, sir, are the GREAT exception, not the rule.

Best of luck.

D
 
@MS Coast and @Shakes1118

As if on cue....

1680444388118.png

These pop up all the time, so I'll keep posting these for you guys daily until one of you tells me how your "diligence" remedies these situations. Looking forward to the crickets.

My advice is if you're going to GIVE advice, you should be able to reconcile that advice. I have very good reasons for the firmware advice I give and always back up my advice with physical evidence. We could ALL learn a lesson from that.

Discuss.

D
 
Again I'm simply observing that I've had no issues with updates in recreational or professional operations during several years with six DJI drones. You apparently have.

I've not given any advice. You have. From your post #10, "Anybody flying the way I do follow my firmware/software paradigms. And anybody flying the way you do follow yours."

I'm unable to find that post from @casein. Would you post a link rather than an image?
 
Again I'm simply observing that I've had no issues with updates in recreational or professional operations during several years with six DJI drones. You apparently have.
My position is that firmware issues are not just me. And not just a couple people. It's a wide-spread problem. Your experience is the exception. How you've managed to avoid any and all firmware/software issues with your vast experience is actually freaky weird.



I've not given any advice. You have.
You undermined my advice with no evidence whatsoever other than "I've never encountered an issue." Conversely, I've provided screen shots of my personal issues, purported that a quick search of "firmware" would net a plethora of firmware issues throughout the entire "Pilots" franchise, and am now continuing with the DAILY complaints of firmware update issues. Undermining my ADVICE is not only BAD, it's flat-out dangerous if you ask me. Purporting that installing all updates willy-nilly with nary any research is patently ignorant....in my humble opinion....

1680450584106.png




From your post #10, "Anybody flying the way I do follow my firmware/software paradigms. And anybody flying the way you do follow yours."
And I stick by that advice and have a wealth of evidence to reconcile that advice. Do you???




I'm unable to find that post from @casein. Would you post a link rather than an image?
ALWAYS happy to provide evidence.


D
 
I've not offered advice. I've only described my experiences. It's unfortunate that you see that as undermining you. I can't help with that.

I've often found that it's not fruitful to discuss a topic when ALL CAPS TEXT and multiple punctuation are encountered. So, after just completing a flight with the Mavic 3, I'm going to take a break and update the firmware.

Enjoy this grand spring day.

Edit: For anyone interested, the report cited is in reference to a DJI Inspire drone. No responses have been posted yet.
 
I've not offered advice. I've only described my experiences. It's unfortunate that you see that as undermining you. I can't help with that.
It is what it is, my friend. I make a responsible, well-thought-out, well-documented, tried-and-true recommendation, and you undermine it with "That's not my experience." The problem is that sometimes new pilots follow advice of more experienced pilots. Go figure. I'm here to make sure nobody loses their drone because they thought they were getting good advice.

Glaring in this exchange is your inability to provide any of the evidence I have asked for to bolster your position. I'd just like to point that out not so much for yours or my benefit, but more to those less-experienced pilots who may be watching the conversation.



I've often found that it's not fruitful to discuss a topic when ALL CAPS TEXT and multiple punctuation are encountered.
Agreed. But I didn't do that. I use upper-case to put emphasis on the OCCASIONAL word. <- See what I did there? Even less fruitful are those who conflate, lack the ability to concede and lack the ability to self-reflect. You seem to have fulfilled the trifecta.



So, after just completing a flight with the Mavic 3, I'm going to take a break and update the firmware.
So you're not even going to attempt to answer how you mitigate problems you may encounter with erroneous drone behavior due to software and firmware updates? Touché, sir. Nicely played. Add "dismissal" and "evasion" to the list.




Enjoy this grand spring day.
I will! You, too!



Edit: For anyone interested, the report cited is in reference to a DJI Inspire drone. No responses have been posted yet.
It was posted this morning. Give it a minute. In the meantime, a random search turned up dozens more firmware problems. Here's just one.


"...my initial thought is that it had an IMU failure which seems common, and can be triggered by some firmware updates."

Still looking forward to an education on your plan on how to mitigate firmware anomalies post-installation.

Best of luck.

D
 
Regarding the case cited above:


From the OP's message, "... my initial thought is that it had an IMU failure which seems common, and can be triggered by some firmware updates."

OP speculated that an IMU error was caused by the update and intended to return the drone to DJI. He did not post a follow-up or respond to requests to post the flight data for analysis. There is no evidence to conclude that the firmware update caused the problem.
 
Regarding the case cited above:


From the OP's message, "... my initial thought is that it had an IMU failure which seems common, and can be triggered by some firmware updates."

OP speculated that an IMU error was caused by the update and intended to return the drone to DJI. He did not post a follow-up or respond to requests to post the flight data for analysis. There is no evidence to conclude that the firmware update caused the problem.
That's just the first one I found. There's a million of 'em. I really don't like thread flooding, but clearly you are forcing my hand. So here goes:




Here's a crash of a different color.





===============

The above links are the result of literally 2 minutes of work on only ONE of the half dozen "Pilots" forums. You're free to write them all off as coincidence or pilot error. That is your prerogative. But I would caution you against telling OTHER pilots that "firmware updates are what a diligent pilot does." AT BEST, your advice is irresponsible. You can speculate what the worst scenario might be.

I'll remind you one last time that you still haven't shared your contingency plan and/or exit strategy should you find a bug in your software or firmware update. We all know why. Just admit you don't have one and that you would be at the mercy of the forum for an answer to that scenario. Ironically, I would probably be the guy to provide it.

Happy updating. Happy flying.

D
 
I'll ignore the slurs and address your more substantive comments.

My contingency plan for a problem with software or firmware update?
  • Ground the affected drone.
  • Use another drone if a flight is needed immediately.
  • Revert to an earlier version if possible. Then go to the final step.
  • Research solutions. Monitor for new versions of updates.
  • Implement solutions, check control settings, flight test to confirm a fix.

Regarding the examples listed. Yes, they all include "firmware" and/or "update" in the title. I've look at five; the conclusions point to other causes.
  • Stupid firmware update caused me the mav to crash this morning!!!!
    Aircraft responded properly to pilot's CSC emergency shutdown command while doing repeated funnel maneuvers. Pilot neglected to check settings after an update.
  • MAVIC MINI 2 CRASH AND BURN SOON AFTER FIRMWARE UPDATE - TOTAL LOSS - HELP!
    See post #41: "Bottom line - this is flight control failure, almost certainly IMU accelerometer failure on the z-axis, although it is impossible to rule out IMU fusion failure."
  • Mavic air 2 crash. Firmware fault? Repair under warranty? Aircraft flew into tree branches while attempting to follow the pilot who was riding a bike down a narrow gravel road in the woods with overhanging branches.
  • New firmware update, Go4 Crashes every time
    Go4 app problem. No cause or solution reported. No follow-up.
  • Crash with mini 2 after firmware update v1.04.0000
    See flight log analysis in post #7and conclusion in #13. "No one here will be able to explain the root cause for the lousy GPS performance ... that info isn't in the log. But if it would be a firmware issue a lot of other Mini 2's would be affected by now, so... that points towards a hardware issue.
Dinner is ready, so I'll leave evaluation of the one other example to others.

And once again, I'm not giving advice or making recommendations regarding updates to firmware and software, but simply reporting that I've had no issues.
 
I'll ignore the slurs and address your more substantive comments.

My contingency plan for a problem with software or firmware update?
  • Ground the affected drone.
  • Use another drone if a flight is needed immediately.
  • Revert to an earlier version if possible. Then go to the final step.
  • Research solutions. Monitor for new versions of updates.
  • Implement solutions, check control settings, flight test to confirm a fix.

Regarding the examples listed. Yes, they all include "firmware" and/or "update" in the title. I've look at five; the conclusions point to other causes.
  • Stupid firmware update caused me the mav to crash this morning!!!!
    Aircraft responded properly to pilot's CSC emergency shutdown command while doing repeated funnel maneuvers. Pilot neglected to check settings after an update.
  • MAVIC MINI 2 CRASH AND BURN SOON AFTER FIRMWARE UPDATE - TOTAL LOSS - HELP!
    See post #41: "Bottom line - this is flight control failure, almost certainly IMU accelerometer failure on the z-axis, although it is impossible to rule out IMU fusion failure."
  • Mavic air 2 crash. Firmware fault? Repair under warranty? Aircraft flew into tree branches while attempting to follow the pilot who was riding a bike down a narrow gravel road in the woods with overhanging branches.
  • New firmware update, Go4 Crashes every time
    Go4 app problem. No cause or solution reported. No follow-up.
  • Crash with mini 2 after firmware update v1.04.0000
    See flight log analysis in post #7and conclusion in #13. "No one here will be able to explain the root cause for the lousy GPS performance ... that info isn't in the log. But if it would be a firmware issue a lot of other Mini 2's would be affected by now, so... that points towards a hardware issue.
Dinner is ready, so I'll leave evaluation of the one other example to others.

And once again, I'm not giving advice or making recommendations regarding updates to firmware and software, but simply reporting that I've had no issues.
I have valid arguments, but I think we beat this dead horse enough. Moving forward...

D
 
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