App and firmware updates

[mattitech07]

I use the MA2, I'm on the fly 1.5.10, and I've seen that quite a bit of versions came out after it and I haven't updated in a while. Are the latest versions stable? Is it safe if I continue to update the app without updating the drone's firmware? I'm still on the. 06 version of the firmware and I wont update because if something goes wrong there's no option to downgrade.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

'If it ain't broke I don't fix it', lol.
There is one corollary to that, do any of the updates offer features that you want. If I remember correctly one of the 1.5.something App updates added EXP adjustment. Some folks consider that useful.
If you use an Android screen device, you can via APK repositories, such as
DJI Fly APKs - APKMirror
and choose the App version of your choice and change that if you don't like it.
If you use an Apple device I think you are stuck with what you currently have or the latest version, if you wish to experiment and if you have access to such a device, it might be worth borrowing or using an Apple device onto which you have permission to download the newest version of the App.

 

[lookout]

'If it ain't broke I don't fix it', lol.
There is one corollary to that, do any of the updates offer features that you want. If I remember correctly one of the 1.5.something App updates added EXP adjustment. Some folks consider that useful.
If you use an Android screen device, you can via APK repositories, such as
DJI Fly APKs - APKMirror
and choose the App version of your choice and change that if you don't like it.
If you use an Apple device I think you are stuck with what you currently have or the latest version, if you wish to experiment and if you have access to such a device, it might be worth borrowing or using an Apple device onto which you have permission to download the newest version of the App.

You can jailbreak some apples and download a handy downgrade app.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

jailbreak some apples

ummmm, what?

 

[lookout]

ummmm, what?

http://www.iphonehacks.com/jailbreak_iphone

An exploit that allows you to remove the unreasonable strong arming of apple devices to prevent them from being more useful or as they say less secure.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

ahhhh thanks

 

[Dave Maine]

As a Director of Software Engineering in a previous lifetime, all upgrades provide fixes for previously discovered bugs, as well as new features. Many of these bugs are issues only for certain conditions. If you don’t fly in certain ways, you may not find them, but if you do happen to encounter them, you will wish you had them.

The fundamental tradeoff is between bug fixing, new features, and time between releases. You cannot satisfy all 3. The user bears the risk of that 3 way tradeoffs.

 

[maggior]

As a Director of Software Engineering in a previous lifetime, all upgrades provide fixes for previously discovered bugs, as well as new features. Many of these bugs are issues only for certain conditions. If you don’t fly in certain ways, you may not find them, but if you do happen to encounter them, you will wish you had them.

The fundamental tradeoff is between bug fixing, new features, and time between releases. You cannot satisfy all 3. The user bears the risk of that 3 way tradeoffs.

The issue is that DJI doesn't do a great job of regression testing their releases. I have had to revert to 1.6.9 of the DJI Fly app because later versions would randomly crash and restart. Normally I am eager to install updates, but after the software crash issues that propagated through multiple releases, I lost confidence in their software fixes.

 

[Dave Maine]

Certainly there are lots of stories about stuff getting broken with new releases. It could well be what you describe, the lack of adequate regression testing. I have never personally had that happen with any of the drones that I fly - P34K, Mavic Air, Mavic 2 adv, but there is always tomorrow.

From reading this forum, there is lots of pressure to get feature releases in the hands of users, particularly when DJI releases new drones with missing feature sets. Extended regression testing can easily delay this. Testing, whether regression testing, unit testing, or other, can easily take half the development time required for a new release.

There is no free lunch.

 

[MA2 317]

I'm at 1.6.9 and all is well.

There's been some chatter about the newest 1.7.8 has activated the RID in the app for next year.

Remote ID

According to Pilot Institute blog the FAA has approved the built-in Remote ID system for the Air 2S. Will just need a firmware update to turn on.

mavicpilots.com

.

 

[Mave76]

I use the MA2, I'm on the fly 1.5.10, and I've seen that quite a bit of versions came out after it and I haven't updated in a while. Are the latest versions stable? Is it safe if I continue to update the app without updating the drone's firmware? I'm still on the. 06 version of the firmware and I wont update because if something goes wrong there's no option to downgrade.

There's a strong possibility of losing a function, like what happened to my MA2. After updating the firmware and DJI Fly, I lost the ZOOM Function. DJI Tech Support tried to help me recover the Zoom Function three times despite complying with all the instructions to resolve the issue but to no avail. In the end, I was instructed to send the drone and RC back to the DJI repair and services centre. Luckily, I am enrolled on the DJI Care Refresh, and all my entitlement for a free replacement, free service and repair is not exhausted two years running.
Perhaps had I not updated the firmware and Fly App, that would have had no bearing on the drone function improvement there is no need to return to DJI the drone and RC for servicing/repair. On the other hand, it could be advantageous to have the units undergo free servicing.