P3s batteries

Hayabusa · Apr 2, 2020

I busted out my old p3s and was wondering how long will the batteries last. My batts are from mid 2017 and have not been charged for way over a year.
They charged up but just wondering if there’s a check to see if still reliable/safe.
Also- I was Test hovering in my front (In between buildings but mavic lock in all the time.) it would take a long time to acquire gps. I would take off, just a few feet and it was drifting like crazy. It would also go on and off of gps.
I’m going to take it out in a more open space and no obstructions to see if any different. Was just wondering if something could have changed or should I do all new updates?
It was fine when I packed her away(day I got my mavic)?

old man mavic · Apr 3, 2020

Hayabusa said:
I busted out my old p3s and was wondering how long will the batteries last. My batts are from mid 2017 and have not been charged for way over a year.
They charged up but just wondering if there’s a check to see if still reliable/safe.
Also- I was Test hovering in my front (In between buildings but mavic lock in all the time.) it would take a long time to acquire gps. I would take off, just a few feet and it was drifting like crazy. It would also go on and off of gps.
I’m going to take it out in a more open space and no obstructions to see if any different. Was just wondering if something could have changed or should I do all new updates?
It was fine when I packed her away(day I got my mavic)?

the Phantom only has GPS no glonass so it does not get a good sat lock like the mavic does and buildings make things worse
when you store batteries you should check them every couple of months and not let them get very low for extended periods as it can damage the cells
in the app check that the cells are all even, and also keep an eye on the voltage as you fly, i would only run them down to around 50% for the first few flights
and check for any swelling during use and when charging

DanMan32 · Apr 3, 2020

I haven't flown my P3A probably in a year, but the batteries appear to hold their charge.

VPS should stabilize the AC in absence of GPS if you are low enough, but won't be as stable as an M2.

Note that the P3 was prone to cracks near the screws that hold the motors. They can be hard to see. A bit of cracking is OK, but if you find any, keep an eye on it. The cracking could cause flexing that could reduce stabilization a bit.