Does the firmware really decrease the distance!?

[STClassic01]

20ft is 10ft too far !..... You boys who fly out to 200 feet are just reckless hooligans.
Always keep the aircraft within 10ft of you and never fly higher than 6ft.
That's safe practice.

better yet fly it in the BOX!

 

[Pottertown]

I can't confirm because I dont update, haven't in 10 months. I just wanna ask why you want to update? I haven't checked myself but I haven't heard of any new features being added this version. It's my understanding the changes are just more flight restrictions like new nfz, range and height limit reductions(if you can believe the few reports on that, it's possible just user error, someone said the update just changed the default values in these categories and capabilities are the same if you change it back, if you can believe that guy, lol). Definitely nothing I'd want on my inspire.

There is definitely rock solid proof they have screwed many things up in past firmware versions, like reducing top speed capabilities, gps accuracy reductions, control stick behavior, speed braking behavior in gps mode when you let go of the sticks, controller signal range reductions and other undesirable stuff.

They have been getting better lately but I don't recommend ever blindly installing new firmware immediately after it comes out. Let someone else be the guinea pigs and test it. I'm mentioning this for the benefit of others, looks like that's exactly what you're doing. Kudos.

Lol, how's the tin foil hat tan line? If you aren't updating you are missing out on some great new features (poi and waypoints, are awesome for solo camera work). Why would you buy a $3,000 quad if you can't even trust the company selling it to not screw you over?

 

[SultanGris]

Lol, how's the tin foil hat tan line? If you aren't updating you are missing out on some great new features (poi and waypoints, are awesome for solo camera work). Why would you buy a $3,000 quad if you can't even trust the company selling it to not screw you over?

First of all let me point out to you that those two features are the only so called improvements ever released in the last year and nearly 6 or more updates. They also came during the same update, so what about the other 5+ updates which offered no improvements? Just like I said.


Secondly those features are nothing more than lame gimmicks which by all accounts don't even work very well anyway. Any pilot worth a hoot can easily preform such flights manually far better than what these automated features can deliver. I have zero use for these features, and certainly not at the cost of losing what else has changed in the updates that are required to enable them.

I can assure you if I knew then what I know now I never would've bought this $3000 piece of dji garbage, and I certainly won't be buying any more dji products.

 

[STClassic01]

First of all let me point out to you that those two features are the only so called improvements ever released in the last year and nearly 6 or more updates. They also came during the same update, so what about the other 5+ updates which offered no improvements? Just like I said.


Secondly those features are nothing more than lame gimmicks which by all accounts don't even work very well anyway. Any pilot worth a hoot can easily preform such flights manually far better than what these automated features can deliver. I have zero use for these features, and certainly not at the cost of losing what else has changed in the updates that are required to enable them.

I can assure you if I knew then what I know now I never would've bought this $3000 piece of dji garbage, and I certainly won't be buying any more dji products.

I'll trade ya... it's got a camera!!!
Not DJI either!!!

 

[John Casey]

I have no scientific evidence of a reduction, but have been flying the Inspire 1 since the first firmware version, and I do "feel" as though there is a reduction in reliability as the distance goes out beyond 500 metres. I see a few more screen blackouts and flashes of "Weak Signal" warnings. My server remote is a lot worse with video dropouts since 2 upgrades ago. It's video feed drops to either a black video feed or a green one and pixelated at only 300m and quite regularly. None of these things happened 3 or 4 months ago. Of course, the aircraft and controllers are older than they were then and have flown a lot more hours so I can't rule out "wear and tear" for that either.
I have not noticed any speed reduction, but then again I rarely fly at high speed - just not needed for what I do. I have occasionally flown at 60-80 km/h for short stints to get to another shooting place and have had no trouble getting there (not into the wind though) but it doesn't seem any different to what it used to in this regard.
As far as not updating firmware, it certainly used to be the case that DJI forced you to upgrade. There was no choice some time ago, if you wanted to be online and fly but they did stop that as one of the features of an upgrade a few versions back. I have always upgraded and only had trouble once - the camera lost video feed and DJI replaced the camera.
With regards the overall flying ability of the Inspire 1 over this year - I believe that it is not as stable flying now as what it was in say, March or April of this year (whatever firmware that was) I believe it is much more difficult to fly in a straight line now compared to then. It might be an IMU thing (although I have calibrated and checked it) or it might be a wear and tear thing ie. it's got a lot of hours up now compared to then and I guess my car doesn't drive as good now it has 50,000km on it as the day I bought it new. But it could also be a firmware thing as well. When I say it isn't as stable I'll explain a few things I know are not as good as 6 months ago.... If I'm hovering at 1 metre above the ground - just still - running a battery down - and I then decide to rotate the aircraft on that spot (ie. left stick left) it does rotate, but also moves off the spot by about a metre or two. Also , when hovering at close range again and i decide to fly straight ahead very slowly (right stick up just a bit) and it does move forward, but it moves left or right a bit as well. This is in P mode so is being held stable by electronics. In ATTI mode, it does not seem to do it, although of course ATTI mode moves around anyway with wind etc. But it was rock solid stable 6 months ago in P mode and flew beautifully straight - not quite as good now. I do think that's firmware. No proof / scientific evidence - but I do think I'm right.
So that's my best assesment to contribute my bit for this thread. Nothing concrete - just gut feelings...

 

[IrishSights]

.....

I can assure you if I knew then what I know now I never would've bought this $3000 piece of dji garbage, and I certainly won't be buying any more dji products.

If you are so dissatisfied with it why not sell it and be gone?

 

[SultanGris]

If you are so dissatisfied with it why not sell it and be gone?

Not likely to get anywhere close to original purchase price for it, besides as I've said before I haven't updated so i haven't actually lost functionality like those who have. My inspire is the same as when I purchased it. Doesn't mean I'm happy with the current direction of the company however and I have every right to express my thoughts on the matter.

You honestly can't be such a fanboy that you fail to notice they are reducing functionality in every update do you? You honestly happy with the increased nfzs added every update even over areas where there is no actual ban on flying there 99.9% of the time such as over stadiums or within 5 miles of an airport? You fully support the fact you can't disable these ridiculous restrictions even if you have faa approval to fly in these so called nfzs which has forced many people to turn down paying jobs because their $3000 flying camera won't fly? You think reducing speed and distance it can fly are positive features?

I personally don't see how anyone could possibly see these things as being positive in any way, no matter how much of a fanboy they are. There is simply no logical reason to support a company who sells you a product and continually reduces said products functionality more and more with every "update"

 

[IrishSights]

I am very happy with my Inspire 1. And please dont imply things about my views that you dont know much about. If you have read any of my posts you would know im not a 'fanboy'. Being happy with it doesnt make me a fanboy, implying liking at all costs. NFZs are a pain for commercial work and most certified for commercial work pilots will have found that it affects business if you dont have another platform.

Any changes in the firmware have not affected me operationally (apart from the restrictive nfzs). In my view there is nothing out there in a RTF aircraft at that price point as advanced and as reliable as the Inspire. Its still far from perfect and slow to get the features mentioned at launch. I concentrate on what it can do and not the negatives - which I can do little about.

No one is questioning your rights to express your thoughts on the matter, Lord forbid! I just seemed through most of your posts across this forum you labour on your dissatisfaction with the product. I was just wondering why you still have it. A legitimate question I thought! If I was as much dissatisfied with any product that I own as you, I would have moved on to another product. However thats why we can celibrate our differences

 

[IrishSights]

For the sake of being on topic I have noticed no reduction of speed or distance within my parameters.

 

[SultanGris]

I am very happy with my Inspire 1. And please dont imply things about my views that you dont know much about. If you have read any of my posts you would know im not a 'fanboy'. Being happy with it doesnt make me a fanboy, implying liking at all costs. NFZs are a pain for commercial work and most certified for commercial work pilots will have found that it affects business if you dont have another platform.

Any changes in the firmware have not affected me operationally (apart from the restrictive nfzs). In my view there is nothing out there in a RTF aircraft at that price point as advanced and as reliable as the Inspire. Its still far from perfect and slow to get the features mentioned at launch. I concentrate on what it can do and not the negatives - which I can do little about.

No one is questioning your rights to express your thoughts on the matter, Lord forbid! I just seemed through most of your posts across this forum you labour on your dissatisfaction with the product. I was just wondering why you still have it. A legitimate question I thought! If I was as much dissatisfied with any product that I own as you, I would have moved on to another product. However thats why we can celibrate our differences

Fair enough. I see potential in the inspire platform and still hold out some hope that dji will come to their senses and give the consumers what they paid for. Seems most people agree with me that it's not all it's advertised to be. I keep vocal about it because no sub par product was ever improved because people threw it away and ignored it. The more people discussing it's shortcomings and possible solutions may eventually come to the attention of dji and result in product improvement in the future. Or maybe not, either way I'll continue to talk about it for a while. The hardware is decent, it's the software that makes it crap. Honestly my money is on someone hacking it and releasing custom firmware that removes restrictions and optimizes flight capabilities before dji fixes it.

 

[Carlsberg]

I have read that guys say the I1 in now slower

 

[Carlsberg]

The hardware is decent, it's the software that makes it crap. Honestly my money is on someone hacking it and releasing custom firmware that removes restrictions and optimizes flight capabilities before dji fixes it.

Hi, which firmware are you on?
Which OP system with which device?
Which version of apps you running?

I am with you, hoping a 3rd party app, (not requiring me to update first) will come out soon.

 

[IrishSights]

Feeding time is over

 

[SultanGris]

Hi, which firmware are you on?
Which OP system with which device?
Which version of apps you running?

I am with you, hoping a 3rd party app, (not requiring me to update first) will come out soon.

The problems are in the firmware just as much as in the app. There are already 3rd party apps available but they don't change the nfz or height restrictions, those are limited by firmware.

 

[STClassic01]

Fair enough. I see potential in the inspire platform and still hold out some hope that dji will come to their senses and give the consumers what they paid for. Seems most people agree with me that it's not all it's advertised to be. I keep vocal about it because no sub par product was ever improved because people threw it away and ignored it. The more people discussing it's shortcomings and possible solutions may eventually come to the attention of dji and result in product improvement in the future. Or maybe not, either way I'll continue to talk about it for a while. The hardware is decent, it's the software that makes it crap. Honestly my money is on someone hacking it and releasing custom firmware that removes restrictions and optimizes flight capabilities before dji fixes it.

I guess this means no possibility of a trade now... DARN!

 

[SultanGris]

I guess this means no possibility of a trade now... DARN!

Lol, sorry to disappoint. What product is in your pictures? Is it custom built? Haven't seen that one before.

 

[Carlsberg]

The problems are in the firmware just as much as in the app. There are already 3rd party apps available but they don't change the nfz or height restrictions, those are limited by firmware.

I'm not asking you about problems, I'm specifically asking what stuff you are on, (I am curious)

 

[SultanGris]

I'm not asking you about problems, I'm specifically asking what stuff you are on, (I am curious)

Inspire Firmware 1.2.0.17 and Android pilot app 1.0.7 or 1.1 usually

 

[Ron_Dog]

I purchased a used Inspire 1 and have experenced problems with the range, and dropouts! One time it would fly fine, then the next flight on the same flight path, it would loose connection? After much research,I found some owners had found "cold solder" joints on the antennas coming loose. I removed the covers on mine and found one in the front-end,and another in the rear. After cleaning them up and reconnecting them with a good contact joint, my range is consistent now! Far from the normal flyer, we fly a lot of long range flights over a sparsely populated areas, at low altitude. The problem I was experiencing was I was loosing signal even at short range, that has also stopped with the repair. Seems that there is quite a few Inspires with "cold" solder joints coming loose on the antennas, and it's not a new thing for the Inspire. It's a easy check, just remove 4 screws and lift up the cover to inspect them. I'm also running the latest firmware, and app update, with iOS.