PHANTOM 3

V1.6

2015.10

User Manual

PROFESSIONAL
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Warning Important Hints and Tips Reference

Read the following documents before using the Phantom 3 Professional:

We recommend that you watch all tutorial videos on the official DJI website and read the Disclaimer 

refer to the User Manual for more detailed information

Please watch the tutorial videos at the link below, which demonstrates how to use Phantom 3 Professional 

safely:

Download and install the DJI GO app before using the aircraft. Scan the QR code to the right 

to download the latest version.

The Android version of the DJI GO app is compatible with Android 4.1.2 or later. 

The iOS version of the DJI GO app is compatible with iOS 8.0 or later.

Reader to read this document, press Ctrl+F on Windows or Command+F on Mac to begin a search.

View a complete list of topics in the table of contents. Click on a topic to navigate to that section.

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

This section introduces the Phantom 3 

Professional and lists the components of 

the aircraft and remote controller.

© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Preparing the Remote Controller:

The mobile device holder is designed for securing tablet or mobile device. Tilt the mobile device holder to 

the desired position, then adjust the antennas so they are facing outward.

1. Press the button on the top right side of the mobile device holder to release the clamp, then adjust the 

2. Secure your mobile device in the clamp by pressing down, and connect your mobile device to the 

remote controller using a USB cable.

3. Plug one end of the cable into the mobile device, and the other end into the USB port on the back of 

the remote controller.

1

3

2

Slide battery into the battery compartment according to the arrow’s direction shown below. Make 
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Relays aircraft control and 

video signal. 

Securely mounts your mobile 

device to the remote controller. 

Controls the orientation and 

movement of the aircraft.

Press and hold the button to 

initiate Return to Home (RTH).

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[2]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[3]

[1] GPS

[2] Propeller 

[3] Motor

[4] Front LED Indicator

[5] Landing gear

[6] Gimbal and Camera

[7] Camera Status Indicator

[8] Aircraft Micro-USB Port

[9] Aircraft Status Indicator

[10] Intelligent Flight Battery

[11] Vision Positioning Sensors

[12] Antennas

[13] Camera Micro-SD Card Slot

[14] Camera Micro-USB Port

[15] Link Button

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[9]

[12]

[10]

[11]

HD

[13]

[15] [14]

[6]

[8]

[7]
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Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Displays the battery level of the remote 

controller. 

Displays the remote controller's system status. 

Used to turn the remote controller on and off.

Circular LED around the RTH button displays 

RTH status. 

[17]

[19]

[18]

Turn the dial to adjust camera settings. 

(Only functions when the remote controller is 

connected to a mobile device running the DJI 

GO app. )

Playback the captured images or videos.

(Only functions when the remote controller is 

connected to a mobile device running the DJI 

GO app.)

Press to take a photo. If burst mode is 

selected, the set number of photos will be 

taken with one press.

Switch between P-mode, A-mode, and 

F-mode.

Press to start recording video. Press again to 

stop recording.

Use this dial to control the tilt of the gimbal. 

Reserved port.

Connect to mobile device or to a USB port for 

Customizable through the DJI GO app.

Customizable through the DJI GO app.

Connect to the DJI Phantom 3 Charger to 

charge the battery of the remote controller. 

[10]

[11]

[15] [16]

[9]

[12]

[13]

[14]
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

This section introduces the features of 

the Flight Controller, Vision Positioning 

System, and the Intelligent Flight Battery
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

The Phantom 3 Professional has Front LEDs and Aircraft Status Indicators. The positions of these LEDs 

The Front LEDs show the orientation of the aircraft. The Front LEDs glow solid red when the aircraft is 

turned on to indicate the front (or nose) of the aircraft. The Aircraft Status Indicators communicate the 

Indicators:

mode. Safety modes include Failsafe and Return-to-Home. These features ensure the safe return of your 

braking feature.

P-mode (Positioning) : P-mode works best when GPS signal is strong. There are three different states 

of P-mode, which will be automatically selected by the Phantom 3 Professional depending on signal 

strength of GPS and Vision Positioning sensors :

P-GPS: GPS and Vision Positioning both are available. The aircraft is using GPS for positioning.

using only the Vision Positioning System for positioning.

P-ATTI: Neither GPS nor Vision Positioning is available. The aircraft is using only its barometer for 

positioning, so only altitude can be stabilized. 

A-mode (Attitude): GPS and Vision Positioning System are not used for stabilization. The aircraft only uses 

its barometer. The aircraft can still automatically return to the home point if the control signal is lost and 

the Home Point was recorded successfully.

Front LED

Aircraft Status Indicator
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Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

 Red, Green and Yellow Flash 

Alternatively Turning On and Self Diagnostic Testing

 Green and Yellow Flash Alternatively Warming Up

 Green Flashes Slowly Safe to Fly (P-mode with GPS and Vision 

Positioning)

X2 Green Flashes Twice Safe to Fly (P-mode with Vision Positioning but 

without GPS)

 Yellow Flashes Slowly Safe to Fly (A-mode but No GPS and Vision 

Positioning)

 Fast Yellow Flashing Remote Controller's Signal Lost

 Slow Red Flashing Low Battery Warning

 Fast Red Flashing Critical Battery Warning

 Red Flashing Alternatively IMU Error 

 Solid Red Critical Error 

 Red and Yellow Flash Alternatively Compass Calibration Required

The Return-to-Home (RTH) function brings the aircraft back to the last recorded Home Point. There are 

three types of RTH procedures: Smart RTH, Low Battery RTH, and Failsafe RTH. This section describes 

these three scenarios in detail.

GPS Description

Home Point

If a strong GPS signal was acquired before takeoff, the Home Point 

is the location from which the aircraft was launched. The GPS signal 

strength is indicated by the GPS icon ( ). The aircraft status 

initiate Smart RTH. The aircraft will then automatically return to the last recorded Home Point. You may use 

the remote controller’s control sticks to control the aircraft’s position to avoid a collision during the Smart 

RTH process. Press and hold the Smart RTH button once to start the process, and press the Smart RTH 

button again to terminate the procedure and regain full control of the aircraft.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Low battery 

level warning

The battery 

power is low. 

Please land the 

aircraft.

Aircraft status 

indicator blinks 

RED slowly.

Tap “Go-home” to have the 

aircraft return to the Home 

point and land automatically, 

or “Cancel” to resume normal 

flight. If no action is taken, 

the aircraft will automatically 

go home and land after 10 

seconds. Remote controller 

will sound an alarm.

Fly the aircraft 

back and land 

it as soon as 

possible, then 

stop the motors 

and replace the 

battery. 

Critical Low 

battery level 

warning

The aircraft 

must land 

immediately.

Aircraft status 

indicator blinks 

RED quickly.

The DJI GO app display will 

start to descend. The remote 

controller will sound an alarm.

Allow the aircraft to 

descend and land 

automatically.

Estimated 

remaining 

Estimated 

based on current 

battery level.

N/A N/A N/A

The low battery level failsafe is triggered when the DJI Intelligent Flight Battery is depleted to a point that 

may affect the safe return of the aircraft. Users are advised to return home or land the aircraft immediately 

when prompted. The DJI GO app will display a notice when a low battery warning is triggered. The 

aircraft will automatically return to the Home Point if no action is taken after a ten-second countdown. The 

user can cancel the RTH procedure by pressing the RTH button on the remote controller. The thresholds 

for these warnings are automatically determined based on the aircraft’s current altitude and distance from 

the Home Point.

The aircraft will land automatically if the current battery level can only support the aircraft long enough 

to descend from its current altitude. The user can still use the remote controller to alter the aircraft’s 

orientation during the landing process.

The Battery Level Indicator is displayed in the DJI GO app, and is described below:

Critical Low battery level 

warning(Red) level(Green)
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

If the Home Point was successfully recorded and the compass is functioning normally, Failsafe RTH will

be automatically activated if the remote controller signal is lost for more than three seconds. The Returnto-Home process may be interrupted and the operator may regain control of the aircraft if the remote 

controller signal connection is re-established.

 When Critical battery level warning is triggered and the aircraft begins to land automatically, 

you may push the throttle upward to make the aircraft hover at its current altitude, giving you an 

opportunity to navigate to a more appropriate landing location.

 The colored zones and markers on the battery level indicator bar reflect the estimated 

and status.

Height over HP<=20m

 5 

Fast Blinking Yellow

 1 Record Home Point 

 Blinking Green

 3 Remote Controller Signal Lost

Fast Blinking Yellow

 2 

Blinking Green

 6 Landing (after hovering for 5 secs)

Fast Blinking Yellow

 4 

Fast Blinking Yellow

Height over HP>20m

Elevate to 20m 20m

>3S

×

×

× ×

Aircraft cannot return to the Home Point when GPS signal is weak ( [ ] displays grey) or 

unavailable.

meters (65 feet) radius of the Home Point. Aircraft will stop ascending and immediately return to 

the Home Point if you move the throttle stick if the aircraft reaches 20 meters (65 feet) altitudes 

or beyond during Failsafe.

 The aircraft cannot avoid obstruction during the Failsafe RTH, therefore, it is important to set an 

select “MODE > Advanced Settings > Failsafe mode” to set the Failsafe altitude. 

 User cannot control the aircraft while the aircraft is ascending to its failsafe altitude. However, 

user can press RTH button once to exit ascending and regain control.

The aircraft cannot avoid obstruction during the Failsafe RTH, therefore, it 

the DJI GO app and enter “Camera” and select “MODE > Advanced 

Settings > Failsafe mode” to set the Failsafe altitude.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

The DJI Vision Positioning System uses ultrasound and image data to help the aircraft maintain its current 

position. With the help of Vision Positioning, your Phantom 3 Professional can hover in place more precisely 

[1]

[2]

regain the control of the remote controller. 

Aircraft automatically descends and lands if RTH is triggered when the 

will stop ascending and immediately return to the Home Point if you move 

the throttle stick if the aircraft reaches 20 meters (65 feet) altitudes or 

beyond during Failsafe.

Aircraft cannot return to the Home Point when GPS signal is weak

 ( [ ] displays grey) or unavailable.

if you move the throttle stick after the aircraft rises above 65 feet 

(20m) but below the pre-set Failsafe RTH altitude, the aircraft will stop 

ascending and immediately return to the Home Point.

Vision Positioning is activated automatically when the Phantom 3 Professional is turned on. No 

further action is required. Vision Positioning is typically used in indoor environments, where GPS 

is unavailable. Using the sensors that are built into the Vision Positioning system, the Phantom 3 

Professional can hover precisely even without GPS.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

The performance of your Vision Positioning System is affected by the surface over which it is 

above sound-absorbing materials. In addition, the camera may not function correctly in 

suboptimal environments. The aircraft will switch from P-mode to A-mode automatically if neither 

GPS nor Vision Positioning System are available. Operate the aircraft with great caution in the 

following situations: 

Flying over monochrome surfaces (e.g. pure black, pure white, pure red, pure green).

Flying at high speeds(over 8 m/s at 2 meters or over 4 m/s at 1 meter).

Flying over water or transparent surfaces.

Flying over moving surfaces or objects.

Flying in an area where the lighting changes frequently or drastically. 

Flying over extremely dark (lux < 10) or bright (lux > 100,000) surfaces. 

Flying over surfaces that can absorb sound waves (e.g. thick carpet). 

Flying over surfaces without clear patterns or texture. 

Flying over surfaces with identical repeating patterns or textures (e.g. tiles with the same design). 

 Keep the sensors clean at all times. Dirt or other debris may adversely affect the effectiveness 

of the sensors.

 Vision Positioning is only effective when the aircraft is at altitudes of 0.3 to 3 meters. 

 The Vision Positioning System may not be able to recognize pattern on the ground in low light 

conditions (less than 100 lux).

 Do not use other ultrasonic devices with frequency of 40 KHz when Vision Positioning system is 

in operation. 

 Vision Positioning System may not be able to stabilize the aircraft when flying close to the 

ground (below 0.5 meters) at fast speeds..

Keep the animals away from the aircraft when Vision Positioning system is activated. The sonar 

sensor emits high frequency sounds that are only audible to some animals.

work properly on surfaces without clear pattern variations.

indicates the Vision Positioning system is ready. Gently push the throttle up to lift off 

and the aircraft will hover in place.

Flight data is automatically recorded to the internal storage of the aircraft. This includes flight 

telemetry, aircraft status information, and other parameters. To access these data, connect the 

aircraft to the PC through the Micro-USB port and launch the DJI GO app. 
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Use only DJI approved propellers with your Phantom 3 Professional. The grey and black nuts on 

the propeller indicate where they should be attached and in which direction whey should spin. To 

attach the propellers properly, match the nut color with the motor axis color

model. 

or broken propellers. 

Stand clear of the motors and DO NOT touch the propellers when they are spinning.

Hold the motor in place with one hand, then spin the propeller in the indicated unlock direction.

or broken propellers.

 To avoid injury, STAND CLEAR of and DO NOT touch propellers or motors when they are spinning.

1. Be sure to remove the warning stickers from the motors before attaching the propellers. 

Figure

Attach On Motors with a grey axes Motors with a black axes

Legends Lock : Turn the propellers in the indicated direction to mount and tighten.

 Unlock : Turn the propellers in the indicated direction to loosen and remove.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

2. Battery Life Display: the LEDs display the current battery power cycle.

3. Auto-Discharging Function: To prevent swelling, the battery automatically discharges to below 65% of 

total power when it is idle for more than ten days. It takes around two days to discharge the battery to 

65%. It is normal to feel moderate heat being emitted from the battery during the discharge process. 

Discharge thresholds can be set in the DJI GO app.

4. Balanced Charging: Automatically balances the voltage of each battery cell when charging.

5. Overcharge Protection: Charging automatically stops when the battery is fully charged.

6. Temperature Detection: The battery will only charge when the temperature is between 0°C (32°F) and 

40°C (104°F).

7. Over Current Protection: The battery stops charging when high amperage (more than 8 A) is detected.

8. Over Discharge Protection: To prevent over-discharge damage, discharging automatically stops when 

the battery voltage reaches 12 V.

9. Short Circuit Protection: Automatically cuts the power supply when a short circuit is detected.

10. Battery Cell Damage Protection: The DJI GO app displays a warning message when a damaged 

battery cell is detected.

11. Battery Error History: Browse the battery error history in the DJI GO app.

12. Sleep Mode: To save power, the battery enters sleep mode after 20 minutes of inactivity.

13. Communication: Information pertaining to the battery’s voltage, capacity, current, etc. is transmitted to 

 the aircraft’s main controller.

Refer to before 

use. Users take full responsibility for all operations and usage.

The DJI Intelligent Flight Battery has a capacity of 4480 mAh, a voltage of 15.2 V, and a smart charge/

discharge functionality. It should only be charged using an appropriate charger that has been approved

by DJI.

Charger
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

 Press the Power Button once, then press again and hold for 2 seconds to turn on. The 

Power LED will turn red and the Battery Level Indicators will display the current battery level. 

 Press the Power Button once, then press again and hold for 2 seconds to turn off. The 

of a recording during the event recording wasn’t stopped.

2. It is not recommended that the battery be used in extremely low temperature (< -10°C) environments.

Battery voltage should reach the appropriate level when operating environment with temperatures 

between -10°C and 5°C.

environments.

5. To ensure optimal performance of the battery, keep the battery temperature above 20°C.

6. The charger will stop charging the battery if the battery cell’s temperature is not within the operating 

range (0°C ~ 40°C ).

In cold environments, insert the battery into the battery compartment and allow the aircraft for 

approximately 1-2 minutes to warm up before taking off.

The Battery Level Indicators display how much power remains. When the battery is turned off, press 

the Power Button once. The Battery Level Indicators will light up to display the current battery level. See 

below for details.

87.5%~100%

75%~87.5%

62.5%~75%

50%~62.5%

37.5%~50%

25%~37.5%

12.5%~25%

0%~12.5%

=0%

The Battery Level Indicators will also show the current battery level during charging and 

 : LED is on. 

 : LED is off.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Charger

Intelligent Flight Battery 

Power Outlet

1. Connect the Battery Charger to a power source (100-240 V 50/60 Hz).

2. Open the Protection Cap and connect the Intelligent Flight Battery to the Battery Charger. If the battery 

level is above 95%, turn on the battery before charging.

3. The Battery Level Indicator will display the current battery level as it is charging.

4. The Intelligent Flight Battery is fully charged when the Battery Level Indicators are all off.

before storing it for an extended period.

 We do not recommend charging the Intelligent Flight Battery and remote controller with the 

standard charger at the same time, otherwise the charger may overheat.

 Always turn off the battery before inserting it or removing it from the Phantom 3 Professional. 

Never insert or remove a battery when it is turned on.

90%~100%

80%~90%

70%~80%

60%~70%

50%~60%

40%~50%

30%~40%

20%~30%

below 20%

When battery life reaches 0%, it can no longer be used.

For more information about the battery, launch the DJI GO app and check the information that is listed

under the battery tab.

Battery life refers to how many more times the battery can be discharged and recharged before it must 

be replaced. When the battery is turned off, press and hold the Power Button for 5 seconds to check the 

battery life. The Battery Level Indicators will light up and/or blink for two seconds, as shown below:
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

0%~25%

25%~50%

50%~75%

75%~100%

Fully Charged

The table below shows battery protection mechanisms and corresponding LED patterns. 

LED2 blinks twice per second Over current detected

LED2 blinks three times per second Short circuit detected

LED3 blinks twice per second Over charge detected

LED3 blinks three times per second Over-voltage charger detected

LED4 blinks twice per second Charging temperature is too low

LED4 blinks three times per second Charging temperature is too high 

After these issues are resolved, press the Power Button to turn off the Battery Level Indicator. Unplug the 

Intelligent Flight Battery from the charger and plug it back in to resume charging. Note that you do not 

need to unplug and plug in the charger in the event of a room temperature error; the charger will resume 

charging when the temperature is within the allowable range.

DJI does not take any responsibility for damage caused by third-party chargers.

 Place the Intelligent Flight Battery into the Phantom 3 Professional’s Battery Compartment 

and turn it on. Leave it on until there is less than 8% of power left, or until the battery can no 

longer be turned on. Launch the DJI GO app to check battery levels.

 Fly the Phantom 3 Professional outdoors until there is less than 8% of power left, or until 

the battery can no longer be turned on.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

This section describes the features 

of the remote controller and includes 

instructions for controlling the aircraft 

and the camera.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

The Phantom 3 Professional remote controller is a multi-function wireless communication device that 

integrates the video downlink system and aircraft remote control system. The video downlink and aircraft 

remote control system operate at 2.4 GHz. The remote controller features a number of camera control 

functions, such as taking and previewing photos and videos, as well as controlling gimbal motion. 

The remote controller is powered by a 2S rechargeable battery. The battery level is displayed via LED 

indicators on the front panel of the remote controller.

The remote controller is compliant with both CE and FCC regulations.

Control can be set to Mode 1 or Mode 2, or to a custom mode. 

The right stick serves as the throttle.

The left stick serves as the throttle.

To prevent transmission interference, do not operate more than three aircrafts in the same area.

The Phantom 3 Professional remote controller is powered by a 2S rechargeable battery that has a 

capacity of 6000 mAh. The battery level is indicated via the Battery Level LEDs on the front panel. Follow 

the steps below to turn on your remote controller:

1. When the remote controller is turned off, press the Power Button once. The Battery Level LEDs will 

display the current battery level.

2. Press and hold the Power Button to turn on the remote controller.

3. The remote controller will beep when it is turned on. The Status LED will rapidly blink green, indicating 

that the remote controller is linking to the aircraft. The Status LEDs will glow solid green when linking is 

complete.

4. Repeat Step 2 to turn off the remote controller.

details.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Charger

Power Outlet

Power Button

Shoot videos/pictures, view recorded images, and adjust camera settings via the Shutter Button, Camera

Settings Dial, Playback Button, and Video Recording Button on the remote controller.

Turn the dial to adjust camera settings such as ISO, shutter speed, and aperture without letting go of

the remote controller. Move the dial to left or right to scroll through pictures and videos in playback 

mode. Press down on the dial to toggle between these settings.

Press to view images and videos that have already been captured.

Press to take a photo. If burst mode is activated, multiple photos will be taken with a single press.

Press once to start recording video, then press again to stop recording. 

Use this dial to control the tilt of the gimbal. 

This section explains how to control the orientation of the aircraft through the remote controller. The 

Remote Control is set to Mode 2 by default. 

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]