© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 11

Aircraft

Flight Status Indicator 

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

are shown in the fgure below:

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 

system status of the fight controller. Refer to the table below for more information about the Aircraft Status 

Indicators:

Aircraft

Flight Controller 

The Phantom 3 Professional’s fight controller features several important upgrades, including a new fight 

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

aircraft if the control signal is lost. The fight controller can also save critical fight data from each fight 

to the on-board storage device. The new fight controller also provides increased stability and a new air 

braking feature.

Flight Mode

Three fight modes are available. The details of each fight mode are found below:

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.

P-OPTI: Vision Positioning is available but the GPS signal strength is not suffcient. The aircraft is 

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.

F-mode (Function): Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) is activated in this mode. For more information 

about IOC, refer to the IOC section in the Appendix.

Use the Flight Controller mode switch to change the fight mode of the aircraft, refer to the “Flight 

Mode Switch” on Page 26 for more information. 

Front LED

Aircraft Status Indicator
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Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Aircraft Status Indicator Description

Normal

 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)

Warning

 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

Return-to-Home (RTH)

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 

indicator will blink rapidly when the home point is recorded.

Smart RTH

Use the RTH button on the remote controller (refer to “RTH button” on page 26 for more information) 

or tap the RTH button in the DJI GO app and follow the on-screen instructions when GPS is available to 

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. 13

Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Battery Level 

Warning Remark Aircraft Status Indicator DJI GO app Flight Instructions

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 

fash red and the aircraft will 

start to descend. The remote 

controller will sound an alarm.

Allow the aircraft to 

descend and land 

automatically.

Estimated 

remaining 

fight time

Estimated 

remaining fight 

based on current 

battery level.

N/A N/A N/A

Low Battery RTH 

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:

Battery level Indicator

Critical Low battery level 

warning(Red)

Low battery 

level warning(Yellow)

Suffcient battery 

level(Green)

Remaining fight time

Power requires 

to return home
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Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Failsafe RTH

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.

Failsafe Illustration 

 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 

remaining fight time. They are automatically adjusted according to the aircraft’s current location 

and status.

Height over HP<=20m

Vision Positioning System

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 

and fy indoors or in other environments where a GPS signal is not available. The main components of the 

Vision Positioning System are located on the bottom of your Phantom 3 Professional they include <2> two 

ultrasonic sensors and <1> one monocular camera.

 5 RTH (adjustable altitude)

Fast Blinking Yellow

 1 Record Home Point 

 Blinking Green

 3 Remote Controller Signal Lost

Fast Blinking Yellow

 2 Confrming Home Point

Blinking Green

 6 Landing (after hovering for 5 secs)

Fast Blinking Yellow

 4 Signal Lost Lasts (after 3 sec.)

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.

 Aircraft automatically descends and lands if RTH is triggered when the aircraft fies within a 20 

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 

suitable Failsafe altitude before each fight. Launch the DJI GO app and enter “Camera” and 

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 

the user can rapidly toggle S1 switch to regain control to cancel the ascending.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 15

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Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Using Vision Positioning 

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.

[1]

[2]

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

fying. The ultrasonic sensors may not be able to accurately measure distances when operating 

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 over a highly refective surfaces. 

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). 

Flying over inclined surfaces that will defect sound waves away from the aircraft.

Follow the steps below to use Vision Positioning:

1. Toggle the fight mode switch to P-mode.

2. Place the aircraft on a fat surface. Note that the Vision Positioning system cannot work 

properly on surfaces without clear pattern variations.

3. Turn on the aircraft. The aircraft status indicator will fash green two times, which indicates the Vision Positioning system is ready. Gently push the throttle up to lift off and the aircraft will 

hover in place.
16 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Flight Recorder 

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. 

Attaching and Detaching the Propellers 

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.

Propellers Silver Dot Black Dot

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.

Attaching the Propellers

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

2. Attach the propellers with silver dots onto the motors with silver axes and spin the propellers clockwise 

to secure them in place. Attach the propellers with black dots onto the motors with black axes and spin 

the propellers counter-clockwise to secure them in place. Be sure to tighten each propeller by hand 

before fight. 

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 function properly when the aircraft is fying over water.

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.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 17

Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

 Ensure propellers are attached to its corresponding motors, otherwise the aircraft cannot take off. 

 Wear gloves when handling propellers. 

Hand tighten each of the propellers on the corresponding motors to ensure it is attached frmly.

Detaching the Propellers 

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

Check that the propellers and motors are installed correctly and frmly before every fight. 

Ensure that all propellers are in good condition before each fight. DO NOT use aged, chipped, 

or broken propellers.

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

ONLY use original DJI propellers for a better and safer fight experience. 

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery

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.

Intelligent Flight Battery

Charger

The Intelligent Flight Battery must be fully charged before using it for the first time. Refer to 

"Charging the Intelligent Flight Battery" for more information.

Be aware that the output power of the supplied Phantom 3 Professional charger is 100W. 

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery Functions

1. Battery Level Display: the LED indicators display the current battery level.

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.
18 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Using the Battery 

Turning ON/OFF

Turning On: 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. 

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

battery power LED will fash when powering off the Phantom to allow automatically stopping 

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

Low Temperature Notice:

1. Battery capacity is signifcantly reduced when fying in low temperature (< 0°C) environments.

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.

3. End the fight as soon as the DJI GO app displays the “Low Battery Level Warning” in low temperature 

environments.

4. Keep the battery indoors to warm it before fying in low temperature 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.

Checking the Battery Level 

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.

LED1

LED2

Battery Level Indicators

LED3

LED4

Power Button (Bulit-in LED)

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 Phantom 3 Professional / Advanced Intelligent Flight Battery Safety Guidelines before 

use. Users take full responsibility for all operations and usage.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 19

Aircraft

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

discharging. The indicators are defned below.

: LED is on. : LED is fashing.

 : LED is off.

Battery Level 

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Battery Level

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%

Battery life

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:

Battery Life

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Battery Life

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.
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Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Intelligent Flight Battery Charger Power Outlet

Battery Level Indicators While Charging

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Battery Level

0%~25%

25%~50%

50%~75%

75%~100%

 Fully Charged

Battery Protection LED Display

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

Battery Level Indicators while Charging

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Blinking Pattern Battery Protection Item

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 

Charging the Intelligent Flight Battery

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.

5. Air-cool the Intelligent Flight Battery after each fight. Allow its temperature to drop to room temperature 

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.