PHANTOM 3

V1.0

2015.05

User Manual

PROFESSIONAL
2 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Using this manual

Legends

Warning Important Hints and Tips Reference

Read Before the First Flight

Read the following documents before using the Phantom 3 Professional:

1. In the Box

2. Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

3. Phantom 3 Professional Quick Start Guide

4. Phantom 3 Professional / Advanced Safety Guidelines and Disclaimer

5. Phantom 3 Professional / Advanced Intelligent Flight Battery Safety Guidelines

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

before you fy. Prepare for your frst fight by reviewing the Phantom 3 Professional Quick Start Guide and 

refer to the User Manual for more detailed information.

Video Tutorials

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

safely:

http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3/video

Download the DJI Pilot app 

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

to download the latest version.

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

The iOS version of the DJI Pilot app is compatible with iOS 8.0 or later.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 3

Contents

Using this manual

 Legends 2

 Read Before the First Flight 2

 Video Tutorials 2

 Download the DJI Pilot app 2

Product Profle

 Introduction 6

 Feature Highlights 6

 Preparing the Aircraft 7

 Aircraft Diagram 8

 Remote Controller Diagram 8

Aircraft

 Flight Controller 11

 Flight Mode 11

 Flight Status Indicator 11

 Return-to-Home (RTH) 12

 Smart RTH 12

 Low Battery RTH 13

 Failsafe RTH 14

 Vision Positioning System 14

 Flight Recorder 16

 Attaching and Detaching the Propellers 16

 DJI Intelligent Flight Battery 17

Remote Controller

		 Remote Controller Profle	 23

 Using the Remote Controller 23

 Remote Controller Status LED 27

 Linking the Remote Controller 28

 Remote Controller Compliance Version 29
4 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Camera and Gimbal 

		 Camera Profle	 31

 Gimbal 32

DJI Pilot App

 Camera 35

 Director 38

 Store 38

 Discovery 38

Flight

 Flight Environment Requirements 40

 Flight Limits and No-Fly Zones 40

		 Prefight Checklist	 44

 Calibrating the Compass 44

 Auto Takeoff and Auto Landing 45

 Flight Test 46

 Starting/Stopping the Motors 46

Troubleshooting (FAQ)

Appendix

		 Specifcations	 53

 Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) 55

 FCC Compliance 56
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 5

Product Profle

This section introduces the Phantom 3 

Professional and lists the components of 

the aircraft and remote controller.
6 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Product Profile

Product Profle

Introduction

The Phantom 3 Professional represents the next generation of DJI quadcopters. It is capable of capturing 

4K video and transmitting an HD video signal out of the box. The built-in camera has an integrated gimbal 

to maximize stability while minimizing both weight and size. Even when no GPS signal is available, the 

Vision Positioning System allows the aircraft to hover accurately in place.

Feature Highlights

Camera and Gimbal: With the Phantom 3 Professional, you’re shooting 4K video at up to 30 frames per 

second and capturing 12 megapixel photos that look crisper and cleaner than ever. An enhanced sensor 

gives you greater clarity, lower noise, and better pictures than any previous fying camera.

HD Video Downlink: The low-latency HD downlink is powered by an enhanced version of DJI Lightbridge.

DJI Intelligent Flight Battery: The 4480 mAh DJI Intelligent Flight Battery features upgraded battery cells 

and an advanced power management system.

Flight Controller: The next-generation fight controller has been updated to provide a safer, more reliable 

fight experience. A newly implemented fight recorder stores critical data from each fight and the Vision 

Positioning System enhances hovering precision when fying indoors or in environments where GPS is 

unavailable.
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 7

Product Profile

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Preparing the Aircraft

Removing Gimbal Clamp

Remove the gimbal clamp by sliding it to the right (when facing the nose of the aircraft), as shown below.

Attaching the Propellers:

Mount the propellers with black nuts on to motors with black axes and spin counter-clockwise to secure. 

Mount the propellers with grey nuts on to motors with gray axes and spin clockwise to secure. Be sure all 

propellers are securely in place.

Preparing the Remote Controller:

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 

clamp to ft the size of your mobile device.

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.

Place all propellers onto the correct motors and tighten by hand to lock them in position.

1

3

2
8 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Product Profile

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Aircraft Diagram

Remote Controller Diagram

[1] Antennas

Relays aircraft control and 

video signal. 

[2] Mobile Device Holder

Securely mounts your mobile 

device to the remote controller. 

[3] Control Stick

Controls the orientation and 

movement of the aircraft.

[4] Return Home (RTH) Button

Press and hold the button to 

initiate Return to Home (RTH).

[1]

[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] Aircraft Micro-USB Port

[8] Aircraft Status Indicator

[9] Intelligent Flight Battery

[10] Vision Positioning Sensors

[11] Antennas

[12] Camera Micro-SD Card Slot

[13] Camera Micro-USB Port

[14] Link Button

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5] [6]

[7]

[8]

[11]

[9]

[10]

4K

[12]

[14] [13]
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 9

Product Profile

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

[5] Battery Level LEDs

Displays the battery level of the remote 

controller. 

[6] Status LED

Displays the remote controller's system status. 

[7] Power Button

Used to turn the remote controller on and off.

[8] RTH LED 

Circular LED around the RTH button displays 

RTH status. 

[17]

[19]

[18]

[9] Camera Settings Dial 

Turn the dial to adjust camera settings. 

(Only functions when the remote controller is 

connected to a mobile device running the DJI 

Pilot app. )

[10] Playback Button 

Playback the captured images or videos.

(Only functions when the remote controller is 

connected to a mobile device running the DJI 

Pilot app.)

[11] Shutter Button 

Press to take a photo. If burst mode is 

selected, the set number of photos will be 

taken with one press.

[12] Flight Mode Switch

Switch between P-mode, A-mode, and 

F-mode.

[13] Video Recording Button

Press to start recording video. Press again to 

stop recording.

[14] Gimbal Dial

Use this dial to control the tilt of the gimbal. 

[15] Mircro-USB Port

Connect to a SD card reader to upgrade the 

frmware.

[16] USB Port

Connect to mobile device or to a USB port for 

frmware upgrade.

[17] C1 Button

Customizable through the DJI Pilot app.

[18] C2 Button

Customizable through the DJI Pilot app.

[19] Power Port

Connect to a power source to charge the 

battery of the remote controller.

[10]

[11]

[15] [16]

[9]

[12]

[13]

[14]
10 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Aircraft

This section introduces the features of 

the Flight Controller, Vision Positioning 

System, and the Intelligent Flight Battery
© 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.

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 P26 for more information. 

Front LED

Aircraft Status Indicator
12 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

Aircraft Status Indicator Description

Normal

 Red, Green and Yellow Flash 

Alternatively 

Turning On and Self-Checking

 Green and Yellow Flash Alternatively Aircraft 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 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 procedure: 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 Pilot app 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 Pilot 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 Pilot 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 Pilot 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 Pilot 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
14 © 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 

Aircraft

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

 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 Pilot app and enter “Camera” and 

select “MODE” to set the Failsafe altitude. 

 The aircraft will stop its ascent and return to the Home Point immediately if the throttle stick is 

moved during the Failsafe RTH procedure.

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 the 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 two 

ultrasonic sensors and one monocular camera.

[1]

[2]

 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 (afer 3 sec.)

Fast Blinking Yellow

Height over HP>20m

Elevate to 20m 20m

>3S

×

×

× ×
© 2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 15

Aircraft

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.

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 same design). 

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

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 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) in fast speed.

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. Access these data from the DJI Pilot 

app through the Micro-USB Port on the aircraft. 

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 Grey Nut Black Nut

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. Attach the propellers with grey nuts onto the motors with grey axes and spin the propellers clockwise 

to secure them in place. Attach the propellers with black nuts 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 animals away from the aircraft when Vision Positioning system is activated. The sonar 

sensor emits high frequency sound that is 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 Pilot 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.

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 Pilot 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: DJI Pilot app displays a warning message when a damaged battery 

cell is detected.

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

Phantom 3 Professional User Manual

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 Pilot app and check the information that is 

listed under the battery tab.