DJI Phantom 3 Pilot Training Guide
Table of Contents

Section 1 - Aircraft

Electronics

IMU

Flight Control Modes

Flight Data Recorder

Firmware Upgrade

IOC

Power

Intelligent Flight Battery

Propellers

RTH

VPS

Section 2 - Remote Controller

Section 3 - DJI Pilot APP

Calibrations

Compass Calibration

IMU Calibration

User Center

Section 4 - Flight Training

Basic Flight Maneuvers

Section 5 - Normal Operations

Checklists

Inflight Standards

Post Flight

Cold Weather Flying

Section 6 - Emergencies

Section 7 - Photography

SPECIFICATIONS

Glossary

Section 1 - Aircraft
Electronics 

MC - The Main Controller is the brain of the Phantom. The MC is the primary flight control 

computer that contain the programming firmware. It connects the IMU, GPS, Compass, ESC 

and R/C Receiver to achieve manage stable flight and aircraft control by issuing high speed 

control commands to each motor.

IMU- An inertial measurement unit (IMU) is an electronic device that measures and reports a 

craft's velocity, orientation, and gravitational forces, using a combination of accelerometers and 

gyroscopes, sometimes also magnetometers. An IMU is used to maneuver aircraft Phantom, 

among many others, and spacecraft, including satellites and landers. Recent developments 

allow for the production of IMU-enabled GPS devices. The IMU allows the GPS receiver to work 

when GPS-signals are unavailable. Read More

ESC- Each of the motors on the Phantom has an Electronic Speed Control or ESC which is 

an electronic circuit with the purpose to vary the motor's speed, its direction and possibly also to 

act as a dynamic brake. ESCs are critical to the brushless motors, essentially providing an 

electronically generated three-phase electric power low voltage source of energy for the motor.

GPS -

What is the IMU and how does it work

The IMU Inertial Measurement Unit is a small boxcomponent on the motherboard containing 

three accelerometers and three gyroscopes. The accelerometers are placed so that their 

measuring axes are orthogonal to each other. They measure inertial acceleration, also known 

as G-forces.

These are really incredible devices that make miniaturization possible. You probably have one 

in your smart phone. 

The IMU in the Phantom 3 works by detecting the current rate of acceleration using micro 

accelerometers, and detects changes in rotational attributes like pitch, roll and yaw using micro 

gyroscopes. The compass (magnetometer) assists to counter orientation drift.

The angular accelerometer measure how the Phantom is rotating in space. There is one sensor 

for each of the three axes: pitch (nose up and down), yaw (nose left and right) and roll 

(clockwise or counter-clockwise).

The linear accelerometers measure non-gravitational accelerations of the aircraft. Since it can 

move in three axes (up & down, left & right, forward & back), there is a linear accelerometer for 

each axis.

The Main Controller (MC) of the Phantom continually takes the data feed from the IMU and 

calculates the aircraft’s current position. First, it integrates over time the sensed acceleration, 

together with an estimate of gravity, to calculate the current velocity. Then it integrates the 

velocity to calculate the current position.

The Main Controller of the Phantom also integrates inputs from the GPS system, barometric 

pressure sensor for altitude correction, and the magnetic compass.
IMU’s aren’t perfect and a major disadvantage of using IMUs for navigation is that they typically 

suffer from accumulated errors. Because the guidance system is continually adding detected 

changes to its previously-calculated positions, any errors in measurement, however small, are 

accumulated from point to point. This leads to 'drift', or an ever-increasing difference between 

where the system thinks it is located, and the actual location.

Because the devices are only able to collect data in a finite time interval, IMUs are always 

working with averages. So if an accelerometer is able to retrieve the acceleration once per 

second, the device will have to work as if that had been the acceleration throughout that whole

second, although the acceleration could have varied drastically in that time period. Of course 

modern devices are able to collect data much faster than once per second, but over time that 

error increases exponentially.

Because the sensors in an IMU are so delicate, they are also very sensitive to temperature.

During the calibration process, the phantom has an internal heater that will heat it to the max 

temp. So if you start the imu cal at 25 deg c and the max temp is 50 deg c then the imu cal has 

accurate data from 25-50 deg c.

If you do an imu cal when it is already hot, 45 deg c let's say, then it'll warm to 50 deg c , and 

then you'll only have accurate data from 45-50 deg c.

So what does this mean when you fly? The phantom starts warming up (literally using its 

internal heater. This is a physical warm up) to the range it was calibrated in. Calibrate it across a 

wider range (25-50) and when you fly in 20 deg c weather, it only has to warm up 5 degrees. 

That should be 20-30 seconds or so. But if you calibrated it in the 45-50 degree range, then it 

needs to warm up 25 degrees. That'll take longer. Maybe up to 2-3 minutes? Not sure.

What are Flight Modes

Available Flight Modes

Three flight modes are available. The details of each flight 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 sufficient. 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. 

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

“Flight

Mode Switch” 

Flight Mode Switch

Toggle the switch to select the desired flight mode.

You may choose between; P-mode, F-mode and A mode.

Operating Note: By default, the Flight Mode Switch is locked to P-mode. To unlock other 

flight modes, launch the DJI Pilot app, enter the “Camera” page, and tap “Mode”, then activate 

“Multiple Flight Mode”.

Flight Data Recorder

What is the “Internal” Flight Data Recorder and what does it do?

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

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

aircraft to the PC through the Micro-USB port and launch the DJI Pilot app.

Notes:

This is not the camera media micro SD Card, it is a different micro SD card internal to the P3 

and not removable and only accessible using the micro-USB port on the front of the P3.

This hidden micro-SD card records the flight data logs. creating large .DAT files. In order to 

access the >DAT files, or your can go to mode, advanced enter flight data mode. Then connect
the usb cable to your computer. You will see a folder on your desktop. You can manually clean 

out the drive there. Power cycle the P3 and it will clear the card

DJI Phantom 3 Firmware Update Procedures

Disclaimer - Please verify these instructions with the official DJI Update instructions that get 

downloaded along with the firmware update package from the DJI website. If in doubt - Ask

DJI.

Overview 

The DJI Phantom 3 is an incredibly sophisticated UAV and if properly maintained and operated 

will provide photo opportunities never before possible at a reasonable price. Taking the time to 

know and understand this flying machine will prove satisfying and interesting for many flights to 

come. 

Firmware is the fixed programs and/or data structures that resides on the internal board 

processing chips of the Phantom and controls virtually all of the operating functions of the 

copter. The Phantom 3 will not operate without correctly installed firmware as it is essentially the 

brains of the Phantom. 

Proper firmware upgrading is one of the first and also one of the most important tasks you must 

accomplish correctly as the owner of a new Phantom. You must get this right and although the 

procedure may seem overwhelming at first, take your time and follow the process described 

below to upgrade the aircraft, remote controller and battery firmware.

Described here, is Part 1, which updates the Phantom 3 Aircraft Firmware and Part 2 which 

updates the remote controller firmware.

In step 2, you will see three different options to get the firmware file (.bin) that is still residing on 

the microSD card after Part 1, over to the Remote Controller. There is no preferred option for 

Step 2, just whatever you feel most comfortable with and whether or not you have the USB 

adapter or thumbdrive.

Before you start

Read through these instructions completely before you begin and it will help you a great deal in 

accomplishing the update procedure effectively. If there is a step you don’t understand, do not 

start the process until you do. Take your time, turn off the distractions and pay attention to what 

you are doing, this is important. If you have any questions, ask someone on one of the many 

forums; this is all part of learning your job as a Phantom Pilot.

Additional Notes and cautions:

 Do not perform firmware update while the aircraft is still flying in the air.

 Be sure to update the remote controller’s firmware to the latest version after you 

upgrade the aircraft’s firmware. 

 The remote controller may become unlinked from the aircraft after updating. Re-link 

the remote controller and aircraft. 
 Confirm the update results according to the gimbal sounds. It is normal for the aircraft 

to sound or the LED to blink during the update process. 

 Ensure there is only one firmware package file stored on your SD card. 

 Only storage devices that are formatted for FAT32 and exFAT file systems are 

supported for aircraft and remote controller firmware updates. Delete any 

automatically generated txt files (xxx_GS.TXT) in the SD card when updating multiple 

remote controllers.

 Perform a compass calibration as part of the process

Battery Charge

Before you start, make sure the Phantom 3 flight battery and the remote controller are at least 

50% charged. You can check the battery charge level by pushing once on the flight battery 

power button. Likewise with the remote controller, press once on the power button. You should 

get at least two of the four indicator lights to light up.

The firmware update procedure is accomplished in two parts that must be done in order. The 

first step is to update the Phantom 3 aircraft firmware and the second step is to update the 

remote controller firmware. (note: battery firmware is updated automatically once the firmware is 

up to date-and the .bin file (the .bin file is the actual firmware update) remains on the camera 

micro-SD card that is installed in the Phantom camera component.

Tools

To accomplish the upgrade, you will need a micro-SD card adapter. SInce the micro-SD card 

that comes with the Phantom is fairly small capacity, you will get the card reader when you 

purchase a larger capacity card. You can use this same reader for the update process.

If you choose Part 2 - option 2, you will need a MicroSD-USB Adapter card.

If you choose Part 2 - option 3, you will need an USB thumbdrive with at least 100MB capacity.

Part 1 - Updating the Aircraft Firmware

1. Check the battery and SD Card Capacity making sure that the Intelligent Flight Battery 

has at least 50% power and there is at least 100MB of free space on the SD card. You 

can check battery levels on both the flight battery and the remote controller by pushing 

once on the power button for one second. You should have at least two bars on the 

indicators, if not, take the time to charge the devices.

2. Verify that power is off for both the aircraft and the remote controller.

3. Download and preparation of the firmware update package - download the firmware 

update package from the official DJI website (http://www.dji.com/product/phantom-3).

Caution:

 When downloading the firmware from the DJI website, double check to make sure 

you download the firmware for the correct model - there is separate packages for the 

Professional and Advanced versions.

 Remove the Gimbal Guard as it moves when the copter is powered on.

Note: for ease of download, the firmware package consists of two files that are zipped into a 
.zip file. One file is an instructional pdf file for reference only and the other file is a .bin file that 

is the actual firmware update. 

Unzip the downloaded file anywhere onto your PC/mac and remember where you put it, then 

copy the .bin file that was just unzipped, to the root directory of the SD card.

(the root directory is the first directory you see when you view the card)

Note: if the .bin file is not in the root directory, the update will not work

1. Remove the micro-SD card from the Phantom camera and insert the card into the 

adapter card and then into your PC. Proceed to copy the bin file as described above 

onto the card. Delete any old .bin files or .txt files that may be on the card from previous 

updates. Once the .bin file is copied to the SD card, remove the SD card from your PC, 

ensure the aircraft is powered off then insert the micro-SD card back into the Phantom 

camera card slot. - You are now ready for the firmware update to the aircraft. 

2. Aircraft Firmware Update - Once the card is installed, power on the aircraft, do not

power on the remote controller. The upgrade will begin automatically after the craft is 

powered on and after a brief pause. The camera will sound pulses of "D-D-D-D" beeping 

sounds to indicate the upgrade is in progress, this will continue for the duration of the 

upgrade process which could take up to 25 minutes, but, more likely will only take a few 

minutes depending on the size of the upgrade. Once the upgrade is complete, the 

sound will switch to a “D---DD” beeping sound to indicate the update is completed with 

success. 

3. The process generates a .txt file back onto the micro-SD card once the update is 

complete, in the same location as the bin file. 

4. Power down the copter, remove the micro-SD card and put it back into your pc. Locate 

this txt file and open it, it will tell you if the upgrade was successfull or not. If not-try 

updating the firmware again if the text “result: failed” is found or the gimbal sounds a 

long beep sound. 

5. Delete the txt file once you have verified a successful upgrade to the phantom.

Congratulations, now on to the Remote Controller.

Part 2 (option 1) - Updating the Remote Controller Firmware

This option uses the micro-USB cable that came in the box to update the remote controller from 

the firmware file (.bin) that was copied onto the camera MicroSD in Part 1. 

1. Check Battery and SD Card Capacity - Minimum 50% on both the flight battery and the 

remote controller.

2. With power still off on the Phantom, insert the Micro-SD card back into the Phantom 

camera slot.

3. Connect the micro-USB cable (the one that came in the Phantom box), the micro USB 

end to the Phantom camera, the standard USB end to the controller. (see photo)
4. Power on the Phantom, it should be a normal start-up.

5. Power on the remote controller and wait a few seconds and the upgrade will begin. Do 

not power off the remote controller during the update.

6. It will take several minutes to complete the firmware update. The controller will sound a 

beeping sound and the Status LED on the remote controller will show solid blue to indicate the 

update is in progress. This will cycle several times before completion. Once complete, the 

Status LED on remote controller will turn solid green and the beeping sound will stop. The 

Status LED on the remote controller will turn solid red if upgrade fails, in this case, try the 

upgrade again.

1. Power off the Controller and the Phantom

2. Remove the micro-SD card from the Phantom camera, and put it back into the PC/mac. 

The remote controller update process also generates a .txt file upon completion that you 

can verify successful completion by reading the txt file on your PC. 

3. Once you have verified a successful update of the remote controller, delete the txt files 

that were generated after the update and put the micro-SD card back into the Phantom 

camera.

Part 2 - (option 2) Micro SD - USB Adapter

This step is another way the get the firmware (.bin) file to the remote controller.

1. After completion of part 1, remove the microSD card from the Phantom camera slot and 

place it into your microSD-USB adapter.

2. Insert the USB adapter into the Remote Controller USB port and proceed with step 5 of 

Part 2 - Option 1.
Transcend Adapter

Part 2 - (option 3) USB Flash Drive

This step is another way the get the firmware (.bin) file to the remote controller.

1. Insert a USB thumbdrive into your PC/Mac and copy the update bin file to the root 

directory of the USB thumbdrive

2. Insert the USB thumbdrive into the USB port on the remote controller and proceed with 

step 5 of Part 2 - Option 1.

Updating Intelligent Flight Battery Firmware

The Intelligent Flight Battery is updated during the aircraft firmware update process. It is 

recommended to keep the latest upgrade .bin files on your SD card, this will update any addition 

batteries when they are installed. The upgrade will start automatically after power cycling the 

aircraft. 

Additional Firmware Update Verification - You can also verify that the installation of the 

firmware update is completed correctly by connecting your tablet back into the USB port on the 

remote controller, turning on the remote controller and turning on the Phantom 3 aircraft. Open 
the Pilot App and when you select “Camera” from the home page, the first info screen “Aircraft 

State” will show the firmware status.

Alternatively, select the aircraft parameter icon in the upper right corner, then select aircraft 

general/about in the pop-up menu to show the current firmware version.

Last Resort: If you have tried all the above methods and still cannot get the update to work, 

try turning on both the controller and phantom with the bin file on the card. This has worked as 

a last resort for some folks.

Video Tutorials: 

note: these Youtube tutorial describe different ways to upgrade, and are all effective in 

completing the job.

https://youtu.be/aSPRLjnTwc4

https://youtu.be/BNs5UdvKbm4

https://youtu.be/DNfL4nN1fMc

https://youtu.be/-Ni7Z_NPfck

https://youtu.be/oOfCK47eiyY

https://youtu.be/bWloWB8Mj6A

DJI Phantom 3 Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC)

What Is IOC 

IOC allows users to lock the control orientation of the aircraft in different modes. There are three 

working modes for IOC that can be selected in the DJI Pilot app. IOC only works when the 

aircraft is in F-mode, therefore the user must toggle the flight mode switch to activate IOC. Refer 

to the table below

IOC Modes

Course Lock (CL) 

The nose direction, at the time that CL is set, will remain the forward direction regardless 

of how the orientation and position of the aircraft changes. This will remain fixed until you 

reset it or exit CL mode.

Home Lock (HL)* 

Record a Home Point (HP) and enter HL mode. The forward and backward controls will 

move the aircraft farther from and closer to the established Home Pont, regardless of 

how the orientation and position of the aircraft changes.

Point of Interest (POI)*

Point of Interest. Record a point of interest (POI). The aircraft can then circle around the 

POI and the nose will always points toward the POI.
Note: *Home Lock and Point of Interest feature are coming soon.

IOC Requirements

IOC is only available under the following conditions:

Using IOC

Toggle the Flight Mode Switch F-mode and follow the instructions prompted on the DJI Pilot app 

to select the desired IOC mode.

Power

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. 

? About LIPO Batteries: These batteries have three main things going for them that make 

them the perfect battery of choice for the Phantom over conventional rechargeable batteries. 

 Light weight and can be made in almost any shape and size. 

 Large capacities, meaning they hold lots of power in a small package. 

 High discharge abilities capable of meeting the demanding power requirements of 

the UAV’s. 

On the downside the batteries are still fairly expensive compared to NiCad and NiMH, but 

coming down in price all the time. Although getting better. 

 Another issue is that they don’t last that long, perhaps only 400 charge cycles (much 

less if not cared for properly). That said, they are getting better all the time, especially 

if cared for properly. 

 Safety issues - because of the volatile electrolyte used in LiPo’s, they can catch fire 

or explode. The DJI Smart Battery concept with the built in balancer and charger has 

reduced the risk of some of the handle dangers, but regardless, Lipo batteries demand 

your respect.

 Require unique and proper care if they are going to last for any length of time more 

so than any other battery technology. Charging, discharging, and storage all affect the 

lifespan –one mistake and serious damage can be done.

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

6. 6. Temperature Detection: The battery will only charge when the temperature is between 0°C 

(32°F) and 40°C (104°F).

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

detected.

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

stops when the battery voltage reaches 12 V.

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

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

to

11. "Charging the Intelligent Flight Battery" for more information.

12. 10. Battery Cell Damage Protection: The DJI Pilot app displays a warning message when a 

damaged

13. battery cell is detected.

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

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

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

transmitted to

17. the aircraft’s main controller.

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 flash when powering off the Phantom to allow automatically stopping

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

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.
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 flight. Allow its temperature to drop to room temperature

before storing it for an extended period.

Caution: Do not charge the Intelligent Flight Battery and remote controller with the standard 

charger at the same time, otherwise the charger may overheat.
Warning: Always turn off the battery before inserting it or removing it from the Phantom 3.

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

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.

How to discharge your Intelligent Flight Battery:

Slow : 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 Pilot app to check battery levels.

Rapid : 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.

Note: Be aware that the output power of the supplied Phantom 3 Professional charger is 

100W.

Comment: Flying is surely the fastest way to discharge a battery. However, your Phantom 

might drop from the sky if it does not land itself in time when the battery is low. For that 

reason, I do not recommend anyone ever try to completely discharge a battery by flying the 

Phantom until the battery is in a dangerously low state. If you value your investment, you 

should always land at or before the battery reaches the low level.

Cold Weather Operation:

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

2. It is not recommended that the battery be used in extremely low temperature (< -10°C/14F) 

environments.

Battery voltage should reach the appropriate level when operating environment 

with temperatures between -10°C and 5°C.

3. End the flight 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 flying in low temperature environments.

5. To ensure optimal performance of the battery, keep the battery temperature above 20°C/68F.

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

operating range (0°C/32F ~ 40°C/104F ).

Important: 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.
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:

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

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

Battery Protection LED Display

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

Safety Guidelines

To avoid fire, serious injury, and property damage, observe the following safety guidelines when 

using, charging, or storing your batteries.
Battery Use

 Do NOT allow the batteries to come into contact with any kind of liquid. 

 Do NOT leave batteries out in the rain or near a source of moisture. 

 Do NOT drop the battery into water. If the inside of the battery comes into contact with 

water, chemical decomposition may occur, potentially resulting in the battery catching on 

fire, and may even lead to an explosion.

 Never use non-DJI batteries. Go to www.dji.com to purchase new batteries. DJI takes no 

responsibility for any damage caused by non-DJI batteries.

 Never use or charge swollen, leaky, or damaged batteries. If your batteries are 

abnormal, contact DJI or a DJI authorized dealer for further assistance.

 Never install or remove the battery from the aircraft when it is turned on. Do NOT insert 

or remove batteries if the plastic cover has been torn or compromised in any way.

 The battery should be used in temperatures from -10°C to 40°C. Use of the battery in 

environments above 50°C can lead to a fire or explosion. Use of battery below- 10°C can 

lead to permanent damage 6) Do NOT use the battery in strong electrostatic or 

electromagnetic environments. Otherwise, the battery control board may malfunction 

and cause a serious accident during flight.

 Never disassemble or pierce the battery in any way or the battery may leak, catch fire, or 

explode.

 Electrolytes in the battery are highly corrosive. If any electrolytes make contact with your 

skin or eyes, immediately wash the affected area with fresh running water for at least 15 

minutes, and then see a doctor immediately.

 Check the condition of the battery if it falls out of the aircraft. Make sure the battery is 

NOT damaged or leaking before putting it back into the aircraft.

 If the battery falls into water with the aircraft during flight, take it out immediately and put 

it in a safe and open area. Maintain a safe distance from the battery until it is completely 

dry. Never use the battery again, and dispose of the battery properly as described in the 

Battery Disposal section below. 

 Do NOT heat batteries. Put out any battery fire using sand or a dry powder fire 

extinguisher. Never use water to put out a battery fire.

 Do NOT put batteries in a microwave oven or in a pressurized container.

 Do NOT place loose battery cells on any conductive surface, such as a metal table.

 Do NOT put the loose cells in a pocket, bag or drawer where they may short-circuit 

against other items or where the battery terminals could be pressed against each other.

 Do NOT drop or strike batteries. Do NOT place heavy objects on the batteries or 

charger. Avoid dropping batteries.

 Clean battery terminals with a clean, dry cloth.

Battery Charging

 Do NOT attach the batteries to wall outlets or car charger sockets directly, and always 

use a DJI approved adapter. DJI takes no responsibility if the battery is charged using a 

non-DJI charger.

 Never leave the battery unattended during charging. Do NOT charge the battery near 

flammable

 Materials or on flammable surfaces such as carpet or wood. Do NOT charge battery 

immediately after flight, because the battery temperature may be too high. 

 Do NOT charge the battery until it cools down to near room temperature. Charging the 

battery outside of the temperature range of 0°C-40°C may lead to leakage, overheating, 

or battery damage.
 2) Disconnect the charger when not in use. Examine the charger regularly for damage to 

the

 cord, plug, enclosure, or other parts. Do NOT clean the charger with denatured alcohol 

or other flammable solvents. Never use a damaged charger.

 Charge and discharge the battery completely once every 20 charge/discharge cycles. 

Discharge the battery until there is 8% remaining power or until it can no longer be 

turned on, then recharge it to the maximum capacity. This power cycling procedure will 

optimize battery life.

 The Intelligent Flight Battery is designed to stop charging when it is full. However it is a 

good practice to monitor the charging progress and disconnect the batteries when fully 

charged.

Battery Storage

 Keep batteries out of the reach of children and pets.

 Do NOT leave the battery near heat sources such as a furnace or heater. Do NOT leave 

the batteries inside of a vehicle on hot days. The ideal storage temperature is 22°C-28°C.

 Keep the battery dry. Never drop the battery into water.

 Do NOT drop, strike, impale, or manually short-circuit the battery.

 Keep the battery away from metal objects such as glasses, watches, jewelry, and 

hairpins.

 Discharge the battery to 30%-50% if it will NOT be used for 7 days or more. This can 

greatly extend the battery life.

 The battery automatically discharges to below 65% when it is idle for more than 10 days 

to prevent it from swelling. It takes approximately 2 days to discharge the battery to 65%. 

It is normal that you may feel moderate heat emitting from the battery during the 

discharge process. Set the discharging thresholds in the DJI Pilot app.

 The battery will enter hibernation mode if depleted and stored for a long period. When in 

hibernation mode, if you try to power on the battery, the battery power LED will show a 

solid red light and the battery level LEDs will all be off. You cannot manually turn off the 

battery power LED in this state. Leave the battery unattended for 5 minutes, and then 

the light will turn off. Recharge the battery to bring it out of hibernation.

 Remove batteries from the aircraft when stored for an extended period.

Battery Disposal

Dispose of the battery in specific recycling boxes only after a complete discharge. Do NOT 

place the battery in regular trash containers. Strictly follow your local regulations regarding the 

disposal and recycling of batteries.

Note: If the power on/off button on the Intelligent Flight Battery is disabled and the battery 

cannot be fully discharged, please contact a professional battery disposal/recycling agent for 

further assistance.

Battery Maintenance

 Never use the battery when the temperature is too high or too low.

 Never store the battery in environments with a temperature higher than 60°C.

 Never over-discharge, as this may lead to battery cell damage.

 Battery life may be reduced if not used for a long time.
Battery Use

1) Make sure the batteries are fully charged before each flight.

2) It is recommended that you do NOT charge the Intelligent Flight Battery and remote controller 

at the same time.

3) Land the aircraft immediately when the low battery level warning activates in the DJI Pilot 

app.

Travel Notice - Before carrying the Intelligent Flight Battery on an airline flight, it must first be 

fully discharged. This can be done by using your aircraft until the battery is depleted. Only 

discharge the battery in a fireproof location.

Propellers 

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 they should spin. To

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

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

 The black and silver tipped motors spin in opposite directions -- which is why you need two of 

each prop. When installing your props, make sure the black topped props go on top of the black 

topped motors -- and the same for the silver tops.

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

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

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 firmly before every flight.

 Ensure that all propellers are in good condition before each flight. 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 flight experience.

P3 are model 9450 self tightening. 

P3 props are not interchangeability with P2 props as they a specially made to not spin off when dynamic 

braking is initiated by the aircraft

Prop Balancing video

https://youtu.be/OXuNnYQO2s4

DJI Phantom 3 - RTH - Return to Home

What Is 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.

RTH Modes

Smart (RTH) 

Use the RTH button on the remote controller or tap the RTH button in the DJI Pilot 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.
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.

Caution: 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 flight time. They are automatically adjusted according to the aircraft’s current 

location and status.

Failsafe (RTH)

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

Failsafe RTH will be automatically be activated if the remote controller signal is lost for 

more than three seconds. The Return-to- Home process may be interrupted and the 

operator may regain control of the aircraft if the remote controller signal connection is reestablished.

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

important to set an suitable Failsafe altitude before each flight. Launch the DJI Pilot app and 

enter “Camera” and select “MODE > Advanced Settings > Failsafe 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.

DJI Phantom 3 VPS - Vision Positioning System

Overview

This document reviews the DJI Phantom 3 VPS -Vision Positioning System.

In this lesson, you will learn:

 What is the VPS and how does it work

 What affects VPS accuracy

 When to use VPS

 Turning on/off VPS

 Forum notes/lessons learned

 Training Videos
What is the VPS and how does it work

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

its current position. With the help of Vision Positioning, the P3 can hover in place more precisely 

and fly 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.

This system combines visual data and sonar waves in a single unit, detecting both variance in 

patterns on the ground and current altitude. With this information, the P3 can hover in place 

without GPS assistance provided it can work properly with the conditions that is is operating in. 

This VPS is a very sophisticated and accurate system if used within it’s design limits. Please 

read all of the warnings, notes, and cautions associated with this device.

What affects VPS accuracy

Using VPS

By default the Vision Positioning System is activated automatically when the Phantom 3 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 can hover precisely even without GPS.

Checking the status of the VPS - Pilot App VPS Indicator

On the Pilot App main camera interface, you will notice a small VPS indicator icon that shows 

the P3 distance above ground level.
Turning ON/OFF VPS

Turn on VPS by selecting General Settings>Advanced Settings>Enable VPS ON/OFF

Operating Note: If you intend to use VPS, place the aircraft on a flat surface that has a clear 

pattern variation.

3. Turn on the aircraft. The aircraft status indicator will flash green two times, which indicates 

the Vision Positioning system is ready and you should see the VPS status icon on the main 

screen
Warning: While the VPS System can be a very helpful device for indoor flying under the 

proper conditions, make sure you read and understand its application and limitations. When 

flying outdoors, it may introduce input errors that could lead to unexpected flight operations. 

Since the VPS has limited use when flying outdoors, some pilots will turn it off and leave it off 

unless they intend to fly the P3 indoors and understand the conditions that may cause erratic 

flight behavior, even indoors.

Warning: The performance of your Vision Positioning System is affected by the surface over 

which it is flying. 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 reflective 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 deflect sound waves away from the aircraft.

Operating Note: 

 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 flying 

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.

Pilot App VPS Indicator

On the Pilot App main camera interface, you will notice a small VPS indicator icon that showd 

the P3 distance above ground level.

Section 2 - Remote Controller

Description

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.

Note: 
Compliance Versions: The remote controller is compliant with both CE and FCC regulations.

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

Mode 1: The right stick serves as the throttle.

Mode 2: The left stick serves as the throttle.

Warning: To prevent transmission interference, do not operate more than three aircrafts in 

the same area.

 Antennas - Relays aircraft control and video signal.

 Mobile Device Holder-Securely mounts your mobile device to the remote controller.

 Control Stick - Controls the orientation and movement of the aircraft.
 Return Home (RTH) Button - Press and hold the button to initiate Return to Home 

(RTH).

 Battery Level LEDs - Displays the battery level of the remote controller.

 Status LED - Displays the remote controller's system status.

 Power Button - Used to turn the remote controller on and off.

 RTH LED - Circular LED around the RTH button displays RTH status.

 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. )

 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.)

 Shutter Button - Press to take a photo. If burst mode is selected, the set number 

of photos will be taken with one press.

 Flight Mode Switch - Switch between P-mode, A-mode, and F-mode.

 Video Recording Button - Press to start recording video. Press again to stop recording.

 Gimbal Dial - Use this dial to control the tilt of the gimbal.

 Micro-USB Port - Connect to a SD card reader to upgrade the firmware.

 USB Port - Connect to mobile device or to a USB port for firmware upgrade.
 C1 Button - Customizable through the DJI Pilot app.

 C2 Button - Customizable through the DJI Pilot app.

 Power Port - Connect to the DJI Phantom 3 Charger to charge the battery of the remote 

controller.

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 clamp to fit 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.

Note: IOS devices require the purchase of a compatible (lightning) connecting cable
Antenna Orientation for flight

Best position is near vertical or in a slight rabbit ears orientation and not shielded from the 

aircraft by the monitoring device.

The antennas should be oriented vertically to match the polarization of the vertical Phantom 

antennas in the legs. For proper orientation, arrange the antenna flats (not the tips) to be 

pointing toward the P3, vertical and parallel to each other.

Using the Remote Controller
Turning the Remote Controller On and Off

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.

Charging the Remote Controller

Charge the remote controller using the included charger. Refer to the figure on next page below 

for more details.

Caution: Do not charge the Remote Controller and Smart Battery at the same time - it could 

result in overheating the Charger.

Section 3 - DJI Pilot App

Overview

The DJI Pilot app is a mobile application designed specifically for the Phantom 3 Professional. 

Use this App to control the gimbal, camera, and other aircraft functions. The app also features 

Map, Academy, and User Center, which are used for configuring your aircraft and sharing your 

photos and videos with others. It is recommended that you use a tablet for the best experience.

Videos

Published on May 29, 2015

Walkthrough and FAQ about the DJI Pilot App for the Phantom 3 and Inspire 1. How to do things such as 

AEB (auto-exposure bracketing), disable position lights, fix gimbal issues, and more.

https://youtu.be/xQJGAkQY6hE

Compass Calibration
Overview

This document reviews the process to calibrate the navigational compass on the DJI 

Phantom UAV.

In this lesson, you will learn:

 How the compass works

 Compass location

 Why compass calibration is necessary

 When to perform a compass calibration

 What to do if calibration fails

How the Phantom 3 compass works

While the GPS system on the Phantom 3 does a great job at locating the Phantom both 

geographically and vertically, it cannot tell which way the nose is pointed.

The Flight Control Computer on the Phantom needs to know which direction the nose is pointing 

in order to be able to properly give the correct control commands received from the pilot. The 

Phantom must also transmit this information the the Pilot App for orientation display on the 

radar.

Compass Location

The Phantom compass is located on the rear lower left leg as you look at the aircraft from the 

front. The instrument is wired from this location up into the sensor IMU unit for data processing. 

The compass is designed to operate in this location so it will be as far away from the magnetic 

fields of the spinning motors and power distribution wires as possible.

With the compass being located out on a leg like it is, it is susceptible to magnetic fields from 

exterior sources. Since the compass is essentially a magnet itself, its magnetic field interacts 

with any close by magnetic fields that it comes close with.

Note: The compass is calibrated for the left rear leg of the copter and it must be fixed in the 

direction that it is mounted so that it is pointing forward. If you move it for some reason, it still 

needs to face forward.

What affects compass accuracy

External magnetic fields are present in metal and electronic objects, including cell phones, 

automobile bodies, even rebar in the concrete floor or parking lot. All these items contain 

magnetic fields that could affect compass accuracy if brought too close to the aircraft. 

Note: unless the field is extremely powerful, the magnetic field of the compass will return to its 

normal position once the Phantom is moved away from the particular influence.
Why compass calibration is necessary

The compass is very sensitive to electromagnetic interference, which can produce abnormal 

compass data and lead to poor flight performance or flight failure. Regular calibration is required 

for optimal performance.

The compass needs to accurately sense the earth's magnetic field and only the earth's field.

When it has been exposed to any other field, it’s ability to sense the earth's field may become 

inaccurate.

It is good practice to first of all be aware of where the compass is located on the aircraft and 

avoid getting it close to strong magnetic fields that may affect its own magnetic field. This of 

course isn’t always possible and calibration is necessary.

Caution: the compass can also be influenced by magnetic fields when in flight, therefore, it is 

prudent to keep some distance from influencing forces.

When to perform a compass calibration

While the aircraft's internal programming will sense a need for compass calibration, it is a good 

idea to perform a calibration when:

 Aircraft Status Indicator lights are blinking green and yellow.

 The Pilot APP alerts you of the need for calibration
 You fly from a new flight location or in a location that is different from the most recent 

flight.

 There had been a modification to the Phantom including firmware updates or physical 

changes.

 When severe drifting occurs in flight or the aircraft does not fly in straight line.

Calibration Procedures

Choose an open area to carry out the following procedures.

1. Tap the Aircraft Status Bar in the app and select “Calibrate”, then follow the on-screen 

instructions.

2. Put the remote controller down and take a few steps away, make sure there are no magnetic 

fields or metal objects in the area.

3. Hold the aircraft horizontally, the indicator lights will flash yellow. Rotate 360 degrees. The Aircraft 

Status Indicators will display a solid green light.
4. Hold the aircraft vertically, with nose pointing downward, and rotate it 360 degrees around the 

center axis. The indicator lights will turn off 

.

5. If the Aircraft Status Indicator blinks red and yellow after the calibration procedure, move your 

aircraft to a different location and try again.
Caution

 Do not calibrate your compass where there is any possibility of strong magnetic 

interference.

 Sources of potential interference include magnetite, parking structures, and 

subterranean metal structures

 Do not carry ferromagnetic materials with you during calibration such as keys or 

cellular phones.

 Do not calibrate in direct proximity to large metal objects.

 DO NOT calibrate indoors.

IMU Calibration

Overview

This document reviews the process to calibrate the Inertial Measurement Unit IMU of 

the DJI Phantom UAV.

In this lesson, you will learn:

 What is an IMU and how does it work

 What affects IMU Accuracy

 When to perform an IMU calibration

 How to perform an IMU calibration

 What to do if IMU calibration fails

What is an IMU and how does the work

The IMU in the Phantom 3 works by detecting the current rate of acceleration using micro 

accelerometers, and detects changes in rotational attributes like pitch, roll and yaw using micro 

gyroscopes. The compass (magnetometer) assists to counter orientation drift.

For the aircraft to be able to stay level. it needs to know what level looks like - and needs to be 

reset occasionally for it to shed any accumulated error. Inputs from the IMU also allow the 

camera to hold steady on the horizon, which is a very difficult task, give the constant aircraft 

adjustments and vibrations. If you would like more info on the IMU, READ MORE HERE

When to perform an IMU Calibration

While IMU calibration is not performed that often, it should be one of the first things you look at 

when troubleshooting a problem or when performing routine maintenance. The IMU 

accumulates small errors as time goes on and need to be occasionally reset to perfect level.

 When drifting and instability becomes apparent

 After Firmware Updates

 Camera horizon is not level

 Receive an alert notice from the P3 MC that calibration is needed.

Calibration Procedures

1. Turn on the Remote Controller, Phantom and tablet/phone. Connect the remote 

controller to the tablet/smartphone with the appropriate cable.
2. Enter the Pilot App and navigate to the IMU calibration page by going to: DJI Pilot app 

>Camera> MC Settings > Sensors > IMU calibration.

3. Start the IMU Calibration, click through the message and warning screens. The IMU 

Calibration will take 3-10 minutes - Notification messages will pop up as calibration 

procedes. Ensure you get an IMU Calibration complete message.
Operating Note: IMU calibration should be considered routine maintenance and 

accomplished when it needs it and at scheduled intervals, much like a tire rotation on your 

car.

Caution: 

 Before starting the IMU Calibration, the P3 should be as cool as possible. Not 

freezing, but cool. Also, not recently flown (give it an hour to cool off). Remove the 

battery and let it sit in a cool room if possible, removing the battery will help it cool 

down quicker, of course you will need to reinstall the battery before you start. 

Remember, this procedure isn’t done that often, but, needs to be done right. The P3 

must be sitting on a firm, perfectly level surface with no vibrations.

 You must not touch, bump or move the P3 during the IMU calibration process and you 

should minimize/avoid any floor vibrations (people walking nearby, doors slamming, 

dogs kids running through the room etc.). 

Operating Note: After a successful IMU calibration, while the P3 is still sitting on the level 

surface, is a good time to proceed and do a Gimbal Auto Calibration.

Going outside and performing a compass calibration is also a good idea.

The image below shows the sensor readings after a good calibrations. the Gyroscope MOD 

reading should be near 0, and the Acceleration MOD reading should be right around 1.0.

Compass MOD 1400-1600
What to do if IMU Calibration fails

If IMU calibration fails, power down the P3, let it cool off and start over

IMU Videos

https://youtu.be/1YP7imr_-xk

https://youtu.be/SvSYqxl1sKk

https://youtu.be/kg0IB0XCiv8

User Center

Overview

The User Center provides access to your recorded images and videos, provided a 

historical record of your flights and a link to your persona profile.

Album

Here you can view saved images, videos and edited videos from the Director function. 

Note that in order to view an image here, you must have exported it from the camera function.

Flight Record

This section allows you to go back and review recent flights, including map locations, routes and 

some flight data.

Profile

Fill out your personal information 

SECTION 4 – Flight Training

PURPOSE OF FLIGHT TRAINING

The overall purpose of primary and intermediate flight training is the acquisition and honing of 

basic airmanship skills as they pertain to operating the Phantom. Airmanship can be defined as:

• A sound acquaintance with the principles of UAV flight.

• The ability to operate a UAV with competence and precision in different settings and 

conditions.

• The exercise of sound judgment that results in optimal operational safety and efficiency of the 

aircraft.

Learning to fly a Phantom is not an easy feat. Since an Phantom operates in a three 

dimensional environment it requires a type of motor skill development that is more sensitive to 

this situation such as:

• Coordination—The ability to use the your hands subconsciously and in the proper 

relationship to operate the control transmitter sticks, switches, and levers in a manner that 
accurately controls the Phantom.

• Timing—The application of muscular coordination at the proper instant to make flight, and all 

maneuvers incident thereto, a constant smooth process without looking at the controls.

• Control touch—The ability to sense the action of the copter and its probable actions in the 

immediate future, with regard to attitude and speed variations. Unlike a pilot siting the the 

aircraft, you do not have the ability to feel the aircraft movement, so, your eyesight is more 

important than ever.

The goal that comes through proper training and practice is that the pilot becomes one with the 

Phantom, rather than a just machine operator. This is where aircraft systems knowledge, 

simulator training, and a structured flight training program combine into a well trained pilot. It 

does not come easy and like anything else in life, you get out what you put into it. 

An accomplished pilot demonstrates the ability to assess a situation quickly and accurately and 

deduce the correct procedure to be followed under the circumstance; to analyze accurately the 

probable results of a given set of circumstances or of a proposed procedure; to exercise care 

and due regard for safety; to gauge accurately the performance of the Phantom; and to 

recognize personal limitations and limitations of the aircraft and avoid approaching the critical 

points of each. 

The development of airmanship skills requires effort and dedication on the part of the pilot, 

beginning with the very first training flight where proper habit formation begins by using good 

operating practices.

The underlying purpose of flight training is to develop skills and safe habits that are transferable 

to any UAV. Basic airmanship skills serve as a firm foundation for this. The pilot who has 

acquired necessary airmanship skills during training, will easily advance to more technical skills. 

The goal of flight training is a safe and competent pilot.

Every flight should be considered a training flight consisting of a well thought out plan, a set of 

goals, and a post flight evaluation of lessons learned.

Basic Flight Training - Maneuvers

This section describes a series of basic flight maneuvers that should be mastered before 

preceding further. While the addition of the flight navigation systems adds a great measure of 

ease and confidence to flying the Phantom, the following procedures are critical to basic skills 

and should be practiced in on ongoing basis.

Take your time and practice these maneuvers until you can do them without hesitation. If you 

practice the same maneuver on a flight simulator and than proceed to practice with the 

Phantom, your training will be much accelerated.

Exercise 1 - Takeoff and Landing 

Double check that the conditions for flying are still safe (no people entered the flying area 

without you noticing as you were focused on the model, nose of model is pointing away from 

you and into the wind, nothing hanging loose from the model)
If the flying conditions are still OK, switch the motor on, do not use auto-take-off for this 

exercise. Increase the throttle stick until the model gets light on its feet.

Time for lift-off! Increase the throttle stick a little bit faster so that the Phantom quickly lifts off. 

You want it to go to an altitude of 3 feet or more to get out of ground turbulence caused by the 

downward airflow from the propellers. Once you are at 5-10ft, gradually reduce the throttle to 

slow down the ascent, and gradually decrease it further to descend slowly land again. Do NOT 

suddenly decrease the throttle or you will crash. If you start descending too quickly, increase the 

throttle a little bit to slow down the descent.

Unfortunately the very sensors that the Phantom uses to keep it level etc will cause it to 'bunny 

hop' if you are not careful. Basically the Phantom behaves differently as it gets closer to the 

ground due to ground effect. That is the downwash of the props against the ground affecting the 

lift and stability. What you need to do is to bring the Phantom down to about 3 feet then slowly 

descend keeping the aircraft level, once you are just about to touch the ground reduce the 

throttle completely. If you reduce it slightly it will bounce, the sensor will increase the gas and it 

will rise, you will then reduce the gas, the sensor will also reduce the gas and it will bounce 

again and so on. Reducing the gas completely means the sensor's input is not enough to give it 

enough lift to keep it in the air. Keep the left stick completely down for a few seconds and it will 

shut off the motors.

If the copter drifts a bit during this phase, just re-position it on the ground between take-offs. 

We're not yet going to try flying it back to its position. Practice lift-off and landing repeatedly until 

you can fully control it and landings are soft and smooth. Reduce the throttle to idle between 

landings and recheck the environment!

If for some reason something goes wrong and the copter lands on its side or upside down,

IMMEDIATELY turn off the motors (throttle stick full down) to avoid unnecessary damage to 

ESCs, propellers or motors. Reposition it, and check for damage. Reposition yourself and 

recheck the environment. Restart the motors and restart lift-off and landing practice.

Remember: Small stick movements!

If you can't get the Phantom back to its starting position, it is safer for both the copter and 

yourself to land, manually reposition it and restart, rather than to continue to try and correct drift 

which could lead to disorientation followed by crashing the model into the ground or yourself.

Exercise-2 - Hovering 

ATTI-mode -Once you are comfortable with takeoff and landing, it’s time to practice one of the 

important maneuvers, hovering. With the Phantom pointed away from you and at chest height to 

avoid ground effect, hold the aircraft in a hover. With the nose continuing to point away from 

you, lightly maneuver roll left and right, and pitch fore and aft. Practice this for 10 minutes or 

until your battery gets low. This is called nose-out flying and is the easiest way for new pilots to 

get a good feel for the aircraft.

Moving left or right, or forward or aft is of course great. But the big advantage of a Phantom is 

that it can hover. It can hang still above a given point. Hovering an UAV means that in addition 
to the self-stabilization by the flight controller you provide some additional control inputs to keep 

the copter over the same spot on the ground at the same altitude. Carefully combing the roll, 

nick, yaw and throttle inputs to correct drift in any of these four axis, trying to keep the model in 

a stable hover at between 1 and 2 meters above its take-off position. If the craft moves too far 

out of the hover area, just land and reposition it.

Hovering is a very critical flying skill so practice it extensively. It may require several hours of 

practice under different conditions to master it to such a degree that even in some wind you can 

keep the model within 20cm of its intended hovering position. If you can do this well, you will 

most likely be able to get out of trouble during other maneuvers by going into a hover quickly, 

reassessing the situation, and flying to a safer position or landing spot.

At first, just practice over the general area of your starting point. Later consider marking a point 

on the ground (e.g. a helipad made from plywood or canvas, or a pylon or plastic bottle) and 

hover exactly above that point. You may be surprised how difficult it can be to stay correctly 

above a clearly marked spot for several minutes.

Once you can control the Phantom left/right and forward/backward, do some practice on rudder 

/ yaw. From a hover position, carefully move the rudder stick to turn the nose of the copter 

approx 45 degrees to the left or right, and then yaw back. You do not yet want to go further than 

60-70 degrees because you will quickly run into control reversal and get disoriented.

Exercise - 3 House pattern

A typical flying maneuver is the "house". Lift-off, at about breast height hover for about 5 

seconds, then fly 3-4 meters sideways, again hover for about 5 seconds and land. Then do the 

same in opposite direction. Keep the nose pointing away from you (tail-in).

Exercise-4 - Square-Flying

Fly along the borders of a square and break at the edges for about 5 seconds. Chose a 

height about 6 feet and a side-about 6 feet in length. The nose always points away from 

the pilot's position. Repeat this exercise for 15-20 minutes.

Exercise-5 Hover Sideways

Its very important to break the habit of the fixed view to your copter. Think like you were 

hovering in the model and from the left to the right side. Turn the nose in flight-direction 

and than gradually bring it to 90 degrees from there. If you loose orientations, bring the 

nose back to the starting position and try again. 

Exercise-6 Square pattern

Mark four corners of a 3 to 5 meter square around your lift-off position. Lift-off, hover for 5 

seconds, and then fly the shortest line to the first corner. Hover above this corner for 5 seconds 

and then fly to the next corner in a direct line, hover for 5 seconds, etc. Do this in both directions 

(clockwise and counter-clockwise). You may have a clear preference but should be able to do 

this in both directions. Also occasionally fly across diagonally from one corner to the opposite. 

Make sure you do this purposefully: have a flight plan and don't adapt going from one corner to 

the diagonal corner instead of the next because you drifted off a bit and it looks so sloppy if you 

have to fly a curve instead of a straight line. During movement from one corner to another keep 

the nose directed away from you. Fly at a constant altitude (about chest height). Try flying at a 
constant speed. Keep the speed low to allow easy transition to hover without overshooting the 

mark.

Exercise-7 Circles

Plot out or envision a 50 ft circle on the ground, Take off and fly the circle alternating 

clockwise and counter clockwise. Practice with the nose pointing away from you (Noseout).

Exercise-8 Nose Flying Sideways

Once you have mastered flying house and square patterns "tail in", it is time to start gradually 

getting used to flying the Phantom more from the models' perspective. So repeat the above 

house pattern, but now when preparing to move sideways, in the hover yaw (turn) the nose a bit 

(30-60 degrees) in the direction you will be flying in, and then try flying the same straight line 

that you could fly so nicely "tail in". Repeat this until you can comfortable turn the nose the full 

90 degrees in the direction you want to fly in and not confuse the roll and nick directions.

Once you can fly the house pattern nose sideways, you can also practice the square. However 

when moving back towards you, either yaw the model so that it is again nose-out, or fly it 

sideways (alternate this according to your "flight plan").

Tip: Flying nose sideways can be easier if you also turn your body sideways a bit. In fact you 

will then be flying tail-in again but with the model to your left or right. This trick does not help 

much in the transition to nose-in flying. But keep in mind if you get into trouble during flights later 

on due to some disorientation. It may help you recover.

Exercise -9 The walk-along

For the walk-along you walk along a path with the MK tagging along at a fixed position in front, 

or next to you. If you reach a corner, of course you must yaw the MK to be tail-in or nose-in or 

sideways again, whichever mode of flying you want to practice. Of course you do have to make 

sure there are no other people walking the path. Practical use of this exercise is mainly in the 

RCAP arena where you often do walk around a bit to change your position and that of the model 

to take pictures from a different angle. Also the change in relative positions between you and 

the model forces you to focus on the model and not orientate your control movements to the 

position of the model relative to its surroundings.

Exercise 10 - The circle me

For the circle me, the intent is to fly a full circle around yourself, or another given target, at a 

fixed distance and yawing at a same angular rate as the craft is moving through the circle. So if 

you fly it tail-in, the craft should be looking straight out from the circle (and if shooting video this 

would result in a wide panorama). If flying nose-in it should be looking you in the eye at all 

times. Try to also maintain a constant altitude during this exercise. And make sure that there are 

no people standing anywhere near you if you do this at practice hover altitudes (1-2 meters). 

This is again an exercise which is useful later on for RCAP flying. However it also helps improve 

control of left and right sticks.

Exercise-11 Flying nose-in

The most difficult way of flying is with the models nose pointed at you. Once you have mastered 

flying nose sideways, you're almost there.
There are now two ways to progress.

1.You can restart hovering practice but now lifting off with the models' nose pointed at you. The 

advantage of this approach is that you learn to transition well from nose in to hover to flight and 

vice versa, a critical ability to get out of trouble. If you start with hovering nose-in just repeat the 

house and square patterns after that.

2. Alternatively you can gradually progress from nose-sideways flying the house and square 

figures to flying them with nose in the direction of flight at all times, and eventually to fully nose 

in (i.e. flying away from you with the noise pointing at you, and flying from left to right or right to 

left with the nose pointing at you). Before you do this, practice 360 degree yaw in both directions 

from normal tail-in hover.

In all cases make sure you practice flying the square nose-in in both directions (clockwise and 

counter-clockwise).

Practice nose in flying very, very extensively. You must eventually be able to transition from tailin to nose-sideways to nose-in flying without any hesitations or mistakes with respect to control 

inputs for flying your intended pattern / direction, and transition at a moment’s notice to a hover.

If you have trouble controlling the aircraft nose-in at some point, just yaw it back tail-in and 

regain hover position. Never panic and pull the throttle down !!! If necessary, slightly increase 

the throttle to remain between 1 and 2 meters above the ground until you have been able to 

regain hover. If all else fails, very carefully decrease the throttle and land.

Tip: Until you have mastered nose-in flying, do NOT attempt either aerial photography or 

aerobatic flying. Not having mastered this skill properly will eventually cost you your camera or 

model.

SECTION 5 – Normal Operations

CHECKLIST

First (Maiden) Flight 

Compass Calibration

Check Props installed correctly and tight

Verify Battery Charge

Antenna positions parallel and tilted up

Power on Remote Controller

Power on Phantom

Check Pilot App

Start Motors

Verify propor rotation

Stop Motors
Preflight

Dji Pilot App connected and functioning

Transmitter Firmware up-to-date

Pilot APP Volume Max

Transmitter Switched Set

Phantom Firmware up-to-date

Exterior inspection

Gimbal Guard Removed

Batteries Fully charged

Props tight and locked

ND Filter if needed

SD Card 

Monitor brightness set

Antenna positions parallel and tilted up

Transmitter on

Phantom on

Compass calibration if needed

GPS Lock

RTH altitude set

Clear Frequency if needed

Clear launch area

Have a plan

Think about What if's

In-Flight

Warn bystanders

Hover briely for flight check

Verify expected stick operation

Monitor battery power

Keep line-of-sight

Monitor Signal Strength

Have a plan

Think about What if's

Post Flight

Phantom power off

Remote Controller power off

Tablet power off
Check for loose parts

Check props for crack or nicks

Install Gimbal Guard if not flying again

Check area for equipment left behind

Inflight Standards 

 Do not take risks! Your own safety and that of your environment depend on the good 

behavior of the pilot. 

 Always keep a distance from people, animals and objects. Improper operation can cause 

serious injury and property damage! 

 Never fly towards viewers and avoid overflights of spectator

 Keep in mind that viewers could get close to the Phantom, without being aware of 

potential dangers

 Always turn off the Phantom 3 first and disconnect the flight battery before turning off the 

transmitter 

 Only fly in sight. In the case of a manual control, you must be able to see the position 

and attitude 

 Never rely 100% on functions such as GPS, compass, or altitude control. You must 

always be able to take manual control of the Phantom

 Reduce the gas or switch off the motors in case of a crash or failure 

 Do not fly in blocked air space, such as in the vicinity of airports, etc. 

 Pay attention to undervoltage warning - a flight to empty battery can cause damage to 

the Smart Battery and crash.

 If a defect or malfunction has occurred, it must be corrected before the next start

Post Flight 

 Disconnect the battery 

 Check for damage 

 Make sure that the propellers are not damaged

 See the Handling and safety precautions of Lipo batteries

 After a crash the sensors and electronics might be damaged. Before the next start 

everything must be checked

Cold Weather Flying 

Batteries

Batteries used in Phantom and Transmitter are very susceptible to cold weather flying (below 

freezing). Expect half capacity if battery cools to 10F.

Batteries should be kept warm in an insulated box if possible.

Electronics

The electronics do not care about cold, however, once the Phantom and transmitter have 

become frozen, condensation may form on the electronics when brought into a warm room. In 

this case, do not apply power until condensation has evaporated.
Propellers

The props that come standard on the Phantom 3 become very brittle in cold weather and may 

snap off even with light contact with the ground.

Fingers

Fingers quickly become numb in cold weather and control sensitivity fads with numbness.

Section 6 - Emergencies 

In-llight emergencies, as with any emergency is the least practiced and least experiences 

situation that you will encounter when flying.

While many emergencies are not planned, proper maintenance and calibration will greatly 

reduce the chances of an emergency situation occurring. Also, knowing the aircraft limits and 

your own, can help you avoid situations that may lead to an emergency situation.

Routine habits formed by following "Best Practices" for flying operations will create a mindset 

that the worst case scenario could happen on any flight and lead to a thought process of 

emergency "what if's".

Thorough checklists help preparedness

Simulator practice 

Since it would be a very expensive and risky operation to practice "real" emergencies, 

simulators fill the gap.

All major airlines and the military use simulators extensively to prepare pilots for emergency 

situations. Use the Phantom simulator to constantly practice manual flying for those times when 

you are forced to.

What If's

 What should Coming Home Alt be set at

 What is I lose sight of the aircraft

 What if it fly's away

 What is a "real" aircraft appears

 What If, What If, What If.....

Rescue maneuvers!

A important rescue maneuver is to practice fast yaw into the nose out position 

where situational awareness is easiest to acquire.

Note: Make a relatively slow descents if coming straight down, the prop wash disturbs the gyros 

and altimeter.

 Consider a locator beacon installation
Section 7 – Photography

Aerial Photography

Flying for aerial photography poses several unusual challenges. Compared to normal or 

aerobatic RC flying you are usually much more restricted in the space you have to take off and 

land from, you fly closer to people, property, and all sorts of obstacles, and you fly (much) 

higher than you do for normal or aerobatic RC flying. In addition you if you fly alone you will also 

have to control the camera. And for video flying you want your flight to be fluent so that the 

resultant movie requires limited editing.

DO NOT do any aerial photography or aerial video flying until you are confident that you can 

properly control the Phantomunder the conditions you will need to fly in.

Camera gimbals

As with any muti-rotor aircraft, there are inherent vibrations due to structural design, motor 

imperfections, and unbalanced propellers. With proper attention much of the vibration can be 

greatly reduces, but it impossible to eliminate all vibration. This is were a quality camera mount 

that has good vibration damping design comes in. 

Cameras

Aerial photography has always demanded very high resolution cameras because of the altitude 

required for safe flight and FAA regulations. One of the great advantages of the Phantom is that 

is can fly at a much lower altitude and obtain the same, quality images and often times even 

better.

Military drone operations use micro cameras with outstanding success. 

Extend the basic flying practice with the following maneuvers in an open field:

Exercise AP1. Practice flying up to 5-10 meters, and then hover. Practice yawing 360 

degrees in steps of about 15 degrees. Press the shutter control between each step of 

the yaw. After doing a full turn practice tilting the camera mount down about 15 degrees 

and doing another step-wise 360-degree yaw. Do this in both directions while 

maintaining a stable hover.

Exercise AP2. Once you are confident that you can control the Phantom at this altitude, 

go up to about 20 meters and repeat the exercise. Note that from about 20 meters and 

up the altitude hold function can be used quite well to help stabilize the altitude. However 

you will still have to control nick, roll and yaw. Do not fly any significant distances 

horizontally until your are confident in hovering at larger altitudes. Only increase your 

altitude in a step-wise fashion after you are confident at a current altitude.

Exercise AP3. The maximum altitude your copter can fly under visual control is the 

altitude at which you can still sufficiently see the position of the MKPhantom to allow you 

to properly control the hover. This will vary based on weather, eyesight of the pilot, and 

experience. For most people it will probably be between 50 and 75 meters. That may not 

seem like much, but remember that a 20-story building is quadcopter. usually about 60 
meters so you can still take good AP pictures of even such a high buildingPhantom. You 

can carefully test this envelope in an open field away from people and houses. Never try 

to extend this envelope beyond your known capabilities while doing an actual RC AP 

flight.

Exercise AP4. Once you can confidently hover at altitude, practice flying a virtual 

square of about 50 meters in each direction at the same altitudes, starting at about 10 

meters and then working your way up. This is an important maneuver to master as you 

usually want to take your pictures from different angles.

Exercise AP5. For aerial video flying after having mastered the above exercises draw 

up a clear flight plan in which you determine a flight path and direction of view of the 

Phantom at each point in its path. Start easy with a square or circle at about 10 meters 

with a gradual ascent (either vertical or along a slope) yawing the MKPhantom if needed 

to keep the nose (camera) pointed at the intended target(s). Gradually increase the 

complexity (e.g. with hover points where you do a particular yaw, tilting of the camera 

mount, increasing the altitude, etc). Also practice lower altitude flights along curving 

paths as for AV you may also be following e.g. speedboats or go-carts from altitudes of 

just 1-3 meters.

Exercise AP6. Gradually allow yourself to fly in increasing wind conditions. Although 

you preferably want only light winds.

Once you have mastered the above, find a quiet park or field with some obstacles of different 

height (e.g. some spread out trees) to add complexity. Try to stay well clear of the trees. 

Remember that they are alive and always trying to grab your Phantom out of the sky. But think 

of the trees as houses, obstacles, and targets, and use them to gradually increase the 

complexity of you flying conditions.

Note down an outline of your flight plan before every flight, or describe it after a flight. It may 

well be that you want to make a very similar flight at another time at the same site to show 

changes over time. The closer you can copy your previous flight the better the results will be.

Over time it is very likely that you will progress to flying in more densely populated areas. As 

indicated above, be obsessively compulsive about the quality and condition of your aircraft and 

RC system. Do not compromise on safety.

SPECIFICATIONS

Aircraft

Weight 

(Including 

Battery And 

Propellers) 1280 g

Diagonal Size 

(Including 

Propellers) 590 mm

Max Ascent 5 m/s
Speed

Max Descent 

Speed 3 m/s

Hover Accuracy

Vertical: +/- 10cm

Horizontal: +/- 1m

Max Speed 16 m/s (ATTI mode, no wind)

Max Altitude 

Above Sea Level 6000 m

Operating 

Temperature 0°C to 40°C

GPS Mode GPS/GLONASS

Camera Sensor

Sony EXMOR 1/2.3” Effective 

pixels: 12.4 M (total pixels: 12.76 

M)

Lens

FOV 94° 20 mm (35 mm format 

equivalent) f/2.8, focus at ∞

ISO Range

100-3200 (video) 100-1600 

(photo)

Shutter Speed 8s -1/8000s

Image Max Size 4000 x 3000

Still Photography 

Modes

Single Shot

Burst Shooting: 3/5/7 shots

Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 

3/5

Bracketed Frames at 0.7EV Bias

Time-lapse

Video Recording 

Modes

Phantom 3 Professional

UHD: 4096x2160p 24/25, 

3840x2160p 24/25/30

FHD: 1920x1080p 

24/25/30/48/50/60

HD: 1280x720p 

24/25/30/48/50/60

Phantom 3 Advanced

FHD: 1920x1080p 

24/25/30/48/50/60

HD: 1280x720p 

24/25/30/48/50/60

Supported SD 

Card Types

Micro SD

Max capacity: 64 GB. Class 10 or 

UHS-1 rating required

Max Bitrate Of 

Video Storage

Phantom 3 Professional

60 Mbps

Phantom 3 Advanced

40 Mbps

Supported File 

Formats

FAT32/exFAT

Photo: JPEG, DNG

Video: MP4, MOV (MPEG-4 

AVC/H.264)

Operating 

Temperature 0°C to 40°C
Vision Positioning Max Velocity

Less than 8 m/s (when 2 m above 

ground)

Altitude Range 30 cm-300 cm

Operating 

Range 30 cm-300 cm

Operating 

Environment

Surface with clear pattern and 

adequate lighting (Lux > 15)

Remote Controller

Operating 

Frequency 2.400 GHz-2.483 GHz

Max Distance

2000m (outdoors and 

unobstructed)

Video Output 

Port USB

Operating 

Temperature 0°C- 40°C

Battery 6000 mAh LiPo 2S

Mobile Device 

Holder For tablet or phone

Receiver 

Sensitivity 

(1%PER) -101 dBm ±2 dBm

Transmitter 

Power (EIRP)

FCC: 20 dBm

CE: 16 dBm

Working Voltage 1.2 A @7.4 V

Battery Charger Voltage 17.4 V

Rated Power

Phantom 3 Professional

100 W

Phantom 3 Advanced

57 W

Intelligent Flight Battery Capacity 4480 mAh

Voltage 15.2 V

Battery Type LiPo 4S

Energy 68 Wh

Net Weight 365 g

Max Flight Time Approximately 23 minutes

Operating 

Temperature -10°C to 40°C

Max Charging 

Power 100 W

App / Live View Mobile App DJI Pilot

EIRP 100mW
Live View 

Working 

Frequency 2.4GHz ISM

Live View 

Quality

720P @ 30fps (depending on 

conditions and mobile device)

Latency

220ms (depending on conditions 

and mobile device)

Required 

Operating 

Systems

iOS 8.0 or later

Android 4.1.2 or later

Recommended 

Devices

iOS: iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 

6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + 

Cellular, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 2 

Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air 2, iPad 

Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini 3, 

and iPad mini 3 Wi-Fi + Cellular. 

This app is optimized for iPhone 

5s, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus

Android: Samsung S5, Note 3, 

Sony Xperia Z3, Google Nexus 7 

II, Google Nexus 9, Mi 3, Nubia 

Z7 mini

*Support for additional Android 

devices 

GLOSSARY

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.

Acceleration 

Sensor

The main function of the acceleration sensor is to measure the actual tilt of the 

Phantom and to support the altitude adjustment. Here we use a three axis sensor. 

AGL Above Ground Level

AP Aerial Photography

ARTF Almost ready to fly

ASL Above Sea Level. Also called called MSL for Mean Sea Level

Atmospheric 

pressure sensor

A device which uses barometer readings to determine altitude. In combination with 

other sensors, these can help drones determine their height above ground.

autonomous

not subject to control from outside, often used to describe a drone which follows a 

preset path using GPS or other means, as opposed to being actively steered by radio 

control.

AUW Vortex Ring State

axis

Used to describe one plane (one line) of potential flight. Most quads have at least 3-

axis control and correction built in.

balancing battery 

charger

A charger or internal system for Lipo batteries (or other chemistries) which uses 

smart technology to properly charge multiple cells within the battery and "balance" 

them.
brushless motor

Brushless motors, used in the Phantoms, are more efficient and durable than brushed 

motors. They can also be operated without the gearbox required of lower RPM 

brushed motors, saving weight and wear.

BTU Blue Tooth Unit

CAA Civil Aviation Authority (UK Regulator)

center of gravity 

(CG) 

Also called mass center - on a multirotor this is likely to be the point where, if a string 

were attached to and the machine dangled from it, that the unit would be balanced. It 

is important to maintain CG when adding different batteries, cameras, mounts, etc.

DJI

DJI Innovations, a highly regarded multirotor manufacturer who sells both kits, 

completed units and parts including the popular NAZA flight controller.

DJI Intelligent 

Flight Battery

The 4480 mAh DJI Intelligent Flight Battery features upgraded battery cells and an 

advanced power management system.

drone

A newer, perhaps slang, definition is for any unmanned powered aerial vehicle, 

although the dictionary has not yet caught up! In terms of the news and current 

events, it is often used to describe aerial vehicles which can be guided from afar and 

contain surveillance gear, etc. Officially, "drone" defines a humming sound or a male 

bee which mates with the queen.

ephemeris, 

plural: 

ephemerides

camera gimbal - This describes a camera holder, often used on drones, which may 

have the capability to tilt and swerve using small actuators called servos. Various 

camera models, including video cameras and even large DSLRs, can be fitted to 

these gimbals.

ESC - Electronic 

Speed controller

this to used to speed up and slow down motor "RPM". These devices are the key to 

modern multicopters and most have one one wired to each motor.

F-mode 

(Function) Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) is activated in this mode.

FAA Federal Aviation Administration (US Regulator)

FC flight controller

Firmware

software embedded in specially designed chips which provide the â€œoperating 

systemâ€ for your Phantom. The firmware is occasionally updated.

Flight Controller

The next-generation flight controller has been updated to provide a safer, more 

reliable flight experience. A newly implemented flight recorder stores critical data from 

each flight and the Vision Positioning System enhances hovering precision when 

flying indoors or in environments where GPS is unavailable.

FPV - First 

Person View

often used to describe cameras mounted on aerial (or any unmanned) vehicles which 

let the operator see what the vehicle sees in real time. This is done by way of goggles 

or screens which display the output of the on-board cameras.

FS Failsafe

gimbal clamp Plastic module to hold camera gimbal securely for transport.

GLONASS

The Russian counterpart to American GPS - roughly translated to Global Navigation 

Satellite System.

GPS

Global Positioning System used to track movement or hold position on certain 

advanced Multirotor models. GPS is usually the name given to the American system, 

while GLONASS is for the Russian one - the Phantom 3 reads both systems. 

Ground Station

Software/Hardware combination which lets the user set waypoints and autonomous 

flights for their drone. 

Gyro Sensors

They measure the angular velocity (rotational speed) of each axis. We need three 

sensors to stabilize all three axes

Gyroscope A device that measures angular velocity and helps maintain orientation.

HD Video 

Downlink

The low-latency long range HD downlink is powered by an enhanced version of DJI

Lightbridge.

Inertial 

Measuring Unit 

(IMU)

Electronic device that measures and reports a craft's velocity, orientation, and 

gravitational forces, using a combination of accelerometers and gyroscopes, 

sometimes also magnetometers. 
Intelligent 

Orientation 

Control (IOC)

IOC allows users to lock the control orientation of the aircraft in different modes. 

There are three working

modes for IOC that can be selected in the DJI Pilot app. IOC only works when the 

aircraft is in F-mode,

therefore the user must toggle the flight mode switch to activate IOC.

Interval shooting 

Settings which allow a camera to take pictures or video at user-defined intervals. 

Example: a camera can be set to take one picture every 5 seconds.

IOC Intelligent Orientation Control

Lipo Lithium-Polymer (battery)

LIPO - lithium 

polymer battery

Also called Lipo or lipo, etc. These are the type of battery (internal chemistry) that 

most electric drones currently use. 

LOS - Line of 

Sight

Line of Sight - most modern drones are only allowed to fly in a fashion where you or 

your spotter can actually see the aircraft.

Main Controller 

(MC) Main Control Flight controller internal to the phantom

MC Main controller.

NAZA

An electronic flight controller used on mid-level and above multirotors like the DJI 

Phantom 1 and 2. The NAZA contains the main controller chips along with a gyro, 

accelerometer, and a barometric altimeter. Optional GPS & Compass modules are 

available. The Phantom 3 has incorporated ALL these functions into a new Flight 

Controller

Nick tilt forward and back

NOTAM Notice to Airmen

OSD On Screen Display. Like in EPI OSD

P-ATTI

Neither GPS nor Vision Positioning is available. The aircraft is using only its 

barometer for positioning, so only altitude can be stabilized.

P-GPS

GPS and Vision Positioning both are available. The aircraft is using GPS for 

positioning.

P-mode 

(Positioning)

P-mode works best when GPS signal is strong. There are three different states of Pmode, which will be automatically selected by the Phantom 3 Professional depending 

on signal strength of GPS and Vision Positioning sensors

P-OPTI

Vision Positioning is available but the GPS signal strength is not sufficient. The 

aircraft is using only the Vision Positioning System for positioning.

PDB Power Distribution board

Pilot App (DJI)

Software which runs on Apple IOS and Android and provides the function and 

interface for the Phantom 3. 

Pitch

used to describe the angle of flight along one axis - in the case of quadcopters, 

usually from level.

POI Point of Interest

Roll tilt right and left

RTF Ready to fly

RTH Return To Home

Rx receiver

Rx Receiver

SUA Small Unmanned Aircraft (What the CAA call what we fly)

sUAS Small unmanned aircraft system (what the FAA calls what we fly)

SUSA Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircaft (What the CAA call what we fly)

TX transmitter

Tx Transmitter

UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (drone, etc.) or unmanned autonomous vehicle

UAV Unmanned aerial vehicle
VLOS Beyond line of sight

VPS- Vision 

Positioning 

System

DJI's name for their array of sonar sensors and downward facing camera which help 

with close-in stabilization of the Phantoms.

Waypoint

one point in space along a series which define the flight path of a drone when it is 

flying in autonomous mode.

yaw used to describe the rotation of a quadcopter on a level plane around its center axis.

Zenmuse

DJI brand name for their camera gimbal when sold separately for other models 

(Phantom 3 has integrated gimbal).