PHANTOM 3 ADVANCED 
Quick Start Guide 

V1.0 
Phantom 3 Advanced 

It’s time to meet your Phantom.The Phantom 3 Advanced’s camera records video at up to 1080p/60fps 

and captures 12 megapixel photos. Review the diagram below for a full list of your Phantom 3 Advanced’s 

parts: 

1. Gimbal and Camera2. Vision Positioning System 3. Camera Micro-SD Card Slot 4. Aircraft Micro-USB Port5. Front 

LEDs6. Motors7. Propellers 

8. Aircraft Status Indicators 9. Antennas10. Intelligent Flight Battery 11. Power Button 

12. Battery Level Indicators 13. Link Button14. Camera Micro-USB Port 

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10 

1113 

9 

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2 1 

8 

7 

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Remote Controller 

This powerful Remote Controller allows you to pilot and maneuver your Phantom 3 Advanced at distances 

over 6,000 feet (2 km)* away, while putting selected camera controls at your fingertips. 
Built into your Remote Controller is a rechargeable LiPo battery and DJI Lightbridge, which when paired 

with a compatible mobile device gives you a live HD view from the Phantom’s camera. 

Folded 

1. Power Button 

2. Return to Home (RTH) Button 

3. Control Sticks 

4. Status LED 

5. Battery Level LEDs 

6. Power Port 

7. Mobile Device Holder 

8. Small Device Positioning Tabs (such as mobile phone) 

9. Antennas 10. Handle Bar 

9 

10 

11. Gimbal Dial12. Camera Settings Dial13. Video Recording Button14. Flight Mode Switch15. Shutter Button16. 

Playback Button17. C1/C2 Buttons (Customizable) 18. USB Port19. Micro-USB Port 

4 

2 5 

6 

17 

1113 14 

19 18 

17 

12 15 16 

3 1 

78 

* This maximum transmission distance was tested in a lab environment and is for reference only. The maximum operating distance may 

vary depending on conditions in your immediate surroundings. 

Mobile device connection 
Fly Safe 

DJI encourages you to enjoy flying your Phantom 3 Advanced in a safe, responsible, and smart way. To do this, it is 

important to understand some basic flight guidelines, both for your protection and for the safety of those around you. 
1. Fly in Open Areas: Always fly in locations that are free and clear of buildings, trees, power lines, and other obstacles. 

Do not fly above or near people or animals. 

2. Maintain Control at All Times: Even when using DJI autopilot functions such as Auto-Takeoff, Auto-Landing, and AutoReturn to Home, always keep your hands on the Remote Controller and maintain control of your aircraft when it is in 

flight. 

3. Maintain Line of Sight: Keep your aircraft in sight at all times, and avoid flying behind buildings or other obstacles that 

may block your view. 4. Monitor Your Altitude: For the safety of full-sized aircraft and other air traffic, always fly at 

altitudes less than 400 feet (120 meters) 

above ground level, or in line with your local laws and regulations. 

Visit http://flysafe.dji.com/no-fly for more information on critical safety features such as No-Fly Zones. 

! Calibrating the Compass:Make sure to calibrate the compass at every new flight location. The compass is very 

sensitive to electromagnetic interference, which can cause abnormal compass data, leading to poor flight performance 

or even failure. Regular calibration is required for optimal performance.1. DO NOT calibrate your compass where there is 

a chance of strong magnetic interference, such as magnetite, parking structures, and 

steel reinforcements underground.2. DO NOT carry ferromagnetic materials with you during calibration such as keys or 

cellular phones.3. DO NOT calibrate beside massive metal objects.4. If the Aircraft Status Indicators are showing solid 

red, then try to calibrate again. If they are blinking red and yellow alternately after 

placing the aircraft on the ground, the compass has detected magnetic interference. Change your location. 

! Environmental Considerations:1. Do not fly in severe weather conditions. This includes high winds (speeds of 22 

mph or 10 m/s or more), snow, rain, and fog.2. Only fly in open areas. Tall buildings and steel structures may affect the 

accuracy of the on-board compass and GPS signal.3. Avoid obstacles, crowds, high-voltage power lines, trees, and 

bodies of water.4. Minimize electromagnetic interference by avoiding areas with high levels of electromagnetism, 

including mobile phone base stations, 

radio transmission towers, or Wi-Fi hotspots.5. Aircraft and battery performance are subject to environmental factors 

such as air density and temperature. Be very careful when 

flying 19,600 feet (6 km) or more above sea level, as battery and aircraft performance may not be at peak efficiency.6. 

The Phantom 3 Advanced cannot operate in P Mode or use GPS at polar latitudes. Only ATTI Mode and the Vision 

Positioning 

system will be operational. 

! P Mode:In this mode, the Phantom 3 Advanced can use GPS and the Vision Positioning system, allowing it to hover

accurately in position indoors and out. When GPS is available, a Home Point will be locked so that the Phantom 3 

Advanced can Return to Home if the Remote Controller signal is lost. 

To enable P Mode, toggle the Flight Mode Switch to the P position. 

There are three states in P mode:P-GPS: GPS works best when outdoors and in a wide open area. Your Phantom 3 

Advanced uses GPS to hover in place when there is a strong GPS signal.P-OPTI: If GPS is not available, the aircraft can 

use the Vision Positioning system to hover accurately.P-ATTI: Neither GPS nor the Vision Positioning system are 

available. The aircraft will only use its barometer for altitude and other on-board sensors for attitude stabilization.Note 

that the Vision Positioning system may not work properly when the Phantom 3 Advanced is flying over water, over 

surfaces without a clear pattern, or in a low-light environment. 

Return to home 

GPS Positioning 

●While returning to the Home Point, the aircraft’s altitude can be adjusted to avoid obstacles. Tall buildings may affect 

the Remote Controller’s signal. The Failsafe Return to Home procedure will be triggered if the signal is lost. Be sure to fly

higher than any nearby buildings to avoid crashing. 
! Return to Home:When there is a strong GPS signal, the aircraft will be able to record a Home Point and return to 

that Home Point when required. The Home Point location is recorded when the GPS signal icon in the DJI Pilot app is 

either yellow or green.The aircraft will return to the Home Point automatically in the following scenarios (all require a 

strong GPS signal):Smart RTH: When the RTH button on the Remote Controller or in the DJI Pilot app is pressed.LowBattery RTH: A notification will appear in the DJI Pilot app requesting the pilot to take action when the battery level falls 

under a certain level.Failsafe RTH: When the Remote Controller’s signal is lost. 

9 feet 10 inches 

Vision Positioning Altitude 

1 foot 
Appendix 

! AircraftWeight (Including Battery) Max. Ascent SpeedMax. Descent SpeedMax. SpeedMax. Flight 

AltitudeMax. Flight TimeOperating Temperature Range GPS 
● GimbalAngular Vibration Range ●Vision PositioningVelocity RangeAltitude RangeOperating Range 30 cm-300 

cm 

289.5 mm 

Operating Environment 

● Camera Sensor LensISO RangeElectronic Shutter Speed Image Max. SizeStill Photography Modes Video 

Recording Modes Max. Bitrate of Video Storage Supported File Formats Supported SD Card Types Operating 

Temperature Range 

● RemoteController Operating FrequencyMax. Transmission Distance Video Output PortOperating Temperature 

Range BatteryMobile Device Holder Transmitter Power (EIRP) Working Voltage ●Charger Voltage Rated Power 

Surface with clear pattern and adequate lighting (Lux > 15) 

Sony EXMOR 1/2.3” Effective pixels:12.4 M (total pixels: 12.76 M) FOV (Field Of View) 94° 20 mm (35 mm format 

equivalent) f/2.8 100-3200 (video) 100-1600 (photo)8 s - 1/8000 s 

4000 x 3000Single shotBurst shooting: 3/5/7 framesAuto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3/5 bracketed frames at 0.7EV Bias 

Time-lapseFHD: 1920x1080p 24/25/30/48/50/60HD: 1280x720p 24/25/30/48/50/6040 MbpsFAT32/exFAT Photo: JPEG, 

DNG Video: MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) Micro-SD, Max. capacity: 64GB. Class 10 or UHS-1 rating required0°C to 

40°C 

● IntelligentFlightBattery(PH3-4480mAh-15.2V) 

Capacity Voltage Battery Type Energy 

Net WeightOperating Temperature Max. Charging Power 

4480 mAh 15.2 VLiPo 4S68 Wh365 g-10°C to 40°C 100 W 

※ This Quick Start Guide is subject to change without prior notice. 

1280 g5 m/s3 m/s16 m/s (ATTI mode, no wind) 6000 m 

Approximately 23 minutes 0°C to 40°C GPS/GLONASS 

Pitch: − 90° to +30° 

185 mm 

289 mm 

<8 m/s (Altitude 2 m) 30 cm-300 cm 

2.400 GHz-2.483 GHz2 km (outdoors and unobstructed) USB0°C to 40°C6000 mAh LiPo 2STablets and 

smartphonesFCC: 20 dbm; CE:16 dbm1.2 A @7.4 V 

17.4 V 57 W 

105 mm 

182 mm 

172 mm 

71 mm 

FCC ID:SS3-WM3221503This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.Operation is subject to the following two conditions:(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and(2) this device must accept 

any interference received, including 

interference that may cause undesired operation. 
FCC ID: SS3-GL3001501 

PHANTOM 3 ADVANCED 
www.dji.com 

Preparing Your Phantom 3 Advanced Before Flying 
Read the User Manual and watch the video tutorials in the DJI Pilot app or on the official DJI website 

(www.dji.com), and read the following documents included in the box before using your Phantom 3 

Advanced for the first time: Phantom 3 Advanced Quick Start Guide, Phantom 3 Professional / Advanced Safety 

Guidelines and Disclaimer, Phantom 3 Professional / Advanced Intelligent Flight Battery Safety Guidelines, In the Box. 

1. Download the DJI Pilot App 

Search ‘DJI Pilot’ on the App Store or Google Play and download the DJI Pilot app to your mobile device. 

Phantom 3 tutorial videos ● For the best experience, use a mobile device that runs iOS 8.0 or above or Android 4.1.2 or 

above. 

3. Check Battery Levels 

Pressing the Power Button once on either your Intelligent Flight Battery or Remote Controller displays the 

battery level. 

Be sure to fully charge both batteries before your first flight. 

Low Battery Level High Low Battery Level High 

4. Charging the Batteries 

● Only use the official DJI Phantom 3 Advanced charger. Remove the Intelligent Flight Battery from the 

aircraft before charging. 

DJI Pilot app 

● It is recommended that you turn off the Intelligent Flight Battery or Remote Controller before charging.●

Connect the charger to a suitable power source (100-240V 50/60Hz).● Connect the charger to the Intelligent 

Flight Battery or Remote Controller. The LEDs will display the current charge level, 

and when fully charged, they will automatically turn off. 

Remove the Intelligent A Flight Battery 

B 

B 

A 

2. Watch the Tutorial Videos 

Watch the tutorial videos on www.dji.com or in the DJI Pilot app. 
5. Preparing the Remote Controller 

Tilt the Mobile Device Holder to the desired position, and then adjust the antennas as shown. The strength 

of the Remote Controller’s signal will fluctuate depending on the positions of the antennas. 
Strong Weak 

The transmission signal between the aircraft and Remote Controller will be strongest within the range 

illustrated here. If the signal is weak, adjust the positions of the antennas and fly the aircraft closer to 

achieve optimal signal performance. 

2 

1 Press the button on the side of the Mobile Device Holder to release the clamp. 

1

Place your mobile device into the clamp and adjust it so that the mobile device is held securely in place. 

Connect your mobile device to the Remote Controller with a USB cable. Plug one end of the cable into your 

mobile device, and the other end into the USB port on the back of the Remote Controller. 

3 

● To avoid signal interference, do not use other 2.4GHz devices when flying. 

6. Flight Controls 

Here are the default flight controls (Mode 2). The left stick controls altitude and rotation, while the right stick 

controls the forward, backward, left or right movements. The gimbal dial controls the camera’s tilt. 

Left Stick Right Stick Gimbal Dial 

U 

U 

r 

r 

o 

o 

F 

F 

R 

R 

u 

u 

r 

r 

g 

g 

i 

i 

n 

n 
T 

T 

n 

n 

L 

L 

r 

r 

u 

u 

k 

k 

T 

T 

w 

w 

w 

w 

n 

n 

a 

a 

r 

r 

d 

d 

d 

d 

r 

r 

P 

P 

t 

t 

f 

f 

e 

e 
t 

t 

t 

t 

f 

f 

h 

h 

L 

L 

ee 

g 

g 

i 

i 

t 

t 

h 

h 

R 

R 

B 

B 

a 

a 

D 

a 

D 

a 

c 

c 

o 

o 

w 

w 

●You can customize or change these controls through the DJI Pilot app. 
7. Getting Ready for Takeoff 

Remove the gimbal clamp as shown on the right. Place your Phantom 3 Advanced on a flat surface, in an 

open space, with the nose facing away from you. Then follow the steps below in this order: 
2 11 

Toggle the Flight Mode Switch on your Remote Controller to the right (P Mode). P Mode is Positioning 

Mode, A Mode is ATTI Mode, and F Mode is Function Mode. 

Turn on the Remote Controller by pressing the power button once, releasing it, and then pressing and 

holding for 2 seconds. 

Insert the Intelligent Flight Battery into your Phantom 3 Advanced. Turn on the battery by pressing the 

power button once, releasing it, and then pressing and holding for 2 seconds. 

Ensure the LED on your Remote Controller is green, indicating it is ready to be used. 

Connect your mobile device to the Remote Controller with a USB cable and launch the DJI Pilot app. 

Follow the instructions within the app. 

In the app, tap ‘Camera’. Ensure your Phantom 3 Advanced is ready to fly by completing the on-screen 

Checklist. Beginner Mode is enabled by default when you launch the DJI Pilot app for the first time. The 

aircraft’s altitude and flight distance are restricted when flying in Beginner Mode. You can disable Beginner 

Mode in the Settings Page of the DJI Pilot app. 

Calibrate the compass by tapping the Aircraft Status Bar in the app and selecting ‘Calibrate’. Then follow 

the on-screen instructions. 

Attach the propellers with a black nut onto the motors with a black axis and spin them counter-clockwise 

to secure. Attach the propellers with a gray nut onto the motors with a gray axis and spin them clockwise 

to secure. 

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app 

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5 

6 

7 

8 

●Be sure to match all the propellers to motors with the correct colors and tighten by hand before flying.● If you wish to 

record photos or videos, insert a Micro-SD card into the Camera’s Micro-SD Card Slot.● The Flight Mode Switch is locked 

in P Mode by default. Refer to the User Manual to learn how to unlock the switch and change 

to other modes.●When not in P mode, the Phantom 3 Advanced will only maintain altitude, not position, and will drift with 

wind or user input. Return 

to Home is not available in F mode. 

8. Flight 

Safe to Fly ( GPS ) 

Before taking off, make sure the Aircraft Status Bar in the DJI Pilot app indicates ‘Safe to Fly (GPS)’ or 
‘Safe to fly (non-GPS)’ if flying indoors. 

! Auto Takeoff and Landing:Your Phantom 3 Advanced can automatically takeoff and land at the tap 

of a button in the Camera screen of the DJI 

Pilot app. 

Tap and slide to confirm automatic takeoff. The aircraft will automatically takeoff and hover at 4 feet (1.2 

meters). 

Tap and slide to confirm automatic landing. The aircraft will automatically land. 
! Manual Takeoff and Landing (Stick configurations are for MODE 2): 

Start the motors by pulling both control sticks to the bottom inside (or outside) corners. Release the sticks 

once the motors start. Slowly push the left stick (throttle stick) up to takeoff. 

Start / Stop the motors Left stick up (Slowly) 
OR 

To land, gently pull the left stick (throttle stick) down to lower the aircraft until it touches the ground. Then 

pull both sticks to the bottom inside corners to stop the motors. 

Left stick down (Slowly) 

● Never stop the motors mid-flight, otherwise the aircraft will crash. Only stop the motors when on the ground or 

as required in emergency situations to reduce the risk of damage or injury. 

● You cannot takeoff if the Intelligent Flight Battery is not sufficiently charged and the Critical Low Battery 

Warning is active. 

● The Intelligent Flight Battery must warm up if the outside temperature is low. A warning will appear in the DJI 

Pilot app in this scenario. 

● Once spinning, the rotating propellers can be dangerous. Do not start the motors when there are people 

nearby and always fly in a wide-open area. 

● Power off your Phantom 3 Advanced before switching off the Remote Controller after landing. 

! Return to Home: 

1. Press and hold the Return to Home Button on your Remote Controller until the LED surrounding the 

button starts blinking white and starts beeping. Your Phantom 3 Advanced will return to the set Home 

Point. Press the button once to stop the procedure. 

2. The DJI Pilot app will warn you if your Phantom 3 Advanced’s battery level falls under a certain level. 

This warning threshold can be set in the app. The aircraft will land immediately if the battery power reaches 

a critical level and the Critical Low Battery Level Warning appears. 

3. Failsafe: The Phantom 3 Advanced will enter Return to Home Mode if the signal to the Remote Controller 

is lost. 

●While returning home, you can still control your Phantom 3 Advanced’s altitude to avoid any obstacles. 

RTH Button 

Appendix 

Aircraft Status Indicators 

Slowly: Safe to fly, GPS working 

X2 Continuously: Vision Positioning system working, no GPS 

Slowly: P-ATTI or ATTI Mode 

Quickly: Not connected to the Remote Controller 

Slowly: Low Battery Level WarningQuickly: Critical Low Battery Level Warning Solid: Critical error 

Blinking Alternately: Compass calibration required 

For more information: 

http://www.dji.com/phantom3 

Designed by DJI. Printed in China. 
The app’s RTH Button 

Remote Controller Status LED 

Remote Controller is functioning normally, but is not connected to the aircraft. 

Remote Controller is functioning normally and is connected to the aircraft. 

B-B-B... AircraftLowBatteryLevelWarning or Remote Controller error. 

B—B—... Remote Controller has been idle for 5 minutes. 

Camera Controls 

! Adjust the camera parameters using the Camera Settings Dial on the Remote Controller or through the DJI Pilot app. 

Press the Shutter Button or Video Recording Button to capture photos or record videos. 

! Adjust the gimbal’s tilt using the Gimbal Dial. 

! Download photos and videos from the Micro-SD card to your mobile device through the DJI Pilot app. You can also 

use a SD-card reader to export files to your computer. 

©2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved