GEOTECHNICAL 

ENVIRONMENTAL 

WATER RESOURCES 

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES 

2010 Crow Canyon Place, Suite 250  San Ramon, CA 94583  (925) 866-9000  Fax (888) 279-2698 

www.engeo.com

June 23, 2015 

 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Docket Management System 

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Subject: Exemption Request under Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act 

and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation Regulations 

Dear Sir or Madam: 

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the “Reform Act”) 

and 14 CFR Part 11, ENGEO Incorporated (ENGEO), seeks an exemption from Federal 

Aviation Regulations (FARs) detailed below, to allow commercial operation of a small 

unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for the purpose of conducting aerial imagining of geologic 

hazard features (such as landslides and creek bank erosion), aerial videography of construction 

activities, aerial imaging for completed projects in controlled environments, and aerial surveying 

and mapping. 

FIRM DESCRIPTION 

Founded in 1971, ENGEO is an award-winning firm of geotechnical and civil engineers, 

geologists, hydrologists and environmental scientists. ENGEO offers clients practical, timely, 

and efficient solutions through the highest levels of capability and service. Service offerings 

include geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, engineering geology, water 

resources, hydrology and stormwater management, special inspection and materials testing, 

geologic hazard abatement districts (GHADs) and construction management for both the public 

and private sectors. ENGEO currently has nine offices within the state of California and serves 

projects in transportation, infrastructure, water storage, conveyance and treatment, geologic 

hazard mitigation, flood control facilities, residential and mixed-use communities and urban 

development. ENGEO has continued to grow and transform itself into one of the premier 

engineering and consulting firms in the industry. 

PROPOSED USE OF UAS

Today, ENGEO continues the vision of growth and is dedicated to providing technologically 

driven and innovative solutions to assess and mitigate geologic, hydrologic and environmental 

hazards. ENGEO seeks to utilize unmanned aircraft technology to provide prompt assessment of 

potential geologic, hydrologic and environmental hazards that may impact public safety. The use 

of UAS assisted photography and videography also offers a more environmentally friendly, safe 

and accurate means of assessing the above natural hazards in highly vegetated, environmental 

sensitive and/or remote site locations. 
U.S. Department of Transportation June 23, 2015 

EXEMPTION REQUEST UNDER SECTION 333 OF THE FAA REFORM ACT Page 2 

AND PART 11 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS 

The use of UAS will allow ENGEO to improve public safety by identifying geologic hazards 

promptly. In this spirit, ENGEO seeks an exemption to use UAS for the commercial purposes of 

aerial imagining as described above, including evaluation of geologic hazard features (such as 

landslides and creek bank erosion), aerial videography of construction activities, aerial imaging 

for completed projects in controlled environments, and aerial surveying and mapping. We are 

committed to operate the UAS in a safe manner by establishing protocols and obtaining FAA 

approval to this exemption request. 

SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM – DJI PHANTOM 2 

ENGEO will be operating a DJI PHANTOM 2 (“PHANTOM”) UAS system. The PHANTOM 

system consists of a lightweight battery operated UAS, a 2.4Hz remote controller, a tablet-based 

ground control station, and associated communications equipment. 

Safety features included in PHANTOM will be utilized to provide a level of safety that far 

exceeds those required by the FAA. These safety features include programmability, GPS 

navigation, return-to-home capability, airport vicinity no-fly feature and restricted altitude 

feature, as well as differentiating radio frequency for aircraft controller/receiver and for the 

onboard camera. 

The PHANTOM UAS system weights less than 10 pounds in total, which includes the DJI 

Zenmuse GoPro gimbal, DJI Smart Battery, 2.4G Bluetooth datalink, a iOSD Mark II flight data 

device and add-on GoPro camera. Incorporated into the programming of the PHANTOM is an 

automatic return-to-home feature that automatically directs the craft back to the point of takeoff 

should communication with the transmitter be lost or severed. The communication datalink and 

flight data device allow the operator or Pilot in Command (PIC) to monitor battery level, altitude 

(AGL), distance from PIC, camera imagery, and control camera angle. 

The software for the PHANTOM allows the operator or PIC to preset a maximum altitude AGL 

for each flight, allowing customization of flights to no higher than 100 feet, 150 feet, or 250 feet 

AGL, as examples. The 400-foot maximum AGL will be programmed into the UAS software 

pre-flight to maintain compliance with FAA standards. The ground station system is also 

programmed to restrict use of the UAS outside of predetermined no-fly-zones, as a minimum. 

Adding to the safety capabilities of the PHANTOM, it is programmed to remain in position when 

controls are released (hovering), thus maintaining altitude and location. Moreover, the operator 

or PIC can monitor GPS lock status while the PHANTOM is in flight, with the ability to 

anticipate loss of GPS locking, so the operator or PIC can land the UAS manually when needed. 

The PHANTOM has a cruising speed of 15 knots, with a maximum speed of 29 knots. Maximum 

flight time is 25 minutes. 

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) 

Because the UAS will not carry a pilot or passengers, the proposed operations can achieve the 

equivalent level of safety of current operations by requiring the PIC operating the aircraft to pass 

the FAA airman knowledge test (ground exam) and work toward a sport/recreational/private pilot’s 
U.S. Department of Transportation June 23, 2015 

EXEMPTION REQUEST UNDER SECTION 333 OF THE FAA REFORM ACT Page 3 

AND PART 11 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS 

license rather than a commercial pilot’s license. The risks associated with the operation of the UAS 

are so diminished from the level of risk associated with commercial operations contemplated by 

Part 61 when drafted, that allowing operations of the UAS as requested with a private pilot as the 

PIC exceeds the present level of safety achieved by 14 CFR §§61.113 (a) & (b). 

OPERATION OF THE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT (UA) 

The PHANTOM will be utilized for gathering geologic, geotechnical, environmental and aerial 

imagery for construction-related studies and projects. The study area will typically be remote, rural 

and will not include congested areas. ENGEO will operate the PHANTOM under the following 

conditions if granted the FAA exemption: 

 Minimum crew for each operation will consist of a pilot, who will be Pilot-in Command 

("PIC") of the UAS, and one or more Visual Observers ("VO") as necessary to safely conduct 

the mission. The Observer designated for any operation will be in constant voice contact with 

the PIC. 

 The PIC and VO will take and pass the FAA airman knowledge test (ground exam) as a 

minimum and hold a third class medical certificate. In addition, the PIC will be trained to 

receive a FAA licensed airman with a recreational, sport or private pilot certificate. The VO 

will hold a valid driver license as a minimum. 

 The PIC and VO will be trained in operation of UAS. 

 The PIC will conduct pre-flight measures including, but not limited to, reviewing site 

topography and existing conditions, weather conditions and visual inspection of the flight area. 

 The PHANTOM will be operated within Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) of the PIC and observer 

at all times. 

 Safety features of the UAS, including automatic return to home feature. 

 The UAS will be operated in a defined project site, away from power lines, elevated lights, 

airports and populated areas. 

 The UAS will be operated at an altitude of less than 400 feet AGL and will never enter 

navigable controlled airspace without prior written authorization and approval from the FAA. 

 The UAS will not be operated over: 

o Air shows or open air assembly of people 

o Roadways or highways with traffic or vehicles 

o Congested or populated areas 

o Within 500 feet of a person not associated with site/construction activities 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

ENGEO Incorporated 

Attn: Ms. Janet Kan or Mr. Jonathan Boland 

Phone: (925) 866-9000 

Fax: (888) 279-2698 

Email: jkan@engeo.com or jboland@engeo.com 
U.S. Department of Transportation June 23, 2015 

EXEMPTION REQUEST UNDER SECTION 333 OF THE FAA REFORM ACT Page 4 

AND PART 11 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS 

REQUESTED EXEMPTIONS 

The FAA considers unmanned aircraft as “aircraft” flown by a “pilot” regardless of the location 

of the pilot. All aircraft and pilots must comply with applicable sections of Title 14 of the Code 

of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) and other rules/regulations to operate within the National 

Airspace. Unmanned aircraft are unable to comply with certain sections of 14 CFR as the 

regulations were written prior to the consideration of small UAS integration within the national 

airspace. Therefore, ENGEO is respectfully requesting an exemption from certain parts of 

14 CFR cited below, in addition to such further exemptions and relief as the FAA may determine 

is necessary to permit the operations described herein. 

 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart H – Airworthiness certification

 14 CFR Part 45.23 & 45.29 – Display of marks; general & Size of Marks 

 14 CFR Part 61.113 (a) and (b) – Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command 

 14 CFR Part 91.7 – Civil Aircraft Airworthiness

 14 CFR Part 91.9 (b) – Civil aircraft flight manual, marking and placard requirements

 14 CFR Part 91.109 – Flight Instruction

 14 CFR Part 91.119 – Minimum safe altitudes

 14 CFR Part 91.151 – Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions

 14 CFR Part 91.203 (a) and (b) – Civil Aircraft; Certifications Required

 14 CFR Part 91.401 to 417 – Maintenance & Inspections 

The extent and reason of the above relief are provided in Appendix A. 

PUBLIC INTERESTS AND BENEFITS 

The proposed UAS operation(s) will benefit the public by reducing the time to complete hazard 

assessments, which usually lead to faster mitigation response. In addition, the use of UAS will 

reduce the risk of exposing our employees to hazards related to accessing remote locations and 

rough terrain. 

Without this exemption, ENGEO would be restricted to sending professional staff to traverse 

difficult terrain or environmentally sensitive areas by foot, which is inefficient and potentially 

dangerous, especially near or around moving potential landslide prone areas. 

LEVEL OF SAFETY 

The operation of small UASs, weighting less than 55 lbs., conducted in the strict conditions 

outlined above, will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the grant of the exemptions 

requested herein, including exempting the applicant from the requirements of Part 21 and 

allowing commercial operations. These lightweight aircraft operate at slow speeds, close to the 

ground, and in a controlled environment and, as a result, are far safer than conventional 

operations conducted with turbine helicopters or manned aircraft operating in close proximity to 

the ground and people. 
U.S. Department of Transportation June 23, 2015 

EXEMPTION REQUEST UNDER SECTION 333 OF THE FAA REFORM ACT Page 5 

AND PART 11 OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS 

CONCLUSION 

We believe ENGEO’s petition for exemption satisfies the criteria articulated in Section 333 of 

the Reform Act of 2012 including weight, speed, operating capabilities, proximity to airports and 

populated areas, operation within VLOS and national security. We thank you for your 

consideration of our request. Please contact us if you need additional information to support the 

requested exemptions. 

Sincerely, 

ENGEO Incorporated 

Janet Kan, GE, CEG Jonathan Boland, GE 

jk/jb/jf 

Attachments: 

 Appendix A – Extents and Reasons for Relief 

 Appendix B – ENGEO Phantom 2 Preflight Checklist 

 Appendix C – Phantom 2 User Manual and User Guide 
Appendix A A - 1 June 23, 2015 

APPENDIX A 

Extent and Reason for Relief 

ENGEO seeks relief pursuant to this exemption from applicable parts of the Federal Aviation 

Regulations and other rules/regulations to the extent necessary to permit civil flight operations 

within the national airspace. ENGEO seeks authorization to conduct small UAS flight operations 

within the perimeters of this exemption request. 

A. 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart H (Airworthiness Certificates)

Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements for the 

issuance of airworthiness certificates as required by FAR §91.203 (a) (1). Given the size and 

limited operating area associated with the aircraft to be utilized by ENGEO, an exemption from 

Part 21 Subpart H meets the requirements of an equivalent level of safety under Part 11 and 

Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal Aviation Act (49 U.S.C.§44701 (f)) and Section 333 

of the Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt aircraft from the requirement for an 

airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, operational capability, 

and proximity to airports and populated areas of the particular UAS. In all cases, an analysis of 

these criteria demonstrates that the UAS operated without an airworthiness certificate, in the 

restricted environment and under the conditions proposed will be at least as safe, or safer, than a 

conventional aircraft (fixed wing or rotorcraft) operating with an airworthiness certificate 

without the restrictions and conditions proposed. 

The UAS to be operated hereunder is less than 55 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a pilot nor 

passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operates exclusively 

within a secured area as set out in the user manual (Appendix C). Unlike other civil aircraft, 

operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by both the operator, 

pursuant to the user manual’s requirements, and under the requirements and in compliance with 

local public safety requirements. These safety enhancements, which already apply to civil 

aircraft, provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property owners than conventional 

operations conducted with airworthiness certificates issued under 14 C.F.R. Part 21, Subpart H. 

Lastly, application of these same criteria demonstrates that there is no credible threat to national 

security posed by the UAS, due to its size, speed of operation, location of operation, lack of 

explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and inability to carry a substantial external load. 

The FAA has issued the following exemptions to this regulation to Exemptions Nos. 11066, 

11062, 11067, 11065, 11138, 11136, and 11111. 

B. 14 CFR 45.23 (b) Display of Marks & 14 CFR 45.29 Size of Marks 

ENGEO, as the petitioner seeks relief from Part 45.23 (b) requiring markings on certain sections 

of the aircraft and markings of a certain size. Additionally, the aircraft must display the word 

"EXPERIMENTAL" in letters at least 2 inches high near the entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or 

pilot station. 
Appendix A A - 2 June 23, 2015 

The UAS does not have an entrance in which the word "EXPERIMENTAL" can be placed. The 

size of the UAS limits the size of the lettering that can be placed. The UAS will have the words 

“Experimental” placed on the fuselage as large as possible in compliance with §45.29 (f) . 

The equivalent level of safety will be provided by having the UAS marked on its fuselage as 

required by §45.29 (f) where the pilot, observer and others working with the sUAS will see the 

identification of the UAS as “Experimental.” The FAA has issued the following exemptions to 

this regulation to Exemptions Nos. 10700, 8738, 10167 and 10167A. 

C. 14 CFR 61.113 Private Pilot Privileges and Limitations: Pilot in Command & 14 CFR 

61.133 Commercial Pilot Privileges and Limitations 

Part 61.113 (a) states that no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in 

command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire; nor may 

that person, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command or an aircraft. Part 61.113 (b) 

states that a private pilot may, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft in 

connection with any business or employment if: (1) The flight is only incidental to that business 

or employment; and (2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or 

hire. The FAA stated that it had to determine the level of pilot certificate appropriate for that 

proposed operation within the Grant of Exemption Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2014-0352. The 

FAA said within the Grant that it considers the overriding safety factor to be the airmanship 

skills acquired through UAS-specific flight cycles, flight time, and specific make and model 

experience and UAS testing. 

ENGEO agrees with this determination and our proposed PIC will be trained to obtain a 

Recreational/Sport/Private Pilot Certificate issued by the FAA. Since there are currently no 

means available for the pilot of a UAS to gain the experience in an equivalent category and class 

in order to apply for a commercial pilot's license, ENGEO proposes to generate an equivalent 

level of safety by requiring our PIC to complete, at a minimum, the FAA airman knowledge test 

(ground exam) and hold a third class medical certificate prior to completing the private pilot 

requirements. Since the aircraft cannot carry passengers or property, we feel we meet the intent 

of 61.113 Subparagraph (b) even though the intent of this application is to conduct a business. 

D. 14 CFR Part 91.7 (Civil Aircraft Airworthiness) 

This regulation states that (a) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy 

condition and (b) The pilot in command of a civil aircraft is responsible for determining whether 

that aircraft is in condition for safe flight. The pilot in command shall discontinue the flight when 

un-airworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur. This exemption would not be 

necessary should the FAA approve the exemption for 14 CFR Part 21 Subpart H. If ENGEO 

UAS is not required to obtain an airworthiness certificate, then this would not apply; however 

ENGEO would maintain the UAS and the PIC would deem the UAS safe for flight operations 

and discontinue any flight if any mechanical, electrical, or structural problem arose. 
Appendix A A - 3 June 23, 2015 

E. 14 CFR Part 91.9 (b) Civil Aircraft Flight Manual, Marking and Placard 

Requirements & 14 CFR Part 91.203 (a) and (b) Civil Aircraft; Certifications 

Required 

This regulation states that no person may operate a U.S. registered civil aircraft: 

1. For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is required by Part 21.5 of 14 CFR unless 

in the aircraft, there is a current, approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual or the 

manual provided for in 14 CFR Part 121.141 (b), and 

2. For which an Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual is not required by 14 CFR Part 21.5, 

unless there is available in the aircraft a current approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight 

Manual, approved manual material, markings and placards or any combination thereof. 

The sUAS, given its size and configuration has no ability or place to carry such a flight manual 

on the aircraft, not only because there is no pilot on board, but because there is no room or 

capacity to carry such an item on the aircraft. ENGEO will have in its possession, on-site, the 

UAS manufacturer’s flight/operations manual and registration paperwork. 

The equivalent level of safety will be maintained by keeping the flight manual at the ground 

control point where the pilot flying the UAS will have immediate access to it. The FAA has 

issued the following exemptions to this regulation: Exemption Nos. 8607, 8737, 8738, 9299, 

9299A, 9565, 9565B, 10167, 10167A, 10602, 32827 and 10700. 

F. 14 CFR 91.109 Flight Instruction; Simulated Instrument Flight and Certain Flight 

Tests 

The regulation states, "No person may operate a civil aircraft that is being used for flight 

instruction unless that aircraft has fully functioning dual controls." UASs and remotely piloted 

aircraft, by their design do not have fully functional dual controls. Flight control is accomplished 

through the use of a control box that communicates with the aircraft via radio communications. 

The FAA has approved exemptions for flight training without fully functional dual controls for a 

number of aircraft and for flight instruction in experimental aircraft. See Exemption Nos.5778K 

& 9862A. The equivalent level of safety provided by the fact that neither a pilot nor passengers 

will be carried in the aircraft and by the size and speed of the aircraft. 

G. 14 CFR 91.119 Minimum Safe Altitudes: General 

The regulation states that over sparsely populated areas the aircraft cannot be operated closer 

than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. 

Since our UAS is restraint to 400 feet AGL, ENGEO would not be able to comply with this 

requirement. In order to provide an equivalent level of safety we will only fly over private 

property within the size of the property and with the permission of the owner of the property. 

The aircraft will not be operated over congested areas or over any open-air assembly of persons. 

The property owner will be briefed on the expected route of flight and the associated risks to 
Appendix A A - 4 June 23, 2015 

persons and property on the ground. The aircraft will be operated at a low altitude allowing, if a 

power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the 

surface. Therefore, we maintain that due to the small size of the sUAS, the hazard to persons, 

vehicles and structures is minimal compared to manned aircraft, which should be considered in 

granting the exemption. 

H. 14 CFR 91.151(a) Fuel Requirements for Flight in VFR Conditions 

The regulation provides that no person may begin a flight in an airplane under day-VFR 

conditions unless there is enough fuel to fly to the first point of intended landing and to fly after 

that for at least 30 minutes. 

We feel the intention of this paragraph is to provide an energy reserve as a safety buffer for 

delays to landing. The UAS is battery operated and the maximum duration of flight from a single 

battery charge is a max flight time of 21-25 minutes but all ENGEO operations are limited to 15 

minutes (60-71% battery consumption) with a reserve of 6-10 minutes (29-40% battery reserve) 

for return to base procedures. A “dynamic home” button on the remote control gives the PIC a 

one-touch button return home/base action. The PHANTOM is also controlled by a remote 

control base station and an Apple iPad which runs an application that provides airspeed, 

waypoints, compass, battery life, flight time and airspace information. Even though ENGEO 

does not expect to operate in conditions where the battery levels will be below 20%, the 

application will warn the PIC at low battery level and automatically land the UAS at the home 

station after the low battery level alert. This will ensure that we meet the reserve energy 

requirement of this paragraph. We request an exemption to the word "fuel" and ask for an 

equivalent interpretation with the word "energy". 

I. 14 CFR Part 91.203 (a) and (b) – Civil Aircraft; Certifications Required 

These regulations state that: 

1. Except as provided in §91.715, no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it has within it 

the following: 

 An appropriate and current airworthiness certificate. Each U.S. airworthiness certificate 

used to comply with this subparagraph (except a special flight permit, a copy of the 

applicable operations specifications issued under §21.197(c) of this chapter, appropriate 

sections of the air carrier manual required by parts 121 and 135 of this chapter containing 

that portion of the operations specifications issued under §21.197(c), or an authorization 

under §91.611) must have on it the registration number assigned to the aircraft under part 

47 of this chapter. However, the airworthiness certificate need not have on it an assigned 

special identification number before 10 days after that number is first affixed to the 

aircraft. A revised airworthiness certificate having on it an assigned special identification 

number that has been affixed to an aircraft may only be obtained upon application to an 

FAA Flight Standards district office. 
Appendix A A - 5 June 23, 2015 

 An effective U.S. registration certificate issued to its owner or, for operation within the 

United States, the second copy of the Aircraft registration Application as provided for in 

§47.31(c), or a registration certification issued under the laws of a foreign country. 

2. No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by 

paragraph (a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under §91.715 is 

displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew. 

The UAS fully loaded weighs no more than 55 lbs and is operated without an onboard pilot. As 

such, there is no ability or place to carry certification and registration documents or to display 

them on the UAS. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at 

the ground control point where the pilot flying the UAS will have immediate access to it, to the 

extent they are applicable to the UAS. The FAA has issued numerous exemptions to this 

regulation. A representative sample of other exceptions includes Exemption Nos. 9565, 9665, 

9789, 9789A, 9797, 9797A, 9816A, and 10700. 

J. 14 CFR Subpart E (91.401 - 91.417) - Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, 

Alterations 

The regulation provides that the operator is primarily responsible for maintaining the aircraft in 

an airworthy condition, including compliance with part 39 and 43. Paragraphs 91.407 and 91.409 

require that the aircraft be "approved for return to service by a person authorized under 43.7" 

after maintenance and inspection. 

It is our intention that the PIC perform maintenance and inspection of the aircraft and "be 

authorized to approve the aircraft for return to service." The PIC will ensure that the aircraft is in 

an airworthy condition prior to every flight and in addition conduct detailed inspections after 

every two hours of flight. Maintenance performed by the PIC is limited to repairing small cracks, 

replacing a propeller, checking electrical connections and updating software and firmware for the 

on-board computer. The manufacturer or their designated repair facility will perform all other 

maintenance. The PIC will document work performed in accordance with 91.417. We feel that 

due to the size, construction, and simplicity of the aircraft, the PIC can ensure an equivalent level 

of safety. 
Appendix B June 23, 2015 

APPENDIX B 

ENGEO Phantom 2 Preflight Checklist
PHANTOM 2 PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST 

Phantom 2 Equipment List 

Main Parts G B Spare Parts G B 

☐ Phantom 2 Drone ☐ Backup Battery Level 

☐ Gimbal ☐ Spare Propellers 

☐ Go-pro Camera & SD Card ☐ Spare Landing Gear 

☐ Remote Control ☐ 

☐ Main Battery Level ☐ 

☐ Landing Gear Condition ☐ 

☐ IPAD Battery Level ☐ 

☐ Waypoint Setup ☐ 

Project Information 

Project Name 

Project No. 

Site Location 

Within No Fly Zone? 

http://flysafe.dji.com/no-fly YES NO

Nearest 

Highway/Roadway/Bridges 

 ft away 

 ft away 

Site Manager or Client Contact 

Emergency Contact For 3rd party personal injury and property damage: 911 

For minor incident: Steve Harris (925) 866-9000 

Nearest Hospital 

Flight Operation 

Pilot in Control (PIC) 

Visual Observer (VO) 

Date of Flight 

Weather Forecast 

Do not fly when wind 

speed exceed 15mph

Purpose of Flight
PHANTOM 2 PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST 

Arrival Check 

 Double check distance to nearest airport and controlled airspace using GS app

 Established “home” or “recovery” location

 Notify on-site personnel not related to flight operation of flight path and duration 

 Visual check for location of by-standers (ensure they are at least 500 ft away from flight 

path) 

On-site Pre-Flight Check 

1. Remove Transmitter ☐ 8. UAS Battery Inserted & On ☐

2. Router On ☐ 9. Wifi Connection to Monitor Verified ☐

3. Transmitter On ☐ 10. DJI App Loaded and Connected ☐

4. Toggle Switches Full Up ☐ 11. Satellite Connection Verified ☐

5. Video Monitor On ☐ 12. Charge Level Full ☐

6. Gimbal Locked ☐ 13. Video Recording On ☐

7. Micro SD card Inserted ☐ 14. Take Off & Maintain VLOS ☐

 VLOS: Visual Line of Sight 

Landing Check 

1. Camera Full Up ☐

2. Video Recorder Stop ☐

3. Landing Zone Clear ☐

End of Flight Check 

1. Battery Off and Remove ☐

2. Transmittal Off ☐

3. Router Off ☐

Notes and Damage Report 

Completed By: Date: 
Appendix C June 23, 2015 

APPENDIX C 

Phantom 2 User Manual and User Guide


©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.1 | 

PHANTOM 2 User Manual V1.4 

For PHANTOM 2 Flight Controller Firmware version V3.10

& PHANTOM 2 Assistant version V3.8 

& PHANTOM RC Assistant version V1.1 

2015.01

Congratulations on purchasing your new DJI product. Please thoroughly read the entire contents of this manual to 

fully use and understand the product. 

It is advised that you regularly check the PHANTOM 2’s product page at www.dji.com which is updated on a 

regular basis. This will provide services such as product information, technical updates and manual corrections. Due 

to any unforeseen changes or product upgrades, the information contained within this manual is subject to change 

without notice. 

DJI and PHANTOM 2 are registered trademarks of DJI. Names of product, brand, etc., appearing in this manual are 

trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owner companies. This product and manual are copy 

righted by DJI with all rights reserved. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your product, please contact your dealer or DJI Customer Service.

 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved. 2 |

Content 

CONTENT ........................................................................................................................ 2

IN THE BOX ..................................................................................................................... 4

LEGEND .......................................................................................................................... 4

1. PHANTOM 2 AIRCRAFT ............................................................................................... 5

1.1 BUILT-IN FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM INSTRUCTIONS.................................................................. 5

1.2 CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER DJI PRODUCTS........................................................................... 5

Important Notes of Using with Other DJI Products ........................................................ 6

Connections with Other DJI Products ............................................................................. 7

1.3 LED FLIGHT INDICATORS DESCRIPTION ...............................................................................11

1.4 NOTES FOR PHANTOM 2 USING WITH OTHER DJI PRODUCTS ................................................12

2 PROPELLERS...............................................................................................................13

2.1 ASSEMBLY.....................................................................................................................13

2.2 DISASSEMBLY ................................................................................................................13

2.3 NOTES .........................................................................................................................13

3 REMOTE CONTROLLER ...............................................................................................14

3.1 POWER ON THE REMOTE CONTROLLER ...............................................................................14

3.2 REMOTE CONTROLLER LED INDICATOR STATUS ....................................................................15

3.2.1 Remote Controller Power LED Indicator Status ...................................................15

3.2.2 Remote Controller Battery Level Indicator Status ...............................................15

3.3 ANTENNA ORIENTATION ..................................................................................................16

3.4 REMOTE CONTROLLER OPERATION ....................................................................................16

3.5 LINKING THE REMOTE CONTROLLER & BUILT-IN RECEIVER......................................................18

4 INTELLIGENT BATTERY ...............................................................................................19

4.1 CHARGING PROCEDURES..................................................................................................19

4.2 INSTALL THE BATTERY ......................................................................................................20

4.3 BATTERY USAGE.............................................................................................................20

4.4 DESCRIPTION OF THE BATTERY LEVEL INDICATOR...................................................................21

4.5 CORRECT BATTERY USAGE NOTES ......................................................................................22

5 CALIBRATING THE COMPASS ......................................................................................23
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.3 | 

5.1 CALIBRATION WARNINGS ................................................................................................. 23

5.2 CALIBRATION PROCEDURES ..............................................................................................23

5.3 WHEN RECALIBRATION IS REQUIRED...................................................................................23

6 FLIGHT .......................................................................................................................24

6.1 FLYING ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS ..............................................................................24

6.2 STARTING THE MOTORS...................................................................................................24

6.3 TAKEOFF/LANDING PROCEDURES.......................................................................................24

6.4 FAILSAFE FUNCTION........................................................................................................25

6.5 LOW BATTERY CAPACITY WARNING FUNCTION.....................................................................27

6.6 FLIGHT LIMITS FUNCTION................................................................................................. 27

Max Height & Radius Limits .........................................................................................27

6.7 FLIGHT LIMITS OF SPECIAL AREAS ......................................................................................28

6.8 CONDITIONS OF FLIGHT LIMITS .........................................................................................30

Disclaimer.....................................................................................................................30

7 ASSISTANT INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION ......................................................31

7.1 INSTALLING DRIVER AND PHANTOM 2 ASSISTANT...............................................................31

7.2 USING THE PHANTOM 2 ASSISTANT ON A PC....................................................................32

7.3 FIRMWARE UPGRADE OF PHANTOM 2 .............................................................................33

7.4 PHANTOM RC ASSISTANT DESCRIPTION...........................................................................33

8 APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................35

8.1 SPECIFICATIONS..............................................................................................................35

8.2 LED FLIGHT INDICATORS DESCRIPTION ...............................................................................35

 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.4 | 

In the Box 

PHANTOM 2 Remote Controller-2.4GHz Propeller Pair

Intelligent Battery Charger Plug Set

Screwdriver Assistant Wrench Cables

Micro-USB Cable Screws Accessories Box

 

Legend 

Forbidden(Important) Caution Tip Reference
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.5 | 

1 PHANTOM 2 Aircraft 

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[10]

[11]

[9]

Figure 1-1 Figure 1-2 

[1]Propeller [2]Motor [3]Front Side [4]Front LEDs [5]Micro-USB Port [6]Landing Gear [7]Receiver 

Antenna [8]CAN-Bus Connector [9]LED Flight Indicators [10]DJI Intelligent Battery [11]Compass 

1.1 Built-in Flight Control System Instructions 

The built-in flight control system is used to control the entire aircraft’s functions in flight such as Pitch (forwards 

and backwards), Roll (left and right), Elevator (up and down) and Yaw (turn left or right). The flight controller 

contains the MC (Main Controller), IMU, GPS, compass, receiver. 

The IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) has a built-in inertial sensor and a barometric altimeter that measures both 

attitude and altitude. The compass reads geomagnetic information which assists the GPS (Global Position System) 

to accurately calculate the aircrafts position and height in order to lock the aircraft in a stable hover. The receiver is 

used to communicate with the remote controller and the MC acts as the brains of the complete flight control 

system connecting and controlling all the modules together. 

The PHANTOM 2 can be configured in the Assistant, by choosing Naza-M mode or Phantom 2 mode. 

This manual is for Phantom 2 mode. Please refer to the Naza-M V2 Quick Start Manual for more 

information.

1.2 Connections with Other DJI Products 

PHANTOM 2 is compatible with other DJI products, including ZENMUSE H3-2D and H3-3D gimbal,iOSD mini,

iOSD Mark II. Below are connections for these products and wireless video transmission module. 

Compass Gimbal Mounting Position 

Mount the H3-2D/H3-3D 

gimbal using 4 screws.

CAN-Bus Connector

Video Cable

To the iOSD module or wireless 

video transmission module. 8-Pin Cable

To the G8 port on 

the H3-2D/H3-3D 

gimbal.

5-Pin Cable

To the compass.

Figure 1-3
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.6 | 

Important Notes of Using with Other DJI Products 

(1) The video cable can provide power for the wireless video transmission module with a battery voltage 

(11.1V~12.6V) and a maximum current 2A.

(2) Make sure the working current of the wireless video transmission module you connect can work with an 

operational voltage between 11.1V~12.6V and the total working current of the iOSD and wireless video 

transmission module is under 2A, as an overcurrent will damage the central board’s components. If the 

total current exceeds 2A, please be sure to provide power supplied from a separate power source for the 

wireless video transmission module.

(3) PHANTOM 2 uses a 2.4GHz RC system. To avoid communication interference, it’s not recommended to 

use other 2.4GHz devices (including 2.4G Wi-Fi or 2.4G wireless video transmission module) except the

2.4G Bluetooth and 2.4G Datalink.

(4) Be sure to keep the wireless video transmission module and other communicating devices away from the 

compass during installation and connection to avoid interference.

(5) To improve the compatibility with ZENMUSE gimbals, the latest factory deliveries of PHANTOM 2 has 

updated to the Version 2 shown below. H3-2D/H3-3D gimbal can be directly installed for the Version 2 

while for Version 1, a H3-3D adapter kit (coming soon) is required to install the H3-3D gimbal.

Version 1 Gimbal Mounting Position

Version 2 Gimbal Mounting Position

Figure 1-4

(6) When using the H3-3D gimbal, please connect the 8-Pin cable of PHANTOM 2 to the G8 port of H3-3D 

shown below.

Figure 1-5
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.7 | 

Connections with Other DJI Products 

(1) Connecting the H3-2D and H3-3D gimbal and wireless video transmission module, the figure below uses 

H3-2D as an example.

ZENMUSE 

H3-2D

Compass 

VIDEO VIDEO GND Batt+ Wireless Batt- video transmission 

module

Transmitter

Description of the Video Cable 

(sequence by color) VIDEO GND

VBat+

VIDEO

GND

Figure 1-6 

(2) Connecting the H3-2D and H3-3D gimbal, iOSD mini and wireless video transmission module, the figure 

below uses H3-2D as an example.

ZENMUSE 

H3-2D

Compass CAN-Bus

Connector 

VIDEO GND

VBat+

GND VIDEO GND

VIDEO 

Batt+

Batt- VIDEO DJI

Description of the Video Cable 

(sequence by color) Wireless 

video transmission 

module

Transmitter

Figure 1-7 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.8 | 

(3) Connecting the H3-2D and H3-3D gimbal, iOSD mini and DJI specified wireless video transmission module 

AVL58, the figure below uses H3-2D as an example.

ZENMUSE 

H3-2D

Compass

DJI

DJI specified 

wireless 

video transmission 

module

AVL58

Transmitter

CAN-Bus

connector

VIDEO GND

VBat+

GND

VIDEO Description of the Video Cable 

(sequence by color)

 

Figure 1-8 

We recommend connecting the VBat+ port of the video cable to the two BATT+ ports of the AVL58 

simultaneously. The same is true of the GND port of the video cable and two BATT- ports.

 

(4) Connecting the H3-2D and H3-3D gimbal, iOSD Mark II and wireless video transmission module, the figure 

below uses H3-2D as an example.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.9 | 

ZENMUSE 

H3-2D

VBat+

GND

VIDEO

DJI

VIDEO GND Wireless video transmission 

module Transmitter specified by 

DJI(AVL58) OR Other wireless video transmission 

module Transmitter

CAN-Bus 

Connector Compass

Description of the Video Cable 

(sequence by color)

Figure 1-9 

The diagram below illustrates the conneciton between the iOSD Mark II and the wireless video transmission module. 

iOSD Mark II Other wireless video 

transmission module Transmitter VIDEO GND

VIDEO 

BATT- Batt- BATTBATT+

BATT+

UART

UART

AV-OUT

AV-GND

BattBatt+

Batt+

Wireless video 

transmission 

module AVL58 Transmitter 

specified by DJI iOSD Mark II

AV-OUT

AV-GND

BATTBATTBATT+

BATT+

UART

UART

Use the 8-Pin cable in the iOSD Mark II package when connecting to the DJI specified wireless video 

transmission module AVL58.

 

(5) Using the iPad Ground Station 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.10 | 

iPad Ground 

Station

+ -

3S-6S 

Battery

3S-6S 

Air End

Ground End

Figure 1-10

Connect the Air End of 2.4G Bluetooth Datalink to a spared CAN-Bus port of iOSD if an iOSD is used.

(6) Using the PC Ground Station 

Air End

Ground End

PC Ground 

Station

Figure 1-11
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.11 | 

1.3 LED Flight Indicators Description 

1. LED flight indicators are used to show the aircraft’s current status. Once powered on, the indicators will light 

up. 

LED flight 

indicators

Aircraft in Normal status Descriptions 

Power On Self-Test

Warming Up & Aircraft cannot take off during warming up

Ready to Fly

Ready to Fly (non-GPS)

Aircraft in abnormal status Warnings and errors

Remote Controller Signal Lost

1

st Level Low Battery Capacity Warning

2

nd Level Low Battery Capacity Warning

Not Stationary or Sensor Bias is too big

Errors & Aircraft cannot fly.

Compass data abnormal because of ferro-magnetic interference or 

the compass needs calibration. 

(1) The LED indicators diagram above are for Phantom 2 mode. In Naza-M mode, LED indicators 

will work according to the Naza-M flight control system.

(2) Connect to the PHANTOM 2 Assistant for detailed information about warnings and errors.

2. The front LEDs are for indicating where the nose of the aircraft is. They light up solid red only after the motors 

have spooled up. 

The front 

LEDs
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.12 | 

1.4 Notes for PHANTOM 2 using with other DJI products 

Before using PHANTOM 2 with other DJI products, users should connecting the products correctly and upgrade 

the firmware as requirements below . 

Items to upgrade Firmware versions required Assistant for upgrading Assistant version 

P330CB (built-in 

central board)

V1.0.1.19 or above PHANTOM 2 V1.08 or above

Zenmuse H3-2D CMU V1.0,IMU V1.6 or above PHANTOM 2 V1.08 or above

iOSD Mark II V3.01 or above iOSD V4.0 or above

iOSD mini V1.06 or above iOSD V4.0 or above

*The iOSD Assistant is applied to both iOSD Mark II and iOSD mini. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.13 | 

2 Propellers 

PHANTOM 2 uses the original 9-inch propellers which are classified by the color of each central nut. Damaged 

propellers should be replaced by purchasing new ones if necessary. 

Propellers Grey Nut (9450) Black Nut (9450 R)

Diagram

Assembly Location

Attach to the motor thread that does 

not have a black dot.

Attach to the motor thread that has a

black dot.

Fastening/Un-fastening 

Instructions

Lock: Tighten the propeller in this direction.

Unlock: Remove the propeller in this direction.

2.1 Assembly 

1. (Figure 2-1)Remove the four warning cards from the motors after you’ve read them.

2. (Figure 2-2)Prepare the two grey nut propellers and two black nut propellers. Make sure to match the 

black nut propellers with the correctly marked black dot motors. Tighten the propellers according to the 

fastening instructions.

 

Figure 2-1 Figure 2-2 Figure2-3 

2.2 Disassembly 

(Figure 2-3)Keep the motor deadlocked in place with the assistant wrench (or one hand) and remove the 

propeller according to the un-fastening instructions.

2.3 Notes 

1. Propellers are self tightening during flight. DO NOT use any thread locker on the threads.

2. Make sure to match the propeller nut colors with the corresponding motors.

3. It is advised to wear protective gloves during propeller assembly and removal.

4. Check that the propellers and motors are installed correctly and firmly before every flight.

5. Check that all propellers are in good condition before flight. DO NOT use any ageing, chipped, or broken 

propellers.

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

7. ONLY use original DJI propellers for a better and safer flight experience.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.14 | 

3 Remote Controller 

The PHANTOM 2 remote controller can be configured in the PHANTOM RC Assistant. The sticks mode is Mode 2 

on delivery. 

For upgraded remote controller (models: NDJ6 or NRC900), select “Upgrade Version” in Phantom Assistant. 

For basic remote controller (models: DJ6 or RC900), select “Basic Version” in Phantom Assistant.

[1]

[2]

[5] [4]

[9]

[10]

J2

J1

J3

J4 [7]

[8]

[6]

[3]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

Figure 3-1 Figure 3-2 

[1]Antenna [2]Carrying Handle [3]Left Dial [4]3-Position Switch S1 [5]3-Position Switch S2 [6]Joystick1(J1;J2) 

[7]Joystick2(J3;J4) [8]Neck Strap Attachment [9]Power Switch [10]Power Indicator 

[11]Battery Level Indicators LED1/LED2/LED3/LED4 (from left to right) [12]Trainer Port 

[13]Battery Charge & RC Assistant Port (micro-USB port) [14] Potentiometer 

3.1 Power on the Remote Controller 

1. Set the S1 and S2 switches to the upper most position and ensure both joysticks are at 

the mid-point position. Then toggle on the power switch.

2. Push the power switch to the right to power on the remote controller. If the power LED 

indicator is solid on, the remote controller is functioning normally. The battery level 

indicators display the current battery level.

1. Please make sure the battery level of remote controller is enough. If the low voltage warning alert 

sounds (refer to <Remote Controller Power LED Indicator Status>), please recharge the battery as soon 

as possible.

2. Charge the remote controller’s battery by using the included micro-USB cable. Using the incorrect 

type of charging cable may cause damage.

3. Turn off the remote controller before charging. The power LED indicator will display solid red when 

charging is in progress. The LED indicators will display solid green when the battery is fully charged.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.15 | 

3.2 Remote Controller LED Indicator Status 

3.2.1 Remote Controller Power LED Indicator Status 

Power LED Indicator Sound Remote Controller Status 

 None Functioning normally. 

 None Charging( remote controller is powered off)

 None Remote controller joysticks calibration error, need to be re-calibrate.

 BB---BB---BB Low voltage (from 3.5V-3.53V), recharge the remote controller.

 B-B-B...... 

Critical low voltage (from 3.45V-3.5V). Recharge the remote 

controller immediately.

 B--B--B...... 

Alert will sound after 15 minutes of inactivity. It will stop once you 

start using the remote controller. 

The remote controller will power off automatically when battery voltage drops below 3.45V. Land and 

recharge the battery as soon as possible when the low voltage alert occurs to avoid loss of control 

during flight.

3.2.2 Remote Controller Battery Level Indicator Status 

The battery level indicators will show the current battery level during both the discharging process. The following is 

a description of the indicators. 

: The LED is solid on : The LED will blink regularly 

: The LED is light off 

Discharging process 

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Current battery level 

75%~100%

50%~75%

25%~50%

12.5%~25%

0%~12.5%

<0%
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.16 | 

3.3 Antenna Orientation 

The remote controller’s antenna should point skywards without obstructions for maximum communication range 

during flight. 

Figure 3-3 

3.4 Remote Controller Operation 

The operations of remote controller are based on mode 2 stick configuration.

Definitions 

The ‘stick neutral’ positions and ‘stick released’ mean the control sticks of the remote controller are placed at

the central position. 

To ‘move the stick’ means that the stick of remote controller is pushed away from the central position.

Slide Lever is used for the pitch control of the H3-2D and H3-3D gimbal. 

Remote 

Controller 

(Mode 2)

Aircraft 

( nose direction)

Operation details 

The throttle stick controls aircraft altitude/elevation. 

Push the stick up and the aircraft will rise.

Pull the stick down and the aircraft will descend.

The aircraft will automatically hover and hold its 

altitude if the sticks are centered. 

Push the throttle stick above the centered (mid-point) 

position to make the aircraft take off. When flying, we 

suggest that you push the throttle stick slowly to 

prevent the aircraft from sudden and unexpected 

elevation changes.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.17 | 

The yaw stick controls the aircraft rudder.

Push the stick left and the aircraft will rotate counter 

clock-wise. 

Push the stick right and the aircraft will rotate 

clock-wise. If the stick is centered, the aircraft will 

remain facing the same direction.

The yaw stick controls the rotating angular velocity of 

the aircraft. Pushing the stick further away from center 

results in a faster aircraft rotation velocity. 

The pitch stick controls the aircraft’s front & back tilt.

Push the stick up and the aircraft will tilt and fly 

forward. 

Pull the stick down and the aircraft will tilt and fly 

backward. The aircraft will keep level and straight if the 

stick is centered. 

Pushing or pulling the stick further away from center 

will result in a larger tilt angle (maximum of is 35 ̊) and 

faster flight velocity. 

The roll stick controls the aircraft’s left & right tilt.

Push the stick left and the aircraft will tilt and fly left. 

Push the stick right and the aircraft will tilt and fly right. 

The aircraft will keep level and straight if the stick is 

centered. 

Pushing the stick further away from center will result in 

a larger tilt angle (maximum of 35 ̊) and faster flight 

velocity. 

 

Position-1 Position-2 Position-3

S1 is for compass calibration. Toggle the S1 switch from 

position-1 to position-3 and back to position-1 at least 5 

times, which will force the aircraft to enter into

compass calibration mode.

Users can configure position 3(bottom position) of the 

S1 switch to trigger the Failsafe in the Assistant.

 

OFF Course Lock Home 

point Lock

S2 is the IOC mode switch. IOC (Intelligent 

Orientation Control) function can be enabled in the 

Assistant when in Naza-M mode. Only use the IOC 

function after you are familiar with flying. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.18 | 

The left dial controls the pitch of the H3-2D and H3-3D

gimbal. The position of left dial determines the pitch 

angle relative to the horizontal level.

Turn the left dial to the right to make the gimbal pitch 

up. 

Turn the left dial to the left to make the gimbal pitch 

down.

The gimbal will keep its current position if the dial is 

static.

(1) For ‘Ready to Fly’ the aircraft will hover when all sticks are released.

(2) For ‘Ready to Fly (non-GPS)’ the aircraft will only keep the altitude when all sticks are released.

3.5 Linking the Remote Controller & Built-in Receiver 

PHANTOM 2 has a built-in receiver, the link button and indicator located on the bottom of the aircraft as illustrated 

in the Figure 3-4. 

The link between the remote controller and aircraft is already established for you so you can initially skip this 

procedure. If you ever replace the remote controller, re-establishing the link is required. 

Link button & 

Link indicator

Figure 3-4 

Linking procedures 

1. Power on the PHANTOM 2.

2. Turn on the remote controller and place it 0.5m~1m away from the aircraft.

3. Push the link button with a thin object and hold it until the Link indicator blinks red, then release it.

4. When the Link indicator turns solid green, the link between the remote controller and the built-in receiver 

has been successfully established.

Link Indicator Status 

 

The remote controller is turned off and there is no 2.4GHz signal around, please turn 

on the remote controller. 

 The receiver is ready for linking. 

 There is 2.4GHz signal around but the remote controller is not linked with the receiver, 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.19 | 

please carry out the linking procedures. 

 The remote controller is linked with the receiver successfully.

4 Intelligent Battery 

The intelligent battery is specially designed for the PHANTOM 2, with a battery capacity of 5200mAh, voltage of 

11.1V and charge-discharge management functionality. The battery should only be charged with the DJI charger. 

 

Intelligent Battery Charger 

DJI Intelligent Battery Functions 

(1) Balance Charging Automatically balance the voltage of each battery cell during charging.

(2) Capacity Display Display the current battery level.

(3) Communicating 

The main controller communicates with the battery via communication ports 

for battery voltage, capacity, current and other information.

(4) Overcharging Protection 

Charging stops automatically when the battery voltage reaches 12.8V to 

prevent overcharging damage.

(5) Over Discharging

Protection 

Discharging stops automatically when the battery voltage reaches 8.4V to 

prevent over discharging damage.

(6) Short Circuit Protection Automatically cuts off the power supply when a short circuit is detected.

(7) Sleep Protection

The battery will enter sleep mode after 10 minutes of inactivity to save 

power. The static current is 10nA in sleep mode when the battery is 

powered on without connecting to other devices.

(8) Charging Temperature 

Detection

The battery will charge only when its temperature is within 0°C~55°C. If the 

battery temperature is out of this range, the battery will stop charging.

(1) Before use, please read and follow the user manual, disclaimer, and the warnings on the battery. 

Users take full responsibility for all operations and usage.

(2) The battery should only be charged with the charger provided by DJI. DJI does not take any 

responsibility for operation of any charger from a third party.

4.1 Charging Procedures 

1. Connect the charger to a wall socket (Use the plug set if necessary).

2. Connect the battery to the charger. If the current capacity of the battery is over 75%, you should power on 

the battery to begin charging.

3. The Battery Level indicators display current capacity level as the battery charges. Please refer to battery 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.20 | 

level indicator description for details.

4. The battery is fully charged when the Battery Level indicator lights are off. Please disconnect the charger 

and battery when the charging is completed.

Wall Socket

4.2 Install the Battery 

Push the battery into the battery compartment correctly as the following diagram shows. Make sure to push the 

battery into the compartment until you hear a ‘click’ sound. 

Figure 4-1 

An incorrectly inserted battery may cause one of the following to occur: (1) Bad contact. (2) Unavailable

battery information. (3) Unsafe for flight. (4) Unable to take off.

4.3 Battery Usage 

Figure 4-2 

(1) Checking the battery level: When the battery is powered off; pressing the battery power button once will 

indicate the current battery level. Refer to < Battery Level Indicator Description> for details. 

(2) Powering on: When the battery is powered off; press the battery power button once and then press and hold for 

2 seconds to turn on the intelligent battery. 

(3) Powering off: When the battery is powered on; press the battery power button once and then press and hold for 

2 seconds to turn off the intelligent battery. 

LED3

LED4

Battery Power Button

(Built-in Battery Power Indicator)

LED2

LED1

Battery Level Indicator
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.21 | 

(4) Checking the battery life: When the battery is powered off; press and hold the battery power button for 5 

seconds to check the battery life. The battery level indicators will show the life and the battery power indicator 

will blink for 10 seconds, then all LEDs will light out and the intelligent battery will turn off. Refer to < Battery 

Level Indicator Description> for details. 

More battery information is available in the battery tab of the PHANTOM 2 Assistant.

4.4 Description of the Battery Level Indicator 

The battery level indicators will show the current battery level during both the charging and discharging process as 

well as battery life. The following is a description of the indicators. 

: The LED is solid on : The LED will blink regularly 

: The LED is light off 

Charging process 

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Current battery level 

0%~25%

25%~50%

50%~75%

75%~100%

Full charged

Discharging process 

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Current battery level 

87.5%~100%

75%~87.5%

62.5%~75%

50%~62.5%

37.5%~50%

25%~37.5%

12.5%~25%

0%~12.5%

<0%

Battery life 

LED1 LED2 LED3 LED4 Current battery life 

90%~100%
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.22 | 

80%~90%

70%~80%

60%~70%

50%~60%

40%~50%

30%~40%

20%~30%

Less than 20%

4.5 Correct Battery Usage Notes 

1. Never plug or unplug the battery into the aircraft when it is powered on.

2. The battery should be charged in an environment that is between 0°C to 40°C, and be discharged in an

environment that is between -20°C to 50°C. Both charging and discharging should be in an environment

where the relative humidity is lower than 80%.

3. It’s recommended to charge and discharge the battery thoroughly once every 20 charge/discharge cycles. 

Users should discharge the battery until there is less than 8% power left or until the battery can no longer 

be turned on. Users should then fully recharge the battery to maximum capacity. This power cycling 

procedure will ensure the battery is working at its optimal level.

4. For long term storage please place the battery with only a 40~50% capacity in a strong battery box 

securely. We recommend discharging and charging the battery completely once every 3 months to keep it 

in good condition. The capacity should be varied in such a cycle (40%~50%)—0%—100%—(40%~50%).

5. It’s suggested you purchase a new battery after you have discharged your current battery over 300 times.

Please completely discharge a battery prior to disposal. 

6. It’s suggested that you purchase a new battery if the current battery is swollen or damaged in any way.

7. Never try to recharge or fly with a battery that is swollen or damaged in any way.

8. Never charge the battery unattended. Always charge the battery on a non-flammable surface such as 

concrete and never near any flammable materials.

9. Safety is extremely important and users can get more information in the DISCLAIMER.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.23 | 

5 Calibrating the Compass 

IMPORTANT: Make sure to perform the Compass Calibration procedures prior to the first flight.

The compass is very sensitive to electromagnetic interference which causes abnormal compass data and leads to 

poor flight performance or even flight failure. Regular calibration of the compass enables the compass to perform at 

its optimal level. 

5.1 Calibration Warnings 

 

(1) DO NOT calibrate your compass where there is a possibility for the existence of strong 

magnetic interference such as magnetite, parking structures, and steel reinforcement 

underground.

(2) DO NOT carry ferromagnetic materials with you during calibration such as keys or cellular

phones.

(3) Compass Calibration is very important; otherwise the flight control system will work abnormally.

5.2 Calibration Procedures 

Please carry out the calibrating procedures in the flight field before flight. Please watch the quick start video of the 

PHANTOM 2 for more compass calibration details. 

Normal LED

Quickly flip the switch S1 360o Rotate the aircraft 

horizontally 360o

Rotate the aircraft vertically (Nose downward) Position-1

Start horizontal calibration Start vertical calibration Succeed Fail

Position-1->Position-3->Position-1 Flip no less than 5 times Start 

cali

 LED Flight Indicator

Position-1->Position-3->Position-1 Flip once

Position-3

 LED Flight Indicator LED Flight 

Indicator

Re-calibrate Position-1

Position-3 5.3 When Recalibration is required 

(1) When Compass Data is abnormal, the LED flight indicator will blink alternating between red and yellow. 

(2) Last compass calibration was performed at a completely different flying field/location. 

(3) The mechanical structure of the aircraft has changed, i.e. changed mounting position of the compass. 

(4) Evident drifting occurs in flight, i.e. the aircraft doesn’t fly in straight lines. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.24 | 

6 Flight 

6.1 Flying Environment Requirements 

 

(1) Before your first flight, please allow yourself some flight training (Using a flight simulator to 

practice flying, getting instruction from an experienced person, etc.).

(2) DO NOT fly in bad weather, such as rain or wind (more than moderate breeze) or fog.

(3) The flying field should be open and void of tall buildings or other obstacles; the steel structure 

within buildings may interfere with the compass.

(4) Keep the aircraft away from obstacles, crowds, power lines, trees, lakes and rivers etc.

(5) Try to avoid interference between the remote controller and other wireless equipment (No base 

stations or cell towers around).

(6) The flight control system will not work properly at the South Pole or North Pole.

(7) Never use the aircraft in a manner that infringes upon or contravenes international or domestic 

lays and regulations.

6.2 Starting the Motors 

A Combination Stick Command (CSC) is used to start the motors. Push the sticks according to one of the options 

below to start motors. Once the motors have started, release both sticks simultaneously. The same CSC is used to 

stop the motors. 

A B C D

Figure 6-1 

6.3 Takeoff/Landing Procedures 

1. Start by placing the PHANTOM 2 on the ground with the battery level indicators facing you.

2. Turn on the remote controller.

3. Power on the aircraft by turning on the intelligent battery.

4. When LED flight indicator blinks green/yellow, the PHANTOM 2 is entering Ready to Fly/Ready to Fly 

(non-GPS) mode. Start the motors with the CSC command.

5. Push the throttle stick up slowly to lift the aircraft off the ground. Refer to <Remote Controller Operation> 

for more details.

6. Be sure you are hovering over a level surface. Pull down the throttle stick to descend. The stick will lock into 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.25 | 

place and the aircraft will descend steadily.

7. After landing, leave the throttle stick down for 3 to 5 seconds to stop the motors. Return throttle stick to 

middle position after the motors have stopped.

 

You SHOULD NOT execute the CSC during normal flight! This will stop the motors and cause the 

aircraft to descend rapidly and drop without any type of control.

 

(1) When the LED flight indicator blinks yellow rapidly during flight, the aircraft has entered into

Failsafe mode, refer to <Failsafe Function> for details.

(2) A low battery capacity warning is indicated by the LED flight indicator blinking red slowly or 

rapidly during flight. Refer to the <Low Battery Capacity Warning Function> for details.

(3) Watch the quick start video about flight for more flight information.

(4) Aircraft and battery performance is subject to environmental factors such as air density and 

temperature. Be very careful when flying 3000 meters (9800 feet) or more above sea level, as 

battery and aircraft performance may be reduced.

(5) When used with a H3-3D gimbal, a GoPro camera, and the iOSD mini, your Phantom 2 will be very 

close to its maximum takeoff weight. It is not recommended that you attach the Phantom 2 

propeller guards at this weight. Otherwise, the aircraft will be unable to fly normally.

6.4 Failsafe Function 

The aircraft will enter Failsafe mode when the connection from the remote controller is lost. The flight control 

system will automatically control the aircraft to return to home and land to reduce injuries or damage. The following 

situations would make the aircraft fail to receive a signal from the remote controller and enter Failsafe mode: 

(1) The remote controller is powered off. 

(2) The remote controller is powered on but the S1 is toggled in the position triggering the Failsafe (this must 

have been configured in the PHANTOM 2 Assistant). 

(3) The aircraft has flown out of the effective communication range of the remote controller. 

(4) There is an obstacle obstructing the signal between the remote controller and the aircraft, essentially 

reducing the distance the signal can travel. 

(5) There is interference causing a signal problem with the remote controller. 

Failsafe works differently depending on the mode the aircraft is in when Failsafe mode is initiated whether it is in 

the Ready to Fly or Ready to Fly (non-GPS) mode. 

Ready to Fly (non-GPS) ---- Automatic landing

The flight control system will try to keep the aircraft level during descent and landing. Note that the aircraft may 

be drifting during the descent and landing process.

 

Ready to Fly ---- Automatic go home and land 

The flight control system will automatically control the aircraft to fly back to the home point and land.

 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.26 | 

Home Point 

When the aircraft is initializing the Ready to Fly status, the aircraft will record the current GPS coordinates as 

the home point. It is recommended to lift off only after Ready to Fly status is confirmed for the safety of being 

able to fly back to home point successfully in case the Failsafe mode is initiated.

Go Home Procedures 

1 Record Home Point. 2 Flying. 3 Remote controller signal lost.

4 Signal lost lasts 3s, begin to go home. 5 Fly back to home point. 6 Landing after hovering 15s.

LED Flight Indicator  LED Flight Indicator LED Flight Indicator

LED Flight Indicator LED Flight Indicator LED Flight Indicator

Height over home point<=2 0m

Height over home point>2 0m

20m

Elevate to 2 0m

Figure 6-2 

 

(1) In a Failsafe situation, if less than 6 GPS satellites are found for more than 20 seconds, the aircraft 

will descend automatically.

(2) When the aircraft is landing automatically, users can control the aircraft’s position and altitude if 

the remote controller signal is recovered.

 

In Phantom 2 mode, users can set a new home point manually when the aircraft is in “Ready to fly” status 

as long as a home point has been recorded automatically. Quickly flipping the S2 switch of the remote 

controller from upper most to lower most positions 5 times or more will reset the current aircraft position 

as a new home point of PHANTOM 2. When successfully reset, you will see a series of rapid green blinks 

on the LED Flight Indicator. The definition of “home point” is:

(1) The home point is the place PHANTOM 2 returns to when the control signal is lost, which is 

recorded last time.

(2) The home point is used to calculate the horizontal distance between you and the aircraft, the 

distance will be displayed as 

D

if using iOSD module.

Regaining Control during Failsafe Procedure 

Position of 

Switch S1 

 

Position-1 Position-2 

Position-3 

(No triggering the Failsafe) 

How to regain 

control

When the S1 switch is switched to Position-1, 

toggle the S1 switch to any other position once to 

regain control. If remote controller’s signal is

recovered, control is returned back to the pilot.

Regain control as soon as signal is 

recovered.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.27 | 

6.5 Low Battery Capacity Warning Function 

The low battery capacity warning alerts users when the battery is close to depletion during flight. When it appears, 

users should promptly fly back and land to avoid accidental damage. The PHANTOM 2 has two levels of low battery 

capacity warning. The first appears when the battery has less than 30% power and the second appears when it has 

less than 15% power. 

(1) When battery power drops below 30% and LED indicator will blink red slowly. 

(2) At lower than 15% the LED indicator will blink red rapidly, the PHANTOM 2 will also begin to descend and 

land automatically. After it has landed, keep the throttle stick at its lowest point or execute CSC. 

(3) There is a hidden third low battery threshold in addition to the 1st and 2nd level warnings. This uses 10.65V 

as its threshold. Both this voltage threshold and the 2nd Level Low Battery Warning will trigger auto-landing. 

Altitude can be maintained if necessary by pushing up on the throttle stick. 

 

(1) Remember to fly your PHANTOM 2 back as soon as you see a low battery capacity warning.

(2) Keeping the battery contact needles and pads clean is very important. Any dirt and dust may 

cause a communication failure.

6.6 Flight Limits Function 

All UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) operators should abide by all regulations from such organizations at ICAO 

(International Civil Aviation Organization) and per country airspace regulations. For safety reasons, the flight limits 

function is enabled by default to help users use this product safely and legally. The flight limits function includes 

height, distance limits. 

In Ready to Fly status, height, distance limits works together to restrict the flight. In Ready to Fly (non-GPS) status, 

only height limit works and the flying height restricted to be not over 120m.

(1) The default parameters in the Assistant is compliant within the definitions of class G ruled by 

ICAO. (Refer to Airspace Classification to get more details). As each country has its own rules, 

make sure to configure the parameters to comply with these rules too, before using the 

PHANTOM 2.

(2) Users in Mainland China can refer to 民用航空空域使用办法.

Max Height & Radius Limits 

The Max Height & Radius restricts the flying height and distance. Configuration can be done in the PHANTOM 2 

Assistant. Once complete, your aircraft will fly in a restricted cylinder. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.28 | 

Max 

Height Max 

Radius

Home Point

The height of 

aircraft when it 

is powered on Figure 6-3 Figure 6-4 

Ready to Fly 

 Limits Ground Station Rear LED flight indicator 

Max Height 

The flight height is restricted to fly 

under the max height. 

Warning: Height limit 

reached. 

None.

Max Radius 

The flight distance is restricted to fly 

within the max radius. 

Warning: Distance limit 

reached.

Rapid red flashings 

when close to the Max radius limit. 

Ready to Fly(non-GPS) 

 Flight Limits Ground Station Rear LED flight indicator 

Max Height 

The flight height is restricted to fly 

under the minor height between the 

Max height and 120m. 

Warning: Height limit reached. 

None.

Max Radius Not limited, no warnings or LED indicators. 

(1) If the aircraft flies out of the limits, you can still control your aircraft except to fly it further away.

(2) If the aircraft is flying out of the max radius in Ready to Fly (non-GPS) status, it will fly back 

within the limits range automatically if 6 or more GPS satellites have been found. 

6.7 Flight Limits of Special Areas 

Special areas include airports worldwide. All special areas are listed on the DJI official website. Please refer to 

http://www.dji.com/fly-safe/category-mc for details. These areas have been divided into category A and category B. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.29 | 

 Category A Category B 

Ready to Fly 

Airspace Limits 

Rear LED 

Flight Indicator 

A 

Orange 

Motors will not start.

If the Phantom flies into a special area in Ready to Fly 

(non-GPS) mode and Ready to Fly mode activates, it will 

automatically descend and land then stop its motors. 

B 

Yellow 

If the Phantom flies into a special area in Ready to Fly 

(non-GPS) mode and Ready to Fly mode activates, it will 

descend to airspace C and hover 5 meters below edge d. 

C 

Green 

No restrictions of flight, but the Phantom will not enter 

Category A, the aircraft can fly free, but it will not enter 

Airspace B through Boundary b & d.

Around Category B sites, the phantom can fly freely, but it will 

not enter into Airspace A through Boundary a.

D 

Blue 

No restrictions. None. 

10.5m

2400m

Center of 

Special 

Area 8000m

120m A B C

8100m

D

b

d

c b a a c

d

a

b

c

Airspace: A,B,C,D

Boundary: a, b, c, d

1000m

A C D c a a c

a 2000m c Center of 

Special 

Area

Airspace: A,C,D

Boundary: a, c, 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.30 | 

Semi-automatic descent: All stick commands are available except the throttle stick command during 

the descent and landing process. Motors will stop automatically after landing. Users will regain control 

once the motors have stopped. There is no need to toggle the S1 switch.

(1) When flying in the airspace (A/B/C) of restricted special area, LED flight indicators will blink red 

quickly and continue for 3 seconds, then switch to indicate current flying 

status and continue for 5 seconds at which point it will switch back to red blinking.

(2) For safety reasons, please do not fly close to airports, highways, railway stations, railway lines, 

city centers and other special areas. Try to ensure the aircraft is visible. 

6.8 Conditions of Flight Limits 

In different working modes and flight modes, flight limits will differ according to number of GPS satellites found. 

The following table demonstrates all the cases(√: available; ×:unavailable).

All flights are restricted by height, distance and special areas simultaneously. 

Phantom mode 

Flight Status Limits of Special Area Max Height Max Radius 

Ready to Fly √ √ √

Ready to Fly (non-GPS) × √ ×

Naza-M mode 

Control Mode number of GPS found Limits of Special Area Max Height Max Radius 

GPS 

≥6 √ √ √

<6 × √ ×

ATTI.

≥6 √ √ ×

<6 × √ ×

Manual

≥6 × × ×

<6 × × ×

Disclaimer 

Please ensure that you are kept up to date with International and Domestic airspace rules and regulations before 

using this product. By using this product, you hereby agree to this disclaimer and signify that you have read this fully. 

You agree that you are responsible for your own conduct and content while using this product, and for any direct or 

indirect consequences caused by not following this manual, violate or disregard any other applicable local laws, 

administrative rules and social habits thereof. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.31 | 

7 Assistant Installation and Configuration 

7.1 Installing Driver and PHANTOM 2 Assistant 

Installing and running on Windows 

1. Download driver installer and Assistant installer in EXE format from the download page of PHANTOM 2 

on the DJI website.

2. Connect the PHANTOM 2 to a PC via a Micro-USB cable. 

3. Run the driver installer and follow the prompts to finish installation.

4. Next, run the Assistant installer and follow the prompts to finish installation.

5. Double click the PHANTOM 2 icon on your Windows desktop to launch the software.

The installer in EXE format only supports Windows operating systems (Win XP, Win7, Win8 (32 or 64 

bit)).

Installing and running on Mac OS X

1. Download the Assistant installer in DMG format from the download page of PHANTOM 2 on the DJI 

website.

2. Run the installer and follow the prompts to finish installation.

3. When launching for the first time if use Launchpad to run the PHANTOM 2 Assistant, Launchpad won’t 

allow access because the software has not been reviewed by Mac App Store. 

4. Locate the PHANTOM 2 icon in the Finder, press the Control key and then click the PHANTOM 2 icon 

(or right-click the PHANTOM 2 icon using a mouse). Choose Open from the shortcut menu, click open in 

the prompt dialog box and then software will launch.

5. After the first successful launch, directly launching of the software can be achieved by double-clicking 

the PHANTOM 2 icon in the Finder or using Launchpad.
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.32 | 

Installer in DMG format supports only Mac OS X 10.6 or above.

Usage of PHANTOM 2 Assistant on Mac OS X and Windows are exactly the same. The Assistant pages 

appear in other places of this manual are on the Windows for example. 

7.2 Using the PHANTOM 2 Assistant on a PC 

1. Start up the PC, power on the PHANTOM 2, then connect the PHANTOM 2 to the PC with a Micro-USB 

cable. DO NOT disconnect until configuration is finished.

2. Run the PHANTOM 2 Assistant and wait for the PHANTOM 2 to connect to the Assistant. Observe the 

indicators on the bottom of the screen. When connected successfully, the connection indicator is

and communication indicator is blinking .

3. Choose [Basic] or [Advanced] configuration pages.

4. View and check the current configuration in the [View] page.

Language swap View configurations

Connection indicator

Communication indicator

RC, Gain Gimbal, Battery IMU calibration

Firmware upgrade

Account, software 

version

*This image is for reference 

only. Please refer to the 

actual user interface.

Function switch of Phantom 2 and Naza-M mode
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.33 | 

(1) Users should not enable the Naza-M function before finishing Advanced Flight Maneuvers 

procedure in the " PHANTOM Pilot Training Guide”. If the Naza-M mode is enabled, users can 

switch the control mode between ATTI. Mode, GPS Mode or Manual Mode, and access the 

advanced settings (e.g. IOC). In addition, the LED located on the rear frame arms will display

Naza-M flight status indications instead of the PHANTOM 2's indicators. Do not enable the 

Naza-M mode unless you are an experienced user or guided by a professional.

(2) You can change to the Phantom 2 mode by clicking the same button used to turn on the Naza-M 

mode. This operation will disable the Naza-M mode and enable Phantom 2 mode. All parameters 

will be returned to factory settings.

7.3 Firmware upgrade of PHANTOM 2 

Please refer to the PHANTOM 2 Assistant to install driver and PHANTOM RC Assistant, and then follow the 

procedures below to upgrade the software and firmware; otherwise the PHANTOM 2 might not work properly. 

1. An internet connection is required to upgrade PHANTOM 2’s firmware.

2. Click the [Upgrade] icon to check the current firmware version and whether the installed firmware is the 

latest version. If not, click the relative links to upgrade.

3. Be sure to wait until the Assistant shows “finished”. Click OK and power cycle the PHANTOM 2 after 5 

seconds. Once completed, the firmware is up to date.

Firmware upgradable items

Current firmware version

Upgrade link

*This image is for reference 

only. Please refer to the 

actual user interface.

(1) DO NOT power off until the upgrade is finished.

(2) If the firmware upgrade failed, the main controller will enter a waiting for firmware upgrade 

status automatically. If this happens, repeat the above procedures.

Firmware upgradable items:(1)Main Controller(2)P330CB(Main Board)(3)Receiver(4)Gimbal 

CMU(5)Gimbal IMU(6)Battery 

7.4 PHANTOM RC Assistant Description 

Please follow the procedures to finish the configuration of the remote controller. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.34 | 

1. Turn off the remote controller and find the Micro-USB port on the bottom of it.

2. Start up the PC, power on the remote controller, and then connect the remote controller to the PC with a 

Micro-USB cable. DO NOT disconnect until the configuration is finished.

3. Run the PHANTOM RC Assistant and wait for the remote controller to connect to the Assistant. Observe 

the indicators on the bottom left of the screen. When connected successfully, the connection 

indicator is and communication indicator is blinking .

4. Finish configuration in the [Main] page.

5. Finish upgrade in the [Info] page if necessary.

DT7调参软件

Main Page of the 2.4GHz Remote Controller 

Language swap Main page

Connection indicator

Communication indicator

Firmware upgrade

Account, software 

version

*This image is for 

reference only. Please 

refer to the actual 

user interface. 
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.35 | 

8 Appendix 

8.1 Specifications 

Aircraft

Operating environment temperature -10°C to 50°C

Power consumption 5.6W

Supported Battery DJI Intelligent battery

Weight (including the battery) 1000g

Take-off Weight ≤1300g 

Hovering Accuracy (Ready to Fly) Vertical: 0.8m; Horizontal: 2.5m

Max Yaw Angular Velocity 200°/s

Max Tilt Angle 35°

Max Ascent / Descent Speed Ascent: 6m/s; Descent: 2m/s

Max Flight Speed 15m/s (Not Recommended)

Wheelbase 350mm

2.4GHz Remote Controller 

Operating Frequency 2.4GHz ISM

Communication Distance (open area) 1000m

Receiver Sensitivity (1%PER) -97dBm

Working Current/Voltage 120 mA@3.7V

Built-in LiPo Battery Working Current/Capacity 3.7V, 2000mAh

DJI Intelligent Battery

Type 3S LiPo Battery

Capacity 5200mAh, 11.1V

Charging Environment Range 0°C to 40°C

Discharging Environment Range -20°C to 50°C

8.2 LED Flight Indicators Description 

Aircraft in Normal status Descriptions 

Power On Self-Test

Warming Up & Aircraft cannot take off during warming up

Ready to Fly

Ready to Fly (non-GPS)

Aircraft in abnormal status Warnings and errors

Remote Controller Signal Lost

1

st Level Low Battery Capacity Warning
©2013-2015 DJI. All Rights Reserved.36 | 

2

nd Level Low Battery Capacity Warning

Not Stationary or Sensor Bias is too big

Errors & Aircraft cannot fly.*

Compass data abnormal because of ferro-magnetic interference or 

the compass needs calibration. 

* Users can connect to the PHANTOM 2 Assistant to get detailed information about warnings and errors.