I have a DJI 550 WKM And JR 11X radio. Everything works fine, and it flys great. I am pretty far behind in firmware updates and software updates. I run Intelligent Return To Home and that works fine too. As long as this works for me, is there there any special reason I should care what updates I have?
Leaving Well Enough Alone
- Thread starter Warlock
- Start date
DucktileMedia
Drone Enthusiast
history would show, especially with DJI, if you have something that works leave it alone! It seems they will fix one thing and then find out it affects something else. Firmwares come out so fast for these multis it's amazing but also scary. I dont even want to upgrade to IOS6 on my iphone!
redridinghood
Member
Stay on 5.02. Random falls from the sky plaque DJI's last few firmware releases.
If it's not broke, don't fix it. Most multi rotor crashes are a result of prop failures. I thought that I was going to improve my craft by changing from APC to full carbon fiber props. Less than five minutes total into a second flight and the prop snapped off at the hub sending my craft to the ground. My craft was destroyed.
Upgrading to new firmware is risky, even more so if you do AP work. I love having Return to Home and Intelligent Orientation Control. I have Point of Interest set on my craft, but I have never tried it. I need more airspace so I don't muck things up...
I haven't had any major glitches from my firmware upgrades. Reading the horror stories doesn't give me confidence in my craft (especially after seeing how destructive this could be if it crashes into something or someone). My crashes, as mentioned was caused by a prop failure and not the flight system. I do wish that I had the firmware upgrade for loss of a prop when my flat hexa went down. I might have been able to save a lot of money.
It's a matter of choice. You'll have to reestablish trust in your craft, but by the time you do there will be another upgraded firmware. Personally, I like the new features. I'm just wary of my craft "dropping from the sky".
Upgrading to new firmware is risky, even more so if you do AP work. I love having Return to Home and Intelligent Orientation Control. I have Point of Interest set on my craft, but I have never tried it. I need more airspace so I don't muck things up...
I haven't had any major glitches from my firmware upgrades. Reading the horror stories doesn't give me confidence in my craft (especially after seeing how destructive this could be if it crashes into something or someone). My crashes, as mentioned was caused by a prop failure and not the flight system. I do wish that I had the firmware upgrade for loss of a prop when my flat hexa went down. I might have been able to save a lot of money.
It's a matter of choice. You'll have to reestablish trust in your craft, but by the time you do there will be another upgraded firmware. Personally, I like the new features. I'm just wary of my craft "dropping from the sky".
As i'm doing AP work, I can not risk upgrading without spending days and weeks testing the upgrade in open fields. Loosing or crashing my multirotor at work will be very expensive and has the potential to hurt someone. So until the majority reports a new flawless version, I won't upgrade. Regarding the APC props you swapped out.. I have never had a fatal APC failure. I've been using APC's on a daily basis for two years now on 5 different multirotors, with up to 6kg load.
Sorry for the confusion. I had APC props on my craft and switched to Gemfan full carbon fiber ones thinking that the carbon fiber would be better. The carbon fiber prop broke with less than five minutes total flight time. It made me wish that I stuck with the APCs since I had no issues what so ever. I only use APC and Graupner props right now. The APCs flex vs. self destructing like the Gemfans that I had. Graupners are quieter. I like them both.
hi i have been having trouble with my software....was wondering can i downgrade the software on the wookong? and if so is there anyway i might be able to get version 5.02 from you..... the latest versions have really been making my flight experiences less and less pleasant as new firmware comes out....im flying a cinestar 6 watching that thig start to freak out in the sky is slowly but surely giving me gray hairs.... your help is appreciated ! thanks
Sure. Install this assistant software and use it to load 5.02 to your wkm.
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19126845/5.02-Wookong-M_Assistant_Software_V1.20.rar
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/19126845/5.02-Wookong-M_Assistant_Software_V1.20.rar
thanks kristiaj ill give it a try.... i figure my chances of getting my copter to fly more stable are probably the same downgrading, as they are upgrading (if thats what we are gonna call it )..couple hundred flights...no crash? HAH im sold.....my copter almost took a Sh!t the other day when i put it in come home....when i told someone that i put it in come home they replied "my you are brave!"... yeah...thats me.
Just remember that the advanced functions, like return to home and poi heading, does not exist in 5.02. You can set up fail safe to return home, but it's not a function that can be activated by a separate switch. The only "advanced" function I have used is the home lock. So I'm able to pull the stick to get home if I loose orientation.
Looks to me like I just need to run with what I have. I just hooked mine up and in the assistant it says that my software is version 1.30 and firmware is 5.243 and it says the latest for both are software version 1.32 and firmware 5.14. But stories of flips and sudden drops from the sky sound pretty ugly to me. Im not making any changes. I sure appreciate the input from you gentlemen.
I really can't say if the reason my wkm equipped machines is still alive is caused by sticking to old firmware, or because I'm very careful with testing, props, motors, soldering etc. I do know that I have all I need for the moment with v.5.02 except the redundancy feature. I'm doing AP missions almost everyday and feel very confident flying with Wookong. I think many of the stories from people crashing has other causes than WKM failure. But until other "professionals" says "go" or "no go", I'm sticking with the old firmware.
I'm more concerned about the mechanical things that break: like props. I haven't had any WKM related crashes or incidents where my craft could have crashed from using the WKM. It even survived a brutal crash when a fancy carbon fiber prop broke on my flat hexa. I've updated my firmware a few times. I can't even remember which one I'm on now. I have POI, RTH, IOC. No problems. This is running on what I believe is the "old" WKM. I purchased it December 2011.
I did see a video of a NAZA that experienced "Gyro lock" after fast forward flight and changing direction in Attitude mode: Youtube: http://youtu.be/jDM6kaNd84E skip to 7:50 to see the quad lock up and fly out of control.
I did see a video of a NAZA that experienced "Gyro lock" after fast forward flight and changing direction in Attitude mode: Youtube: http://youtu.be/jDM6kaNd84E skip to 7:50 to see the quad lock up and fly out of control.