DJI FC40 User Manual

PHANTOM FC40 User Manual V1.06

March 21, 2014 Revision

For NAZA-M V2 Firmware V4.02

& Assistant Software V2.20

Thank you for purchasing our product. Read the entire manual strictly and follow these steps to use you product. Please

visit the DJI website, PHANTOM FC40 section to confirm if the manual is the latest one according to the manual

version. If not, please download and refer to the latest manual.

Note: The built-in autopilot system is NAZA-M V2; you can obtain the current NAZA-M V2 Firmware Version according

to the Assistant Software. If you ever upgrade your NAZA-M V2 Firmware, please carefully read the corresponding

NAZA-M V2 release note and NAZA-M V2 quick start guide.

If you have any problem you cannot solve during installation and usage, please contact a DJI authorized dealer or DJI

customer service.

www.dji.com

Content

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

DISCLAIMER & WARNING .................................................................................................................... 3

PRODUCT USAGE CAUTIONS ............................................................................................................ 4

TRADEMARKS ............................................................................................................................................ 4

BATTERY USAGE & CHARGING CAUTIONS ................................................................................. 5

IN THE BOX ................................................................................................................................................ 6

REQUIRED ITEMS ..................................................................................................................................... 6

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Aircraft ............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7

Transmitter ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

TRANSMITTER OPERATION ................................................................................................................ 8

Link between the Transmitter and Receiver ........................................................................................................................................... 9

BEFORE FLYING ....................................................................................................................................... 11

FLIGHT TEST ............................................................................................................................................. 16

Test Procedure .............................................................................................................................................................................................16

The Failsafe and How to Regain Control ............................................................................................................................................... 17

Low Voltage Alert ........................................................................................................................................................................................18

USING THE DJI FC40 ............................................................................................................................ 19

ASSISTANT SOFTWARE INSTALLATION AND CONFIGURATION ..................................... 24

Installing the Driver and Assistant Software ........................................................................................................................................ 24

Using the NAZA-M Assistant Software on a PC ................................................................................................................................. 24

Firmware Upgrade of the PHANTOM FC40 ....................................................................................................................................... 25

PHANTOM RC Assistant Software Description .................................................................................................................................. 25

IOC FUNCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 27

APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................................30

LED Flight Indicator Description ............................................................................................................................................................ 30

Specifications of the Aircraft ................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Specifications of the FC40 ........................................................................................................................................................................ 31

Disclaimer & Warning

Please read this disclaimer carefully before using the product. By using this product, you hereby agree to this disclaimer

and signify that you have read them fully. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 18.

PHANTOM FC40 is an excellent flight platform offering an excellent flight experience, only if it is powered normally

and in a good working condition. Despite the product having a built-in autopilot system and our efforts in making the

operation of the controller as safe as possible when the power battery is connected, we strongly recommend users to

remove all propellers when calibrating and setting parameters. Make sure all connections are good, and keep children

and animals away during firmware upgrade, system calibration and parameter setup. DJI Innovations accepts no liability

for damage(s) or injuries incurred directly or indirectly from the use of this product in the following conditions:

1. Damage(s) or injuries incurred when users are drunk, taking drugs, drug anesthesia, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and

any other conditions no matter physically or mentally that could impair your ability.

2. Damage(s) or injuries caused by subjective intentional operations.

3. Any mental damage compensation caused by accident.

4. Failure to follow the guidance of the manual to assemble or operate.

5. Malfunctions caused by refit or replacement with non-DJI accessories and parts.

6. Damage(s) or injuries caused by using third party products or fake DJI products.

7. Damage(s) or injuries caused by mis-operation or subjective mis-judgment.

8. Damage(s) or injuries caused by mechanical failures due to erosion, aging.

9. Damage(s) or injuries caused by continued flying after low voltage protection alert is triggered.

10. Damage(s) or injuries caused by knowingly flying the aircraft in abnormal condition (such as water, oil, soil, sand

and other unknown material ingress into the aircraft or the assembly is not completed, the main components have

obvious faults, obvious defect or missing accessories).

11. Damage(s) or injuries caused by flying in the following situations such as the aircraft in magnetic interference area,

radio interference area, government regulated no-fly zones or the pilot is in backlight, blocked, fuzzy sight, and

poor eyesight is not suitable for operating and other conditions not suitable for operating.

12. Damage(s) or injuries caused by using in bad weather, such as a rainy day or windy (more than moderate breeze),

snow, hail, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes etc.

13. Damage(s) or injuries caused when the aircraft is in the following situations: collision, fire, explosion, floods,

tsunamis, subsidence, ice trapped, avalanche, debris flow, landslide, earthquake, etc.

14. Damage(s) or injuries caused by infringement such as any data, audio or video material recorded by the use of

aircraft.

15. Damage(s) or injuries caused by the misuse of the battery, protection circuit, RC model and battery chargers.

16. Other losses that are not covered by the scope of DJI Innovations liability.

Product Usage Cautions

Please check the following steps carefully before every flight.

1. Before use of the product, please accept some flight training (Using a simulator to practice flying, getting

instruction from a professional person, etc.).

2. Check that all parts of the product are in good condition before flight. Do not fly with aging or broken parts.

3. Check that the propellers and the motors are installed correctly and firmly before flight. Make sure the rotation

direction of each propeller is correct. Do not get close to or even touch the working motors and propellers to

avoid serious injury.

4. Do not over load the aircraft (The total weight should be less than 1200g).

5. Make sure that the transmitter battery and the flight battery are fully charged.

6. Try to avoid interference between the transmitter and other wireless equipment.

7. Make sure to switch on the transmitter first, and then power on the aircraft before takeoff! Power off the aircraft

first, and then switch off the transmitter after landing!

8. Fast rotating propellers will cause serious damage and injury. Always fly the aircraft 3m or above away from you

and the unsafe conditions, such as obstacles, crowds, high-voltage lines, etc. FLY RESPONSIBLY.

9. All parts must be kept out of the reach of children to avoid CHOKE HAZARD; if a child accidentally swallows any

part you should immediately seek medical assistance.

10. Always keep the compass module away from the magnet. Otherwise it may damage the compass module and

lead the aircraft to work abnormally or even be out of control.

11. DO NOT use the PHANTOM FC40 transmitter (receiver) with the other third party remote control equipment.

12. Make sure to use the NAZA-M Assistant Software of 2.20 version (or above) to carry out the firmware upgrade

and parameter configuration.

13. Built-in ESCs of PHANTOM FC40 ONLY support 3S (11.1V) power supply.

14. ONLY use the DJI original motor and propeller.

15. If you want to put the PHANTOM FC40 in a car, please keep it away from the speaker, since the compass

module may be magnetized.

16. DO NOT use the magnetic screwdriver. Otherwise, keep the screwdriver at least 10cm away from the compass

module, to avoid magnetic interference.

17. For Mac user, please install the Windows system to run the Assistant Software.

Trademarks

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

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

form without the prior written consent or authorization of DJI Innovations. No patent liability is assumed with respect to

the use of the product or information contained herein.

Battery Usage & Charging Cautions

1. Do not put the battery into water; store the battery in a cool and dry environment.

2. Only use the correctly specified batteries.

3. Batteries must be kept out of the reach of children; if a child accidentally swallows the battery you should

immediately seek medical assistance.

4. Do not use or store the battery near fire.

5. Battery should be charged with a DJI authorized charger.

6. Do not connect the battery reversed in positive and negative terminals in the charger or equipment.

7. Do not connect the battery directly to the wall plugs or vehicle-mounted socket.

8. Do not put the battery into a fire or heat the battery.

9. Do not let the battery terminals (+and-) touch together to cause short-circuit.

10. Do not transport or store the battery together with metal objects.

11. Do not hit or throw the battery.

12. Do not weld the battery terminals together.

13. Do not drive a nail in, hit with a hammer, or stomp on the battery.

14. Do not disassemble or alter the battery.

15. Do not use or store the battery in extreme heat environments, such as direct sunlight or in the car in hot weather.

Otherwise, the battery will overheat, may cause fire (or self-ignite), this will affect the performance of the battery,

shorten the service life of the battery.

16. Do not use the battery in strong electrostatic areas, otherwise the electronic protection may be damaged which

may cause a hazard.

17. If you get the battery electrolyte leakage into your eyes, don't rub, first wash your eyes with clean water then seek

medical assistance immediately. If not handled in a timely manner, eyes could be damaged.

18. Do not use the battery when it emits an odour, high temperature, deformation, change in color or other abnormal

phenomena; if the battery is in using or charging, you should stop charging or using immediately.

19. If the battery terminal gets dirty, please clean it with a dry cloth before using. Otherwise it will cause a poor

contact, thus causing energy loss or inability to charge.

20. Discarded battery could lead to a fire; you should completely discharge the battery and wrap the output terminal

with insulating tape before discarding.

21. DO NOT drain the battery or leave the battery plugged into the PHANTOM FC40 when unused. When there is

low voltage alert please landing timely to avoid damages to the battery or others.

In the Box

Aircraft

Transmitter

Landing Gear

(with Compass Module)

Propeller

Camera Mount

FC40 Camera

USB Cable

Mobile Device Mount

Assistant Wrench

Screw Package

Accessory

Screwdriver

AA Battery

Micro-SD Card

Required Items

Introduction

[1]

[2]

[9]

[3] [4] [5]

[6]

[8]

[7]

[10]

[11] [12] [13]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

Propeller

Motor

Nose Direction

Nose Indicator (red LED)

Battery Compartment

Camera Mount

Receiver Antenna

Camera

Compass

Landing Gear

Rear Indicator (green LED)

LED Flight Indicator

Micro-USB (on the bottom)

Built-in

a) NAZA-M V2 Autopilot System

(Refer to NAZA-M V2 manual for details)

b) GPS Module c) Compass Module d) R/C Receiver e) Power System for Flight f) LED Flight Indicator

Functions

a) ATTI./GPS Mode

(Manual Mode and Failsafe Switch is selectable)

b) Intelligent Orientation Control (IOC) c) Enhanced Fail-Safe d) Low Voltage Alert e) Assembled with FC40 Camera f) DJI FC40 App

[1]

[2]

[4]

[3]

[8] [9]

[10]

[6]

[7]

[5]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

Antenna

Carrying Handle

Mode Control Switch S1

IOC Switch S2

Stick (J1: Roll [left&right], J2: Pitch [front&back])

Stick (J3: Throttle [up&down], J4: Yaw [rotation])

Neck Strap Attachment

The PHANTOM FC40 is an all-in-one, ready-to-fly small quadcopter designed for people just getting started in aerial

photography. Before shipping from the factory, it has been configured and fully tested, which means you have no

configuration to do.

Aircraft

Transmitter

[10]

[11]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

Power Switch

Power Indicator

Battery Compartment (On the back)

Potentiometer (On the back)

(For Compliance version configuration)

Parameters

Operating Frequency : 5.728 GHz－5.85 GHz

Communication Distance (open area): CE 300m; FCC 500m

Receiver Sensitivity (1%PER): -93dBm

Transmitting Power (EIRP): CE 25mw; FCC 125mw

Working Current/Voltage : 80 mA@6V

Battery: 4 AA Batteries

Transmitter

(Mode 2)

Aircraft

（ is the nose direction）

Operation details

The throttle stick controls the aircraft 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 height if the sticks are centered.

Push the throttle stick above the centered (neutral) position to

cause the aircraft to take-off. We suggest that you push the

throttle stick slowly to prevent the aircraft from sudden and

unexpected elevation.

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 always fly in the same direction.

The command stick controls the rotating angular velocity of the

aircraft. Increasing movement of the command stick results in

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.

Transmitter Operation

Definitions

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

position.

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

Increasing movement of the command stick will result in a larger

tilt angle (maximum is 35˚) and faster flight velocity.

The roll stick controls the aircraft 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.

Increasing movement of the command stick will result in a larger

tilt angle (maximum is 35˚) and faster flight velocity.

GPS ATTI. ATTI.

(Manual mode or Failsafe is

selectable in the Assistant

Software.)

3-position switch (S1) on the Transmitter for mode control. Only

after Compass Module connection and Compass calibration, GPS

Mode is available. Otherwise, all switch positions are ATTI. Mode.

Pay attention because the GPS Mode is dependent on the number of GPS satellites acquired by the main controller. When the GPS

signal has been lost for 3s, the system enters ATTI. Mode

automatically. You can enable the Manual Mode or Failsafe (also

known as One-key Go-home) in the Assistant Software ->Basic

->R/C ->Control Mode.

OFF Course Lock Home Lock

3-position switch (S2) on the Transmitter for Intelligent

Orientation Control (IOC). Set the switch to OFF in basic flight.

This function is defaulted to off. If you want to use this function,

enable it in the Assistant Software. Use IOC when you are

familiar with basic flight.

FCCCE

The compliance version can be reconfigured by twisting the

potentiometer knob on the back of the transmitter using a flathead

screwdriver. For CE compliance, set the transmitter to CE

compliance by carefully turning the potentiometer knob to the full

counter clock-wise position. For FCC compliance, set the

transmitter to FCC compliance by carefully turning the

potentiometer knob to the full clock-wise position. Users should

follow their local regulations accordingly.

You can change the operation mode of the Transmitter according to the “PHANTOM RC Assistant Software

Description” section if necessary.

Power off transmitter and power on aircraft. You will see the link indicator blinking red.

Press link button and hold until the link indicator blinks yellow. Release the link button.

Link between the Transmitter and Receiver

There is a 5.8G receiver in the PHANTOM FC40, with the link button and indicator located in the battery compartment.

The link between the transmitter and aircraft is already established for you so you can initially skip this procedure. If you

ever replace the transmitter, re-establishing the link is required.

Link Procedures

Power on transmitter and link indicator should switch off. This indicates that the link has been successfully

established.

Link Indicator

Description

Operation

No signal received.

Switch on transmitter or perform a link procedure.

In link status.

Switch on transmitter.

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