Potensic Atom December 2023 Firmware Update and Flight Test
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- The promised firmware update became available for the Potensic Atom today so of course I needed to try it out. I went back to Heroes Park for a test flight, but ultimately ended up at another location. Here is the result of the flight test.
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Business email: idahoquadcopter@yahoo.com
Ive had gimbal issues here in the UK and despite being in the box as soon as ive got it working again, it still sticks when i pull it out. There ARE faults and it's good that you are mentioning them and coming out with videos, trying to overcome the problems some are having. Great channel and you're my go to, when learning about the Potensic Atom. Hopefully, you can do some instructional videos, where we can see what you do with the joypad and maybe some arrows to where we use each manoevre on our phone's....just a suggestion. Keep up the awesome work buddy, your work and content are greatly appreciated. Best wishes from Kent/SE London, England
Thank you so much Steve! I am a little frustrated with this one. 🙃
I'm glad to see Potensic is putting out firmware updates to correct some of the issues. But if they can't get the signal issues resolved, nothing else really matters. Nice testing, and thanks for trying another location, but I've seen you fly other drones in both locations with no signal issues. Thanks for sharing, and better luck with the next update.
Thank you Ron. That's the point I keep making. I fly other drones at these locations without issue.
Please keep doing what you do, I like a real response to what is really happening to a user
Thank you very much Stephen!
I’m just here for the iconic cell phone tower footage!😂 Seriously, Marcus you have the patience of Job! It’s a shame that Potensic can’t work out the transmission issues. It looks to be a fairly decent flyer! Thanks for putting this together.
I love that cell phone tower John! It's by far and away my very favorite! 😄
Well i think once again you've done a great job showing your personal experience with this drone.
Its so close to being a damned good sub 250 alternative to dji.
Many in the comments are thinking you may have a faulty version which i think could be possible.
Perhaps ask Potensic directly "Could i have a faulty version"???
But as you say theyve seen your videos and haven't suggested this as a possibility.......
Strange i may take the risk and purchase one myself to try it out... At least if i use Amazon i can return it easily enough
Thank you Jason! I just think it's a drone that is very sensitive to interference.
Thanks for your support for the community great video information 👍
Thank you very much!
@@IdahoQuadcopter I bought a new Atom and it has older firmware and the app (3.3.7) is not prompting me to update the firmware.
Is there a way to force it to update automatically, or can i manually update the firmware?
Awesome video Thank-you for your time and effort
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
i just got the update so far so good haven't been able to fly much due to weather but just got a run in i like it so far for the price i also like the independence from dji not a bad lil drone!!!!!!
I really like the Atom! It's just the connection issue that's driving me nuts!
i havent had any problem with that so far but again im not flying allot due to weather right now im in northern cali i wonder if the 5g is messing with yours?idk if that would or not but 5g is still being built here its sort of rural......@@IdahoQuadcopter
Marcus I really enjoy your drone reviews. Keep up the good work or fun I should say 😊
Thank you so much Doug!
Latest update changed the maximum flight altitude, it cannot be set above 120 meters. I don't like that restriction. Filming mountains, high rise buildings and bridges are made very difficult this way.
I'll check that out!
No issues with my ATOM. Only potential problem I have is the drone not hovering perfectly still when trying to do like an upclose video hovering within like 10ft of a car. Other than that, Flys great. Considering I paid $350 for this drone for the fly more bundle when the DJI MINI 2 SE fly more bundle is nearly $500 and still doesn't give you as much as this drone, I am very pleased. You just might have a bad apple
Good deal, it sounds like yours is working great. Thank you.
Thanks for the videos. I enjoy them. I was going to buy the potensic atom, but after seeing the problems you have with it, I decided to buy the fimi x8 mini v2. The drone seemed to be more refined. Thanks again I enjoy the reviews.
Enjoy that new Drone! This is a really fun hobby!
Marcus I know you use the same location for most drones, but regarding transmission bandwidth it's not apples for apples. Potensic may use a frequency that's In the same bandwidth as a lot of domestic or other appliances in that location making it suject to interference . The school was a whole different story with very little interference, this kinda proves location is key to this problem. Marty
You may very well be right, but I still look at it as a drone problem. Do I have to be worried about connection interference everytime I fly the Atom? I don't worry with my DJI or Autel drones?
@@IdahoQuadcopter I guess it like your favourite fm radio station that when driving in the car in certain places picks up crosstalk from another station.. Just my theory of course. It would be nice to see a great flight with the drone as your blessed with having some stunning locations for flying
If persistence pays, you should be a Trillionaire! Your weather is looking like mine today. Flood warnings on Sunday, December 17.
I suspected a hardware issue, as your signal problems were so persistent after a certain point, but I know you work in good faith with Potensic to resolve issues. I felt Potensic was missing something (I wrote my contact at Potensic and inquired on your behalf) If they can get you squared away with firmware only, awesome! Until then, I will continue to advocate for hardware replacement. Marcus Crawford... hating on Potensic... that is ridiculous to be comical. 😂🙄
agreed hardware for sure
Honestly John, I'll leave this one on the shelf for a while. If Potensic offers another solution, I'll give it a shot.
Thx for the time and effort, very informative……yesterday when I went to fly the Atom, it had a firmware upgrade, which it just kept going on a loop, about to get my SE instead, when it finally finished….so I flew the ATOM, connection broke off like almost instantly…..next 2 flights, broke off at about 300 feet distance in clear. open, in sight terrain……and the phone kept asking over and over if the device could be trusted…..totally terrible performance…..my wife says to return it, but i want to give it one more try…..the SE actually works flawlessly and it’s a great flyer.
Thank you! I've had a bettert experience with my SE too. 👍
The old song declares that “breaking up is hard to do,” but your Potensic says that “breaking up is easy.” I’ll stay tuned.
Ha! I'm going to put this one away for a while George. 😄
Man oh man, you must have a deflective unit. Have them replace it , no ifs, ands or butts! As I have stated before I have none of your issues. I think the new update was good. You can stop that annoying beeping. And the Zoom is good too. I'm sure if they send you a new unit they will make "Dog gone sure" it is perfect! Keep us posted and keep up the great reviews. Always enjoy your segments with Bill and Ron too. Have a good Holiday.
Thank you Greg! I've been working quite closely with Potensic on this one. I'll let them decide if they want to send me another one. I agree the new update is a good one.
I noticed you had three or four bars when you have those transmission issues. I still don't think any firmware update can solve whatever is wrong with your drone.
I agree, the transmission signal bar does not accuately show what is going on with the connection.
No idea what your connection issues are caused by. I have had none before the update. I regularly fly as far as visual line of sight allows with zero issues. That seems to be about 2000 feet for me depending on light. I also have the Mini 2 but I grab this one way more often. If for no other reason, the fast battery charging. 30 minutes vs several hours is a game changer.
The drone has a lot of potential, but mine is just not reliable.
Hey didn't you see that cell phone tower?? Just kidding. Very fair review, Marcus!
🤣😂 You're a funny man John!! Thank you!
I have seen an Improvement and i am quite Satisfied ! Thanks again Marcus ! You are the Maaaaan !!!!!!😊 Rural flight next !😮
Thank you Jeremy! I agree, I need to take this one out to the country.
I agree that you fly many drones at Hero's Park. If Potensic Atom has an issue with that location, then it's absolutely fair to call it out. A relatively new UK channel: Robin Drones has been comparing the Atom to its natural competition, Mini 2 SE. Features/Value vs.
Cost/Reliability vs
Stability/Performance.
😢These are natural rivals.
My view?
DJI = safer, more predictable ownership experience
Potensic = Bigger risk, with potentially bigger reward. If Potensic has the engineering chops to solve horizon & signal issues, they could be a contender!
I see the Atom as a value proposition John. If one of the flight features etc. don't work exactly right it's not the end of the world. Things like a good connection to the drone and a stable horizon must me right, or what's the point of the drone then. 👍
A drone I wouldn't feel comfortable flying. Good job as always Marcus.
Yeah, I'll likely put it away for a while Gerry.
I have watched countless video reviews on this drone and the firmware update. I have not seen any issues like this. Maybe it’s hour particular drone or where u are flying or both? I hope u figure it out because by all other videos I have seen, this is a great drone
Yes, the Atom seems to be quite sensitive to any sort of RF interference. 👍 Thank you for watching!
Sehr eindrucksvolle Aufnahmen wirklich toll gemacht 👍🏻
I really appreciate that! Thank you!
Hi Marcus, this is off topic, can you please tell me how to get the screen with the two diagonal lines, two vertical lines and two horizontal lines, like you are using on this video? I would greatly appreciate some help.
Mike
Hello Mike. You can enable gridlines in the settings menu of the app. 👍
Hmmm, we haven't had these issues with our potensic. We fly on the outskirts of a major city, but not necessarily an urban environment. Maybe that's the difference, but I don't know. We don't seem to have the break up happening when flying face down in the phone.
I'm glad yours is working well! The Atom has a lot of potential.
@@IdahoQuadcopter I've heard of some issues others have had, I just haven't experienced them.
If its under warranty just return it to the retailer and get another to test as if your DJi drones fly ok in your area and other people can fly over populated areas theb I'd imagine your drone is at fault.
Thank you. Potensic sent me the drone for review. I'll just put it away for a while.
Alas, they still haven't resolved the issues with this drone. Another great test, Marcus 👍
Thank you Alan! A lot of people buy these drones. I feel it's important to present them objectively.
your error might be the loss of signal is the antennas you are neear ... it apears to be a2.4G and 5 G towers... I haven't had any issues with break up.
I'm glad yours is working great! 👍
now it is muuuuuuch faster fix on GPS, before the update it was nightmare. My footage on this drone: ua-cam.com/video/kx_U-eFzliE/v-deo.html
Hola Marcus!!!
Es muy interesante lo que te está pasando con el dron, seguro que es por la antena que hay cerca y hace interferencias o el dron tiene algun problema de fabrica. De todos modos haces unos videos muy informativos y cuentas tu experiencia!!
Muchas gracias y felices fiestas!!
Thank you so much! Yes, Happy Holidays to you and yours!
You surely work hard to give every drone a fair shake during your testing. Sadly, some of them don't measure up to what is expected of them. I was wondering if you could cancel that landing dialogue box, that sits in the middle of the display, by touching on the screen? If not, it should go away automatically after a short interval.
I've enjoyed going flying with you again!
I really wanted this one to be a drone that I could reccomend. It just doesn't work like it should.
If you tap the new digital zoom it advances like you showed 1x to 2x. If you long press, you will get a rotary dial to provide fractional zoom levels. In 1080p you can get up to 3x zoom.
I wondered about that. Thank you!!
Please my drone has not updated how do I sort this please thanks
@@Jayzkayaydancasper I can't get the firmware update for my Atom SE. I've been told that there are two release versions of the SE and the new firmware updates only work for the V2 models. I have one of the original prototype versions from pre-release testing.
It’s too bad, sure wish Potensic would send you and SHOULD send you a different drone. It makes them look bad, they should want to take care of you. Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication!
Thank you so much! I'll very likely put this drone away for a while.
You need to see if you have a bad unit. It would be nice to have a local viewer with the Atom to fly in the same spot. Alternative is get another form Potensic. I won't consider purchasing the Atom unless the video issue is resolved. Thanks for the informative review.
Yes, I could just have a bad one? 👍
It certainly seems to be about the only explanation, because it certainly does seem that the mass majority of the current reviews on the atom do not have your issues, which logically suggests that you need to substitute it for another to rule out that possibility, in fact I watched a guy in Canada I believe who took it out 3.2 miles with no significant issues, so to be fair a swap out is the only way to be sure on this imo 😊
Sorry to see all the issues. This is definitely a beginners drone. I think they have made it for VLOS.😊
Ha! I see your point! 😄
I suspect it's your SUV and keyfob that's causing the interference with the drone remote. Just for giggles, stand about 100 ft away from your SUV and see how it works out for you.
Thank you, anything is worth a shot. 🙂
Marcus your awsome. great review
I appreciate that Henry!
Nice another great video. Let’s get that bird in the air.
Thank you Robert!
Potensic you get what you pay for, ive had Potensic drones and never again i got the drone right out of the box one battery didnt work i thought id see why took it apart and it wasnt even soldered to the contacts i did soldering and fixed it on my second flight it Glitched and flew away i couldnt control it at all and even though it was only a 300 dollar drone but worst experience of ever watching your drone fly away and just hoping when the battery runs out it doesn't kill anyone when it fall out of the sky, i didnt see anything on the news so after it flew so high i couldn't see it anymore hopefully it fell into the river that was close by. So never again id swore i wouldnt buy a Potensic again, and this is only my experience maybe everyone else has a good experience but i didnt, i now have a dji air 3 and i dont mind spending the extra money to a company that at least Innovates there drones and have pride in the quality of there products, what was funny on the Potensic battery with a qc sticker hahahah and it wasnt even soldered to the contacts, why buy this drone when for an extra 100 bucks you can get a dji mini 2 or even the the se, anyways these are only my opinions but you can Obviously can tell this is an issue with the drone not Interference and if you cant and lets just say ok maybe it is but where he is flying isnt that Congested if you have to hike to the mountains just to fly the drone whats the point of buying it if you cant fly it in a little Neighborhood lol. So get your hiking boots out or go to the desert to fly great review please these are only my opinions im glad theres people that have great experiences with the drone but my experience with the company turned me off for life
I'm hoping Potensic gets this drone sorted. 👍
you can contact Potensic to repair or return, i didn't meet this but i joined Potensic's group and i saw people post their problems Potensic always reply and solve the problem quickly.
Have you updated your Atom SE, with the camera zoom option update, 2024.
I have not. I look into it. 👍
THE issue is the signal from DJI microphone you are wearing...change frequency band.... It's your microphone is the problem
What about the flights when I don't use the mic? I get the same result.
I saw other vids whit this drone.. the have no problems whit frozen image..maybe its your drone. Call the company and try another drone
I just show my experience. 🤷♂️
I just got done flying my atom. I just got it in, so it was my first flight. I didn’t have any connection issues. I think there’s something wrong with that done.
I'm glad yours is working great! Enjoy your new drone!
Well! They have to fix the transmission problems before a lot of people will want to buy it. I wouldn’t be interested in it until the transmission video feed is fixed. It’s a shame because it has so much potential! Thanks Marcus.
Your comment is spot on Tom! This one could be really great.
I opted for the Mini 2 SE but after seeing the Atom SE 2 I was thinking about returning it for the Atom because of some of the software features, but if it's not a faulty drone you have and it's an issue across the board then I'm glad to have got the DJi.
The Atom looks like such a cracking drone for the price though.
Get rid of that wireless mike... especially if it is a DJI!!! And I get up to 3X in 2.7k...
I was just recording to the mic.
Is it possible that the update made things worse. I think you’ve given this drone a fair try. Now it’s up to the company to make changes that work.
The update seemed to help the horizon. I wish the connection were better though.
I wonder...solar flares? DJI mic? Fog? I do know that with one of my drones, I have to take off my Samsung Galaxy smartwatch due to interference issues.
Ha! Thank you! I tried again today by leaving my Apple watch in the car. I didn't help. 😂
Yeah...I saw that. My bet is on a defective drone or controller. Love your videos, Marcus! Keep 'em coming!
@@IdahoQuadcopter
Is there an app to check it’s safe to fly and how to check wind speed ect??
Check out B4Ufly and UAV forecast.
Looks just like my 2/3 yr.old Dji Mini 2. Mmmm I wonder!?
They all look like Mavics don't they. 🤣
Put it this way, is there a logical explanation when you 2 identical drones one which catches sattelites faster than the other? Who can explain that when there's no actual problem after it has caught sufficient numbers while the other has caught them in the living room..
Iam not sure if there is an explanation to every mystery when it comes to drones.. I have the atom and while flying it in a, environment more dencly pupulated and not having a gymbal issue or a short range issue like Marcus is..
NO explanation at all would be sufficient to these mysteries..
My next step will be to take it out to someplace like the Snake River Canyon where there is no other electronic interference.
Is Potensic going to do remote ID for the Atom?
No, it's sub-250g. 👍
According to the FAA any drone used under part 107 regardless of weight is required to have remote ID. @@IdahoQuadcopter
hi Marcus, that battery error message suggests that the connection issue may be the battery?
That's the first time that I've seen that message Richard. Honestly, I'm not in a big hurry to fly it again.
Hi Marcus, IMO a battery with intermittency may be causing the transmission issues. Does the Atom show the cell voltages like DJI? Did Potensic give you more than one battery that you can use?
@@ssb73q Yes, I have three batteries. I've not seen any difference in the three.
Hi Marcus, thank you for the reply. It seems you just have a sick drone. I have seen numerous other Atom reviews where the drone will fly out over a mile before seeing any transmission issues. IMO your Atom is faulty. BTW, your patient and kind treatment of trolls is admired. You Rock!!
"Horizon is nice and flat" 21:12 Can't even see the horizon due to the inversion and fog. 20:38
I don't know, I could see it. 🤷♂️
Kind of wanted to like the Potensic Atom but your issues and watching other reviews with widely varying video qualities made me somewhat skeptical. Am on one of the FaceBook groups and asked a question about Potensic's "after sales service" and was referred to the Potensic Support email. Sent an email early last week and so far, no response. Crossing Potensic off my list of future purchases. You have a LOT of patience with the Atom.
I really want to see Potensic be successful with this drone. Sadly it's been problematic so far.
it’s the same location, he does most of his test and reviews I don’t see where he’s doing anything wrong or anything different that he does with every other drone at this location it is what it is .
Thank you, yes, I fly a lot of drones at both of these locations without a problem. It's a strange situation.
At least they are trying...
I agree Lon! They are at least trying!
@@IdahoQuadcopter Some of these companies **cough** **Fimi** **cough** **Hubsan** **coughcough** just let their drones be junk and move on
How did you force update it
There is no way to do force an update that I've found.
I am still waiting for 3 days at IN AND OUT BURGERS,had to order McDonald's so I would not starve to death🤕🤗👌
How do you eat that shit?
omg
I am a big McDs fan! 😄
Thats the second update?
Yes, this is the second update since I've had my Atom.
Your drone is a dud Marcus..
It's not inconceivable to have one..
I agree, it could very well be.
you are using the drone incorrectly - you are doing the same procedures over and over again - get out of your comfort zone and take the time to go to an open, non-urban location or desert area to retest the issues you are having - you have a following and your poor reviews may be affecting sales of this great drone, and it is a great drone - i am trying to get you to do the review of this drone properly - you have no idea what the urban environment is that my be affecting the reception of the controller - take these comments as constructive and don't be so sensitive to feedback from a person who knows how to fly this drone
Think about what you are saying Elliot. You are stating that this drone cannot be flown in an urban environment. I take issue with that. I fly a lot of drones in these same locations without issue. If in fact the Atom is so sensitive to connection interference as you suggest, then my audience needs to know.
this is true - however you have no idea about how your urban interference may be affecting your result - you can't qualify what is causing the dropout- in other words, the controller may be more sensitive to these types of locations - there is just no hard data to know for sure, except for your one data point at your location which could be very different from where other drone owners would fly (what is the design, software and hardware, of the drone that would cause the issues you are seeing? - we just don't know )- again i suggest an open field or similar area free from houses etc and redo you review - so you can then state that when the drone is flown in an open space these types of dropouts are eliminated for an additional data point (this is exactly what i am observing when i fly this drone)- just trying to help you here! by the way, the most fun someone can have with these sophisticated machines is when they are filming in beautiful locations, not urban ones (in fact, flying in urban locations my be hazardous to properly and people if the pilot does not know what they are doing - i never fly in an urban area
@@elliotmadriss5403 Thank you for this thoughtful response. I will take the Atom out to the Snake River Canyon one of these days and see if that makes a difference.
@@elliotmadriss5403what? If he can fly other drones without issue then Im sorry, the problem needs to be addressed. Guarantee he can pick up any dji drone and fly it without issue in that location. Thats the standard. Nothing else matters.
Yes but iam flying it in a more dencly populated environment than his and I have zero issues at all.. If I can get nearly a kilometre the same as the mini 2 Se in range in my environment there is something wrong with his drone period.. There is no way at 170 metres that it would be losing connection.. It's the drone that's the problem...
Zero issues with mine as far as horizon or disconnection...
Don't waste your time with crappy drones like this. It will only cause disapointment. DJI drones cause issues enough as well.
Yeah, this one has been a heart breaker.
Use a different phone iphone is crap*
I used a Pixel 6 today, same issue. 🤷♂️
@IdahoQuadcopter I'm using a s21 and only time I got interface is when I'm 8000+ft away
21:01. And you go twards the tower . Twice..im done watching this clown
I fly all kinds of drones around that cell phone tower without any problems at all. Cell phone towers are everywhere around here. Does that mean I can only fly this drone in the countryside? 🤡
you are doing the same uneducated and unprofessional procedures - you need to get in your car and go to a beautiful utah location and try again - your urban area has a very strong wifi interference - go to moab or byrce canyon - i have the same drone with none of your connectivity problems - get into the utah desert now!!!!
Oh, I see, so this is one of those drones that can't be flown in an urban area. I need to drive 600 miles to Moab to fly? Good to know. Also why do you feel the need to insult me. 🤷♂️
The potenshit crapton
Hi Marcus. 👈🥸👉The sun through the fog shot was pretty decent. Plus, there was some blue sky peeking through at the school where the atom did have better distance reception. I was turning my attention to the controller as the source of the reception breakups because the FPV flinched while it flew overhead. BUT THEN, you got that smart battery malfunction warning and that could be the software itself wreaking havoc among all three components. So NOW the question is, ... Which component has the failing software glitch? If it is the software. 😱
That's a great point! I've never seen that battery error before. It could be a component degrading.
I've got this drone and when the gimbal is pointing directly down at 90 degrees, when you move forward or backwards it flicks up to 80%
Does anyone else's do this? Or is mine faulty?
Thanks
What you describe is common on many drones. 👍
@@IdahoQuadcopter thanks