FIMI X8 Pro

[Brutalwarpig]

When I first got my FIMI X8 Pro I was not happy. The first time I turned the controller and drone on, they linked together for flight controls but no video feed! After messing with it for awhile, I was able to get the video feed but I also had a warning that the downward vision system wasn't working and to check if the lenses were dirty or broken. I emailed FIMI but the Chinese new year just began and most companies in China are closed for 10 days. Then I thought "maybe I need an update". The TX10A has the NAVI 2.0 and NAVI 3.0 apps preloaded. I've never owned a FIMI product before and the very limited owners manual and online owners manual said to open the NAVI 2020 app. There is no NAVI 2020 app, only 2.0 and 3.0. The problem was poorly written instructions. The X8 Pro will link to NAVI 2.0 but it won't work correctly. You can even update NAVI 2.0 and download it to the X8 Pro drone which shouldn't be possible. The correct app for the X8 Pro is NAVI 3.0 and you do need to update it. You also need to update the FIMI Assistant app which is the program that the controller runs on.
After doing the updates I finally had full functionality and I'm happy to report that my new X8 Pro seems to be working well.
The first real drone I've ever flown was my first generation DJI Mini. As much as I like the new X8 Pro, it's Operation and in-flight behavior are not quite as buttery smooth and refined as either of my DJI drones. It's close, but not quite as good. I believe a combination of future updates and personal experience with this drone will bring it up to or very close to the refinement of DJI's products. Nothing in DJI's catalog of products that you could buy for $600 has anywhere near the functionality of the X8 Pro.

This is a lot of drone and an impressive built in screen controller for the $800 price I paid which includes an extra battery, megaphone/package carry-release module, 5 day shipping from China, and my states 9.75% sales tax! It's really a lot of "bang for your buck"!

I'm still learning about the hardware and firmware. I really appreciate all the effort FIMI put into both drone and controller for upgrades, hardware additions and connectivity. The TX10A has HDMI, serial port, USB-C, 3.5mm headset jack and ethernet port, dual band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability. Combined with Mavlink protocol compatibility (Ardupilot) and functionality with open-sourced hardware like PX4 and APM autopilot. This is a serious controller! I love that I can attach an external battery should I need longer runtime and customize nearly every button or knob or wheel.

 

[st468]

It's great to see another X8 Pro owner posting! And I'm glad you were able to resolve your initial issues. There is another X8 Pro owner, BMW Droner, who has had similar issues, and I hope this might help him resolve his issues as well.

I too had an issue when I first got my X8 Pro. I am using the regular controller, not the TX10a, as I prefer a larger and brighter screen. I could not get my Galaxy S23 connected to the drone. It turned out to be that the newer Galaxys won't move data over a USB-C to regular USB plug, it only allows power to move through that type of connection. I resolved it with a small adapter plug, usb-c to usb-micro using the other included Fimi cord, and it works perfectly. I notified Fimi of this so they can consider changing that in the future.

Other than the slight hiccup in the beginning, I'm thoroughly impressed with my X8 Pro. I ordered from Fimi UAV Store, got the 2 battery package with case for $669 shipped, UPS Express International, 3-day. No sales tax. I did use my AMEX card in case there was an issue, as they have bullet-proof purchase protection, and they even extend any manufacturer's warranty by 1 year.

I did some cold weather flying in MN to try it out and it performed well. Then I spent a few weeks at my Florida place, and I was really able to put it through the paces down there. Camera is as advertised and expected, no horizon tilt. The video zoom works well, though I have not been able to figure out the photograph mode zoom yet, if there is any. Excellent high wind performance, it flies well and will hover steady in 20-30mph winds no problem. Battery life about as advertised (best to land with 30% power remaining). Excellent range over ocean and uninhabited areas, I have flown out well over 3 miles so far with good signal remaining. Over residential areas I have been able to get 2+ miles out with reasonable signal remaining, flying at 300+ft altitude.

Fimi is quickly running out of time to get the FAA DOC and remote id (drone ads-b) approved and working. I understand they are working on it and waiting on FAA approval, but they better hurry up!

I look forward to reading more X8 Pro experiences of others here.

 

[Skydreamer]

regarding firmware update,download fimi 3 to your phone/tablet,in x8pro box there should be female usb x micro usb cable,connect to drone,use phone /tablet charging cable to connect to female usb,turn on drone to start update….i dont have tx10A but it shouldnt matter in this case,you should be able to update it without controller i think

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Using another android device is a good idea. I just bought a micro USB to USB-C cable in case the OEM cables are bad. Fimi company has been closed for two weeks so I've had zero communication from them. Yesterday was the last day of the Chinese New Year Holliday so hopefully they will respond today or tomorrow. I opened a dispute through PayPal simply because the Fimi Official Store website says "15 day returns". They were closed during that time window so I opened the dispute to preserve forensic evidence of the issue and my attempts to communicate and resolve the problem well within their return window time frame. Their website also claims a 1 year warranty. I really like the build quality and value of this drone and I am hopeful Fimi will make this right. After reading BMWdroner's thread and the terrible issues he's had I must admit I'm a little concerned. I love the X8 so much I ordered a X8 2022 V2 with standard controller from Amazon for $399. As far as I can tell this is the same drone other than obstacle avoidance. Plus Amazon has a solid 30 day return policy that guarantees I can get my money back if needed. I also love the TX10A controller. It has a completely open architecture that can be used with any MAVlink protocol hardware or firmware. I believe Fimi is a good company with good products. REALLY hope they make this right. I've tried every camera resolution and quality setting and still, the image freezes every couple of seconds. It's slightly longer (3 seconds) in 1080p standard quality. Both the recorded and streamed image freezes. This is either a defective video processor or a firmware issue. Hopefully it's the latter. If it is a hardware issue then I hope fimi will repair or replace the drone. I really don't want to have PayPal intervene.
Good to know the FIMI UAV store seems to have good customer service. I will try them for future Fimi purchases.
Would you mind telling me the manufacturer date of your X8 Pro? I believe it's on a label inside the battery compartment. Mine was November 2023. Just curious if there's a pattern.

 

[st468]

Mine was manufactured October, 2023. Again, I'm using the standard controller though. Once you receive the V2, you should try to pair the Pro with the standard controller and see if the issue persists. I believe the V2 and Pro standard controllers could be the same. The drones are a little different though, the Pro has different motors and a 4 cell battery rather than a 3 cell. Plus obstacle avoidance. Otherwise they are the same body, use the same props, etc. Pro camera specs are better, and the advertised range is longer as well.

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Yes, a big reason I bought the V2 was to attempt to connect and update the X8 Pro with the standard controller. I did try to update my Pro with a direct connection to my android phone but the phone doesn't recognize that the drone is connected. Using the standard controller should resolve that issue. The TX10A has Navi 2.0 installed and will control the V2. So that's a plus. Interestingly, although the motors are different the max horizontal speed is the same.

 

[Skydreamer]

my x8pro was manufactured March,2023

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Interesting. Have you used or k ow anything about FIMI's X8 Pro toolbox for Windows? I'm very apprehensions about installing it because the download page gives instructions to use the command prompt and disabling the digital signature requirement for driver downloads. I'm not particularly computer savvy but that sounds like a bad thing to do.

 

[SHORod]

You also need to update the FIMI Assistant app which is the program that the controller runs on.

Thank you for posting this. I had my TX10A bound to my X8 SE 2022 V2 and assumed when I upgraded to the X8 Pro that I'd be able to easily bind the TX10A to also work with the Pro. It absolutely refused to bind. I spent a lot of time searching the Internet and FINALLY stumbled upon your post. This worked! But I'm thinking I'll need to go through the Assistant and re-bind process any time I want to switch between the SE and the Pro. It's not a quick process. It took about 10 minutes for Assistant to switch to the X8 Pro. This evening I'll see if by chance the radio is still bound to the SE. But either way, thank you again for sharing this key piece of information.

FWIW, just before I found this thread last night I had e-mailed Fimi Tech Support asking. This morning I woke up with a response back from Tech Support informing me that I need to use Fimi Assistant. This is the second time I've e-mailed tech support and both times I received an answer within just a few hours, so I am currently quite pleased with their responsiveness.

-Rod

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Thank you for posting this. I had my TX10A bound to my X8 SE 2022 V2 and assumed when I upgraded to the X8 Pro that I'd be able to easily bind the TX10A to also work with the Pro. It absolutely refused to bind. I spent a lot of time searching the Internet and FINALLY stumbled upon your post. This worked! But I'm thinking I'll need to go through the Assistant and re-bind process any time I want to switch between the SE and the Pro. It's not a quick process. It took about 10 minutes for Assistant to switch to the X8 Pro. This evening I'll see if by chance the radio is still bound to the SE. But either way, thank you again for sharing this key piece of information.

FWIW, just before I found this thread last night I had e-mailed Fimi Tech Support asking. This morning I woke up with a response back from Tech Support informing me that I need to use Fimi Assistant. This is the second time I've e-mailed tech support and both times I received an answer within just a few hours, so I am currently quite pleased with their responsiveness.

-Rod

I'm curious, did you email FIMI support with an English language email. Or did you first translate your email to Chinese before sending it?
I got zero responses from [email protected] when I sent English language emails to them.
One night, on a whim, I translated the body of my email to simple Chinese. I got a reply 27 minutes later?!

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Also, glad I was able to help. Fimi desperately needs to do a better job with their manuals and directions/procedures on video to include a plethora of less common but still relevant scenarios such as how to switch the TX10A Remote from a X8 Pro to a 2020 SE or X8SE 2022 v2.

 

[Fly]

Boy I hate hearing the problems you have gone threw. It sounds
Like they have a very solid unit, over all. I have nothing against
DJI except they control the industry, & In turn they gouge the customer on price. But there in business to make money, &
to be fair you can not blame them for that. I have said in time
the free market will take care of that in time. Potensic has made
Huge gain on them, with there atom drones. But we are talking
The budget market, not the upper class thing. But the drone market is coming of age for consumers & it will bring the cost down. The biggest problem we have today is the a gnawing
Stuff that needs to be addressed. It is forms as this that truly
Helps people as me, because I,m dumb as dirt on this type of
Technology . I have no one to ask. That is not good for a gear
head. I worked for a R&D department on the Mechanical side
Before I retired. Back then I just ask those sparkys for help, but
that was then & this is now. Fly

 

[Brutalwarpig]

R & D is a cool segment of the manufacturing industry. I am an industrial controls engineer. Most of my job is all about getting new control systems and manufacturing processes to integrate into the existing production control systems we already have in place. For example, I'm currently working on designing a control system that will integrate RFID technology into the vehicle tire industry. Smart tires that can tell the driver of a vehicle that the internal temprature or pressure is not in the normal range or that there is an unusual rotational harmonic in the wheel tire assembly that could indicate a wheel balancing weight has fallen off or that there's a screw wedged into the tread that has not yet caused a leak. This technology could save lives by alerting a driver to imminent catastrophic tire failure (a blowout) which could potentially lead to a wreck and injuries or fatalities.
Anyway, my point is that even though I am a skilled electrical engineer, I was still mostly lost when it comes to drone technology. I seriously considered the Potensic Atom. I also looked at Holy Stone and Ruko drones but those drones seemed to more on the toy side of the drone market rather than serious aerial photography.
Some of the drone brands I pay attention to are Autel, FIM, Anifa and Exo/Hubsan. One of the biggest things that bothered me about FIMI is that they do not offer any sort of maintenance/replacement policy like DJI's Care Refresh plan. I know that Exo and Autel have similar plans that you must purchase before activating your drone. They may offer a way to purchase these plans after activation but it usually involves a lengthy process of providing a live video and files of all flight data for the drone in question. I don't know if Potensic has a similar service or not.
At 57 years of age, I am very much enjoying my new drone hobby!

 

[Fly]

Yes I love it myself also. What is driving me nuts now is all the
Different plug size's for any device. I have so many different
cables for some of the same device but being there different
brands they use different connectors. Just yesterday I went trying to find a longer cable for phone to my atom control. I
went to a cellular phone store to see if the had a longer cord
Than Potensic offer,s. I even took my short cable with me. I
found one I thought would work. $15 OK. Got home it plugged
In find but my control said I,m not connected. What I,m trying to do is this. I bought one of those drone mask a few years back
When I had a Ruko drone. When the mask came in it would not
Work with that drone. They only work with drones like DJI or
Ones the plug in from phone to controller. I kept it thinking
I would buy a mini 2 DJI . I bought the Potensic atom instead.
I have no idea we’re the cables are now, is why I did what I did
Yesterday. Now I,m in a corner not knowing if the done mask
Company has the long cables to fit my atom. That company is
Out of Norway I beleave.
Fly

 

[SHORod]

I'm curious, did you email FIMI support with an English language email. Or did you first translate your email to Chinese before sending it?
I got zero responses from [email protected] when I sent English language emails to them.
One night, on a whim, I translated the body of my email to simple Chinese. I got a reply 27 minutes later?!

I just e-mailed [email protected], no translation. My inquiries were a couple of months apart from each other, and interestingly both times the response was signed as being from Amy Chen. I'll have to remember the trick about translating in case I have response time issues in the future.

And I agree with you about the currently undocumented features. The product seems like a quality product, it would be a real shame if they are not rewarded for making something competitive at a more affordable price just because people have issues that are not actually issues and already have undocumented solutions.

-Rod

 

[Brutalwarpig]

Amy Chen is who my English language responses comes from but the actual engineer that answered most of my questions is
[email protected]
I agree that overall Fimi makes quality products. However I believe Fimi started selling X8 Pro drones very much in a "beta" stage of development. Fimi also needs to improve their quality control process.
In such a competitive market quality issues and poor after sale service can kill any up and coming brand.

 

[Fly]

Well you covered that very well. I hope they Listen ! They seem to be on the right track. The drone industry is becoming huge
In industry, military, law in force enforcement, & so many others
arias , not to mention the consumer market. I,m sure they see
that also. A company that is really coming on is Potensic. They
run a very friendly & helpful service department . They make a
very good drones, for the market they service. But they are limited in there selection of the higher end drones. But I,m sure
we will see them entering that market soon. I never saw a company that did not for see growth in there future. This industry is about to bust open.

Fly

 

[Brutalwarpig]

I agree about the Potensic Atom. I wonder if the reason we haven't seen any larger drones from Potensic is the higher degree of regulatory compliance for drones over 250 grams. It's my understanding that here in the U.S. the FAA is 3 to 6 months behind on processing declaration of compliance applications.

 

[Brutalwarpig]

It's great to see another X8 Pro owner posting! And I'm glad you were able to resolve your initial issues. There is another X8 Pro owner, BMW Droner, who has had similar issues, and I hope this might help him resolve his issues as well.

I too had an issue when I first got my X8 Pro. I am using the regular controller, not the TX10a, as I prefer a larger and brighter screen. I could not get my Galaxy S23 connected to the drone. It turned out to be that the newer Galaxys won't move data over a USB-C to regular USB plug, it only allows power to move through that type of connection. I resolved it with a small adapter plug, usb-c to usb-micro using the other included Fimi cord, and it works perfectly. I notified Fimi of this so they can consider changing that in the future.

Other than the slight hiccup in the beginning, I'm thoroughly impressed with my X8 Pro. I ordered from Fimi UAV Store, got the 2 battery package with case for $669 shipped, UPS Express International, 3-day. No sales tax. I did use my AMEX card in case there was an issue, as they have bullet-proof purchase protection, and they even extend any manufacturer's warranty by 1 year.

I did some cold weather flying in MN to try it out and it performed well. Then I spent a few weeks at my Florida place, and I was really able to put it through the paces down there. Camera is as advertised and expected, no horizon tilt. The video zoom works well, though I have not been able to figure out the photograph mode zoom yet, if there is any. Excellent high wind performance, it flies well and will hover steady in 20-30mph winds no problem. Battery life about as advertised (best to land with 30% power remaining). Excellent range over ocean and uninhabited areas, I have flown out well over 3 miles so far with good signal remaining. Over residential areas I have been able to get 2+ miles out with reasonable signal remaining, flying at 300+ft altitude.

Fimi is quickly running out of time to get the FAA DOC and remote id (drone ads-b) approved and working. I understand they are working on it and waiting on FAA approval, but they better hurry up!

I look forward to reading more X8 Pro experiences of others here.

I wanted to mention that when it comes to screen brightness, the TX10A remote control has 1000 nits brightness. This is more than the I pad mini or nearly all Android tablets. There are options out there like Tripltek but they also cost $500 or so.
I noticed that there is a soft key to enable or disable the remote ID function on the RC screen. This leads me to think that FIMI hasn't even applied for a DoC from the FAA. I say this because one of the requirements for DoC approval is that the remote ID function must be permanently turned on while the drone is in flight and that there is no way to easily disable it.
Smaller Chinese UAV manufacturers such as Ruko, Bewine and Holy Stone all have obtained remote ID DoC's.
I think the American market is fairly small for FIMI and they are just not too concerned about being in compliance at this point. When I told FIMI support that my X8 was illegal to fly in the U.S. they replied that I could use a Remote ID module or fly my drone in a FAA approved area that doesn't require remote ID. Which, of course, is Bull Sh#t!

 

[Skydreamer]

well i am not sure what to think of it,first they should seriously get some customer support that speaks english,i know that pilots in europe need something similar to what we need here in usa to fly fimi,i know tthat one of fimi owners got message that eu certification is in process,skysafe did study that shows that majority drone manufacturers have remote id that are not properly broadcasting signal ,lot of them still waiting for faa approval…….this is message i got from fimi and i am still scratching my head,trying to figure out if this is good or bad