Autel Evo II downgrade issues? DH has a solution!

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

My friends...
we are working on it, giving the Evo line some loving.
It has been tested and almost ready to release.
FREE 99!
You read that right. F R E E. Sit tight a while. Along with our great partners at DDD, lots of Autel firmware available.
You don't like the current problems with 2.5.0? Well then...downgrade to the previous version 2.3.3.
From your friends at Drone-Hacks. Soon.

Drone-Hacks, the best way to hack your DJI Drone

Drone-Hacks is the most easy and best way to hack your DJI Drone. Depending on your drone you can hack the NFZ, Altitude limit, FCC signal power and much more.

drone-hacks.com

*UPDATE* 7/30/21 "To downgrade from the latest FW you need the empty file named "qiangzi_shengji" on SD card instead of "force_upgrade".

Big thanks to rvl for posting this and Cicero24 for testing and confirmation. See post #151 in this thread.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

Its fast. Its easy. And its available RIGHT NOW.

https://drone-hacks.com/blog

If you are having any issues grabbing the firmware, go here:

http://dji2.clymene.feralhosting.com/DJI-Firmware/BIN/Autel%20Evo%202/Model-C_FW_V2.3.3.bin

This is STOCK firmware, nothing has been changed, just to put your mind at ease.

UPDATE: This also works perfectly to downgrade the Evo I as well!

Tufargon · Sep 3, 2020

Just wow! Awesome!

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

AutelPilots is allowing me to provide the info to all of us here, so don't hold them responsible in case something gets messed up in the process.

I wouldn't downgrade more than one version, you shouldn't really need to.
We just released this today, and I tested this myself on my Evo II Pro, and works like a charm.
Basically this is a "forced" firmware "upgrade" even though its a downgrade. I don't like the word "forced".
The reason you can't do this normally is the firmware checks the versions and if the firmware on the drone is a higher or same version, no firmware upgrading/downgrading is done. This basically tells the drone, just flash the firmware.
DJI drones have the same option in their firmware flashing, and I imagine most other drones do too.

I don't see any possibility of any issues. Just make sure your battery is charged, like in any other firmware flashing situation.
This is a normal firmware flashing, so it won't take any longer than a normal upgrade.

Does anyone have release notes from the 2.3.3 firmware so we can all easily check the versions after flashing? Found it.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

Follow the same process as here, but just include the file from Drone-Hacks along side the firmware file:
Make sure the firmware file is named in this format: Model-C_FW_V2.3.3.bin etc.

Bigdz · Sep 3, 2020

Wow...This is great! but I hate to ask...feel compelled to though. What if something goes wrong. Will Autel still cover under warranty?

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

All you are doing is forcing a firmware upgrade or downgrade. Once the process starts, it is no different from any other firmware flash.
If Autel honors any firmware flashing errors, then the answer is yes.
We just figured out their procedure that they had in place already and made it available to you.
Basically it is like any other firmware flash...it either works or doesn't work, then you try again.

Ansia · Sep 3, 2020

Can it be done for the Evo 1? I would love to go back to the previous firmware. I understand that the Evo is the next X-Star, but if it's similar process, shouldn't be that hard to make it work. I think.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

I say, give it a go. It will either flash or not. I bet it will, but I have not tested the EVO I.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

Just got confirmation that you can go from 2.3.3 to 2.3.0, so should be good to go.

I would NOT however, skip downgrade versions and go one by one, just out of caution, making sure to restart more than once between downgrading.

Do not just pick a really old firmware and try and downgrade to it. If you do, you are on your own. Don't cry to anyone.

Waldo Pepper · Sep 3, 2020

Thank you Quad and DH,

This is great, for those having a computer. I don’t have a computer to complete this downgrade through DH, I’ll have to wait until Autel fixes the problem.

Many thanks to you and DH, good job!

Paul

Bigdz · Sep 3, 2020

Will this process work using iMac?

skipper1 · Sep 3, 2020

Well, I’ll have to wait for Autel to fix things too. I have tried several times to downgrade/upgrade. Sometimes it will act like it is going to work and get to 99% and that’s it. I give up.

kenautelevo2pro · Sep 3, 2020

downgrade is not in the cards for me. the few issues I have don't warrant anything more than waiting for the next version with fixes. thanks away, may need to sometime in the future tho.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

Bigdz said:
Will this process work using iMac?

as long as you can copy two files to your SD card, it will work just fine. Doesn't matter Mac or Windows, you are only using your computer to copy the files to the SD card. The drone does all the work. Follow the manual firmware video above from Autel.

skipper1 - I would reflash your current firmware first. Assume that is 2.5.0. Put that on the SD card, without any additional file from DH and do a manual update. Get your current firmware 100%. Then, once done, restart both RC and drone. Check firmware versions. Confirm that it is 2.5.0. Now follow DH blog, and give it a go. Unless your drone has trouble flashing firmware, this should work 100% of the time, but even some drones have a hard time flashing firmware for whatever reason.

skipper1 · Sep 3, 2020

I’ll give that a try.

skipper1 · Sep 3, 2020

I just tried to manually install 2.5.0 and all it shows is ”unpacking”. I’m now nervous about flying until we get a new update. I gave it my best shot several times and my drone just won’t do it.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

basically...here is what happens...if you try and run a firmware manually by having the firmware on the SD card, it will copy the file to the drone, then "unpack" it on the drone, since it is a compressed file. This takes a couple minutes. Once unpacked, then either there will be a start to the firmware flash, or the drone will just check the firmware already installed for each module on the drone and if it matches what is in the firmware version on the SD card, it is skipped. You will know right away after unpacking if the firmware flash is actually running, or if it is just "checking" because the RC screen will tell you it is flashing and give you status, as well as your drones lights will change, signifying firmware flashing is ongoing. This is normal. Nothing drone-hacks does changes this procedure at all.
When you have the drone-hacks file on the SD card, the drone reads the command and will do a firmware flash no matter what the firmware is on the drone. You can basically reflash your current version this way, and not just have the versions checked.

Hope this is clear. DJI drones do the exact same procedure when it comes to firmware flashing.

Always watch the RC for what is going on, since that will be giving you status. If your drones lights never change to indicate flashing has started, then, the drone is probably just doing a firmware check. Remember you do NOT need a device attached to the RC. Follow the Autel video above about manual flashing of firmware.

As always, up to you if you want to downgrade, upgrade or do nothing and wait for Autel.

Quad808 · Sep 3, 2020

skipper1 said:
I just tried to manually install 2.5.0 and all it shows is ”unpacking”. I’m now nervous about flying until we get a new update. I gave it my best shot several times and my drone just won’t do it.

Me? I would verify the versions of each firmware in the Explorer app against what version they are supposed to be. It they all show as versions of 2.5.0, you are all good.
You can have a firmware flash "fail" but that doesn't mean the firmware on the drone is not good. It just means that at some point, the firmware didn't do what it was supposed to do...either error check fail, or failed to uncompress (unpack) properly, or failed to update one or more modules. This is nothing new. We have all read about some people taking two, three times doing SD card firmware upgrades before they are successful. Doing a firmware upgrade through the app, is the same exact thing, except the firmware is transmitted to the drone from the RC and not from the SD card. The SD card method is much faster and you are in total control over the firmware file being copied to the drone.