Autopilot Firmware Upgrade from 1.3.1 to 1.5.3

[Pedals2Paddles]

Reduce speed in guided mode if uncontrolled height loss occurs

This is a big one. I can't believe I didn't notice this. This will prevent it from sacrificing altitude to maintain speed in smart shots. So lets say you are doing a follow mode and you start going faster than the solo can go to keep up. Prior to this, it would keep going faster and faster to keep up, but it would lose altitude doing it. Now, it will recognize that it can't maintain altitude, slow down, and fall behind instead of crashing. Awesome. Adding to my post #2.

 

[carpy]

I used filezilla (Mac Version)
worked a treat
Don't forget to set port to 22 or it doesn't connect

Thanks, I'll update my post.

 

[BigTulsa]

Just loaded it pretty effort-free, haven't flown it yet that will probably be tomorrow now that it's nearly dark.

 

[Xor]

This is a big one. I can't believe I didn't notice this. This will prevent it from sacrificing altitude to maintain speed in smart shots. So lets say you are doing a follow mode and you start going faster than the solo can go to keep up. Prior to this, it would keep going faster and faster to keep up, but it would lose altitude doing it. Now, it will recognize that it can't maintain altitude, slow down, and fall behind instead of crashing. Awesome. Adding to my post #2.

I think this is worth adding as well:
Ensure RTL to takeoff, not startup location. Prior to this it would record startup location as HOME, now it will record arming location
Allow use of full ESC output - This is great if it was fully tested, prior to this PWM range was limited more due to ESC design issue, now it is limited less, if not full
Arming fixes - magnetic anomaly will not fail GPS checks, lessens surface with large magnetic anomaly fails.
Arming fixes - will not perform IMU calibration when arming

Movement of the copter on loose surfaces can cause the calibration to fail and prevent takeoff/.
The calibration is not required because the EKF learns gyro biases after power up.
The calibration is blocking and will cause errors in the inertial nav solution if the vehicle changes orientation during arming.
Making the arming non-blocking whilst retaining the 2 sec delay from passing arming checks to starting motors required​

Various fixes to GPS glitch and failsafe

 

[Quinn]

Just loaded it pretty effort-free, haven't flown it yet that will probably be tomorrow now that it's nearly dark.

I loaded it as well, flew a quickie. working fine. I did change FS_BATT_CURR_RTL to 25 it was at 30. other than that, just trying to keep up with the following posts.

 

[BigTulsa]

I loaded it as well, flew a quickie. working fine. I did change FS_BATT_CURR_RTL to 25 it was at 30. other than that, just trying to keep up with the following posts.

I may do that also. While in there I will likely save the parameters like I did the first time I connected the Solo to MP. I'm so used to using MP now after two years of it that it feels more natural than the other apps.

 

[Jubalr]

I think this is worth adding as well:
Ensure RTL to takeoff, not startup location. Prior to this it would record startup location as HOME, now it will record arming location
Allow use of full ESC output - This is great if it was fully tested, prior to this PWM range was limited more due to ESC design issue, now it is limited less, if not full
Arming fixes - magnetic anomaly will not fail GPS checks, lessens surface with large magnetic anomaly fails.
Arming fixes - will not perform IMU calibration when arming

Movement of the copter on loose surfaces can cause the calibration to fail and prevent takeoff/.
The calibration is not required because the EKF learns gyro biases after power up.
The calibration is blocking and will cause errors in the inertial nav solution if the vehicle changes orientation during arming.
Making the arming non-blocking whilst retaining the 2 sec delay from passing arming checks to starting motors required​

Various fixes to GPS glitch and failsafe

Would some of these arming fixes make it a little more tolerant of arming from a boat?

 

[jcar]

Has anyone done a youtube video on how to upgrade the firmware? Can we use APM mission planner to upgrade the firmware?

 

[richnat]

Hey! I got this to work. I had to dig out my crappy low power little netbook since I mostly compute on my desktop which was never set up to be wireless. Anyway, got everything downloaded, update sent to Solo and it seems happy. Looking forward to trying it out when the weather improves.

 

[jcar]

5. Launch FileZilla or WinSCP and connect to Solo using it's IP address '10.1.1.10' for the Host and 'root' for the Username and 'TjSDBkAu' for the Password. Use port 22.
6. Copy/transfer the firmware to /firmware on Solo.
7. Reboot Solo.
8. After reboot the LED's on Solo should change colors (party mode).
9. Accomplish a Level Calibration.

So am assuming it copies the files to the root directory and then when you reboot it
it does the update???

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

When it boots, it checks the \firmware folder for anything new. If something new is there, it will install it.

 

[jcar]

When it boots, it checks the \firmware folder for anything new. If something new is there, it will install it.

So the new firmware supports all the same functions using the solo app but improves a lot of areas of the autopilot correct?

 

[BigTulsa]

Has anyone done a youtube video on how to upgrade the firmware? Can we use APM mission planner to upgrade the firmware?

Likely not. It's better to follow the instructions provided here; they were the same instructions provided in the Arducopter Solo branch. There's no way to download the firmware the way you'd need to via MP or APM Planner. It typically requires a USB connection to the FC.

 

[Xor]

Would some of these arming fixes make it a little more tolerant of arming from a boat?

Hopefully. But need to try that. Say turn on, then put on flat sheet resting on rollers (water bottles for example and try to arm). Would try in few days as soon as weather permits.

 

[jcar]

Likely not. It's better to follow the instructions provided here; they were the same instructions provided in the Arducopter Solo branch. There's no way to download the firmware the way you'd need to via MP or APM Planner. It typically requires a USB connection to the FC.

Will do

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

So the new firmware supports all the same functions using the solo app but improves a lot of areas of the autopilot correct?

Yes

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Would some of these arming fixes make it a little more tolerant of arming from a boat?

It may. But that won't solve the core of the problem. The gyros calibrate on power up. And that calibration is what bombs out on a moving vehicle of any kind. Or worse, falsely calibrates. The boat mode on master uses a saved last known good calibration when on a moving vehicle.

 

[Aussie in AZ]

Question before I do this update (I'm very excited BTW), If all goes to hell and internet connection is lost or the like, will a full factory reset work/be needed to bring Solo back to operation for a retry?

Cheers

 

[Jubalr]

Question before I do this update (I'm very excited BTW), If all goes to hell and internet connection is lost or the like, will a full factory reset work/be needed to bring Solo back to operation for a retry?

Cheers

Has nothing to do with the internet as far as Solo and the update are concerned. You are just downloading the file to your computer, establishing a link to Solo afterward and transferring the file. Solo and controller are bat powered so no issue there. The file either transfers completely or it doesn't. No harm, no foul and the transfer only takes a few seconds.

 

[David Boulanger]

Has nothing to do with the internet as far as Solo and the update are concerned. You are just downloading the file to your computer, establishing a link to Solo afterward and transferring the file. Solo and controller are bat powered so no issue there. The file either transfers completely or it doesn't. No harm, no foul and the transfer only takes a few seconds.

I seem to be doing something wrong. Using Winscp. App still says I'm using 1.3.1 as does mission planner. I hit the download button and a screen of bars start filling in green then vanish. I'm following the directions in the first post here exactly except I did not find a Copy/transfer option. Only download.