Close Encounters Theme

DattaGroover · Oct 28, 2015

Now when my Solo boots up, in the middle of its normal bootstrap noises, it plays the 3-note theme from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"
My Solo app stopped finding it, so I tried to re-pair, but no luck. It can't find the Solo.

Any idea what the hell all that means? I'm sure when 3DR gets back to me, they will tell me to send it in. They already ID'd that my motor #2 is intermittently bad (fortunately I have 2 spare motors with me).

However, when it loses all communication with the controller and starts playing themes from old Steven Spielberg movies, that seems like major trouble to me.

Earldgrayjr · Oct 28, 2015

My advice is call on the phone. They are 24/7. I get better results with that than email to start.

DattaGroover · Oct 28, 2015

Earldgrayjr said:
My advice is call on the phone. They are 24/7. I get better results with that than email to start.

Thanks. I may do that. So far they've been pretty responsive via email. My issue is that since I'm working a large event here I have to be careful not to get tied down on the phone.

What the heck, I'll try it and hang up if I have to.

Marich · Oct 28, 2015

DattaGroover said:
However, when it loses all communication with the controller and starts playing themes from old Steven Spielberg movies, that seems like major trouble to me.

Haha! Oh man... priceless!

JonW · Oct 28, 2015

Are you making mashed potatoes?

User Name · Oct 28, 2015

Here's a reference of the usual beep codes from the Pixhawk, any sound familiar?

common-Sounds (Pixhawk/PX4) | Copter

The Close Encounters sound seems to be similar to the "New Firmware" sound. Did you recently upgrade/update the Solo? Arducopter 3.3 (and now 3.3.1) just came out, but it shouldn't be loaded on the Solo, as all the firmwares need to match between the Solo and the controller. Solo is it's own beast and needs it's own specific firmware.

DattaGroover · Oct 28, 2015

User Name said:
Here's a reference of the usual beep codes from the Pixhawk, any sound familiar?

common-Sounds (Pixhawk/PX4) | Copter

The Close Encounters sound seems to be similar to the "New Firmware" sound. Did you recently upgrade/update the Solo? Arducopter 3.3 (and now 3.3.1) just came out, but it shouldn't be loaded on the Solo, as all the firmwares need to match between the Solo and the controller. Solo is it's own beast and needs it's own specific firmware.

THat is the one (New IO board firmware loaded successfully). I did all the recommended updates, but several days and flights before this happened. AND it does that sound every time it boots up.

Plus, my Solo won't communicate with my controller. I re-paired it, and it said all was good, but there was no connection- not from the Solo App. I re-paired it again, and it won't recognize the "vehicle" on the app opr the controller.

DattaGroover · Oct 29, 2015

Earldgrayjr said:
My advice is call on the phone. They are 24/7. I get better results with that than email to start.

Great suggestion. Did that this morning, very fast results. They had me do a factory reset, which made the difference!

Earldgrayjr · Oct 29, 2015

DattaGroover said:
Great suggestion. Did that this morning, very fast results. They had me do a factory reset, which made the difference!

Glad you are in the air

DattaGroover · Oct 29, 2015

DattaGroover said:
Great suggestion. Did that this morning, very fast results. They had me do a factory reset, which made the difference!

Well, I will be once I swap my #2 motor pod out.

emulsiondown · Oct 29, 2015

they are amazing on phone. pick your bloke, stick with him and he becomes your mechanic. they want the info on what goes WRONG as much as what goes right, they really want the SOLO to be best in class.

Ryan35 · Oct 30, 2015

First of all I had the same problem with this drone. Funny story is as I was about to return it (literally was going to get home that day and ship it back to B and H where I got it because they told me it was a defective). Anyways 3DR just got back to me stating to unscrew the battery plate and make sure the GPS cable was connected. Sure enough it wasn't in all the way, I am not 100% sure but I think I heard a click so it means it was not in. After that the GPS worked fine but I got the same beeping pattern with the 3 beeping sounds like that. I would look into if your GPS is working correctly too because that could cause the solo from finding satellites however the controller not pairing or the app not connecting I am not sure what that is

DattaGroover · Oct 30, 2015

Ryan35 said:
First of all I had the same problem with this drone. Funny story is as I was about to return it (literally was going to get home that day and ship it back to B and H where I got it because they told me it was a defective). Anyways 3DR just got back to me stating to unscrew the battery plate and make sure the GPS cable was connected. Sure enough it wasn't in all the way, I am not 100% sure but I think I heard a click so it means it was not in. After that the GPS worked fine but I got the same beeping pattern with the 3 beeping sounds like that. I would look into if your GPS is working correctly too because that could cause the solo from finding satellites however the controller not pairing or the app not connecting I am not sure what that is

My GPS seems fine, but thanks for the idea.
A factory reset (holding the pair button in while starting the solo) solved the communication problem. HOWEVER, it tumbled and crashed again just a few feet off the ground, even though I'd just replaced the motor 3DR support told me to.

DattaGroover · Oct 30, 2015

emulsiondown said:
they are amazing on phone. pick your bloke, stick with him and he becomes your mechanic. they want the info on what goes WRONG as much as what goes right, they really want the SOLO to be best in class.

They are and they do!