Get a Rev B GPS on BB Solos without the guesswork

[Douglas A]

If you are looking to be sure you get one of the $299 Solos with the latest GPS, I have found that the kits with the gimble installed are much later revisions and all seem to have the Rev B GPS. In addition the standard combo's will have it if your serial is at least S111A5A11171 or later in hex. The gimble installed combos with the backpack are S111A5BXXXXX which is well past the start. Very nice kit. The batteries will most likely go back down to $35 at some point as well as the props for $4. They keep switching it around.

In either case I thought this would be worth sharing for those interested in not having to mod their Solo out of the gate, or at least until you want to . The GPS lock I am getting is about 45 seconds repeatedly up to about 1 minute 15 seconds max where I am located in SE Michigan in overcast conditions (12-13 Sats in flight typical in sub optimal weather). The kits with pre-installed gimble are only available online by the way, but with free shipping, it will get to you in 2 days. Happy hunting. I have had mine for about 2 weeks now, flying at least once a day and I am having a blast. I look forward to this community and having many hours of enjoyable flight and video adventures.

Regards,

Doug

 

[MCSPDX]

Doug, what phone/tablet did you go with to fly the solo? (Shoot, my S111A5602340 appears to be below the Hex line. Thank you for the information!)

Matt

 

[Douglas A]

I have been testing with a Note5, Iphone 7+, Tab S2 8 inch, and a BB Insignia 8 inch tablet. All work well. I have to say I am most impressed with the Insignia 8 inch tablet as it is an IPS and only $59(when I got it a week ago). It needs a PolarPro or similar sunshade to work best in bright light, but its hard to turn down for the price, and it would appear that most anything needs a shade in bright sunlight. As far as the GPS goes, now that I have fussed around with several of these, as long as you get lock in a reasonable amount of time and keep it, I wouldn't worry about it. I know others have said the same, and instinctually I wanted to try it myself, and I concur. There are variances even within the rev b gps. I did find that the simplest version of the shielding upgrade is simply two strips of electrical tape and the original shield. Just a side note.

 

[tjones]

I got the Best Buy special last week for $299.00 for the Solo base with battery and controller, extra battery, Gimbal and set of extra props. My serial number is in the higher range - S111A5A11577. Took off the GPS cover and it is indeed the black PCB board with the new shield on top (copper color) so it is the Rev2 GPS in this unit. There's another thread on here saying if you have two "circles" on the box it's the Rev2 GPS installed. My box had that as well.

 

[SARDG]

I got the Best Buy special last week for $299.00 for the Solo base with battery and controller, extra battery, Gimbal and set of extra props. My serial number is in the higher range - S111A5A11577. Took off the GPS cover and it is indeed the black PCB board with the new shield on top (copper color) so it is the Rev2 GPS in this unit. There's another thread on here saying if you have two "circles" on the box it's the Rev2 GPS installed. My box had that as well.

If the GPS board is black, you have Rev B. Have never heard of, and it's very unlikely that any Solo comes from factory with Ver 2 shield - which is plastic and all black. Copper is the original shield that many refer to as Ver 1.

 

[tracor]

Thanks Douglas for creating this thread. And thanks also to tjones for the help. After reading this thread I decided to open my quad and low and behold it was the Rev A. I went to BB today and returned that platform. I told the guy I need one with S111A5A11171 or greater. No issues at all. I got a Rev B and I am happy. Like tjones mentioned, it also has the two circles.
Even if I paid $299, you want the best buck for your money, especially when the Solo is eventually going to be discontinued.

 

[Douglas A]

You are welcome. I'm glad we could help. I agree that we should all get the most for our money.

 

[tjones]

If the GPS board is black, you have Rev B. Have never heard of, and it's very unlikely that any Solo comes from factory with Ver 2 shield - which is plastic and all black. Copper is the original shield that many refer to as Ver 1.

Correct - I should have said the the shield on top of my GPS is copper.

 

[tjones]

Thanks Douglas for creating this thread. And thanks also to tjones for the help. After reading this thread I decided to open my quad and low and behold it was the Rev A. I went to BB today and returned that platform. I told the guy I need one with S111A5A11171 or greater. No issues at all. I got a Rev B and I am happy. Like tjones mentioned, it also has the two circles.
Even if I paid $299, you want the best buck for your money, especially when the Solo is eventually going to be discontinued.

Great! Glad to have helped out.

 

[JB Slimp]

Thanks Douglas for creating this thread. And thanks also to tjones for the help. After reading this thread I decided to open my quad and low and behold it was the Rev A. I went to BB today and returned that platform. I told the guy I need one with S111A5A11171 or greater. No issues at all. I got a Rev B and I am happy. Like tjones mentioned, it also has the two circles.
Even if I paid $299, you want the best buck for your money, especially when the Solo is eventually going to be discontinued.

What do you mean "two circles"?

 

[tjones]

What do you mean "two circles"?

See my post above - #4 and the photo I posted. On the outer box with the serial number and SKU there will be two circles with a PSE in one and another with some sort of T with a line over it.

 

[Skijosh]

I just got mine and it is a S111A5BXXXX

No gimbal installed.

Is this still a rev B?

 

[tjones]

I just got mine and it is a S111A5BXXXX

No gimbal installed.

Is this still a rev B?

Looks like it may be a RevB GPS - did you look at the bottom of the box and check my photo on Post 4 above showing the two "circles" that seem to also coincide with the RevB GPS units?

 

[ryanhorbal]

OK so quick question... I am new here and I just had the REVB GPS and the Solo had issues where it kept saying magnetic interference... I went to BB and swapped it out for a new one and I have REV A now. What is the difference and should I return it again?

 

[andrew.baker.142]

If she is flying well, don't return it. I'm flying the Rev A on 2 Solos just fine. I did add a 3D printed spacer between the copper shield and the bottom of the GPS antenna (instead of cardboard). Works fine. My third Solo has the upgraded M8N GPS from mRobotics and it typically gets 19+ satellites, which gives lots of confidence.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Lookin48197]

Hi Doug, I read your post and that is very helpful. I currently have 3 Solo's, 8 Batts, 2 Gimbals and a Backpack. I know my preinstalled Gimbal version with Backpack has a Rev B GPS. The other 2 are in storage and a 4th ison its way with Backpack. I hope it has Rev A as well. The 2 in storage I will check the SN to see which they have.
I too live in SE Michigan but currently not flying.Where abouts do you live maybe we can get together sometime.
Thanks for the info on the SN. I will definately check it out.
Thanks
Dave

 

[Gsolo]

Hi, what's the difference between rev a and rev b in terms of gps locking and the number of gps it finds? Thanks in advance

 

[Douglas A]

Hi Doug, I read your post and that is very helpful. I currently have 3 Solo's, 8 Batts, 2 Gimbals and a Backpack. I know my preinstalled Gimbal version with Backpack has a Rev B GPS. The other 2 are in storage and a 4th ison its way with Backpack. I hope it has Rev A as well. The 2 in storage I will check the SN to see which they have.
I too live in SE Michigan but currently not flying.Where abouts do you live maybe we can get together sometime.
Thanks for the info on the SN. I will definately check it out.
Thanks
Dave

Thanks for the kind mention Dave. I live in the southeast corner of White Lake, bordering Commerce, West Bloomfield, and Waterford.

 

[Lookin48197]

Thanks Doug, I live in south east Jackson county. I made a mistake when I mentioned the 2 in storage. I meant to say I hope they are Rev B GPS instead of A.
Thanks again. Hope to meet up with you sometime as well as anyone else in the area.

 

[beatstanfurd]

Best Buy in Dublin, CA had a couple left that had the circle markings on the label as of last night.

And hello everyone. First post and new Solo owner courtesy of Best Buy's sale.