Inching Towards First Flight

[Ken Jupiter]

I received my new Solo last week, very psyched. I believe I have successfully made the first preflight updates. Although during the update the process stalled after the controller restarted. At this point I had the "Controller Updated" with the green check display. The next step was to press the A button, so Solo can restart to complete the update. The display changed to "Waiting for Solo" per the manual, but LEDs never turned green and the controller display did not return to the takeoff screen. Eventually, the "waiting for Solo" display went black, almost like it timed out. An alert did flash across the screen that said something to the effect that Solo did not like being near metal objects. Don't know if it was due to the kitchen sink or my metal roof, but I went outside and restarted Solo. I finally got the white and red LEDs and the standard fly screen. Here are my update versions:

APP 1.3.1
Solo 1.3.0
Auto Pilot 1.2.19
Gimbal. I have not installed my gimbal yet.
Controller 1.3.0
Controller firmware 1.2.6
3DR Services 1.5.0

Does that look correct?

Also, I was asking Ludwing from 3DR why I could not select the solo menu under Setttings, turns out that Solo must be on too. Ludwing was kind enough to send me a note the next day wanting me to pair the controller to Solo. I have already spun the motors up with no props just to see if they would work. Other TX and RX that I have purchased come paired from the factory. I don't get why I have to pair them again, but I tried per his suggestion. It appears to me that I am unsuccessful trying to pair the two. I do not get the request to accept the pairing or the "Decected New Solo" display.
Any thoughts on why I need to pair?

Thanks so much for your thoughts.

 

[Chuck]

Hi Ken, and welcome to the forum. First off, all of your update versions are right on. Remember to also make sure your GoPro has the latest update for your model. If you don't already know, once you install the gimbal, don't power up without the GoPro mounted in the gimbal, since they were balanced that way. I can't answer why 3DR wanted you to pair up the Solo and controller. Maybe give them another call and talk to a different tech and see what he says. I wish you luck, and safe flying. You are going to love it!

 

[Ken Jupiter]

thank you Chuck.
I will check the GoPro version and will mount it prior to powering up. Perhaps I should have installed the gimbal and camera before I made my first updates, then uninstall it for my first flight. Not sure but I may have to repeat the update procedure. I did call 3DR back regarding the pairing and spoke with another rep. He said if the the controller and Solo are paired then one would not get the alert.

 

[LarryF]

If you got the FLY screen and can start the motors, then you don't need to pair the controller. You already are (otherwise there wouldn't be any control). Make your first few flights in a large open area away from people, trees, buildings, etc. Also keep the PAUSE button in mind. This button is your friend.

Have fun and be safe!

 

[erikgraham]

thank you Chuck.
I will check the GoPro version and will mount it prior to powering up. Perhaps I should have installed the gimbal and camera before I made my first updates, then uninstall it for my first flight. Not sure but I may have to repeat the update procedure. I did call 3DR back regarding the pairing and spoke with another rep. He said if the the controller and Solo are paired then one would not get the alert.

It's refreshing to see someone being so cautious, but I think you may be over doing it. Once you've installed the gimbal, leave it on.

 

[pyrate]

Not over doing it,
yes you can put it in the air right out of the box
You can also lose it right out of the box

Take your time, go at your pace.

 

[erikgraham]

Not over doing it,
yes you can put it in the air right out of the box
You can also lose it right out of the box

Take your time, go at your pace.

I just meant in terms of installing the gimbal and then uninstalling it.

 

[Ken Jupiter]

Thanks very much guys for you helpful suggestions. I think my approach will be to learn how to fly in fly:manual mode in close proximity before risking the gimbal and gopro4. Don't think it will take too long because I have been practicing with my Blade 180 for a year or so.

I have been reading a couple of threads regarding taking off and landing. Landing seemed to draw the most discussion, not surprising I guess. I came away with the impression that one should consider landing in fly:manual versus fly mode. That way one has control all the way down without the risk of losing gps lock and potentially encounter radical movement close to the ground which may be difficult to correct. For takeoff obtain a solid gps lock to establish home point. Arm the motors either with left stick down and right, or using he fly button. Take off in fly mode with the left stick or use the fly button.

A 3DR rep told me that if once selects a mode, like fly:manual, after the motors are armed the home point is erased. That would take away the RTH. Perhaps I misunderstood, but can anyone confirm that?

Thanks again

 

[erikgraham]

Thanks very much guys for you helpful suggestions. I think my approach will be to learn how to fly in fly:manual mode in close proximity before risking the gimbal and gopro4. Don't think it will take too long because I have been practicing with my Blade 180 for a year or so.

I have been reading a couple of threads regarding taking off and landing. Landing seemed to draw the most discussion, not surprising I guess. I came away with the impression that one should consider landing in fly:manual versus fly mode. That way one has control all the way down without the risk of losing gps lock and potentially encounter radical movement close to the ground which may be difficult to correct. For takeoff obtain a solid gps lock to establish home point. Arm the motors either with left stick down and right, or using he fly button. Take off in fly mode with the left stick or use the fly button.

A 3DR rep told me that if once selects a mode, like fly:manual, after the motors are armed the home point is erased. That would take away the RTH. Perhaps I misunderstood, but can anyone confirm that?

Thanks again

It's good you've been practicing with the Blade 180. However I do not think you should start off in Fly:Manual. I also do not advise landing in Fly:Manual. This is far more likely to result in a flip and damaged props.

You should fly in a very wide open space with a solid GPS signal. You should keep it in "Fly" (i.e. GPS mode).

You should land "manually" only in the sense that you do not use the Solo automatic landing function which can result in bouncing. Instead, while in FLY mode with GPS assistance, you bring the Solo to the ground carefully using the sticks, and once it's down you hold down the left stick until the motors automatically shut off. You are landing "manually" but you are in FLY mode with GPS assistance the whole time.

If you try to land in FLY:Manual, you will need to actively maintain horizantal position the whole way down.

So land manually, but not in Fly:Manual. I know that's confusing, but I hope you follow what I'm saying because even the slightest wind will make the Solo drift in Fly:Manual. If it drifts at the moment of touch down, it will drag a leg and flip.

Once you have some experience flying the Solo in FLY mode (I.e. GPS assisted), then you can enable the advanced flight settings and practice with Fly:Manual. There is a reason Fly:Manual is considered an advanced flight mode, so don't second guess 3DRs wisdom on that. Keep it in FLY mode and just make sure you do your first flights in a very wide open space where you will have a good GPS signal.

Later, when you have some flight hours under your belt and for some reason you feel you must take off from a difficult location with poor GPS, then you can use FLY:Manual. For example, you may want to take off from a small clearing in a forest where the sorounding trees block your GPS. The procedure in that situation is to take off in Fly:Manual, get altitude quickly so the Solo gets a clear view of the sky and gets GPS lock, and then click FLY to switch to FLY (GPS assisted) as soon as the Solo notifies you it has GPS lock. This is definitely not recommended. I had to do it a few months ago from the base of a cliff in Iceland. I've done it on hikes. But it can be very harry. Ideally you'll never have to take off or land in Fly:Manual.

With previous 3DR drones, like the Iris+ we did in fact recommend that taking off and landing in full manual was the best approach, but that is not the case with the Solo.