Tower & Android

[Flying Squirrel]

Ok ... Forgive the Mac user

I want to try Tower ... Please verify I understand the technology...

I need an Android tablet - I am considering the Google Nexus 9

I also need a 3DR radio 433MHz and 3DR OTG cable?

I'm fuzzy on exactly how I am connecting to Solo ... via 433MHz?

Will video still feed via Wifi?

Thank in advance

 

[Raybro]

The only thing you need is an Android device. As far as video, some are switching to the Solo app from Tower to get the video. I have connected an HDMI cable to the controller then to my Black Pearl monitor and getting video that way while staying in the Tower app on my Samsung tablet.

You are connecting using SoloLink. In Tower you select UDP while the device is connected to SoloLink.

 

[JLJ]

can you record from the tower app with an Android?

The only thing you need is an Android device. As far as video, some are switching to the Solo app from Tower to get the video. I have connected an HDMI cable to the controller then to my Black Pearl monitor and getting video that way while staying in the Tower app on my Samsung tablet.

You are connecting using SoloLink. In Tower you select UDP while the device is connected to SoloLink.

 

[cbs]

The only thing you need is an Android device. As far as video, some are switching to the Solo app from Tower to get the video. I have connected an HDMI cable to the controller then to my Black Pearl monitor and getting video that way while staying in the Tower app on my Samsung tablet.

You are connecting using SoloLink. In Tower you select UDP while the device is connected to SoloLink.

How do you have the monitor setup? On a stand? Any photos of the setup? Sounds interesting.

 

[erikgraham]

You do not need to get the Mavlink antennas. Those are used by 3DR drones like the Iris+.

Instead, you will connect to the Solo using wifi. Basically just connect you android device to the same Sololink wifi as you do with the Solo app on your iPhone/iPad.

In fact, you can continue to use the Solo app on your iPhone or iPad while simultaneously using Tower on an android phone/tablet. You can use the Solo app for the live stream and smart shots while monitoring the map in Tower. You can run complex way point missions from Tower, pause midway, use the Solo app to do a smart shot or two, then resume the mission back in the Tower app.

I think that either a phone or a 7 inch tablet is the best call for Tower. On my 9 inch Nexus I don't really see much more because the UI just gets scaled up. It is better for planning missions, but in the field I only carry a phone. The tablet is too big.

 

[Earldgrayjr]

Any Tower experts here? I tried Tower tonight and had problems.... Looking for some instruction...

I downloaded, installed, and set up the app and was able to connect with no problems. I connedted and set up a simple spline mission with a squiggly line, and about 11 waypoints, all at the defaults at 66 ft high and downloaded it to the Solo. It asked if I wanted to add a takeoff and landing and so I did,

I armed the machine and started the mission and things went wrong from there...The Solo started bouncing up and down quickly and eventually flipped, while keeping the motors riunning.

I tried the controller, Solo app, and Tower and I couldn't figure out hpw to shut it off. I picked it up and held it while it was trying to fly. Eventually I got it shut down, and minus some props it is OK..I "thought" I understoof Tower, but it looks like I am missing something

Anybody will and able to help a bit regarding using it in Solo?

 

[Raybro]

How do you have the monitor setup? On a stand? Any photos of the setup? Sounds interesting.

The Black Pearl monitor is mounted to a tripod. It has an HDMI port on it which I connect to the controller. I bought an HDMI to HDMI micro cable for that purpose. I was going to use the monitor with Solo when i do Tower missions so I can have the waypoint map on my tablet and the fpv video on the monitor.
I actually use the monitor with my Phantom 2 for fpv.

 

[Raybro]

Any Tower experts here? I tried Tower tonight and had problems.... Looking for some instruction...

I downloaded, installed, and set up the app and was able to connect with no problems. I connedted and set up a simple spline mission with a squiggly line, and about 11 waypoints, all at the defaults at 66 ft high and downloaded it to the Solo. It asked if I wanted to add a takeoff and landing and so I did,

I armed the machine and started the mission and things went wrong from there...The Solo started bouncing up and down quickly and eventually flipped, while keeping the motors riunning.

I tried the controller, Solo app, and Tower and I couldn't figure out hpw to shut it off. I picked it up and held it while it was trying to fly. Eventually I got it shut down, and minus some props it is OK..I "thought" I understoof Tower, but it looks like I am missing something

Anybody will and able to help a bit regarding using it in Solo?

I have not tried it with appending a takeoff and land. I usually skip that. I do place a landing waypoint as the last but when it starts to land I hit pause and land manually.

 

[Jubalr]

Any Tower experts here? I tried Tower tonight and had problems.... Looking for some instruction...

I downloaded, installed, and set up the app and was able to connect with no problems. I connedted and set up a simple spline mission with a squiggly line, and about 11 waypoints, all at the defaults at 66 ft high and downloaded it to the Solo. It asked if I wanted to add a takeoff and landing and so I did,

I armed the machine and started the mission and things went wrong from there...The Solo started bouncing up and down quickly and eventually flipped, while keeping the motors riunning.

I tried the controller, Solo app, and Tower and I couldn't figure out hpw to shut it off. I picked it up and held it while it was trying to fly. Eventually I got it shut down, and minus some props it is OK..I "thought" I understoof Tower, but it looks like I am missing something

Anybody will and able to help a bit regarding using it in Solo?

Earl, in your first paragraph you say you made the missing then 'downloaded' it to Solo. From the menu you need to select 'upload'. I generally manually takeoff/land but have the land waypoint assigned. But I take over after completing the mission and on it's way back.

 

[DodgeP]

The up and down thing sounds like interference and most likely has nothing to with the Tower app. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding of how Tower works with Solo... UDP, Upload, Download, Arm, Dronie... all terms that may need to be googled prior to just downloading Tower and thinking it will just work.

 

[Earldgrayjr]

The up and down thing sounds like interference and most likely has nothing to with the Tower app. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding of how Tower works with Solo... UDP, Upload, Download, Arm, Dronie... all terms that may need to be googled prior to just downloading Tower and thinking it will just work.

I understand "UDP, Upload, Download, Arm, Dronie" as well as creating missions, waypoints with altitude, delays, speed, etc. I don't see how "interference" would cause what I saw... The waypoints uploaded without any issues, and I the Solo app was connected. 3DR services was fine, and the Solo showed GPS lock...

Can you explain what you mean by "interference" being the possible cause??

 

[Earldgrayjr]

Earl, in your first paragraph you say you made the missing then 'downloaded' it to Solo. From the menu you need to select 'upload'. I generally manually takeoff/land but have the land waypoint assigned. But I take over after completing the mission and on it's way back.

Yes... bad choice of words. Upload to.. Download from. The waypoints went from the Tower app to the Solo and were ackowledged as ariving by the lady with the nice voice

So, It sounds like you don't have a takeoff event, and start the mission after manual takeoff with controller?

 

[DodgeP]

Interference as in WiFi interference or any other interference. I'm just saying that even when using Tower, you're still susceptible to the same issues you might face if flying just using the Solo App.

 

[Earldgrayjr]

Interference as in WiFi interference or any other interference. I'm just saying that even when using Tower, you're still susceptible to the same issues you might face if flying just using the Solo App.

I still don't understand. The Solo is the WiFi hotspot. The waypoints are uploaded to it (actually the PixHawk2 in it) and from there it uses GPS as well as other internal sensors....

Forgetting for a moment that I was 4 ft away.... And the Solo app was connected with no problems....If I lost communication to it, it would RTH, but that still doesn't explain the behavior.

I also use the Wifi analyser, and while there are some signals around, the Sololink is by far the strongest, and I have not seen any issues in the same place (before and after) using just the Solo app. I am fairly sure there is no Wifi problem.

My bet is that I am doing something wrong with the actual mission, and the Solo is just ignoring me after the mission starts, until it is complete, or I shut it down.

The question is what.... I am doing wrong...

I see a lot of video out on youtube of people using Tower with other craft, and going through features, and also some tutorials (including on 3DR) that go through "some" of the steps, but as of yet, I haven't found an all inclusive step by step tutorial for the Solo that explains every step that one could follow to create a mission and fly it..

I also remember seeing someone talking about a "simulated mission" and am VERY curious about that. Simulating a mission might show me what I am doing wrong, and save me some propellers in the process

 

[David Weston]

Try this approach:


PRE-Flight Check List for Tower


Tab s ON

Controller ON

SOLO ON

TAB S Connected to SOLO YES

SOLO APP ON

FLY SOLO YES

GOPRO Camera ON

Video Feed YES

3DR Services Start YES

TOWER Start YES

MAP and GPS Location ON YES

TOWER to EDITOR YES

IMPORT Mission Select Mission

TOWER CONNECT YES

Upload Mission

Have WP’s been saved? YES

Switch TOWER to Flight Data YES

Start SOLO to Idle YES

Have WP’s Been Received? Yes

Is Tower Menu available YES

(HOME, AUTO, LAND, etc)

Ready for flight

 

[David Weston]

This works well for me every time. Make sure you go through every step and confirm.

If you are hitting "ARM" youre gonna have trouble.

 

[cbs]

The Black Pearl monitor is mounted to a tripod. It has an HDMI port on it which I connect to the controller. I bought an HDMI to HDMI micro cable for that purpose. I was going to use the monitor with Solo when i do Tower missions so I can have the waypoint map on my tablet and the fpv video on the monitor.
I actually use the monitor with my Phantom 2 for fpv.

What do you do to mount it on your tripod? 1/4" hole?

 

[Raybro]

What do you do to mount it on your tripod? 1/4" hole?

The monitor is fitted with a standard tripod mount.

 

[Flying Squirrel]

Smart guys ... thanks for all the replies!

 

[Earldgrayjr]

Try this approach:


PRE-Flight Check List for Tower


Tab s ON

Controller ON

SOLO ON

TAB S Connected to SOLO YES

SOLO APP ON

FLY SOLO YES

GOPRO Camera ON

Video Feed YES

3DR Services Start YES

TOWER Start YES

MAP and GPS Location ON YES

TOWER to EDITOR YES

IMPORT Mission Select Mission

TOWER CONNECT YES

Upload Mission

Have WP’s been saved? YES

Switch TOWER to Flight Data YES

Start SOLO to Idle YES

Have WP’s Been Received? Yes

Is Tower Menu available YES

(HOME, AUTO, LAND, etc)

Ready for flight

Great list! For some reason I am being slow on this one though. If I don't arm it, how do I fly the mission?

I did arm it, so what trouble do you get doing that? Curious if the trouble is what I was seeing.

I don't suppose I could get you to elaborate on the actions after the waypoints are received? I understand The details up to that point. It is after that where I am shaky.

I certainly would appreciate it.