3DR Solo App Force Closes

[Ewokie88]

Ok after upgrading my Pixel 2 XL Smartphone to Android P

Whenever I open the Solo app it force closes only when wifi is on/enabled?
Only way I can open the app is by switching off wifi but as soon as back on again it force closes

Is there an apk for Solo 2.4.2 itself?

Have tried clearing defaults and uninstalling with no luck

Anyone know of a workaround?

Thanks

 

[IrishmanPDX]

Try using Solex. The Solo App is no longer supported or updated by 3DR and it's never going to be updated at this point.

 

[ljheinen]

I have the same issue with my Galaxy S10+. If I got Solex, will I be able to do the calibrations?

 

[IrishmanPDX]

Both phones probably got upgraded to the latest version of Android which the original Solo App doesn't appear to run very well on ( if at all). Your only option at this point would be to use Solex. Solex allows you to do the calibrations but I cannot make any promises on your ability to perform them. I mean for all I know you may not have any arms and are trying to pick up the Solo with your feet. This may not be conducive to having a reliable good calibration. I mean I'm sure you have very talented feet (what with having no arms and all) and if you can do it, you're a true inspiration to us armed and armless alike but I've just not personally witnessed armless people trying to calibrate their solo. Now if you have a trained assistant (whether that be human or a monkey of some sort) they may be able to assist you with the calibration. This would stop you getting toe marks all over your drone (and stop it from smelling like feet)......

To sum up....... Solex is far far better than the 3DR app, gives you a lot more options and allows you to perform calibrations. It's what you should be using.

Good luck and good foot health!

 

[Lovesdunes]

Both phones probably got upgraded to the latest version of Android which the original Solo App doesn't appear to run very well on ( if at all). Your only option at this point would be to use Solex. Solex allows you to do the calibrations but I cannot make any promises on your ability to perform them. I mean for all I know you may not have any arms and are trying to pick up the Solo with your feet. This may not be conducive to having a reliable good calibration. I mean I'm sure you have very talented feet (what with having no arms and all) and if you can do it, you're a true inspiration to us armed and armless alike but I've just not personally witnessed armless people trying to calibrate their solo. Now if you have a trained assistant (whether that be human or a monkey of some sort) they may be able to assist you with the calibration. This would stop you getting toe marks all over your drone (and stop it from smelling like feet)......

To sum up....... Solex is far far better than the 3DR app, gives you a lot more options and allows you to perform calibrations. It's what you should be using.

Good luck and good foot health!

LMAO That was funny.


I just bought another Solo and unfortunately I can not get past the "preflight update" since my Android does not want to run the 3DR Solo App.

I guess I should rephrase that. My Note 9 will run the Solo App if I have it on airplane mode with the Wifi turned off. The Solo App wants to download the updates from my phone to the controller, but to do this it wants me to turn on Wifi so my phone will connect to the controller. As soon as I turn on Wifi the Solo App is forced to close.

I used the Solex App with my previous Solo drone and Note 4 and love how it functions. It seems I can't even get past the preflight update unless I use the Solo App?

 

[IrishmanPDX]

Maybe........... AGES ago I ran a test where I had a solo and a transmitter rebooted back to factory settings. I paired the drone to the controller and it asked for the preflight update. I then open Solex, it detected the controller and drone (but wouldn't operate them of course due to the preflight update screen). However what I did manage to do was upload the Open Solo Firmware to both the drone and controller and I was in business. Will it work for you? Was it a once off for me? Who knows...

There are of course other ways to update your Solo to Open Solo of course, I just prefer the simplest method possible.

 

[Lovesdunes]

Maybe........... AGES ago I ran a test where I had a solo and a transmitter rebooted back to factory settings. I paired the drone to the controller and it asked for the preflight update. I then open Solex, it detected the controller and drone (but wouldn't operate them of course due to the preflight update screen). However what I did manage to do was upload the Open Solo Firmware to both the drone and controller and I was in business. Will it work for you? Was it a once off for me? Who knows...

There are of course other ways to update your Solo to Open Solo of course, I just prefer the simplest method possible.

Works for me. Well, I hope it will. Now it's time to read about Open Solo Firmware. Thanks.

 

[Lovesdunes]

Maybe........... AGES ago I ran a test where I had a solo and a transmitter rebooted back to factory settings. I paired the drone to the controller and it asked for the preflight update. I then open Solex, it detected the controller and drone (but wouldn't operate them of course due to the preflight update screen). However what I did manage to do was upload the Open Solo Firmware to both the drone and controller and I was in business. Will it work for you? Was it a once off for me? Who knows...

There are of course other ways to update your Solo to Open Solo of course, I just prefer the simplest method possible.

After a whole bunch of reading yesterday I discovered I don't understand this stuff nearly enough to make the Open Solo thing happen.

I was able to keep my Note 4 running long enough to get past the Preflight Update problem and now all my other newer devises are able to run the Solo with the Solex ap. All is good again. I will work on the Open Solo later hopefully after I understand things a little bit better.

Thanks again IrishmanPDX

 

[IrishmanPDX]

After a whole bunch of reading yesterday I discovered I don't understand this stuff nearly enough to make the Open Solo thing happen.

I was able to keep my Note 4 running long enough to get past the Preflight Update problem and now all my other newer devises are able to run the Solo with the Solex ap. All is good again. I will work on the Open Solo later hopefully after I understand things a little bit better.

Thanks again IrishmanPDX

Well if it's of any help, Open Solo is a new and improved operating system (if you will) for your drone. With Solex, upgrading is as easy as downloading 2 packages (one for your drone, one for your controller) and hitting "install". I have all 5 birds running Open Solo now and the main advantage for you at this point will be the fact you can reset your drone and never have the "preflight update required" screen ever again. There are also many improvements in Open Solo such as improved landing detection, improved RTL and many more.

 

[Lovesdunes]

Well if it's of any help, Open Solo is a new and improved operating system (if you will) for your drone. With Solex, upgrading is as easy as downloading 2 packages (one for your drone, one for your controller) and hitting "install". I have all 5 birds running Open Solo now and the main advantage for you at this point will be the fact you can reset your drone and never have the "preflight update required" screen ever again. There are also many improvements in Open Solo such as improved landing detection, improved RTL and many more.

I definitely want to do the Open Solo. It sounds great to get away from having to deal with anything 3DR. The instructions I was following are not written very well, and since I don't really understand everything I was not able to read between the lines.

Detailed Open Solo Install Using The Solex App

Are there better instructions to follow?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

I definitely want to do the Open Solo. It sounds great to get away from having to deal with anything 3DR. The instructions I was following are not written very well, and since I don't really understand everything I was not able to read between the lines.

Detailed Open Solo Install Using The Solex App

Are there better instructions to follow?

No there are not, those are the instructions that everyone follows without issue. There's nothing to read in between. What is the problem?

 

[IrishmanPDX]

I definitely want to do the Open Solo. It sounds great to get away from having to deal with anything 3DR. The instructions I was following are not written very well, and since I don't really understand everything I was not able to read between the lines.

Detailed Open Solo Install Using The Solex App

Are there better instructions to follow?

Yeah, I kinda have to agree with Pedals2Paddles on this one.... the instructions are easy, simple and offer the most straightforward way to install open Solo anyone could ask for. Still if it's a bit overwhelming for you because you're new at things that's fine. Just keep flying and having fun with your drone! Oh and post pics and video!

 

[Lovesdunes]

No there are not, those are the instructions that everyone follows without issue. There's nothing to read in between. What is the problem?

Interesting. Like I already mentioned, I'm new to this Open Solo thing, but there are quite a few things that make no sense to lots of us here in the dunes. Maybe it's all the sand getting in our eyes.

Like Irishman said, I'm just going to keep flying and having fun. I'll figure out the Open Solo stuff later if the drone stops working again.

 

[Lovesdunes]

Yeah, I kinda have to agree with Pedals2Paddles on this one.... the instructions are easy, simple and offer the most straightforward way to install open Solo anyone could ask for. Still if it's a bit overwhelming for you because you're new at things that's fine. Just keep flying and having fun with your drone! Oh and post pics and video!

It's all good. I spent a few hours trying to understand, but there are too many questions. Since nobody else has any problems I obviously am the slow one. LMAO. I just want to go play in the dunes and use the drone to help record things.

 

[IrishmanPDX]

Don't worry about not understanding things, this is where you can come for answers. In fact I've come up with a little bullet point response to your questions to help you increase your understanding.

1. Download packages: If you haven't recently downloaded the latest files, you will need to do this first. Where are the latest files? Download to my phone or my computer?
   Actually what is written below are the instructions on how to get the latest files. Also let’s use a little common sense and see if you can answer one of your own questions. If Solex in an Android app and it controls your drone via an Android device, do you think you’ll be using Solex to download the files to your Android device or to your computer? I’ll give you a clue, which word popped up the most in the above… “Android”… or “Windows PC”.
2. • First connect your mobile device to the Solo's WiFi and open Solex. OK See? You’re getting the hang of this already!
   • Allow Solex to connect to the Solo and download parameters. Solex sees the drone. What is downloading parameters? The drone is downloading parameters or Solex is downloading parameters? This happens automatically or I click a button somewhere? Well, taking into account the more common and familiar understanding of the word “Drone”, one would think of something that is unable to function without direction from someone else. So do you think that a “drone” is going to download parameters or do you think that the person who controls the drone is going to download parameters? It’s another one of those simple logic questions. To increase your understanding let me tell you what happens when you connect your drone to Solex. When you connect Solex to your drone the very first thing that happens, before you can access any of the buttons in Solex, is you see a message saying “Downloading parameters”. This means that Solex is reading information from your drone so it knows what settings your drone has and more importantly, what software it is running. It must make this connection first, or you will not see the firmware updates menu. This is how Solex determines it is connected to a Solo and no some other type of drone.
   • Make sure you have Advanced Mode checked in the Solex application settings menu, or you will not see the firmware updates menu. It Is. Well Done!
   • Switch your mobile device WiFi over to your home WiFi as you will need high speed internet to download. Download What? From Where? Well let’s think about this one for a second. These are instructions for installing OPEN SOLO via SOLEX. Now when you think about installing something, that usually means you have to have something to install, a file if you will. So considering you already have Solex and you’re reading instructions for installing OPEN SOLO… what do you think it is you’re going to be downloading. What FILE for install could we possibly be talking about? Windows 95 installation file? The Simpsons Screen Saver File? Or the Open Solo file? Again, the answer is probably somewhere in the instructions that you’re reading.
   • With your device connected to the internet, go into the Solex Firmware Updates menu. When the device is not connected to Solo the Solex Firmware Updates button is not even visible. Well, if you had been following the instructions above, once Solex had downloaded the parameters from your Drone, the Firmware Updates menu would be visible when you connected to the internet. After all, Solex needs to read the parameters from your drone to make sure it shows you what relevant software is available for your drone. Otherwise there would be all sorts of update packages available and all sorts of trouble a person could get into.
   • Press the clean up button, then the refresh button to make sure you're seeing the latest files. What clean up button? Refresh button? In the Firmware Updates menu there are two buttons visible. One is “Clean up”. I feel it’s a redundant point to say that other one is “Refresh”.
   • Download the Open Solo Clean Install packages (solo and controller) by tapping the packages. Available will change to downloaded once complete. The installation packages are ~80MB each, so it will take a little longer to download than you may be used to. Download from where? This makes no sense. Well if we once again refer to the whole point of these instructions, it’s installing Open Solo Via Solex. In fact this whole bullet point section that you copied is entitled “Download packages”. It’s almost as if these are instructions telling you what to download and how to download them. In fact, gasp shock horror! This very bullet point actually says the names of the packages! “Download the Open Solo Clean Install packages (solo and controller)” Sheer co-incidence? I think not!
   • If you have the HERE GPS or retractable landing gear mods, also download those parameter packages. Retractable landing gear sounds interesting. IT IS!
   • You do not need the ArduCopter parameter package or the ArduCopter firmware package for this process. OK OK! I feel you’re grasping this already and are only a few steps away from being a master solo tinkerer!

Anyway, all of the above isn't worth paying attention to if you're just having fun flying your drone about. The only reason to install Open Solo would be to never ever again have the issue with "Preflight Update Needed". After all, the 3DR app is working on less and less phones now (since it's never ever going to be updated) and eventually the 3DR servers will be taken offline and the "preflight update" will not be available.

To keep your drone happy and flying, I would definitely take a look at the battery modification instructions. In case you don't know, there are no new batteries available for the 3DR solo (those on sale are years old) and eventually all batteries are going to give up and die. So thankfully there's instructions on how to modify an existing battery pack to work with the solo and just requires some simple DIY.

Good luck and happy flying and post some pics and video!

 

[Lovesdunes]

LOL Your reply is awesome. Thanks for the laugh.



Don't worry about not understanding things, this is where you can come for answers. In fact I've come up with a little bullet point response to your questions to help you increase your understanding.

1. Download packages: If you haven't recently downloaded the latest files, you will need to do this first. Where are the latest files? Download to my phone or my computer?
   Actually what is written below are the instructions on how to get the latest files. Also let’s use a little common sense and see if you can answer one of your own questions. If Solex in an Android app and it controls your drone via an Android device, do you think you’ll be using Solex to download the files to your Android device or to your computer? I’ll give you a clue, which word popped up the most in the above… “Android”… or “Windows PC”. OK Solex is going to download files to my phone. Could go to the computer too and easily transfer them over if needed, but lets not over complicate things. There is still no mention of where to get files.
   • First connect your mobile device to the Solo's WiFi and open Solex. OK See? You’re getting the hang of this already! Yep
   • Allow Solex to connect to the Solo and download parameters. Solex sees the drone. What is downloading parameters? The drone is downloading parameters or Solex is downloading parameters? This happens automatically or I click a button somewhere? Well, taking into account the more common and familiar understanding of the word “Drone”, one would think of something that is unable to function without direction from someone else. So do you think that a “drone” is going to download parameters or do you think that the person who controls the drone is going to download parameters? It’s another one of those simple logic questions. To increase your understanding let me tell you what happens when you connect your drone to Solex. When you connect Solex to your drone the very first thing that happens, before you can access any of the buttons in Solex, is you see a message saying “Downloading parameters”. This means that Solex is reading information from your drone so it knows what settings your drone has and more importantly, what software it is running. HaHa funny you mention that the person who controls the drone is going to download the parameters and then you say Solex does automatically. But who cares, it's a funny read. It must make this connection first, or you will not see the firmware updates menu. This is how Solex determines it is connected to a Solo and no some other type of drone.
   • Make sure you have Advanced Mode checked in the Solex application settings menu, or you will not see the firmware updates menu. It Is. Well Done! It happens
   • Switch your mobile device WiFi over to your home WiFi as you will need high speed internet to download. Download What? From Where? Well let’s think about this one for a second. These are instructions for installing OPEN SOLO via SOLEX. Now when you think about installing something, that usually means you have to have something to install, a file if you will. So considering you already have Solex and you’re reading instructions for installing OPEN SOLO… what do you think it is you’re going to be downloading. What FILE for install could we possibly be talking about? Windows 95 installation file? The Simpsons Screen Saver File? Or the Open Solo file? Again, the answer is probably somewhere in the instructions that you’re reading. I know, I was trying to download an Open Solo file. That is why I started reading the instructions. The instructions that make no mention of where to get the files. There was a Windows 95?
   • With your device connected to the internet, go into the Solex Firmware Updates menu. When the device is not connected to Solo the Solex Firmware Updates button is not even visible. Well, if you had been following the instructions above, once Solex had downloaded the parameters from your Drone, the Firmware Updates menu would be visible when you connected to the internet. After all, Solex needs to read the parameters from your drone to make sure it shows you what relevant software is available for your drone. Otherwise there would be all sorts of update packages available and all sorts of trouble a person could get into. That makes sense. Solex automatically downloads the parameters. The person controlling the drone does not.
   • Press the clean up button, then the refresh button to make sure you're seeing the latest files. What clean up button? Refresh button? In the Firmware Updates menu there are two buttons visible. One is “Clean up”. I feel it’s a redundant point to say that other one is “Refresh”. OK Great. Those buttons are only visible when the Firmware Updates button is not greyed out.
   • Download the Open Solo Clean Install packages (solo and controller) by tapping the packages. Available will change to downloaded once complete. The installation packages are ~80MB each, so it will take a little longer to download than you may be used to. Download from where? This makes no sense. Well if we once again refer to the whole point of these instructions, it’s installing Open Solo Via Solex. In fact this whole bullet point section that you copied is entitled “Download packages”. It’s almost as if these are instructions telling you what to download and how to download them. In fact, gasp shock horror! This very bullet point actually says the names of the packages! “Download the Open Solo Clean Install packages (solo and controller)” Sheer co-incidence? I think not! Never questioned the names of the files, only where to find them. Still don't know.
   • If you have the HERE GPS or retractable landing gear mods, also download those parameter packages. Retractable landing gear sounds interesting. IT IS!
   • You do not need the ArduCopter parameter package or the ArduCopter firmware package for this process. OK OK! I feel you’re grasping this already and are only a few steps away from being a master solo tinkerer! Nah. Just looking to maintain the photo crew.

Anyway, all of the above isn't worth paying attention to if you're just having fun flying your drone about. The only reason to install Open Solo would be to never ever again have the issue with "Preflight Update Needed". After all, the 3DR app is working on less and less phones now (since it's never ever going to be updated) and eventually the 3DR servers will be taken offline and the "preflight update" will not be available. I'll worry about finding the secret hidden Open Solo files then. Until then I'll just keep flying.



To keep your drone happy and flying, I would definitely take a look at the battery modification instructions. In case you don't know, there are no new batteries available for the 3DR solo (those on sale are years old) and eventually all batteries are going to give up and die. So thankfully there's instructions on how to modify an existing battery pack to work with the solo and just requires some simple DIY.

LMAO Modifying the batteries was easy. I did not know there were instructions on how to.

Good luck and happy flying and post some pics and video!

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

If you are posting these questions as a joke, ha ha. Cute.

If you are actually serious about these questions, then I suggest you do not ever attempt to use Open Solo. There are actually many extremely dumb people that have managed to follow these basic, simple, obvious instructions on the first try without fail. But the bar can only be set so low, and it is apparently just not for you. Frankly, I doubt you should be flying any UAS based on this, since it is unlikely someone this dense could possibly operate it safely.

 

[Lovesdunes]

If you are posting these questions as a joke, ha ha. Cute.

If you are actually serious about these questions, then I suggest you do not ever attempt to use Open Solo. There are actually many extremely dumb people that have managed to follow these basic, simple, obvious instructions on the first try without fail. But the bar can only be set so low, and it is apparently just not for you. Frankly, I doubt you should be flying any UAS based on this, since it is unlikely someone this dense could possibly operate it safely.

LMAO Yep you figured me out.

 

[DJMc]

So...just to be clear....you're saying Matt's second explanation is spot on?

 

[IrishmanPDX]

I feel there was one reply to the bullet points that I cannot leave and have to address immediately...

"There was a Windows 95? "
Yes there was a Windows 95, in fact, I even had the edition "Now with USB support!" which was great since at the time everyone was asking "What the hell is a USB"?.

For those of us who want a trip down memory lane there was also Windows CE, Windows ME and Windows NT, which when combined were really as dumb as a brick. Ah Windows Millenium, the operating system that became worse and worse the more you installed the Windows updates...

So.... Who had a Voodoo Graphics card or a Sound Blaster 16?