Autopilot Firmware Upgrade from 1.3.1 to 1.5.3

[Craig L. Johnson - USMC]

I notice that these posts are old. is it ok now to update the original firmware on solo with 1.5.3?

 

[Craig L. Johnson - USMC]

what firmware update should I be using on my original solo?

 

[carpy]

I notice that these posts are old. is it ok now to update the original firmware on solo with 1.5.3?

Yes, 1.5.3.

 

[tjones]

Go Open Solo - 3DR is not going to release anything new it appears. At least get on the train of a potential future. If you can afford it go Green Cube.

 

[Craig L. Johnson - USMC]

Ok

 

[Craig L. Johnson - USMC]

For now I will go ahead and update both of my solo to 1.5.3

 

[dneelands]

For now I will go ahead and update both of my solo to 1.5.3

Just to be clear, OpenSolo on a stock bird is 1.5.3. It it simply a slightly different delivery method than the beginning of this thread and sets the stage for support from and participation in our community. Solo is no longer commercially supported but is enjoying more support than ever from the greater community.

I had a stock and a nearly stock (HERE GPS and compass) solo on 1.5.3 but I did the Opensolo install so that I am ready for green cubes and so that when small performance gains and enhancements are eked out of the stock setup I can enjoy them.

In short if you want 1.5.3 opensolo is the correct way to obtain it.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

I've rebuilt this to include the correct parameter values that you used to have to change manually. It's now in the Open Solo github, and I called it version 1.5.4.
Releases · OpenSolo/ardupilot-solo · GitHub

The current beta of Open Solo also includes 1.5.3 and I made some scripts on the companion computer that change the parameter on load. The next version of Open Solo will include 1.5.4.

 

[9Franko9]

How does this differ from the Solex app?

 

[DJMc]

How does this differ from the Solex app?

The app is on your tablet/phone (Android for 'Solex').

'OpenSolo' is an update to the firmware on the Solo and the controller - it started based around the 1.5.3 (the 3DR Sites can firmware) but has been developed and tuned beyond that now (many many thanks due Pedal2Paddles).

Using Solex is the simplest most reliable way way to deliver Open Solo using your Android device.

Lots of info on exactly how earlier in this thread.

 

[9Franko9]

Roger that, So buy the Solex app for my android phone (Note 4) and then when my bird comes in, I follow the instructions on the first page and update my firmware (Copter and Transmitter). Is that pretty much it?

 

[DJMc]

I would buy 'Solex' if you want the simplest option, yep - Solo app is free of course.

Check out the 'Solex' thread for all the other benefits of Solex. No commercial interests here BTW, just a very happy user.

 

[DJMc]

You don't absolutely have to do any of this of course - use the Solo 'as is' is perfectly fine - just lots of additional 'awesomeness' available via OpenSolo & Solex.

 

[9Franko9]

Ya, I'll probably try it out "stock" first and then progress. I've only had toy copters up until now. Thanks for the info

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

You're confusing numerous things.

Solex is an app for you Android device that you can use as an alternative to the 3DR app. It has nothing to do with firmware, ArduCopter, or Open Solo.

The firmware discussed in this thread is the ArduCopter Firmware for one component of the several components inside the Solo. Specifically the autopilot itself, the Pixhawk.

Open Solo is a complete firmware upgrade for all the hardware in the Solo and the controller. It happens to include the ArduCopter firmware in this thread.

 

[9Franko9]

You're confusing numerous things.

Solex is an app for you Android device that you can use as an alternative to the 3DR app. It has nothing to do with firmware, ArduCopter, or Open Solo.

The firmware discussed in this thread is the ArduCopter Firmware for one component of the several components inside the Solo. Specifically the autopilot itself, the Pixhawk.

Open Solo is a complete firmware upgrade for all the hardware in the Solo and the controller. It happens to include the ArduCopter firmware in this thread.

Thank you for the great explanation [emoji106]

 

[FJRPilot]

I've rebuilt this to include the correct parameter values that you used to have to change manually. It's now in the Open Solo github, and I called it version 1.5.4.
Releases · OpenSolo/ardupilot-solo · GitHub

The current beta of Open Solo also includes 1.5.3 and I made some scripts on the companion computer that change the parameter on load. The next version of Open Solo will include 1.5.4.

Is there a gold image of 1.5.3 or 1.5.4 available to flash directly onto the memory cards in Solo and the controller?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Is there a gold image of 1.5.3 or 1.5.4 available to flash directly onto the memory cards in Solo and the controller?

That's not how it works.

 

[JBAlaska]

Think of a laptop, they have a recovery partition with a fresh OS, so on the Solo you write the image to the recovery partition, then you do a factory restore and it restores to the new image [emoji6]

 

[FJRPilot]

That's not how it works.[/QUOTE

Sorry if that was a dumb question, I have been struggling with SD card corruption and recently flashed the cards to factory defaults. While it did involve taking the cards out of the copter and controller, it did reset both devices to factory defaults. I was hoping that the same process might be eventually supported for OpenSolo. I appreciate all the information you share and do for the Solo community.