Calibration Error: Please restart Solo...

[Dave Tolsky]

First time I ever got this on my RC display...in an area that I fly at all the time. I am testing the Fiilex light for a drone magazine article so I removed the Solo gimbal and installed the light. Was ready to take mid-flight pics with my DSLR but now for some reason I'm getting Calibration Error every time I try to sync up with Solo for takeoff. Don't get it. Looked it up in the 3DR manual...it says to restart Solo to clear the error screen. Well, I did that at least 8 or 9 times. Kept getting Calibration Error Screen. If you have any ideas please let me know. It ruined a whole evening of testing.

 

[CanadianSolo]

First time I ever got this on my RC display...in an area that I fly at all the time. I am testing the Fiilex light for a drone magazine article so I removed the Solo gimbal and installed the light. Was ready to take mid-flight pics with my DSLR but now for some reason I'm getting Calibration Error every time I try to sync up with Solo for takeoff. Don't get it. Looked it up in the 3DR manual...it says to restart Solo to clear the error screen. Well, I did that at least 8 or 9 times. Kept getting Calibration Error Screen. If you have any ideas please let me know. It ruined a whole evening of testing.

Did you try re-calibrating it? Open the solo app, then click settings, then preform a full level calibration and compass calibration. You do NOT want to fly if your sensors are messed up. A simple magnet can throw off your compass disorientating the Solo!

Its best to do a compass re-cal if you fly in new places, or if your just back from your normal flying area.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

You will find this is a hardware failure with one of the IMUs. Open a ticket to 3DR using the Solo App while it's connected to the controller. It will download the logs and send the ticket with logs to 3DR. They will respond back to you saying it is a failed IMU, give you and RMA and shipping label, and exchange the Solo for a new one. Sucks. Ask them for 2 day shipping on both ends.

 

[Jubalr]

First time I ever got this on my RC display...in an area that I fly at all the time. I am testing the Fiilex light for a drone magazine article so I removed the Solo gimbal and installed the light. Was ready to take mid-flight pics with my DSLR but now for some reason I'm getting Calibration Error every time I try to sync up with Solo for takeoff. Don't get it. Looked it up in the 3DR manual...it says to restart Solo to clear the error screen. Well, I did that at least 8 or 9 times. Kept getting Calibration Error Screen. If you have any ideas please let me know. It ruined a whole evening of testing.

Hi Dave, it sounds like this only started after adding the light? If you remove the light and the Solo starts up, it is likely some sort of interference the light may be causing. It seems the 2.4 FW has changed the calibration system and many are seeing messages they haven't seen before. Try it without the light to see.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Well, ya do that first. Always undo the last thing you did. But unfortunately it's likely a manufacturing defect showing itself after jostling it around installing the light. I've had this happen twice now.

 

[Dash Hewes]

Ironically, I too had this happen on two of my birds, it took the recal but did not remember for the next flight, so it's calling for it every flight along with a compass cal. I sent in the ticket, I've had issues with the same bird since the 2.4, the home distance on the app was off by 1233 ft. 3DR replied with saying the issue is not a problem and is fine. They stated they noticed the parameter SYSID_SW_MREV is off, it should be 0 and is set to 120. WTF? I've never messed with this and all my birds have the same 120 setting. I tried setting it in Tower, but on the reboot it goes from a saved 0 (EPROM) back to 120. Awaiting the review. All birds took the 2.4 no issues. The newest bird on the $599 special requested the same reCal/recal compass. I only flew it once. I'll be flying all five today to get to the bottom of this.

 

[PdxSteve]

Ironically, I too had this happen on two of my birds, it took the recal but did not remember for the next flight, so it's calling for it every flight along with a compass cal. I sent in the ticket, I've had issues with the same bird since the 2.4, the home distance on the app was off by 1233 ft. 3DR replied with saying the issue is not a problem and is fine. They stated they noticed the parameter SYSID_SW_MREV is off, it should be 0 and is set to 120. WTF? I've never messed with this and all my birds have the same 120 setting. I tried setting it in Tower, but on the reboot it goes from a saved 0 (EPROM) back to 120. Awaiting the review. All birds took the 2.4 no issues. The newest bird on the $599 special requested the same reCal/recal compass. I only flew it once. I'll be flying all five today to get to the bottom of this.

Unfortunately if that's exactly what was instructed, whoever in support told you that didn't know what they were talking about.

The normal value is 120. If you put it at 0, store it and reboot Solo, that "0" command tells pixhawk to reset all internal values back to default, which sets that one back to 120. It should always say 120 after setting it to 0 and rebooting. That's the default for that parameter. There is no way to get it to always say "0". You will have to go through all of the calibration routines again after resetting this value since it wipes out all internal values and sets them back to stock.

 

[Dash Hewes]

Thanks for the input PdxSteve, you are correct, Francisco apologised for not stating this to me. He had me do a test flight and send the logs which I did, however the battery on the test flight went from a 98% takeoff to 25% in about 2 minutes, I was at 400 over water, had Stabilize not been my B-button it would of sunk into the lake, got it back and landed with 8%. This was early morning and Francisco has yet to reply.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Not to go off topic here, but 400 AGL, in stabilize, over water, is not exactly what I would call a good test flight scenario when troubleshooting problems.

 

[Dash Hewes]

P2P, I totally agree... I wanted to do a quick turn around for 3DR and did not want to pack up all the stuff to fly somewhere else, so I launched from my front yard and have been doing all month with no issues.
I only used stabilize to decent in a very quick manor..

Not doing it again till 3DR does their review, thanks for pointing out I'm an idiot.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Word of warning. I also often use stabilize to climb or descend faster than the altitude control will allow in FLY and FLY:Manual. What many people forget is you need a tremendous amount of power to arrest the descent when you're dropping that fast. If you're doing this because your battery is getting critically low and you need to get down immediately, there is a very good change you will not have enough power to stop the descent before it hits the ground. When your battery is down to the mid 13s or less volts, full throttle doesn't have nearly as much thrust as it usually does. You'll have just enough power to smack into the ground hard enough to break something.

You don't really see this issue when in FLY or FLY:Manual because the altitude controller doesn't let to descend fast enough for that to happen. Stabilize, Acro, Sport, and Drift however will let you use as much gravity as you want

 

[Dash Hewes]

Good input thanks, I do use it to descend often but switch to manual well above 100', I guess I was lucky on that return, I got it back in less than a minute.

 

[PdxSteve]

It won't fall out of the sky at 0.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

It won't fall out of the sky at 0.

I would consider an uncontrolled descent you can't arrest to be falling out of the sky. It might hold itself level while crashing, but it's coming down. And if that doesn't happen the moment the clock strikes 0%, it will be within less than a minute.

 

[PdxSteve]

Yes, I'm just saying there's a bit more juice after 0. 0 is a failsafe. I've landed from 200 feet with 0 the whole way down. Landed perfectly - well besides all the alarms going off lol.

 

[Dash Hewes]

thanks guys, after over 200 flights, still learning.
3DR sent me back the review from the hair raising flight and said the bird checks out good, but the battery no so much. They are shipping me a battery. I've had great support from 3DR all along.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

That's good that they're replacing the battery for you.

@PdxSteve, I've only taken it down to zero once by accident and it was unable to hold altitude, voltage i the low 12s. All my 4S DIY behaved identically. I usually put the legs on the ground at 5-7%, which is usually about 13.5 volts. The voltage falls off very quickly after that and has little to anything left. If you're able to maintain control and altitude down from 200ft at 0%, I would be more questioning of the % accuracy. Do you remember what the voltage was when you did that?

 

[PdxSteve]

No I never look at voltage. I was coming in for a landing at 12% when a heli came pretty close, so I had to hover low over some trees to give it right of way until it cleared the vicinity and I could sneak over to my clearing/landing spot. It wasn't planned or something I'd do intentionally. But I know Philip also confirms that 0 is not actually 0. Best be on the ground at 0 though.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Maybe it's my % that was off then.... Do you know if it intentionally off by a set %? Or is the battery actually more than 5200mah and it's reported as 5200 for the purpose of a dumbass reserve?

 

[PdxSteve]

I'm sure it's a set % or V level, but don't know what it is. The battery is a true 5200 though.