Controller disconnects

FlexFanatic · Jun 30, 2015

I opened a ticket with 3DR but I figured I'd post to see if any one else is having a issue.

I upgraded my Solo's firmware this evening and I'm not sure if its related but now I get constant controller disconnects and this is occurring less than 50 feet away from Solo. It initiates a RTL/RTH and at times reestablishes connection before dropping out again.

I'm flying in the same area as I fly a majority of the time. I decided to turn off and unplug my GoPro but it did not make a difference.

Version Info:
App: 1.0.1
Solo: 1.0.5
Autopilot: 1.0.9
Controller: 1.0.5
Controller Firmware: 1.0.2

DodgeP · Jul 4, 2015

I am experiencing the same problem. It started immediately after the update. My version info matches what you've posted here. Did you hear back from 3DR yet?

FlexFanatic · Jul 4, 2015

I just heard back from them today (which is odd as I did not know support worked on the weekends) and they also responded to a comment I made on their Facebook page. They don't thinks its related but are reviewing the logs and asked me them give them 1 or 2 days.

I ended up moving to a larger field and have not had any issues with the disconnects after a few flights.

DodgeP · Jul 5, 2015

You're fortunate. I actually will not fly until this issue is resolved because it's frustrating. I submitted my tickets; one on Wednesday and one yesterday but then I called and told them that I am highly frustrated and yesterday would have been day 2 since I submitted the first ticket and I still hadn't heard anything in respects to it. Dude on the phone told me that they were working all weekend and would be working today.

FlexFanatic · Jul 5, 2015

DodgeP said:
You're fortunate. I actually will not fly until this issue is resolved because it's frustrating. I submitted my tickets; one on Wednesday and one yesterday but then I called and told them that I am highly frustrated and yesterday would have been day 2 since I submitted the first ticket and I still hadn't heard anything in respects to it. Dude on the phone told me that they were working all weekend and would be working today.

I still think its a issue with the 1.0.5 update so I'm going to keep pushing for a resolution. I'll be putting in some more stick time tomorrow in the problem location so I'll let you know how it goes.

Here is the email they sent me today:

I'm sorry for the issues you are having with your Solo.
We received the logs you sent. Please give us 1 to 2 work days to review them and diagnose what's the issue.

In the meantime please send me the following information so we can have it on our records:
-Solo's serial number (The one that's inside the battery tray)
-Controller's serial number (It's inside the controller's battery compartment)

Rich · Jul 6, 2015

I had a Controller disconnect also. It occurred when the Solo was on a RETURNING leg of a Selfi.

It was about 40 ft up and maybe 40 ft away from me. There was nothing between me and the Solo.

Looking at the logs (as best I can) with Mission Planner, I can see the point of signal loss, the HUD in Mission Planner clearly shows 'No RC Receiver' and then 'Failsafe'. I hit pause and then flew the bird home. So the loss was luckily temporary.

I sure lost trust in this thing if it can lose the controller signal (the most important signal of all) so close to me. It's strange that it had a good signal all the way out to the top of the selfi flght, but lost the signal so close to me.

Yes, my antennas on my controller were oriented properly.

DodgeP · Jul 6, 2015

I am having the same issue. Tech support said I needed to calibrate my sticks but didn't send me info on how to do it. I just heard back from Tech Support no more than 5 minutes ago. They've sent me a .pdf with instructions on how to calibrate the sticks.

DodgeP · Jul 6, 2015

Just finished the sticks calibration. I'll go out in a little while to see if I get the range I was getting prior to upgrading.

rrmccabe · Jul 6, 2015

Dodge please post that PDF if you don't mind.

There was only 20 minutes between your posts so the process must not have been too bad.

DodgeP · Jul 6, 2015

The process is fairly easy (On my MAC), I have instructions for both Windows and Mac. I didn't have to download any additional software because I could use Terminal instead of having to download Putty. I will create a new post with a title that's appropriate.

Rich · Jul 8, 2015

Well, one of their tech's didn't tell me to recalibrate the sticks.

I was asking why I lost control, and why the glitches in my logs. The answer was 'sometimes electronics glitch and this is why we have the failsafe mode'. WHAT!!?

Really, it's ok to lose control 40 ft away? I was flying over water so nothing was in the way. I'm asking again for reasons for the loss of control and if its safe for me to fly again after losing control so close to my controller.

DodgeP · Jul 8, 2015

Rich said:
Well, one of their tech's didn't tell me to recalibrate the sticks.

I was asking why I lost control, and why the glitches in my logs. The answer was 'sometimes electronics glitch and this is why we have the failsafe mode'. WHAT!!?

Really, it's ok to lose control 40 ft away? I was flying over water so nothing was in the way. I'm asking again for reasons for the loss of control and if its safe for me to fly again after losing control so close to my controller.

My opinion is, if you want to fix your issue; calibrate the sticks. I work in IT and not every person on your helpdesk is gonna be a rockstar. More often than not it's their first IT job.

Let me also say that the person on the phone didn't give me the suggestion, I got the suggestion from a Level II technican..

rrmccabe · Jul 8, 2015

DodgeP said:
work in IT and not ever person on your helpdesk is gonna be a rockstar. More often than not it's their first IT job.

AMEN !

Rich · Jul 8, 2015

I'm supposedly emailing with a level 2 tech. LOL

But I've said it before, I don't see how calibrating the sticks would affect a RF link with the controller and the solo.

It may affect causing the solo to think that you are moving the control sticks when the solo is trying to hold a position or run an auto mission, but it doesn't make any sense that it would cause the RF link to fail.

DodgeP · Jul 8, 2015

I was reluctant and baffled when I was told to calibrate the sticks, just as you are however; they know more about Solo than I ever will so guess what I did and guess what happened? I mean, at one point you and I were having the same issue with Solo. I no longer experience that loss of connection.

Commands leave the stick, hit the computer in the controller and get transmitted to the computer in Solo in the air. If the sticks are sending rouge commands, I can certainly understand how it would affect commo between the controller and Solo.

The two Linux boards have separate jobs but they communicate over the same connection.