HERE external M8N GPS and compass upgrades!

[Pedals2Paddles]

The HERE is here! Arrived on Monday from Jesters Drones. I got the full kit with the ProfiCNC HERE GPS/Compass, IMP Concepts folding mast, and plug & play wiring. This produced the most stable fly mode (loiter) my solo has ever had! It even came a smoother and more stable stop when letting go of the sticks.

I replaced a stock Rev B GPS and v2 shield. I'm in a valley where GPS always sucks on and near the ground. Usually I was lucky to to get 7-9 sats and 1.9 to 2.3 HDOP with the stock GPS and v2 shield. It would drift like a drunken idiot at all altitudes, and very much so when low. At altitude it would be at best 1.5 HDOP and 8-10 sats.

The HERE kit produced 14 sats and a 0.8 HDOP on the ground in my crappy valley. Hover in fly (loiter) even low to the ground was the most stable I've ever seen. It just stayed put, rock solid, no longer drunk. Up above the tree line and hill, 21 sats and 0.6 HDOP.

This GPS is what the solo should have had from day one. I think it actually was supposed to but someone wanted to save some pennies.

The compass is better hardware than the leg compass. It will be less vulnerable to magnetic interference from the ground and on board. It also has ArduCopter standard system status LEDs to provide operator feedback.

Installation was straight forward since it was fully assembled by Jesters Drones and ready to hook up. Remove the stock piece of crap GPS. Drill or cut a hole/notch in the plastic hood for the wires. Rout the wires neatly through the solo and plug in the GPS and Compass connectors.

You need to change one parameter (COMPASS_ORIENT) from 38 to 0 using Tower, Mission Planner, or Solex. I made a one click package for Solex to do this through its firmware updates menu.

Jesters sells the kit here for $78 which is a steal: HERE GNSS Solo GPS Kit

 

[Steve Langford]

Bottom line? Range improvement? Looks like what is on a Reconnaissance Aircraft.

 

[pyrate]

GPS has 0 to do with range
Range is antenna, wifi cards (don't recommend) or amplifiers

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Bottom line? Range improvement?

Did you read the post? I think the purpose, results, and cost are explained.

Looks like what is on a Reconnaissance Aircraft.

In the Solo Mod Club facebook group, this has been dubbed "The AWACS Mod" for that reason

 

[hackbard23]

Do you have a 3DR Backpack ? would like to see how that fits into the Backpack

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Do you have a 3DR Backpack ? would like to see how that fits into the Backpack

Yes. The mast folds down and it fits in the bag just fine.

 

[hackbard23]

do you have to remove the battery from the solo in the backpack ?

meaning 1 battery fewer that i can carry with me ?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Nope. It folds forward.

 

[XevetS]

Nice! I must agree The here GPS is hands down the best GPS upgrade for the solo at that price point.. My Solo is rock solid in FLY/Loiter mode it looks like it is nailed to the sky it also locks in very quickly usually within 45 seconds.

 

[pyrate]

Just ordered my Here tonight
Ian sent me a mast when I bought his old 690 frame
Now if I could just find a cable

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Just ordered my Here tonight
Ian sent me a mast when I bought his old 690 frame
Now if I could just find a cable

I'm sure Paul can sell you the cables. Or maybe it's Ian that makes them. I forget.

 

[pyrate]

I think they all get their cables from Leo, and Paul only sells them in the kit. Emailing Leo. Trying to get a here solo cable and a IMX6 to PH2.1 carrier cable. Might just have to break down and buy some cable making tools

 

[hackbard23]

would love to see a pic with solo inside the backpack to see how it all sticks together inside

 

[XevetS]

Just ordered my Here tonight
Ian sent me a mast when I bought his old 690 frame
Now if I could just find a cable

You can buy the cable from here > [email protected] just tell him you need the here gps/compass cable its $19.00 shipped.
.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

You just need to trim a little of the foam in the bag for the mast to fold down flat. I have trimmed a lot to make the polar pro lights fit too, but you get the idea.

 

[Johnny Baer]

The HERE is here! Arrived on Monday from Jesters Drones. I got the full kit with the ProfiCNC HERE GPS/Compass, IMP Concepts folding mast, and plug & play wiring. This produced the most stable fly mode (loiter) my solo has ever had! It even came a smoother and more stable stop when letting go of the sticks.

I replaced a stock Rev B GPS and v2 shield. I'm in a valley where GPS always sucks on and near the ground. Usually I was lucky to to get 7-9 sats and 1.9 to 2.3 HDOP with the stock GPS and v2 shield. It would drift like a drunken idiot at all altitudes, and very much so when low. At altitude it would be at best 1.5 HDOP and 8-10 sats.

The HERE kit produced 14 sats and a 0.8 HDOP on the ground in my crappy valley. Hover in fly (loiter) even low to the ground was the most stable I've ever seen. It just stayed put, rock solid, no longer drunk. Up above the tree line and hill, 21 sats and 0.6 HDOP.

This GPS is what the solo should have had from day one. I think it actually was supposed to but someone wanted to save some pennies.

The compass is better hardware than the leg compass. It will be less vulnerable to magnetic interference from the ground and on board. It also has ArduCopter standard system status LEDs to provide operator feedback.

Installation was straight forward since it was fully assembled by Jesters Drones and ready to hook up. Remove the stock piece of crap GPS. Drill or cut a hole/notch in the plastic hood for the wires. Rout the wires neatly through the solo and plug in the GPS and Compass connectors.

You need to change one parameter (COMPASS_ORIENT) from 38 to 0 using Tower, Mission Planner, or Solex. I made a one click package for Solex to do this through its firmware updates menu.

Jesters sells the kit here for $78 which is a steal: HERE GNSS Solo GPS Kit

View attachment 6644

Just ordered my Here tonight
Ian sent me a mast when I bought his old 690 frame
Now if I could just find a cable

Ian has a few cables.

 

[Johnny Baer]

Nope. It folds forward.

View attachment 6648

You DO need to cut out some foam for it to fold down but that's no problem. Exacto knife with a sharp blade.

 

[hackbard23]

You just need to trim a little of the foam in the bag for the mast to fold down flat. I have trimmed a lot to make the polar pro lights fit too, but you get the idea.

View attachment 6654

Thx, i see i can carry all my batteries with the here
i pulled out the LED stripe from the polarpro plastic and glued it right onto the front of Solo, so no need to modify foam

 

[xman4242]

Would this GPS fit in the hard case it comes in?

 

[AlienPanda]

The HERE is here! Arrived on Monday from Jesters Drones. I got the full kit with the ProfiCNC HERE GPS/Compass, IMP Concepts folding mast, and plug & play wiring. This produced the most stable fly mode (loiter) my solo has ever had! It even came a smoother and more stable stop when letting go of the sticks.

I replaced a stock Rev B GPS and v2 shield. I'm in a valley where GPS always sucks on and near the ground. Usually I was lucky to to get 7-9 sats and 1.9 to 2.3 HDOP with the stock GPS and v2 shield. It would drift like a drunken idiot at all altitudes, and very much so when low. At altitude it would be at best 1.5 HDOP and 8-10 sats.

The HERE kit produced 14 sats and a 0.8 HDOP on the ground in my crappy valley. Hover in fly (loiter) even low to the ground was the most stable I've ever seen. It just stayed put, rock solid, no longer drunk. Up above the tree line and hill, 21 sats and 0.6 HDOP.

This GPS is what the solo should have had from day one. I think it actually was supposed to but someone wanted to save some pennies.

The compass is better hardware than the leg compass. It will be less vulnerable to magnetic interference from the ground and on board. It also has ArduCopter standard system status LEDs to provide operator feedback.

Installation was straight forward since it was fully assembled by Jesters Drones and ready to hook up. Remove the stock piece of crap GPS. Drill or cut a hole/notch in the plastic hood for the wires. Rout the wires neatly through the solo and plug in the GPS and Compass connectors.

You need to change one parameter (COMPASS_ORIENT) from 38 to 0 using Tower, Mission Planner, or Solex. I made a one click package for Solex to do this through its firmware updates menu.

Jesters sells the kit here for $78 which is a steal: HERE GNSS Solo GPS Kit

View attachment 6644

Woah! What is that Red little box with 2 red wires sticking out on the right side of your Solo???? lol