How is Solo integrated in to Arducopter Master?

mike_kelly · Oct 1, 2017

How is Solo integrated into Master? What I mean is Solo has some unique hardware. Once it is integrated in to release Arducopter how does Arducopter know it is being used on a Solo? Unike the frame parameter that requires you to inform Arducopter what frame type you are using there is no "UsingSolo=1" parameter right? I want to transplant Solo into a bigger frame with a bigger battery for instance. So Arducopter on Solo now knows to use the I2C sensor inside the Solo battery. Is that some how hooked into the normal Arducopter battery assignment and cal page or does Arducopter "look" for the particular Solo I2C smart battery "signature" and then use it instead. Is there now a Solo option on the battery type drop down?
I think I have everything else under control but just not sure if I can "bypass" the Solo version of Arducopter looking for a smart battery monitor, which might prevent me from supplying a UAVCAN smart battery monitor and a larger battery maybe of different voltage.

Thanks for your info.

Pedals2Paddles · Oct 1, 2017

The Solo has a Pixhawk, which runs ArduCopter just like any other vehicle with a Pixhawk running ArduCopter. There are parameters for various specific components, such as the battery monitor type and gimbal type. Mainly BATT_MONITOR and MNT_TYPE

mike_kelly · Oct 1, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
The Solo has a Pixhawk, which runs ArduCopter just like any other vehicle with a Pixhawk running ArduCopter. There are parameters for various specific components, such as the battery monitor type and gimbal type. Mainly BATT_MONITOR and MNT_TYPE

I spent some time doing searches in the parameter list and found the battery monitor and gimbal Solo specific settings. So otherwise it looks pretty much a normal quad. I keep getting hung up the Linux co-processor but it looks pretty invisible to Arducopter. It supplies the PPM input but looks just like any other RX. I only see action out of the paddle for Ardupilot radio cal so the other selections for special film modes like cable cam must communicate directly to the IMX6.

So with it being able to easily disable the Solo battery monitor dependence it looks like it won't be hard at all. Given the cost of other HD Video/control/telemetry options on the market it is attractive to rip apart a Solo.

I got a $170 Solo off ebay which gives me Pix 2, rx, hd video/ telemetry/rc control over one 2.4ghz link and if I am lucky smart shots from a storm32 based gimbal via mavlink. Sounds like a bargain to me.

I wish the new ESC's were done but I will probably use Zubax.

Thanks for the pointers Matt I appreciate it.

Pedals2Paddles · Oct 2, 2017

The RC controls are Spektrum DSM from the controller to the IMX. Then again from the IMX to the Spektrum port on the Pixhawk. These are seen by the pixhawk as channels 1-8. The telemetry is all over serial 1 mavlink between the pixhawk and IMX. The smart shots operate with the pixhawk in guided mode, also over mavlink on Serial 1.

mike_kelly · Oct 2, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
The RC controls are Spektrum DSM from the controller to the IMX. Then again from the IMX to the Spektrum port on the Pixhawk. These are seen by the pixhawk as channels 1-8. The telemetry is all over serial 1 mavlink between the pixhawk and IMX. The smart shots operate with the pixhawk in guided mode, also over mavlink on Serial 1.

Got it. So does the IMX6 provide the waypoints to Pixhawk for guided mode?

Pedals2Paddles · Oct 2, 2017

It's a little more complicated than waypoints. But over simplified, yes.

Dan stern · Oct 4, 2017

Pedals2Paddles said:
The Solo has a Pixhawk, which runs ArduCopter just like any other vehicle with a Pixhawk running ArduCopter. There are parameters for various specific components, such as the battery monitor type and gimbal type. Mainly BATT_MONITOR and MNT_TYPE

Solo has a pixhawk 2 with its own unique carrier board and a wifi link aka solo link