I absolutely cannot get my Solo to work on my boat...

[Ryan Levitz]

So I'm sure some of you remember my last post about not being able to get my Solo to connect to my controller on then boat, then I had all the update issues.

So I got my controller and bird all updated and working great at my house. Did a 5 minute test flight on Saturday morning. I just got the new GPS shield and wanted to make sure it was working. Flew just fine and got a GPS lock in a matter of seconds (buy it if you don't have it). I pack it up and head out to the lake. While one of the wakeboarders is strapping in, I get Solo ready to fly. Boot the bird and the controller up. Exact same problems as last time. Controller says "waiting for Solo" and Solo boots up, beeps the normal tones, and just sits there. The controller will briefly show the standard screen, but there will be no number next to the red satellite symbol and it has the "gimbal not detected" bar at the bottom of the screen. That lasts for about 10 seconds and then it goes back to "waiting for Solo."

I did all the normal troubleshooting steps:
-Rebooted everything
-Pulled battery out of controller and rebooted everything
-Changed battery on bird and rebooted everything
-Got frustrated and did a factory reset on the controller only

At this point, same problem as my last thread. iPad wouldn't update the controller so it was stuck on the Preflight Update needed screen. Packed up Solo, finished the day, and got home. I just unpacked Solo at my desk and mentally prepped for the frustration of fixing it again.

Lo and behold, turned on everything, all connected just fine. iPad updated the bird and controller just fine. Everything is now connecting and I just had a successful test flight.

So, my question. Why the f**k will my $3000 drone set up (I bought before the price cut) not work on my boat? I have tried in multiple places on the boat: away from speakers, at the stern at the boat, on top of the tower, nothing. I have yet to try it on the dock, but I almost hope it doesn't work from there, because a dock is no where near our cove that we ride in. Anyone else had this problem or something similar? I just saw 3DR's video of using Follow Me in a boat to film a rider and I want to do that!

PS I am in Dallas, TX and its been 100+ degrees every day. I have flown at a baseball field while it was this hot and never had a problem except for the iPad overheating.

Edit: note to self.. search for "boat" before posting about boat problems.. doh.

 

[pyrate]

if you are trying to launch solo from a boat it aint going to happen
not to mention what is on this boat
radios? lots of metal?
If solo is working fine away from your boat that should tell you something

 

[Ryan Levitz]

So it's worked once, and flew just fine. I'm 1 for 3 right now.

Fiberglass Supra Wakeboard boat. It does have a metal tower that goes across the center of the boat with 4 speakers up top. No communication equipment or radar or anything. What do you think is actually causing the problems of connecting solo to the controller?

I know I won't be able to get the sensors calibrated in rough water, but if you look at the picture, we are riding on glass. The boat is pretty darn still while I'm trying to fire up Solo.

 

[SARDG]

Ryan- If you search this forum for "boat" you will get many in-depth explanations, but not much success.

If you check this thread beginning at post #61 you'll see one successful boat launch from a small boat - but 'glass' and 'calm' to you, isn't the same for Solo.
Boat Mode

After #61, go back to #1 and read some of the explanations.

Launch from land if possible next time and you will be 2 for 4.

 

[Ryan Levitz]

Honestly, until I popped on here tonight, I wasn't thinking it was the boat. My buddy has brought his Phantom out a few times and never had problems. I'm not too experienced in the drone world. I just assumed a drone is a drone; if his can do it, mine can too.

I actually found that thread right as you commented about it. Good to hear my gear isn't messed up, sad to see that Boat Mode isn't likely to hit this summer.

Thanks for the help, sorry for being a rookie!

 

[Nick F]

My opinion is there must be an interference covering Solo's WIFI signal.
The problem launching from a boat are usually more related to the vessel movements.
Someone mentioned metal boats too, even if I regularly launched my Solo from an aluminium boat with no problems.

 

[Solo Keith]

My opinion is there must be an interference covering Solo's WIFI signal.
The problem launching from a boat are usually more related to the vessel movements.
Someone mentioned metal boats too, even if I regularly launched my Solo from an aluminium boat with no problems.

Should there be magnetic interference w/aluminum?

 

[SPP]

What do you think is actually causing the problems of connecting solo to the controller?

Sometimes ignition coils of the engine interfere with 2.4ghz or even marine VHF.
Try engine off.

 

[pyrate]

As for the phantom it has a much less stringent prearm.
and also a higher rate of getting itself into trouble.
Part of the reason 3Dr can provide that replacement warranty is because of the robust prearm and logging

 

[Ryan Levitz]

Sometimes ignition coils of the engine interfere with 2.4ghz or even marine VHF.
Try engine off.

Engine is always off when a rider is getting in the water. No VHF on my boat, and usually not another boat in sight.

The one time I got it to launch was off the stern, directly on top of the engine cover. That's also the farthest I can get from any speakers or the subwoofer. Going to experiment a bit more now that I know boats are the problem.

Didn't know Phantom had such a less stringent prearm, nor that they didn't have the replacement plan. Glad I got a Solo.


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[pyrate]

I just purchased a big inflatable boat.
Practiced hand catching this weekend in anticipation of using it.
But I suspect I will have to launch from land and then follow

One good feature that is in the soon to be release beta is return to me
I tested it yesterday
Set the RTH option to return to me vs return to launch
Select hover as the behaviour when it reaches home

Then hand catch on the boat.

At least that way you can leave shore and be in the middle of a body of water to retreive

 

[Ryan Levitz]

Yeah I've been hand catching on the few times that I actually got flight. Since the boat is pretty damn still (by human standards), it was pretty easy. Hover, grab behind gopro, down+left on left stick. All done.

Do you have a better method with the controller?


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[SARDG]

Sometimes ignition coils of the engine interfere with 2.4ghz or even marine VHF.
Try engine off.

Although engine-off sounds like a solid boat launch idea - and apparently is off for these episodes - I don't believe that "waiting for Solo" is related to waiting for wi-fi.

With the 'router' being in the controller, and the other two devices on the Solo network (Solo and mobile device), you are using the equivalent of Wi-FI Direct, and to devices that are often only inches away from one another.

When the controller is 'waiting for Solo' on a boat, I think it's waiting for a good compass and level reading. Eh??

 

[PdxSteve]

When the controller is 'waiting for Solo' on a boat, I think it's waiting for a good compass and level reading. Eh??

I don't think that's the case. There are separate screens/warning messages for compass and level (and magnetic, and...) if there is an issue with one of the system checks. Waiting for Solo is purely wifi/connection related.

You *could* try repairing the controller with solo. I've had to do that once or twice for no apparent reason. Sucks when you don't have a paperclip when out in the field for hitting the "pair" button. So I always have a safety pin pinned to the inside of my backpack now lol. Lesson learned.

 

[Perry Lawrence]

It does have a metal tower that goes across the center of the boat with 4 speakers up top. No communication equipment or radar or anything. What do you think is actually causing the problems of connecting solo to the controller?

This! A metal tower with 4 HUGE magnets (speakers have magnets in them). And I've been on these wakeboard boats and - just guessing here from experience - HUGE magnets in those HUGE speakers... Along with metal tower.

3dr and Dji handle compass differently and therefore interference differently. Hope this helps.

 

[Perry Lawrence]

View media item 384
Exhibit A!

 

[Ryan Levitz]

They don't effect my compass on the boat, or the iPhone. Is the compass in the solo THAT sensitive? My attempted launch point on the boat is a solid 10 feet from the speakers. I've laughed closer to my Jeeps trunk which has bigger speakers in it.


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[SARDG]

I don't think that's the case. There are separate screens/warning messages for compass and level (and magnetic, and...) if there is an issue with one of the system checks. Waiting for Solo is purely wifi/connection related..

Can a boat degrade the wi-fi signal so much that the devices don't want to connect and play together - even though inches apart?

So Steve, what you are saying is that the compass and level are not issues in this case? Or, are you implying that IF the wi-fi signal was clean, and all devices connected, that then we may also see compass and level errors on the controller - and, that the reason we don't see compass or level errors is because Solo isn't hearing the controller wi-fi in the first place?

Ryan had a 'gimbal not detected' error during system startup on the boat, which means (to me) that the controller was talking to the Solo via wi-fi. I just keep thinking, 'inches from one another - how can the wi-fi be that bad?'

 

[Perry Lawrence]

If you are 10' away from the speakers, then that is an even bigger boat and even more things that will interfere. Were you launching from on top of the inboard or from the bow?

Compass on boat is highly shielded. Did your iPhone compass workwithout a calibration first?

 

[Ryan Levitz]

That gimbal not detected error is not a good example. That error has popped up on the boat when the solo wasn't even on.


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