New Solo from B&H

Sully · Nov 25, 2017

Hello Members,

Is there anything posted on a “to do list” for a brand new Solo out of the box?
I’m sure there will be many updates? Are there any that are super important? This is my first aerial RC, I have 5 ground RC’s (racing trucks) and have been looking to fly for awhile. Just didn’t want to break the bank with my first purchase and didn’t want crap either. That’s why I ordered the solo while it was on sale. I’m going to keep my eyes open for a gimbal, but right now these are about $500+ delivered to Canada.
So I’m just looking for suggestions or a step in the right direction on how to get this baby in the air once it’s delivered.
Thanks in advance.

s

brianuc4 · Nov 25, 2017

It's going to want an auto update of Solo and app when first booting up, these are mandatory, and you'll need internet access. I'd also balance the props to help with vibration and motor life, this is optional though. There's tons of other things on a "to do list" but they are mods and not necessarily required.

allen_993 · Nov 25, 2017

As mentioned above, when you follow the GETTING STARTED instructions of your new Solo, it will guide you through the required updates. There are many different updates that can be done, but the only one that I consider a MUST do is the update of the Autopilot firmware to 1.5.3. Before I did this, I had a terrible problem with landing...Solo would land on the ground, the props would not turn OFF, Solo would try to take off again and flip over. This happened about 50% of he time. After the update, it has never happened again. As you will see from the documentation, improved landing algorithm is one of the features of the 1.5.3...and it is true. Here is the update: https://3drpilots.com/threads/autopilot-firmware-upgrade-from-1-3-1-to-1-5-2.8819/#post-93658

USMC86 · Nov 25, 2017

Sully-
There is a guy selling a gimbal on this forum for $150- new, in box. I’d be all over that if you need one.
Download the 3DR MANUAL, and read up on your new Solo.

Perspective · Nov 25, 2017

I second USMC86's advice to read the manual. That's not the getting started guide that comes with your solo. Also, fly in an open field and try all the features. I found they RTL much faster than my DIYs. It kinda caught me off guard the first time.

Sully · Nov 25, 2017

USMC86 said:
Sully-
There is a guy selling a gimbal on this forum for $150- new, in box. I’d be all over that if you need one.
Download the 3DR MANUAL, and read up on your new Solo.

How do I find that gimbal?

USMC86 said:
Sully-
There is a guy selling a gimbal on this forum for $150- new, in box. I’d be all over that if you need one.
Download the 3DR MANUAL, and read up on your new Solo.

Perspective said:
I second USMC86's advice to read the manual. That's not the getting started guide that comes with your solo. Also, fly in an open field and try all the features. I found they RTL much faster than my DIYs. It kinda caught me off guard the first time.

I took a quick look but I couldn’t find the manual, is there a place here that would have that for download?

USMC86 · Nov 25, 2017

Okay- the gimbals go quick!! If you continue to look in the classified section on this forum, you will see guys selling different 3DR items. Once you see something you like just touch their name and it will allow you to start a conversation with that particular person. As for the user’s manual; google “ 3DR User’s Manual”
it will pop up in pdf - print it out and keep it with your Solo. Good to have!

Sully · Nov 25, 2017

USMC86 said:
Okay- the gimbals go quick!! If you continue to look in the classified section on this forum, you will see guys selling different 3DR items. Once you see something you like just touch their name and it will allow you to start a conversation with that particular person. As for the user’s manual; google “ 3DR User’s Manual”
it will pop up in pdf - print it out and keep it with your Solo. Good to have!

Thanks ! I did order a gimbal from cameraguy today, I will download the manual. Thanks for the help.

USMC86 · Nov 25, 2017

You are a wise man Sully- The gimbals are getting difficult to get ($150 is pretty good) They are awesome but can get damaged if you are careless. Do yourself a favor- cause money doesn’t grow on trees; Get acquainted with Solo WITHOUT your 3 axis gimbal. You can use the gopro mount that comes with Solo to try out the video. Once you are familiar and comfortable with how Solo operates, then put your 3 axis gimbal on. This way, if Solo takes a hard landing, you are not out a gimbal!! Also, look on ebay, or search google, or ask on this forum but get yourself some nice leg extensions. I purchased the ones that fold up because I got tired of having to remove them to put Solo back in the backpack. These will provide some additional distance between the ground and your gimbal so the gimbal doesn’t come in contact with concrete, asphalt or obstacles. Protect your gimbal at all cost- because at this point it’s the hardest thing to get!

Herb Z · Nov 25, 2017

Now I know how my wife feels about a WHITE SALE!

IrishmanPDX · Nov 27, 2017

Sully said:
Hello Members,

Is there anything posted on a “to do list” for a brand new Solo out of the box?
I’m sure there will be many updates? Are there any that are super important? This is my first aerial RC, I have 5 ground RC’s (racing trucks) and have been looking to fly for awhile. Just didn’t want to break the bank with my first purchase and didn’t want crap either. That’s why I ordered the solo while it was on sale. I’m going to keep my eyes open for a gimbal, but right now these are about $500+ delivered to Canada.
So I’m just looking for suggestions or a step in the right direction on how to get this baby in the air once it’s delivered.
Thanks in advance.

s

Practice, get lots and lots of practice in. You'll want to work on collision avoidance and situational awareness. You look at most drone crashes and it's usually from someone flying their drone smack into a tree or wall. So start off slow and steady, keep your eye on the drone at all times.
Make sure you map one of your buttons (a or b) to "manual" mode. That way if your gps losses signal you can take full manual control of your drone (pressing the "fly" button is not manual mode).
Your controller will want to do a preflight update out of the box, it will then want to connect with your drone to update to the latest solo stock software.
Have fun and post video's!

Sully · Dec 2, 2017

Just wondering if any of the members on here have got the BH bundles yet from the Black Friday sales? I still haven’t received tracking info. I did talk to them and they do have my order in file. They are still waiting waiting on back ordered material. They emailed me and said they can’t fill the fixed camera mount or the replacement leg with compass. So I decided to give them a call on that and we settled on an extra battery( I will now get 3 batteries total, seems like a pretty decent deal...as long as they actually ship the product ) Just yesterday I got an email stating they have refunded my paypal $29.44 for some reason- The anticipation is killing me - LOL . Has anybody else had similar experiences recently with BH on the Black Friday sales?

David Boulanger · Dec 2, 2017

All three boxes of mine came on Thursday.

USMC86 · Dec 2, 2017

I recd my orders but rompec ( who ordered his stuff @ 12:10 a.m. on Friday- THAT’S A.M.) and then posted the sale on the forum was emailed by B&H and told they could not fulfill his order because they ran out of product. He was one of the first orders and I ordered about 7 hours later and recd my whole order. Hopefully you won’t get an email.

wsalopek · Dec 2, 2017

IrishmanPDX said:
Practice, get lots and lots of practice in. You'll want to work on collision avoidance and situational awareness. You look at most drone crashes and it's usually from someone flying their drone smack into a tree or wall. So start off slow and steady, keep your eye on the drone at all times.
Make sure you map one of your buttons (a or b) to "manual" mode. That way if your gps losses signal you can take full manual control of your drone (pressing the "fly" button is not manual mode).
Your controller will want to do a preflight update out of the box, it will then want to connect with your drone to update to the latest solo stock software.
Have fun and post video's!

Hmmmm...if I was new at this, I would never go anywhere NEAR "manual" mode...are you talking "stabilized" when you say "manual"? In other words, the Solo (in "stabilized" mode) will hold altitude and attitude (stay level), but drift with the wind? Or are you talking FULL manual where the pilot has to actually keep the Solo upright?

--

Bill

David Boulanger · Dec 2, 2017

Stabilize mode does not hold altitude. That would be FLY: MANUAL which is the Arducopter version of ALTITUDE HOLD.

IrishmanPDX · Dec 4, 2017

wsalopek said:
Hmmmm...if I was new at this, I would never go anywhere NEAR "manual" mode...are you talking "stabilized" when you say "manual"? In other words, the Solo (in "stabilized" mode) will hold altitude and attitude (stay level), but drift with the wind? Or are you talking FULL manual where the pilot has to actually keep the Solo upright?

--

Bill

On the old 3DR software it was called manual, in solex it's called "alt hold". That's what you need to map your A or B button to. The reason for this is simply to gain control of your drone should you experience a GPS and or compass error (or the mythical "flyaway"). You need to be able to take manual control of your drone at all times. Doesn't mean fly it in manual the whole time because what's the point in a GPS assisted smart drone if you have to fly it like that?

It just means "always be prepared".

Sully · Dec 4, 2017

I have a tracking number to track now

yarrr · Dec 7, 2017

After about an hour of calming music- 3DR backpacks are "discontinued" and won't be shipped for my order.

They offered me one extra battery instead of the backpack, and wouldn't fulfill a request for the second extra battery that many people got from the early Black Friday deal.

Kinda frustrating, anyone got any crazy ideas of what to do with all of these stupid extra legs they sent?

USMC86 · Dec 7, 2017

That’s messed up- because the battery is $40 and the backpack is double that- in fact near the end, they bumped up the price- it went from $79 to & $89 then $99 until it was gone- I would think b&h could do a little better- two batteries would have been more even from the monetary stand; thinking the b&h employee can’t wait till 3DR supplies are gone.