New Year, New Solo! Open Solo 3.0.0 released

IrishmanPDX · Apr 9, 2018

Odd... usually the SD card being loose would cause a lock up on boot. I have one solo that's tore down (parts drone) that does the same thing. Never updated, just put the battery in, sits there, no beeps or anything. I'll take a look at it, see if it gives any indicators as to what your issue could be (although at the moment, it's got no motors in it, so that could affect things alright...)

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

IrishmanPDX said:
Odd... usually the SD card being loose would cause a lock up on boot. I have one solo that's tore down (parts drone) that does the same thing. Never updated, just put the battery in, sits there, no beeps or anything. I'll take a look at it, see if it gives any indicators as to what your issue could be (although at the moment, it's got no motors in it, so that could affect things alright...)

So the other thing that concerns me in my process of fixing my first bricked Solo was that upgrading the ArduCopter to V3.5.0, as I read this (3DR Solo - ArduCopter Master Upgrade — Copter documentation) is that 3.5.0 is not recommended for use with original Solo unless you do the 3.3V to 5V update as there is a Slew Rate issue with the Stock ECUs. Guess I have to figure out a stable previous version of ArduCopter that will work with Solo without having to do the Voltage mod. Back to the drawing board. Dang!

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

I'm seriously thinking of cutting a small hole in the side of the Solo so I can remove the SD card and install a little USB extender for the Pixhawk so I don't have to keep tearing this thing apart. It's getting old real fast.

XevetS · Apr 12, 2018

nvpowerdoc said:
So the other thing that concerns me in my process of fixing my first bricked Solo was that upgrading the ArduCopter to V3.5.0, as I read this (3DR Solo - ArduCopter Master Upgrade — Copter documentation) is that 3.5.0 is not recommended for use with original Solo unless you do the 3.3V to 5V update as there is a Slew Rate issue with the Stock ECUs. Guess I have to figure out a stable previous version of ArduCopter that will work with Solo without having to do the Voltage mod. Back to the drawing board. Dang!

If you have a greencube its APM 3.5.4 a stock Solo you install APM/SOLO 1.5.4 firmware only...Or it will fall out of the sky..

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

XevetS said:
If you have a greencube its APM 3.5.4 a stock Solo you install APM/SOLO 1.5.4 firmware only...Or it will fall out of the sky..

Ok, I'm liking what you're saying - Version 3.x.x for Greencube and Version 1.x.x for Stock Solo. So the part I'm confused about is where do you get 1.x.x (or the case you're indicating 1.5.4 or a stock Solo)? The way I unbricked the stock solo Pixhawk was to use Mission Planner, and it automatically grabbed ArduCopter 3.5.0. How (and where) do I grab other versions of ArduCopter and how do I load it through Mission Planner (or other tool)? And what really confuses me is that I have a standard Pixhawk F/C on an DIY Hex (like the old APM but next gen) and it uses ArduCopter 3.2.1. So I'm confused, LOL.

XevetS · Apr 12, 2018

nvpowerdoc said:
Ok, I'm liking what you're saying - Version 3.x.x for Greencube and Version 1.x.x for Stock Solo. So the part I'm confused about is where do you get 1.x.x (or the case you're indicating 1.5.4 or a stock Solo)? The way I unbricked the stock solo Pixhawk was to use Mission Planner, and it automatically grabbed ArduCopter 3.5.0. How (and where) do I grab other versions of ArduCopter and how do I load it through Mission Planner (or other tool)? And what really confuses me is that I have a standard Pixhawk F/C on an DIY Hex (like the old APM but next gen) and it uses ArduCopter 3.2.1. So I'm confused, LOL.

Install OpenSolo using Solex follow these instructions to the TEE OpenSolo/documentation

Or if you do not want to install OpenSolo here is the link to 1.5.4 OpenSolo/ardupilot-solo
you need to follow instructions on how to do this here Autopilot Firmware Upgrade from 1.3.1 to 1.5.3

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

XevetS said:
Install OpenSolo and then using Solex follow these instructions to the TEE OpenSolo/documentation

Yep, did that. That's what bricked my second Solo because the transmitter would not take the Firmware upgrade, yet the Solo did take. But on reboot of the Solo, it just stays "green-lighted".

Now I did follow this procedure on my first Solo and it worked just fine. But all of this started because on my first Solo I couldn't recall my WiFi password (not the stock "sololink" P/W). I thought, "oh, let's do a factory reset." Bad call! The Pixhawk bricked. The only way to unbrick it was to connect the Pixhawk to Mission Planner and update the Firmware (direct connect to the Cube). I had first tried imaging the SD cards by reading from a working SD card to writing to a not working SD card image. It was a mess. Must have spent 12 hours working through all the issues.

But as you previously mention, I definitely have the wrong version of ArduCopter in original Solo Cube, and that has nothing to do (that I can tell) with the Controller and Solo 3.0.0 Firmware upgrade. e.g., Controller and Vehicle should say 3.0.0. Controller FW should say Open Solo 3.0.0. And autopilot FW should say 1.5.4 for a stock cube (from the documentation page).

So what I REALLY need is the Arducopter 1.5.4 F/W. That's what I'm thinking?

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

nvpowerdoc said:
Yep, did that. That's what bricked my second Solo because the transmitter would not take the Firmware upgrade, yet the Solo did take. But on reboot of the Solo, it just stays "green-lighted".

Now I did follow this procedure on my first Solo and it worked just fine. But all of this started because on my first Solo I couldn't recall my WiFi password (not the stock "sololink" P/W). I thought, "oh, let's do a factory reset." Bad call! The Pixhawk bricked. The only way to unbrick it was to connect the Pixhawk to Mission Planner and update the Firmware (direct connect to the Cube). I had first tried imaging the SD cards by reading from a working SD card to writing to a not working SD card image. It was a mess. Must have spent 12 hours working through all the issues.

But as you previously mention, I definitely have the wrong version of ArduCopter in original Solo Cube, and that has nothing to do (that I can tell) with the Controller and Solo 3.0.0 Firmware upgrade. e.g., Controller and Vehicle should say 3.0.0. Controller FW should say Open Solo 3.0.0. And autopilot FW should say 1.5.4 for a stock cube (from the documentation page).

So what I REALLY need is the Arducopter 1.5.4 F/W. That's what I'm thinking?

You know what, I just need to turn on the first Solo and see what the Controller and Copter say. Maybe the Controller and Vehicle will show FW 3.0.0. and Open Solo 3.0.0. and the autopilot FW show 1.5.4. I'll try that...

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

nvpowerdoc said:
You know what, I just need to turn on the first Solo and see what the Controller and Copter say. Maybe the Controller and Vehicle will show FW 3.0.0. and Open Solo 3.0.0. and the autopilot FW show 1.5.4. I'll try that...

Ok, I just did this.

Solex reports AutoPilot 1.5.4, Controller 3.0.0 f/w 3.0.0 Vehicle 3.0.0 (and it boots!) on my first Solo. So it successfully downgraded the ArduCopter 3.5.0 to 1.5.4. Hooray. So now I just need to repeat the process to unbrick my Solo #2 (use Mission Planner to unbrick the Pixhawk Cube).

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

XevetS said:
Install OpenSolo using Solex follow these instructions to the TEE OpenSolo/documentation

Or if you do not want to install OpenSolo here is the link to 1.5.4 OpenSolo/ardupilot-solo
you need to follow instructions on how to do this here Autopilot Firmware Upgrade from 1.3.1 to 1.5.3

Thank you SO MUCH for these links. This will be SO helpful! I appreciate it. I missed the second and third lines. That's what I needed.

IrishmanPDX · Apr 12, 2018

So I found out the hard way originally, that if you put a green cube in your solo, mess up the open solo update and try to factory reset it, BAD!!! Just BAD!!

nvpowerdoc · Apr 12, 2018

IrishmanPDX said:
So I found out the hard way originally, that if you put a green cube in your solo, mess up the open solo update and try to factory reset it, BAD!!! Just BAD!!

I've read about that TOO!

nvpowerdoc · Apr 13, 2018

Well, after spending 20hrs unbricking and updating firmware in two Solos, I wish this page link (OpenSolo/documentation) would have been in the OP (maybe as technical troubleshooting) along with this page link OpenSolo/documentation that IS in the first post of this thread.

I missed the obvious (yes, "read the Release Notes" - the first link on OpenSolo/documentation), but it doesn't really state what I'd find there (and REALLY needed). Call me dumb, lol.

P2P, thank you for all the help. Maybe add an edit to the first post for "troubleshooting" Open Solo 3.0.0 with SD card Imaging (or maybe the two reserved posts #2 and #3). Had I had this, I would have saved hours of frustration, and literally had my first and second Solo up and running in under an hour (OK, maybe two hours).

Great to have all the support - well done guys!

XevetS · Apr 13, 2018

nvpowerdoc said:
Well, after spending 20hrs unbricking and updating firmware in two Solos, I wish this page link (OpenSolo/documentation) would have been in the OP (maybe as technical troubleshooting) along with this page link OpenSolo/documentation that IS in the first post of this thread.

I missed the obvious (yes, "read the Release Notes" - the first link on OpenSolo/documentation), but it doesn't really state what I'd find there (and REALLY needed). Call me dumb, lol.

P2P, thank you for all the help. Maybe add an edit to the first post for "troubleshooting" Open Solo 3.0.0 with SD card Imaging (or maybe the two reserved posts #2 and #3). Had I had this, I would have saved hours of frustration, and literally had my first and second Solo up and running in under an hour (OK, maybe two hours).

Great to have all the support - well done guys!

Glad you got it sorted enjoy..

Pedals2Paddles · Apr 13, 2018

The link directly to the release notes is in the original post intentionally. It forces people to read the information in link that is actually there. Which is all required reading. Going straight to the release notes would just make people screw up even more.

XevetS · Apr 13, 2018

Pedals2Paddles said:
The link directly to the release notes is in the original post intentionally. It forces people to read the information in link that is actually there. Which is all required reading. Going straight to the release notes would just make people screw up even more.

Hey Matt haven't seen you in a while hope all is well..

carpy · Apr 14, 2018

XevetS said:
Hey Matt haven't seen you in a while hope all is well..

I know--I think of @Pedals2Paddles Matt like our big toe:

Pedals2Paddles · Apr 15, 2018

I pop in a few times a day to see what's going on. But since the fire in February, I don't have the time to really participate much.

IrishmanPDX · Apr 16, 2018

Pedals2Paddles said:
I pop in a few times a day to see what's going on. But since the fire in February, I don't have the time to really participate much.

Fire? Seriously didn't know anything about that. Everyone ok?

Pedals2Paddles · Apr 16, 2018

Sunday 2/11. I woke up in the morning to find the back of my house on fire. People and dog are fine. House got trashed and is being rebuilt/renovated. Just don't have much free time in the meantime.