Pre flight update pulling my hair out

[Ardudevguy]

Hello my friends I'm reaching out for help this evening as I've tried literally everything I know to get my "new" as in just bought 3DR Solo from B&H camera to get airborne.

I opened the box and followed the instructions and first thing I see on the controler is Preflight Update required before first flight! Use 3DR solo app to update..also lights on the drone are solid red back and blueish white front.

This is where everything went bad...I installed the Solo app from 3DR could not connect and did a Google search only to find my only option was to pay a 3 party developer $29...well being a dev myself I don't mind paying for the work done however being the app to connect did not work either...yes I was logged into my solo link while trying to connect via the app so it's not that.

I'd like to if possible bypass this horse crap preflight mess and install open solo 4 however from all the recent reads on the net it seems not possible without updating preflight, but I've had zero luck getting either the Solo or the remote to link up with solex/solo/QGC. This is extremely disheartening at best.

I reached out to the developer of the solex app Kelly and he has not been able to email me a solution I'm hoping this is not a wasted purchase/paperweight.

Any and I do mean any helpful information from the community that can help me get this drone airborne would be greatly appointed at this point I've spend a small fortune on everything I've purchased for this drone along with the cost of the drone. It seems like 3dr gave everyone the finger and the company wasted a 100 million...however if I can get this thing up in the air I'll be able to look passed that lol.

Thanks,
Ardudevguy

 

[just_bruce]

Please describe in detail

1. EXACTLY the problem you are having.

2. What you have tried. Be Specific.

3. What the outcome of each thing you have tried has been. Again, details matter.

Please understand you are dealing with a 6 yr old UAS system, that while still viable, depends on it's users to put in effort for their rewards. Patience is rewarded.

 

[Ardudevguy]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out in such a prompt manner!

I bought drone from B&H turned on when it arrived and charged...first thing that happened is controller took a long while to connect to aircraft...once controller connected to solo aircraft a messaged appeared that a preflight update is required.

I then went to the play store and downloaded the stock "solo" application and connected my solo aircraft to my phone and proceeded to connect via the solo app...the app crashed several times and as a result I did a Google search...I found out quickly that the solo app is not receiving firmware updates from the 3dr dev team.

I purchased the Solex app and tried to connect several times without success same way I tried with the solo app. I made sure that my default aircraft on Solex was the solo...side note although I'm unable to connect to the aircraft through solex the app does see that my phone is connected and shows the solo link.

I was able to connect the drone directly to mission planner by creating a usb cable ? that connect directly to the stock "black" pixhawk cube. If possible at this point I would like to update the solos firmware via mission planner although I have not researched if that is a possible with open solo firmware and I'm assuming the controller would need to be updated as well and this method would not address that separate issue.

 

[just_bruce]

It is possible to get the cube flashed via this method. A recent member has had success with this method.

 

[Ardudevguy]

I'd like to report to all that I was able to flash firmware using the USB port on the stock black cube. If anyone would like to know step by step how to do it just go ahead and PM me....I was able to do a lot of other really trick stuff.

Thanks for all of the help that you guy's gave!

 

[just_bruce]

I think if you wanna write it up it would make a nice future reference. Please and thanks

 

[Wetstone]

Yes. This is the number 1 Problem new users are having.

 

[igotitiscool]

I'd like to report to all that I was able to flash firmware using the USB port on the stock black cube. If anyone would like to know step by step how to do it just go ahead and PM me....I was able to do a lot of other really trick stuff.

Thanks for all of the help that you guy's gave!

hey i just got drone stuck in preflight today don't have solo have solex,

 

[woodypr]

I'd like to report to all that I was able to flash firmware using the USB port on the stock black cube. If anyone would like to know step by step how to do it just go ahead and PM me....I was able to do a lot of other really trick stuff.

Thanks for all of the help that you guy's gave!

Hi I'm stuck in preflight update, I've updated the firmware through solex but still getting preflight update, any help/suggestions