Software Update - Version 2.4.0

[pete]

1) RTL
in flight club the new RTL options were tested extensively.

a) In 2.4.0, pressing Return Home triggers rewind until it is done and then the selected return option is performed. In your case, Rewind is disabled and set to 0 so the rewind kicks in for a few meters and then your RTL occurs. You can also press Return Home twice to skip rewind and go directly to RTL.

b) When Return To Me is enabled, the controller sends the gps location of the mobile device every second (you do not have to press return home first ). If the mobile device loses gps or the controller signal loses signal, solo will use the last location received.

c) When hover is enabled, solo will return at the specified rtl altitude and hover instead of land. if the controller signal is lost it will continue to hover because you are already in an RTL state. and if the battery gets to failsafe it will land. i'm not sure why in your case it did not land.

d) When Return To Me is enabled, if controller signal is lost, solo will return and land/hover to the mobile devices last location the controller sent. if the battery gets to failsafe, solo will land at its current position.

e) if you take off in fly manual, once gps lock occurs the home point will be set and then the location of the mobile device will be sent every second.

2) zipline
zipline has been in testing since december. zipline allows solo to travel on a horizontal line between two points set at infinity (its actually 1000m). you point solo's nose at the direction you want the line to be and the line is created that intersects the solo. solo is locked on this line and can travel forwards and backwards. when you enable altitude lock/unlock aka 3d, the line can now be in an angle from from horizontal (90 degrees) all the way to vertical (0 degrees). to set 3d, point solo where you want to line to travel forwards/backwards on and point the gimbal to the angle you want the line to travel up/down on. set the zipline, go to options and disable alt lock. the existing line will now be tilted down to match the gimbal angle and now solo will move forward and backward on the line as well as decrease and increase altitude.

3) Pano
b) there are no options for hemisphere because solo yaws 360 as well as takes a second row + nadir. what options do you think should be here?

Pano will switch from video to photo. if you are recording and it does not stop recording to switch to photo, then that is a bug. i only tested with the gopro in video mode, but not recording.

my current rtl options are launch + hover and return to me works on my iphone 6s+.

Thanks Frank.

what you described above is exactly what we expected and assumed it should be implemented that way.

however I tested it over 3 days now and it's not working for me the way you described, I have iPhone 5SE.

I'm able to get Solo returning to me only if I press Return Home on controller and not in any other way. When I shut down controller (loss of signal), Solo does not return to Me, it goes back to launch point.

when I have Hover set after performing Return Home, Solo does not activate failsafe landing when battery gets to critical level.

didn't know about Return Home double click to kill Rewind.
didn't know what Altitude lock/unlock does in Zipline, thanks for clarifying these 2 points while we wait for documentation.

Pano - Hemisphere, I do not expect any options there, just made a statement that there are no options and for the other 2 modes explained what options there are.

yes, there is only one Rewind, what I meant to say is that one is as a pre-procedure before RTL and the other that you can activate at any time by holding Pause button (this way I'm assuming RTL will not follow).

while I'm completely confused why my Solo is not behaving the way you described the new features (and I'm going to have to send logs to 3DR for analysis), I had a conversation on 3DR Group with a Beta tester in the meantime. He said the following (in regards to my issues) :
- RTM was implemented to work only when in Follow Me mode, in this mode it's supposed to dynamically update new Home every few seconds until I lose signal, it's not supposed to work this way in any other mode (I'm just stating what Beta tester said). Regardless for me it doesn't work even when I'm in Follow me mode.

- when Solo is in "Hover" after Return Home and not activating landing when battery gets to critical level (therefore assuming it would eventually fall down from the sky), this is correct and expected behaviour according to said Beta tester, I asked the same question twice and got the same answer twice.


anyway, we really need updated User Manual, until then I have no idea who is right or wrong and whether my Solo is behaving as expected or not.

 

[pete]

where did you read about the 2nd rewind function, because i cant find details about rewind besides this
"Rewind

explained here what I meant :

yes, there is only one Rewind, what I meant to say is that one is as a pre-procedure before RTL and the other that you can activate at any time by holding Pause button (this way I'm assuming RTL will not follow).

so in first case, that's something you have no control over, for example you are doing Orbit around Lighthouse and when Solo momentarily disappears from your view behind the object you are orbiting and you lose signal, in this case Rewind acts as failsafe by rewinding first before doing the actual RTL.

in second case, you can consciously activate Rewind at any time (in which case I'm assuming Solo will perform Rewind but without RTL).

 

[bigDavid]

Android version of the SW is not out yet. Only the FW for the Solo and Controller. There will be an app update on Android soon.

dang

 

[bigDavid]

It's really dumb for companies to release versions to different os's at different times. They should all be released when they are all complete so everything is the same for everyone at the same time. All they are going to do is cause confusion and piss people off. Would it be so hard to wait a day or two or a week or however long it takes to release the iOS version until they complete the Android version, or vice versa?

I hope people with android flood 3dr with complaints.

LOL YA SO THEY CAN ANSWER YOU a week or so later and answer a question with a question. I still love my solo but cust serv need's a lot of help.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Frank's description is exactly what I think we'd all expect the logical behavior to be. I sincerely hope @pete is simply experiencing a major malfunction, and not the actual programmed behavior. @pete, perhaps after you open a ticket to 3DR, uninstall and reinstall all the apps and do a factory reset. Perhaps a clean slate will clear it up?

 

[Toiletbowl]

wat is the difference RTH compare to RTM?

 

[pete]

Frank's description is exactly what I think we'd all expect the logical behavior to be. I sincerely hope @pete is simply experiencing a major malfunction, and not the actual programmed behavior. @pete, perhaps after you open a ticket to 3DR, uninstall and reinstall all the apps and do a factory reset. Perhaps a clean slate will clear it up?

yes, I could do that.

it would be much easier to understand if none of the new Return Home features worked, but the Return to Me feature works when I press Return Home button, so certainly 2.4 update has been applied. But it doesn't work when I lose signal. "Hover" works as well, just that the Solo does not come down on its own when battery goes to critical level.

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

yes, I could do that.

it would be much easier to understand if none of the new Return Home features worked, but the Return to Me feature works when I press Return Home button, so certainly 2.4 update has been applied. But it doesn't work when I lose signal. "Hover" works as well, just that the Solo does not come down on its own when battery goes to critical level.

Given how many people have been having a hodgepodge of malfunctions, it wouldn't surprise me that it only partially worked in your case. Lots of people having partial malfunctions, in addition to those that are totally dead in the water. I'm hoping you're one of those having a malfunction and this isn't how they designed it to work.

 

[Maddog]

wat is the difference RTH compare to RTM?

RTH- Return To Home: Solo returns to take off point. (Assuming you got GPS lock prior to take off). We have always had this.

RTM- Return To Me: Solo returns to the current controller position. If you have been using Follow Me, for example, Solo won't go back to the take off point. It will return to your new position.

 

[franknitty69]

Thanks Frank! Do you think 3DR will ever put that in print somewhere we can all find it? Instead of having to get all our info from some sleazy, back-alley, wrong side of the tracks, web site? Lol

sigh...3dr should have videos and manual updates ready to go with these big updates but they never do. one of my biggest gripes with them.

the way return works is going to take some re-learning. and its going to be an abrupt change for some. 3dr really needs to explain this just like they did with the return cone.

 

[jibcamera]

sigh...3dr should have videos and manual updates ready to go with these big updates but they never do. one of my biggest gripes with them.

the way return works is going to take some re-learning. and its going to be an abrupt change for some. 3dr really needs to explain this just like they did with the return cone.

yeah its almost like there are some disgruntled employees sabotaging the business

 

[RikMiddle]

I updated after a month, charged up 3 batts, read all the new cool functions...

and...now... i'm too scared to take off....

I know, i know... just fly...

 

[sir206]

I downloaded and installed the latest update.
When I go to Smart Shots I do not see the new shots or features. I reeally want to try out the Pano function but no dice so far...

Anyone else experiencing this??

EDIT: Never mind guys I realize my issue is dependent on the Android app release. My bad.

 

[Maddog]

I updated after a month, charged up 3 batts, read all the new cool functions...

and...now... i'm too scared to take off....

I know, i know... just fly...

C'mon Rik what's the worst thing that could happen? Like Solo goes out of control, flys 5 miles to an airport where it buzzes a student pilot in the pattern in a C152. Student flinches & flys into the path of a 747 on short final. They collide- debris rains down on an elementary school. No survivors.

Probably won't happen, so go fly. (And you were worried about crashing and busting a prop, huh?)

 

[Maddog]

sigh...3dr should have videos and manual updates ready to go with these big updates but they never do. one of my biggest gripes with them.

the way return works is going to take some re-learning. and its going to be an abrupt change for some. 3dr really needs to explain this just like they did with the return cone.

I know. It's just the way it is. You have always been a great source of information, so thank you!

I, on the other hand, talk a lot but say nothing.

 

[RikMiddle]

C'mon Rik what's the worst thing that could happen? Like Solo goes out of control, flys 5 miles to an airport where it buzzes a student pilot in the pattern in a C152. Student flinches & flys into the path of a 747 on short final. They collide- debris rains down on an elementary school. No survivors.

Probably won't happen, so go fly. (And you were worried about crashing and busting a prop, huh?)

Great-

No... I WAS just worried about losing $2k in gear 'cause of some update bug..

Now, I look at B4ufly and even with one heliport permission and a soft bed of cranberry bogs to fall on...

Geeezz.. thanks...

 

[Maddog]

Great-

No... I WAS just worried about losing $2k in gear 'cause of some update bug..

Now, I look at B4ufly and even with one heliport permission and a soft bed of cranberry bogs to fall on...

Geeezz.. thanks...

View attachment 3633

Hey- that's what I'm here for!

 

[RKGmedia]

I have updated to 2.4 and use iphone 6. I turn on the controller, turn on the solo, launch the solo app on my iphone and wait for gps. But of course gps is slow and sometimes never so I put it in manual mode and take off. Maybe go up quickly to 50 feet or so to wait for gps. But at this time there is no altitude info and when I release the left (throttle) stick solo just keeps racing towards the sky. Same thing happens if I use down throttle, upon release of the stick it just keeps coming down until I put in some up on the throttle to stop it. Once it has gps lock (I'm still in manual mode) altitude info returns and throttle performs normally.

Was it this way before the update?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

I have updated to 2.4 and use iphone 6. I turn on the controller, turn on the solo, launch the solo app on my iphone and wait for gps. But of course gps is slow and sometimes never so I put it in manual mode and take off. Maybe go up quickly to 50 feet or so to wait for gps. But at this time there is no altitude info and when I release the left (throttle) stick solo just keeps racing towards the sky. Same thing happens if I use down throttle, upon release of the stick it just keeps coming down until I put in some up on the throttle to stop it. Once it has gps lock (I'm still in manual mode) altitude info returns and throttle performs normally.

Was it this way before the update?

I can't think of any mode where that behavior is normal, even the "advanced" modes. But none the less, are you sure you're not in Acro, Sport, or Stabilize mode?? In FLY:MANUAL mode, it should hold altitude with the throttle stick centered.

 

[RKGmedia]

I can't think of any mode where that behavior is normal, even the "advanced" modes. But none the less, are you sure you're not in Acro, Sport, or Stabilize mode?? In FLY:MANUAL mode, it should hold altitude with the throttle stick centered.

Yes I'm sure about the mode. I use manual quite often but only if I can't get gps, which is quite often. It's usually due to obstructions of some sort but it doesn't take much. I was flying in a mountainous area yesterday and was having trouble getting gps on the ground so I would take off to get some altitude to help the gps out. It also was moderately windy and when I noticed the solo just going up and up I thought it was updrafts. Tested it this morning in flatland calm conditions and same thing. I thought altitude readout worked without gps. Had a couple other funky things happen since update. Like yaw control freezing. But with wind and mountains like yesterday, coupled with the occasional accidental press of one of the A B buttons, and me not fully understanding yet the new return to wherever features, it's hard to say. several times I pressed return home and nothing would happen or something strange would happen. I feel pretty lucky I ended the day unscathed.