Solex for Solo

fpvsteve · Nov 30, 2016

mecummings.cr said:
Even if Solo were spinning (as shown in that video on Athletic Quadcopters) due to a failing motor pod, at least if you could perform a somewhat controlled descent to a safe crash/landing point that would be very beneficial. Obviously it's better to lose the copter/camera and hit a safe point on the ground vs the copter dropping uncontrollably into a more vulnerable object. Perhaps it's just not technically possible with Solo.

a quad copter will not be controllable once one motor fail.
the only way to control a quad is when the remaining motor on the opposite side of the malfunction motor is able to spin in both directions via a corresponding flight controller software.
Not possible with Arducopter to my knowledge and so not possible with Solo.

Deleted member 7413 · Nov 30, 2016

Vegasrobbi said:
My batteries had seen better days, Best Buy has new Solo batteries for $49.

I've been running APC 11x 4.5MR props (reamed), they are quiet and Solo is more stable. With a new battery cruising at 15 mph I can get 18 minutes, that's with gimbal and Go Pro rolling. In a hover I get about 15 minutes.

Just to clarify, you're not using third party batteries? Also where did you purchase the APC 11x 4.5MR props? Many thanks...Sam

RichWest · Nov 30, 2016

Raffaello D’Andrea is a magician of this technology. It's all slight of hand. Even so, it is a very impressive trick.

The swinging weight of the gimbal alone would make the task very complex and more unlikely.

Vegasrobbi · Nov 30, 2016

Sam007 said:
Just to clarify, you're not using third party batteries? Also where did you purchase the APC 11x 4.5MR props? Many thanks...Sam

Correct stock batteries. Purchased props from Tower Hobbies. Here's an old video.

SARDG · Nov 30, 2016

mecummings.cr said:
Even if Solo were spinning (as shown in that video on Athletic Quadcopters) due to a failing motor pod, at least if you could perform a somewhat controlled descent to a safe crash/landing point that would be very beneficial...

Solex App for Android Rocks!

Deleted member 7413 · Nov 30, 2016

Vegasrobbi said:
Correct stock batteries. Purchased props from Tower Hobbies. Here's an old video.

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Thank you...

Deleted member 7413 · Nov 30, 2016

RichWest said:
Raffaello D’Andrea is a magician of this technology. It's all slight of hand. Even so, it is a very impressive trick.

The swinging weight of the gimbal alone would make the task very complex and more unlikely.

Are these the ones you bought?
APC 11x4.5 Multi-Rotor Set Black (4)
Cheers...Sam

RichWest · Nov 30, 2016

You need a 6mm nut and that they are self tightening, so the following is what I bought for my T-Motor setup.

10x4.5MR(ST)
10x4.5MRP(ST)

The following were sets packaged for Solo stock motors, not sure if they are any different than the above other than quantity....
10x4.5MR(ST2A)
10x4.5MRP(ST2A)

Again from the T-Motor aspect, I reamed the prop hubs to sit further down on the prop adapters. I'm not sure it is needed, but it eliminated the need for a spacer ring and the fit is stable to the motor.. Can't comment on the stock motor's needs...

fwiw, balance out of the bag is not bad, but with a little effort they can be perfect.

DougM · Nov 30, 2016

Can someone tell me where I find the app? I went to play store and searched but couldn't find it.

SteveReno · Nov 30, 2016

DougM said:
Can someone tell me where I find the app? I went to play store and searched but couldn't find it.

If your inquiring about Solex, then Solex - Android Apps on Google Play

Mauiwind · Dec 1, 2016

Darn, Im not good at this..... OK, Im not good at understsnding how to populate a list of batteries on Solex. Galaxy S7 edge thanks

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Deleted member 7413 · Dec 1, 2016

RichWest said:
You need a 6mm nut and that they are self tightening, so the following is what I bought for my T-Motor setup.

10x4.5MR(ST)
10x4.5MRP(ST)

The following were sets packaged for Solo stock motors, not sure if they are any different than the above other than quantity....
10x4.5MR(ST2A)
10x4.5MRP(ST2A)

Again from the T-Motor aspect, I reamed the prop hubs to sit further down on the prop adapters. I'm not sure it is needed, but it eliminated the need for a spacer ring and the fit is stable to the motor.. Can't comment on the stock motor's needs...

fwiw, balance out of the bag is not bad, but with a little effort they can be perfect.

Thanks again.

SteveReno · Dec 1, 2016

Mauiwind said:
Darn, Im not good at this..... OK, Im not good at understsnding how to populate a list of batteries on Solex. Galaxy S7 edge thanks

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

I looked thur use manual & no reference to ID'ing batteries & or list.
This look like a job for SUPER KELLY .... @Kelly Schrock
I sure miss Maui....

Kelly Schrock · Dec 1, 2016

SteveReno said:
I looked thur use manual & no reference to ID'ing batteries & or list.
This look like a job for SUPER KELLY .... @Kelly Schrock
I sure miss Maui....

The ideal would be for Solex to be able to communicate with the Solo and have it ID the battery, but it doesn't provide any way to do that. Which is really odd, because every other Linux machine I have here (laptops, etc) have a way to get the serial number from the battery. Solo, which runs only on a battery, lacks that ability. So the only real way to identify a battery is to do something like I do: Mark each battery with a unique number (1, 2, 3, etc, in the order I buy them) and then make Battery items in Solex to match them. When you put a battery in, select that battery in Solex, and its time is tracked for that battery. Much less than ideal, but that's about the best I was able to do.

Kelly Schrock · Dec 1, 2016

mecummings.cr said:
1. Would it be possible to add a motor diagnostic tool to Solex? Something that would allow you to easily activate each motor one at a time (obviously with props removed) to check for any obvious irregularities? A tool that would diagnose the motor pod prior to flight would be ideal but even just something to turn the motors on and off and ramp them up and down would be of some help in listening for audible issues with the motors.

2. What are the possibilities Solex could be programmed to automatically place Solo into a failsafe mode that in the event of an in flight motor pod failure the copter would be able to use the other 3 functional motor pods to get it on the ground? I saw this in a video about Athletic Quadcopters where they snipped off portions of the props to simulate damage.

Hi Mike,

Both of those would be great features, but unfortunately neither of them are something an app can do without some changes to the firmware. There's an effort afoot to get the latest APM code and the latest Solo code merged, so we'll eventually be able to do all kinds of things on the Solo itself that we haven't been able to yet. At that time, there's a possibility that someone could introduce the ability to run one motor at a time. Once that's in place, I can modify DroneKit/Android and Solex to allow access to that from the app. As for item 2, that's definitely something that's possible, but there's no such ability in Solo that I'm aware of. As others have said here, I'm not sure how well that would work with Solo anyway, due to its size and weight.

Thanks,
Kelly

SteveReno · Dec 1, 2016

Awh, OK.
I thought is was another feature in Solex.
It must have been a request or a suggestion from a FB page & i thought is was a new feature LOL
Not totally my fault, Can you please slow down on new features for Solo!
Let go to Maui for a week!

DirtyThirty · Dec 2, 2016

Change your profile pic already Kelly

DirtyThirty · Dec 2, 2016

Kelly Schrock said:
Hi Mike,

Both of those would be great features, but unfortunately neither of them are something an app can do without some changes to the firmware. There's an effort afoot to get the latest APM code and the latest Solo code merged, so we'll eventually be able to do all kinds of things on the Solo itself that we haven't been able to yet. At that time, there's a possibility that someone could introduce the ability to run one motor at a time. Once that's in place, I can modify DroneKit/Android and Solex to allow access to that from the app. As for item 2, that's definitely something that's possible, but there's no such ability in Solo that I'm aware of. As others have said here, I'm not sure how well that would work with Solo anyway, due to its size and weight.

Thanks,
Kelly

Personally I think functionality of Solex should be kept more streamlined and along the lines of accomplishing what we are doing in the air. No need to bloat it. Mission planner already does this.

Mauiwind · Dec 2, 2016

Kelly Schrock said:
The ideal would be for Solex to be able to communicate with the Solo and have it ID the battery, but it doesn't provide any way to do that. Which is really odd, because every other Linux machine I have here (laptops, etc) have a way to get the serial number from the battery. Solo, which runs only on a battery, lacks that ability. So the only real way to identify a battery is to do something like I do: Mark each battery with a unique number (1, 2, 3, etc, in the order I buy them) and then make Battery items in Solex to match them. When you put a battery in, select that battery in Solex, and its time is tracked for that battery. Much less than ideal, but that's about the best I was able to do.

Yes, yes , thank you Kelly. My stumbling block was how to ID batteries in Solex. Roger that there is no auto ID, but how do I identify the battery on the Solex app?

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