Solo GPS Rev A / Rev B Availability... Official

Jubalr · Jul 2, 2016

From Vu Tran 3DR

Hi All,

I'm sorry for the long delay in getting back to you all regarding the Rev B GPS boards.

Like Ian's post, this one is titled: Good News, Bad News.

Bad news: Unfortunately, we will not be making the Rev B boards available as a separate purchase. We've deliberated long and hard and in the end, we couldn't find a way to get additional boards to be produced at a acceptable price.

Good news: We spent the rest of the time testing possible combinations to increase the performance of the Rev A boards you currently have. I'm very happy to announce that we found a surprisingly good alternative. Our test results show that the combination of the Rev A GPS board and the new GPS shield yields significant acquisition gains in semi-occluded and occluded areas (places you're not supposed to be flying in) when compared with the old GPS shield. The new shield is made of a high-performance EMI absorbing polymer tuned specifically to the frequencies that GPS operates at. We're selling it for $29.99 but because it took us so long to respond we're giving everyone here on FB a 50% discount for the next month. Just use the promo code FBGPSV2. You can find the new shield here:Solo GPS Shield V2 - 3DR

I think you'll be very pleased with the performance increase. If you're not, I'll happily refund your money.

** edit **
Everyone has the old GPS shield, regardless of which version GPS board you have.

Here are the installation instructions:

Del · Jul 2, 2016

Jubalr said:
From Vu Tran 3DR

Hi All,

I'm sorry for the long delay in getting back to you all regarding the Rev B GPS boards.

Like Ian's post, this one is titled: Good News, Bad News.

Bad news: Unfortunately, we will not be making the Rev B boards available as a separate purchase. We've deliberated long and hard and in the end, we couldn't find a way to get additional boards to be produced at a acceptable price.

Good news: We spent the rest of the time testing possible combinations to increase the performance of the Rev A boards you currently have. I'm very happy to announce that we found a surprisingly good alternative. Our test results show that the combination of the Rev A GPS board and the new GPS shield yields significant acquisition gains in semi-occluded and occluded areas (places you're not supposed to be flying in) when compared with the old GPS shield. The new shield is made of a high-performance EMI absorbing polymer tuned specifically to the frequencies that GPS operates at. We're selling it for $29.99 but because it took us so long to respond we're giving everyone here on FB a 50% discount for the next month. Just use the promo code FBGPSV2. You can find the new shield here:Solo GPS Shield V2 - 3DR

I think you'll be very pleased with the performance increase. If you're not, I'll happily refund your money.

** edit **
Everyone has the old GPS shield, regardless of which version GPS board you have.

Here are the installation instructions:

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Thanks Jubair for sharing the info... Good to know!

Cheers

Jubalr · Jul 2, 2016

No Problem Del. I just ordered 2 for my 2 Solos. I figure at 14.95ea and free shipping it's worth a try. Note that if you order more than 1, they have to be done separately as the code is just a straight 14.95 discount and does not take into account more than 1 in the cart.

pyrate · Jul 2, 2016

got mine on order too
should be fun to look at the black and green board both equipped with the shield to see how they perform

Del · Jul 2, 2016

I'm just curious here .. I don't really have problems with my GPS!
So should I change my Shield anyways..?
Or is this shield replacement more for the people that do have problems with there GPS!
I'm just thinking ..why fix it if it's not broken!

Cheers

Toiletbowl · Jul 2, 2016

i trying to order but the 3dr store unable to ship my country grrrrrrrr!!

pyrate · Jul 2, 2016

Del said:
I'm just curious here .. I don't really have problems with my GPS!
So should I change my Shield anyways..?
Or is this shield replacement more for the people that do have problems with there GPS!
I'm just thinking ..why fix it if it's not broken!

Cheers

Del great point. My new solo is not having issues but I ordered one anyway. My understanding is this helps with noise and interference better. The original shield was not good in certain locations or conditions but fine most of the time.
WIth the discount code its a cheap enough add. and easy. I really just want to compare the two apples to apples.

If you are not having any issues then it could be passed up

Anthony Horrigan · Jul 2, 2016

Just order one with the promo code, thanks.
Question: Any plans the upgrade the GPS module to use Glonass?

Del · Jul 2, 2016

pyrate said:
Del great point. My new solo is not having issues but I ordered one anyway. My understanding is this helps with noise and interference better. The original shield was not good in certain locations or conditions but fine most of the time.
WIth the discount code its a cheap enough add. and easy. I really just want to compare the two apples to apples.

If you are not having any issues then it could be passed up

You got a good point there Pirate.. Specially if it also helps with noise and vibration to... Then I think it would be better to change it even if you don't have problems that you can tell ..!
I just ordered one for my Solo...I'm thinking it can't hurt..and mabe have everything to Gain....and mabe even it Will be quicker locking onto the sats and mabe even lock on to more Sats...but testing will have to be done to actually confirm if there will be a difference when replacing the shield...but I'm thinking it's gotta be better !
Iv notice The new shield looks a little thicker then the original stock one?
I'm looking forward to see some post in the near future for the solo pilot that have changed there shield to the newer one and posting there results ..it will probably take a while before I get mine in the mail due to I live in Canada...but will post my results when I finally get it and test it!

Cheers

James Taylor · Jul 2, 2016

This may be a stupid question, but I always say there are never stupid questions, how can you tell the rev of your GPS board? I went ahead and ordered the shield regardless. Purchased my Solo in Dec 2015.

James Taylor · Jul 2, 2016

Just read it in the post on 599 is back...

Take off the GPS cover (page 45 of the user manual). Green is rev A, black is rev B.

Maddog · Jul 2, 2016

Um- isn't this board being used to "fix problems" with the original GPS? GPS lock taking forever, loss of GPS, etc?

Problems we shouldn't have had to deal with in the first place?
People were trying all kinds of things to fix this problem on their own.

I'm glad they found a fix but I don't think it's appropriate to charge us for a fix we should never have needed. Just my $.02...

RichWest · Jul 2, 2016

Before anyone ask why the cost, a sheet of the 3M 1mm equivalent EMI absorbing material retails at $57. Basically 8.5x11" sheet, I presume 6 parts could be made per sheet. Thinner, 0.5mm is around $45 a sheet, which is likely what 3DR used. It's not cheap material...

My opinion, the 3DR provided solution is a bargain at $15 and a fair price at $30, and includes shipping...??

Similar copper shielding is equally expensive. But is designed to be electrically conductive, which is bad in this application. Which is why in a copper shielding DIY application a non-conductive spacer is needed.

Likewise I have no GPS issues with my existing mod. I am excited for a 3DR offered solution. I am buying as well.

@Jubalr , do you have to place two separate orders to get the discount or is it two line items on the same order?

Jubalr · Jul 2, 2016

RichWest said:
Before anyone ask why the cost, a sheet of the 3M 1mm equivalent EMI absorbing material retails at $57. Basically 8.5x11" sheet, I presume 6 parts could be made per sheet. Thinner, 0.5mm is around $45 a sheet, which is likely what 3DR used. It's not cheap material...

My opinion, the 3DR provided solution is a bargain at $15 and a fair price at $30, and includes shipping...??

Similar copper shielding is equally expensive. But is designed to be electrically conductive, which is bad in this application. Which is why in a copper shielding DIY application a non-conductive spacer is needed.

Likewise I have no GPS issues with my existing mod. I am excited for a 3DR offered solution. I am buying as well.

@Jubalr , do you have to place two separate orders to get the discount or is it two line items on the same order?

Hey Rich, I had to place an order, checkout completely then create a 2nd order to get the discount on both. I assume because the discount is just a straight dollar amount and not actually tied to the quantity, but no big deal. It was easy enough to do. I agree with your opinion on this as well. Any improvements to any product is always welcome and rarely free.

twitchyzero · Jul 2, 2016

thank you 3DR for acknowledging a persistent problem and for providing a solution. Personally think it should be free like the legs fixing the gimbal clearance but $15 is reasonable (haven't checked out yet..hope no tax/shipping)

Mr_Armageddon · Jul 3, 2016

Thanks for making this available at a discount! Ordered one this morning.

yvesOttawa · Jul 3, 2016

Ordered mine as well. Thanks folks!

Nick F · Jul 3, 2016

There are a lot of solos sold abroad!
How can we have this shield in Europe?
I think 3dr should start shipping in other countries too!

Maddog · Jul 3, 2016

Nick F said:
There are a lot of solos sold abroad!
How can we have this shield in Europe?
I think 3dr should start shipping in other countries too!

I agree.

Del · Jul 3, 2016

Iv been out of the loop on the Solo due to selling my house and moving.. So my Solo has been packed for a while!
But I notice that 3DR came out with a new mother board REV-B!
I'm just wondering what they did different to REV-B if you compare it to REV-A!
Is it that they only installed a new GPS Shield in REV-B and that's it??
And is that the only difference between REV-A and REV-B?
Or did they also do anything els in REV-B to improve anything els?

Cheers