Telemetry out from Solo

[Corvus Monitoring]

Hi,
I juste received a drotag:
DROTAG x - Onboard Image Tagging Computer

I will install it on a DIY drone, but I want to try to put it on my solo/Qx1.

Where are the "telemetry" pins inside the solo? (or on the accessory board)

Thank you,
Julien from Corvus

 

[yarrr]

So I think you'd be looking for Serial2 RX and Tx, which would be pin 11 and 26 (plus 5v and gnd).

See here

Please post your results, I'm curious if you can get it to work. I'm using a Drotag with a QX1 on a fixed wing with a Pixhawk 2.1- but also considered adding it to Solo.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

Thank you for help guys!
I will let you know the results, I'm sure there is a excellent combination to do with SOLO/QX1/Drotag...
Coming back next week for first tests!!

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

So...
No success for now. I connected the Drotag to my breakout board, and nothing happen... The drotag just continue to double flash in red, even after GPS fix.
I sent a message to airborne project about this, will let you know!
Just to be sure... The inner pins serial2 tx and rx are connected to the accessory bay, or do I have to do it myself?
Thanks,
Julien

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

Are you familiar with ArduCopter parameters? The serial port is not enabled by default. You'll need to change parameter SERIAL2_PROTOCOL from 0 to 1, and SERIAL2_BAUD to wharver baud rate the drotag is expecting. Parameter BRD_SER2_RTSCTS should already be set for 2, which is auto. You can change these parameters using applications such as Solex, Tower, Mission Planner, and QGC.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

Hello,
Yes i'm familiar with it, I moded a few solos since a few years, and the parameters you are talking about has been setted. Still waiting for Airborne Project answer, they are not very reactive on emails...
I don't want to experiment now because I bought the Drotag 290€, the price of a solo ;-)
However, I connected it to my "classical pixhawk" octo, via telem2 port, and the same thing happened... Drotag keeping flashing red.... Maybe it's a camera setting problem.
I keep you in touch with it,
Julien from Corvus
www.corvus-monitoring.fr

 

[yarrr]

I don't think the LED on the Drotag necessarily means anything. I've found them to take a few days on email responses, but in the meantime maybe work to get the system working on your regular pixhawk and then try the Solo.

Also don't think triggering and tagging work unless the vehicle is armed, which for bench testing requires disabling all failsafes.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

Ok, thank for advice, i'll try it soon,

Julien

 

[yarrr]

I can confirm that this setup works. Running OpenSolo 3.0.

-Connect Drotag to Solo Acc bay pins 11, 19, 26, 29 (which corrosponds to Drotag 3,1,2,6)
-Change parameters
-CH7=9
-SER2 Baud=115
-SER2 Prot=1
-Cam_feedback=-1
-TELEM_DELAY=10

Camera triggering (via mission planner or long press Pause) seems to work at any time.

However, geotagging by the Drotag only works when the vehicle is armed (in the case of Solo- motors running).

Pretty cool tool- compared to the GoPro and manual geotagging via Mission Planner (after downloading logs)- or the significant number of steps and transfering files via Solex.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

I only found time and good weather this afternoon to make a try. No success.

I'm running arducopter 1.5.3. Could it be the problem? Is there a setting on the QX1 you made before? (like PC control, wich I did not found on playmemories app)
I noticed that you set ser2Baud to 115, can you confirm, as Drotag manual say a rate of 57.

Thank you for help,
Julien

 

[yarrr]

The Drotag manual recommended 115 baud based on purchase date (if I read that correctly). Not sure about AC1.5.3 vs Opensolo.

Didn't make any changes to the QX1 settings, but it is apparently important that the camera is in USB mass storage mode. So if you plug it into a computer- does it show up as a "camera", or a drive? Not exactly sure how to switch this on the QX1, but on an R10C, it is a long press of the wifi button, and I think the LED changes from yellow to green.

Note that if you have a good GPS fix, you can 'fly' the Solo on the bench with the props off. That's how I confirmed the geotagging works when armed only.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

I finally found time to set it up this week. Apparently my Drotag is faulty, as it does not work with A6000or Qx1 and Solo with green cube (brand new, so happy with it), or with pixhawk.
On the Drotag manual it's written to set "PC remote" on USB connection, but the cam stay on "USB connecting...)
I'll try to find help with airborne project and keep you in touch.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

Of course I tried all the variations of settings, from those deatailled in the manual to those Yarr gave on that thread, but nothing succeed.

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

So... As I don't have any answer from my emails to Airborne project (wich is really a pity as I need several drotag...), I ask to you for help...
I made a test bench with a dedicated Pixhawk, Gps, Rx, telemetry... , Drotag and Sony A6000. Still does not work, after trying different settings. The settings I have on the manual are different than those you here and Pedro from airborne projects adviced me. I tried both, the drotag is still mute.

So my question is: Could i have affected the drotag by reversing Tx and Rx when first plugged on my Solo? I think I had good connections, but this is the only mistake I could have made....

Now I really need to make it works!!

Thank you,
Julien

 

[Corvus Monitoring]

Finally,
I had a support from Airborne concept, that was really appreciate. After re-format/install the Drotag's SD card, I have something that work!!

Now I just wait for the good weather to test it, and build a light 1 axis brushless Gimbal for the Qx1...
Julien