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Related Manuals for 3DR Solo
Summary of Contents for 3DR Solo
- Page 1 ™ User Manual...
- Page 2 Tel. +1 (858) 225-1414 3dr.com Solo User Manual V5 © 2015 3D Robotics Inc. Solo is a trademark of 3D Robotics, Inc. GoPro, HERO, the GoPro logo, and the GoPro Be a HERO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro, Inc.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Contents Introduction System Overview Aircraft Overview Controller Overview Operating Parameters Autopilot Propulsion LED Meanings Setup In the Box Battery Controller Propellers Camera Mobile App Safety Location Environmental Awareness Visual Line of Sight Flight School Propellers Home Position Altitude Limit Emergency Procedures 3.10 Flight Battery 3.11... - Page 4 Support Maintenance Controller Battery Replacement Calibrations Pairing Legs Battery Tray Motor Pods Factory Reset Appendix 10.1 Specifications 10.2 Warranty 10.3 Regulatory Compliance...
- Page 5 Figure 6.2.6.1: Controller - Battery Alerts Figure 2.6.4.9: Controller Update Displays Figure 7.2.5.1: App - Advanced Settings Figure 2.6.4.10: Controller - Waiting for Solo Figure 7.3.5.1: App - A and B Presets Figure 2.6.4.11: App - Update Success Figure 7.5.5.1: App - Performance Sliders Figure 2.6.5.1: App - Viewing Video...
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Page 6: Introduction
1.1.3 The Solo App outputs a live video stream from an onboard GoPro® camera to an Android or iOS device. The App allows you to view the live video with overlaid telemetry and access a simplified graphic interface for controlling Solo’s advanced functions. -
Page 7: Aircraft Overview
Motors and Propellers Solo’s arms are labeled one through four on the ends of the arms. Motors on arms #1 and #2 spin counterclockwise and use clockwise-tightening propellers with silver tops. Motors on arms #3 and #4 spin clockwise and use counterclockwise-tightening propellers with black tops. -
Page 8: Controller Overview
The controller’s long-range dipole antennas communicate with Solo during flight. See Section 3.12 for proper antenna configuration. 1.3.10 Gimbal Controls The paddle, buttons, and dial on the top of the controller are used to control the Solo Gimbal. They can also be used to set camera position in some Smart Shots. -
Page 9: Operating Parameters
Options Figure 1.3.10.1: Controller Overview Operating Parameters The following operating parameters apply to Solo. Always operate Solo within these parameters. Solo’s performance and behaviors may vary significantly conditions violate the parameters listed below. Figure 1.4.10.1: Solo Operating Parameters Estimated flight time... -
Page 10: Autopilot
256 KB of RAM. Combined with an array of CAN, I2C, SPI, PWM, and UART interfaces, Pixhawk 2 uses a suite of onboard sensors to calculate Solo’s orientation and motion in flight. This data is input into ArduPilot’s inertial navigation and position estimation algorithms and combined with control inputs to send commands to Solo’s... -
Page 11: Setup
Figure 2.1.10.1: Solo Parts Battery Solo is powered by the rechargeable Solo Smart Battery that provides up to 25 minutes of flight time per full charge. (Keep in mind that flight time depends on payload, wind conditions, elevation, temperature, humidity, flying style and pilot skill, so the actual flight time may vary.) As a lithium polymer battery, the Solo Smart Battery requires specific... -
Page 12: Figure 2.2.1.1: Solo Battery Charging
Powering To power Solo, insert the battery into Solo’s battery bay and slide the battery forward until it clicks into place. Press and hold the battery power button to turn on Solo. When Solo powers on, the battery will display an LED animation and you will hear the startup tone. -
Page 13: Controller
The controller takes approximately 3 hours to charge to 100%. Figure 2.3.1.1: Controller Charging 2.3.2 Powering To power on the controller, press and hold the controller power button until you see the Solo logo, followed by a single vibration. Figure 2.3.2.1: Power On Controller... -
Page 14: Propellers
Propellers Solo uses two types of self-tightening propellers, indicated by the color of the circle at the center of the propeller. 2.4.1 Attaching Attach the propellers with silver tops to the motors with a silver dot on the top of the motor shaft, and attach the black-top propellers to the motors with black dots. -
Page 15: Figure 2.5.1.1: : Camera Configuration Process
Make sure that the Wi-Fi on your GoPro is turned OFF. It can interfere ® with Solo’s communication signals and cause unexpected behavior. 2.5.2 Attaching To attach the camera to the GoPro® The Frame™ fixed mount, insert your GoPro® upside down and connect the Solo HDMI cable to the camera. -
Page 16: Mobile App
Mobile App The Solo App provides a streaming video link to a mobile device and a simple graphic interface for interacting with Smart Shots and other advanced Solo features. 2.6.1 Install Visit 3dr.com/soloapp or download “3DR Solo” from the App Store or Google Play Store. 3DR Solo works with iOS 8.0 or later and Android 4.3 or later. -
Page 17: Figure 2.6.3.2: App - Wi-Fi Settings
In the Solo menu, select Wi-Fi Settings, and set a new password. The password should be between 8 and 32 characters with no spaces. Select Apply to enable your changes. If you forget your SoloLink password, perform the factory reset procedure in Section 9.7 to reset the password to the temporary password (sololink). -
Page 18: Figure 2.6.4.4: App - Connect Instructions List
Figure 2.6.4.5: App - Download Update When the App detects an active connection with the controller, it will prompt you to begin the update. (Solo and the controller must be powered on to connect to Solo Wi-Fi.) Select Begin to start the update. -
Page 19: Figure 2.6.4.9: Controller Update Displays
The controller will restart and display a green check mark to indicate that the controller was updated successfully. When you see the green check mark on the controller, re-connect to Solo Wi-Fi in the App and press A on the... -
Page 20: Safety
Solo flies outside the safe flying area. Visual Line of Sight Always fly Solo within your visual line of sight. Don’t let Solo get so far away from you that you cannot see its orientation or so that any physical obstructions block your view of Solo. -
Page 21: Propellers
Solo until the propellers stop spinning, and always power off Solo before picking it up. Solo requires an active GPS signal for flight. After powering on, Solo can take up to 5 minutes to acquire a strong GPS lock. Always choose a flying location with a clear view of the sky to improve GPS signal strength. The following requirements define a GPS lock: •... -
Page 22: Emergency Procedures
Land To land Solo at its current position, press and hold the Fly button. Lift the throttle at any time to exit the landing procedure. If Solo does not have GPS lock, there will be no automatic positioning as Solo descends, and drifting KILL SWITCH UI - EMERGENCY MOTOR SHUTOFF may occur depending on environmental conditions. -
Page 23: 3.10 Flight Battery
In the US and Canada, visit call2recycle.org to find a location. For long term storage, store the Solo Smart battery in a 64° F to 82° F environment, between 45-85% relative humidity, at a 50% battery charge. Avoid storing the Solo Smart battery at underneath a 10% charge, as this low charge may damage the battery’s longevity. -
Page 24: First Flight
Activating Motors When Solo is ready to fly, the controller will prompt you to hold the Fly button to start Solo’s motors. Hold Fly until the propellers spin. Solo is now active, ready for takeoff, and needs to be treated with appropriate caution to avoid MOTOR START &... -
Page 25: Landing
Hold to take off are on. LED becomes solid white when takeo begins. Hold Fly again to initiate takeoff. Solo will rise to 10 feet (3 m) and hover until receiving further control inputs. AUTO-LAND Cable Cam Orbit TAKEOFF PART 2 Auto-land prompt If user presses “Fly”... -
Page 26: Return Home
Return Home The Return Home button ends your flight automatically by returning Solo to the home position (launch point) and landing. When commanded to Return Home, Solo: 1 Achieves a minimum altitude of 49 feet (15 m) or maintains current altitude if above 49 feet. -
Page 27: Joystick Control
Joystick Control The controller’s two joysticks allow you to navigate Solo in flight. The left stick controls Solo’s altitude and rotation. ROTATE ROTATE Left Stick LEFT RIGHT DOWN Figure 4.6.2.1: Controller Left Joystick Move the left stick vertically to control Solo’s altitude and acceleration. -
Page 28: Figure 4.6.2.3: Yaw Joystick Behavior
Figure 4.6.2.3: Yaw Joystick Behavior Use the right stick to fly Solo forward, back, left, and right. These movements are relative to Solo’s current orientation, so always maintain awareness of Solo’s forward-facing direction before using right-stick controls. FORWARD... -
Page 29: Figure 4.6.2.5: Pitch Joystick Controls
Figure 4.6.2.6: Roll Joystick Controls ight Yaw If you’re new to drones, take some time to learn the basics before your first flight. Visit 3dr.com/solo/info or check out Flight School in the Solo Deactivate app to learn about flight controls and best practices. -
Page 30: App Interface Overview
App Interface Overview The Solo App provides a simplified interface for viewing Solo’s video feed and managing Smart Shots. Figure 4.7.2.1: App - Main Interface Live video feed Main menu Horizontal distance from home Altitude Shot List Flight battery percentage remaining... -
Page 31: Smart Shots
Before starting a selfie, always ensure that there is a clear path 200 feet (61 m) behind and above Solo. Once Selfie is activated, Solo will fly up and away from the subject to a point 164 feet (50 m) from the subject at 82 feet (25 m) altitude. -
Page 32: Cable Cam
Press A on the controller, or select Cable Cam from the Shot List on the app. Both devices will prompt you to fly Solo to your first point and press A to save it as the first Cable Cam point. Then fly to your second point and press B to save the second point. -
Page 33: Figure 5.2.1.1: App - Cable Cam Setup
B. Release the right stick to pause along the cable. Use the left stick to temporarily override the camera and look left and right. Press Pause at any time to stop Solo; press Fly to exit to standard flight. -
Page 34: Orbit
5.3.2 Orbit Operation Tap the left and right arrows to fly Solo along the Orbit path. The default cruise speed for Orbit is 2.2 mph (1 m/s). Figure 5.3.2.1: App - Orbit Controls To control Orbit using the controller, move the right stick left and right to fly Solo along the Orbit path. Move the right stick up to reduce the radius of the orbit and move Solo closer to the subject;... -
Page 35: Follow
Follow subject is engaged in an activity that prevents them from using the controller, you are required to use a safety pilot during Follow. The subject will carry the mobile device and be followed by Solo, and the safety pilot will hold the controller and be ready to regain manual control at any time. -
Page 36: Figure 5.4.2.1: Follow Controls
Solo’s altitude during Follow and to override the camera tracking and temporarily pan the camera left and right. At any time during Follow, press Pause to stop Solo and the camera will continue to track the subject. -
Page 37: Alerts
Alert persists until: Alert persists until: If Solo is not placed on a level surface, you will receive the following alert to move Solo to a level surface for takeoff. System self-calibrates (sys then continues sensor check) User completes calibration using the app (sys then continues sensor check) -
Page 38: In-Flight Errors
Solo. We recommend having an active connection to the Solo App at all times during flight. Refer to Press to dismiss Section 2.6 for connecting to Solo Wi-Fi with the App. Solo will not return home if the connection to the App is lost during flight. GPS signal lost (Switches to FLY: Manual) -
Page 39: Figure 6.2.2.1: Controller - App Connection Alerts
Signal recovered If GPS is lost during flight, Solo will switch into Fly:Manual (Section 7.1). In the event of a loss of GPS, we Emergency landing started recommend landing Solo and waiting to acquire GPS lock before taking off again. -
Page 40: Figure 6.2.4.1: Controller - Gps Signal Alerts
Times out after 5000 milliseconds Alert persists until: User presses A HAPTIC: Quad buzz: 40-40-40-40 If GPS is recovered in flight, Solo will switch from Fly:Manual to standard flight (Fly), and GPS positioning will Crash detected lost Solo SFX: Start lost call ping if more than 10 m away activate. -
Page 41: Advanced Settings
This section provides instructions for accessing and using Solo’s advanced features and settings. Advanced Flight Modes Are you a quadcopter pro? We designed Solo to be simple and reliable, but also really fun to fly. Solo includes five advanced flight modes: FLY:Manual, stabilize, acro, sport, and drift. -
Page 42: Enabling Advanced Flight Modes
Once enabled, advanced flight modes can be accessed only by assigning them to the controller’s A and B buttons using the app. In the app, select Preset A or Preset B from the Solo menu. (The app must be connected to Solo to apply button assignments.) Once assigned, use the controller to activate advanced modes during flight. -
Page 43: Performance Adjustment
Maximum Altitude Adjustment To adjust the altitude limit, select Altitude Limit from the Solo menu. If you choose to select No limit, ensure that you always operate Solo within your visual line of sight and in compliance with local regulations. -
Page 44: Support
Support 3DR Support is here to help you get the most out of Solo. If you have any questions, please contact us at support@3dr.com or give us a call at 1 (855) 982-2898 (toll free in the US and Canada) or direct at +1 (858) 225- 1414. -
Page 45: Calibrations
Solo and connect the app to Solo Wi-Fi. Select Level Calibration from the Solo menu, and follow the prompts to place Solo perfectly still on each side in turn. In each step, wait a few seconds after moving Solo to press Next. -
Page 46: Pairing
As part of the reset procedure, Solo will be un-paired from the Controller. Start by powering off Solo. Use a paperclip or similar tool to press and hold Solo’s Pair button while powering on Solo. (Make sure you feel the Pair button click down underneath the paperclip to verify you have properly activated the Pair button.) Continue holding... -
Page 47: Legs
Legs Solo uses three unique types of legs: 2 legs with an antenna module (#1 and #2), a leg without any electronic components (leg #3), and a leg with a compass module (leg #4). Replacements for all types of leg can be purchased from store.3dr.com or an authorized retailer. -
Page 48: Figure 9.4.2.1: Detaching The Antenna From The Leg
Figure 9.4.2.1: Detaching the Antenna from the Leg Attach the new leg by threading the antenna cable through the notch in the top of the leg (1) and securing the leg using the provide screws (2). Figure 9.4.2.2: Attaching a New Leg with an Existing Antenna To secure the antenna to the new leg, use the provided Velcro to attach only the yellow-backed Velcro strip to the Velcro on the antenna. -
Page 49: Battery Tray
Leg #4 with Compass Solo’s right-rear leg (#4) contains the compass module. Start by detaching the leg from the arm as you would a standard leg, but the leg will not be removable until you disconnect the compass from Solo. To access the compass connector, you’ll need to remove the battery tray from Solo. -
Page 50: Motor Pods
Motor Pods Replacement motors are available as clockwise and counterclockwise Motor Pods. Use a counterclockwise Motor Pod to replace motors #1 and #2, and use a clockwise Motor Pod to replace motors #3 and #4. Replace motor pods every 150 hours of flight or when they can no longer turn smoothly. To replace a Motor Pod, first, use a small, flat prying tool to remove the LED cover form the underside of the arm. -
Page 51: Figure 9.5.3.3: Motor Pod Disconnection
Connect the 3 cables from the arm to the new motor pod. Feed the cables inside the arm and set pod into place. Figure 9.5.3.4: Motor Pod Connection Turn over Solo and replace the 4 screws (apply Loctite) to secure the new motor pod into place. Snap the LED cover back into place. -
Page 52: Figure 9.6.1.1: Pair Button
As part of the reset procedure, Solo will be un-paired from the Controller. Start by powering off Solo. Use a paper clip or similar tool to press and hold Solo’s Pair button while powering on Solo. (Make sure you feel the Pair button click down underneath the paper clip to verify you have properly activated the Pair button.) Continue holding the... -
Page 53: Factory Reset
Controller As part of the reset procedure, Solo will be un-paired from the controller. Start by powering off Solo. Use a paper clip or similar tool to press and hold Solo’s pair button (Figure 8.3.2.1) while powering on Solo. Release the pair button after you see the internal LED adjacent to the Pair button start rapidly flashing orange. -
Page 54: 10 Appendix
10 Appendix 10.1 Specifications Solo is a quad-rotor aerial vehicle powered by the 3DR Pixhawk 2 autopilot system and APM:Copter flight control software. Solo communicates with the controller and Solo app over the 3DR Link secure Wi-Fi connection. Autopilot: 3DR Pixhawk 2... -
Page 55: 10.2 Warranty
10.2 Warranty 3D Robotics warrants to the original retail purchaser of Solo (the “Product”) that at the time of purchase that this product is free from material defect in materials and workmanship. Should this Product fail during normal consumer usage and conditions due to defective material or workmanship within one year from the date of purchase, or such longer period as is required by applicable law (“Warranty Period”), such defect(s) will be repaired or replaced at 3D... - Page 56 The body’s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for the Solo controller is 1.33 watts per kilogram (W/kg) in compliance with the FCC limit of 1.6 W/kg. To reduce exposure to RF energy, hold Solo at least 20 cm away from your body at all times during operation.