Unable to initiate MAVlink through UART on VOXL2 ttyHS1

[KevinChan]

Trying to get VIO work on external flight controller.
Followed the guide on this page https://docs.modalai.com/voxl2-external-flight-controller/
Have checked with Minicom that ttyHS1 is working, and signals can be detected through oscilloscope, both rx and tx.
Although mavlink server is running in voxl2, there is no data coming out of ttyHS1.
I have made sure that "en_send_vio_to_qgc" is set to true and MAVlink data is received through QGC.
I have also disabled px4.

In the documentation, there is this line when typing voxl-mavlink-server

why is it not appearing in my VOXL2 with M0125?
Have tried adding "external_fc": true, but it doesn't work
Have checked it with an oscilloscope and everything is wired correctly.
Any help is appreciated

[KevinChan]

After about a week of debugging, turns out external flight controller only works on the older version of firmware, VOXL2 Platform 0.9.
Instead of the newest one VOXL2 Platform 1.3.1-0.8 or VOXL2 Platform 1.2.1-0.7.
@admin PLEASE state it in your documentation!
I initially need to install the 1.2 version since I need to communicate with VOXL2 IO

[Chad Sweet]

@KevinChan said in Unable to initiate MAVlink through UART on VOXL2 ttyHS1:

VOXL2 Platform 0.9

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. There could be a regression. Our latest platform image is 0.9.5 which corresponds to system image 1.5.5 . Can you please help clarify which version you found not to work? Maybe there is a mismatch with what you are trying to achieve?

VOXL 2 System Image

ModalAI technical documentation for VOXL and VOXL 2 Companion Computers for PX4 and ArduPilot Obstacle Avoidance and GPS-denied navigation, assembled in the USA

ModalAI Technical Docs (docs.modalai.com)

[I_Dwyer]

@Chad-Sweet I am running into what I think is a similar problem.

I am attempting to connect to the Telem2 port of a Pixhawk autopilot, from the ttyHS1 port on the USB3/UART daughterboard with a VOXL 2. I am currently running on system image 0.9.5. I have voxl-px4 disabled, but voxl-mavlink server is showing no traffic and I see no communications either in Mission Planner (talking to the Pixhawk), or the software I am running on the VOXL. I was able to run with this same configuration ~1 year ago, on voxl2_platform_1.3.1-0.8. Is it possible that something has changed between those system images to prevent communications through ttyHS1 for this setup?

In troubleshooting, I have already iterated through aligning on different baud rates, ensuring the VOXL user is added to the dialout group, and changing the permissions of the ttyHS1 port to allow any user to access it, with no changes. I am currently working on re-installing system image 1.3.1-0.8 on one of my VOXLs, to try to confirm whether the difference in system images is the issue.

Any help would be appreciated!

[vipul.kadam]

@I_Dwyer @Chad-Sweet Hello all, has this issue been solved in and particular version, we too are facing the same issue, on HS1 the voxl-mavlink server is initiating but we are not able to see any data from this port. We are right now on the 1.5.3 build. Pls provided more info on the same.