PX4 Firmware flashing - Flight Core V2

Jetson Nano

I'm having a Flight core V2 from ModalAI. I'm trying upload PX4 firmware as prescribed in documentation. But the device(flight core) is not getting detected in QGC even after power cycling the Flightcore V2(disconnecting the Battery power and reconnecting even though the USB debug port is constantly connected).

I'm using QGC latest build 4.3.

referred to documentation: https://docs.modalai.com/flight-core-v2-firmware/#qgroundcontrol-fw-update

Eric Katzfey

@Jetson-Nano Not exactly sure what the issue is. If you disconnect the battery but still leave USB plugged in then the flight core is still powered (so that isn't a power cycle). Are you saying that the firmware update did not happen? Or it did happen but afterwards QGC doesn't connect with Flight Core? Did you try the px_uploader method?

Jetson Nano

@Eric-Katzfey I followed this

https://docs.modalai.com/flight-core-v2-firmware/

I tried using the px4_uploader script and then I executed the script, I got the following output

Then when I connected the MicroUSB cable the green LED flashes but it is not recognized and there is no change in the output, it remais the same as in the photo. Then the green LED stops blinking after sometime. Both green and blue LED is there. I did not power it externally as mentioned in the documentation and only used MicrosUSB along with the MCBL-00010 (JST-to-micro-USB).

Eric Katzfey

@Jetson-Nano Are you sure that it is showing up as /dev/ttyACM1? Make sure it's looking for the correct port. For example, on my machine I see it show up as /dev/ttyACM0 so I have to modify the command accordingly.

tom

@Jetson-Nano @Eric-Katzfey To add on to what Eric is saying, it can be helpful to run sudo dmesg -wH in a different terminal to see what port the device is enumerating on when plugged in

Jetson Nano

Hey @tom @Eric-Katzfey

Once the board is connected to a PC running Ubuntu 20, the device is not detected. The ports remain the same before and after connecting Flight core. The default port is also not detected (ie. /ttyACM0).

Printed the sudo dmesg -wH in terminal and got the following output,

And also is there any particular SD Card we should use or any SD Card from the PX4 website is fine?

tom

@Jetson-Nano I would try a different port or cable.
Those SD cards should be fine

Jetson Nano

This post is deleted!

Jetson Nano

Hey @tom @Eric-Katzfey

As depicted earlier, I have used a Class 4 - SD card(16 GB) for the FCv2. I have tried running the command, sudo dmesg -wH. I get the following error again, the device is not able to enumerate the fcv2.

Also, the cable I used works with other industrial flight controllers. Checked with different ports and cables too. Is there force boot switch on fcv2 which is to be enabled?

Above is the image of the flight core V2 after flashing of LED once powered or connected via USB UART. I'm using MCBL-00010 type connector as recommended.

Is there a way to flash the fc_v2 via VOXL2. Connecting the fcv2 as external flight controller to VOXL2 as prescribed here ?

Jetson Nano

@tom @Eric-Katzfey anything that I can try out here to flash fc_v2?

tom

@Jetson-Nano Are you making sure to start the flash either via. qgc or the script, then plugging in USB?

Jetson Nano

@tom yes, while using QGC, I connect and wait for sometime, but the firmware upload option doesn't appear. I try reconnecting but still the same.

Similarly while trying to use the python script, I start the flash sequence but since serial port allocation is'nt reflected the program throws runtime.

tom

@Jetson-Nano Just to confirm, in QGC you're getting to this page:

before plugging in USB correct?

Jetson Nano

@tom yes, I get into this page and as mentioned earlier trying QGC build 4.3.

tom

@Jetson-Nano So when you get to that page the flight core needs to be completely disconnected from both power and USB.

Then you should plug in USB

Jetson Nano

@tom tried out the same as you told, kept the fc_v2 connected to USB after opening firmware page section. Was observing the page section for couple of minutes, received no response. On checking the terminal using sudo dmesg -wH, the USB enumeration error(address not found) error same as earlier is thrown.

tom

@Jetson-Nano Sounds like there's either a hardware issue with your PC or an issue with the board, I'd recommend submitting an RMA: https://www.modalai.com/pages/rma

Jetson Nano

@Jetson-Nano any other method which could be tried out to flash the fc_v2?

tom

@Jetson-Nano Unfortunately not given the state of the board