Future of Solo

[SteveMyers75]

Yes that is correct. It is a Molex CLICK-Mate OEM sourced out of their Penang plant in Malaysia. This black OEM version is also available in White for Asia only.

Sounds about right.
I figure that Molex doesn't put up direct one-to-one 3D models anymore since the advent on 3D Printers.

Penang, one of my favorite spots on earth.
Bali-Hai Restaurant and the wall of Live Lobsters...

 

[SteveMyers75]

What's left to figure out that 3DR isn't telling us....

The PixHawk module Board-to-Board looks to be a Hirose DF17 80-Pin, but that's not important.

Not too sure about what I see on the Accessory Bay.
Looks like a 14-Wire Flat Ribbon cable connected to a through-hole of some sort.
Need to look for better/clearer photos...

 

[SteveMyers75]

OK, got it.

The Accessory Bay is a 30 Pin Japan Aviation Electronics (JAE) SJ038252
The plug-side is a JAE TX24-30R

Here is the pinout:
1. USB D-
2. USB D+
3. N/C
4. N/C
5. N/C
6. N/C
7. N/C
8. N/C
9. SER5 TX (DEBUG)
10. SER2RT
11. SER2Tx
12. CANH1
13. CANL1
14. GND
15. BATT (14.0-16.8V, 1.5A max)
16. USB GND
17. +5V
18. N/C
19. +5V
20. N/C
21. GND
22. N/C
23. BUS ID
24. SER5 RX (DEBUG)
25. SER2CT
26. SER2Rx
27. 3DRID (USB ID)
28. GND
29. GND
30. BATT (14.0-16.8V, 1.5A max)

(Thanx Dan!)

 

[SteveMyers75]

Anyone care to venture what Pin #23 is used for?

The USB Bus select (Type A/B) is on Pin 27, so that's not it
RS232 doesn't use an ID Select
CAN Bus doesn't use one either....

Maybe it's an Open Collector input we can look at from Solo's Firmware?
Something we can use for simple things like, "Low Light Detected, Turn on LED Arrays" without needing to encode to USB/RS232?

Or maybe a serial "What is plugged into my Expansion Port" (one-way, like Barcode / RFID or iButton 1-Wire)

Personally, I would have liked a few simple I/O pins for very basic low chip count use, but I guess that can be done via encode/decode on one of the other ports.
(I gotta think there's unused I/O on Solo that could have been routed to some of those "N/C" pins on the port....)


So far a quick look at the pinouts and I've got:

2 - Serial Ports (#2 has Hardware Flow Control. #5 is Software xon/xoff only)
1 - USB2 Port (5-Pin, Selectable Type A/B)
1 - CAN BUS
2 - 14~16.8+VDC @1.5AMP Max Power Outputs
1 - 5VDC Regulated Power Output (no rating)

I'm thinking about developing a few PC boards to exploit the port, but is there anyone else that wants to do this?

If so, would the consensus be to go the Arduino path?

Arduino already has a lot of projects that could be useful to Solo.
(XBOX Kinect, Sonar Range Finders, Pozyx Indoor/Outdoor Short Range Centimeter Positioning, to name just a few.)

All of these would still need ArduCopter branches to use the data fed to Solo, but its all gotta start with the Hardware to feed it...

 

[SteveMyers75]

Something like this:

Modified from the stock version and switched all ports over to locking CLIK-Mate.

 

[Retired2Fly]

Something like this:

Modified from the stock version and switched all ports over to locking CLIK-Mate.

Excellent work Steve. Basically you have modified the stock PCB to a dev friendly breakout board for the solo accessory bay? Those CLIK-Mate connectors are not cheap and cannot be machine inserted so I'm guessing the final PCB would be in the $15-$20 range?

 

[SteveMyers75]

More of a re-design of something that Philip was working on.
I'm now working on bringing the BAT Power out to a connector, then removing the two 15-Pin Headers (P1 & P2) as everything will be on a locking connector.

Once that's done I'm thinking of adding on a selectable output regulator (5/9/12 VDC) from one of the BAT lines, then add in a new dual row header with secure mounting holes for an Arduino.

Yes to the CLIK-Mate being a bit of a pain, but I like the positive locking and all of PixHawk is switching over to them, so might as well join the party now...

 

[Retired2Fly]

More of a re-design of something that Philip was working on.
I'm now working on bringing the BAT Power out to a connector, then removing the two 15-Pin Headers (P1 & P2) as everything will be on a locking connector.

Once that's done I'm thinking of adding on a selectable output regulator (5/9/12 VDC) from one of the BAT lines, then add in a new dual row header with secure mounting holes for an Arduino.

Yes to the CLIK-Mate bein g a bit of a pain, but I like the positive locking and all of PixHawk is switching over to them, so might as well join the party now...

A programmable output regulator would be nice! I agree; CLIK-Mate connectors are the way to go. Other OEMs in the industry are changing to them as well.

 

[pyrate]

my this looks interesting

 

[SteveMyers75]

A programmable output regulator would be nice! I agree; CLIK-Mate connectors are the way to go. Other OEMs in the industry are changing to them as well.

I hope to get good use out of the Molex CLIK-Mate Crimpers I bought.
I picked up tools for 1.25mm, 1.5mm and 2mm connectors, along with the same for Hirose and JST.
Between those and a large selection of housings, crimp pins, ferrite cores and all colors of #28 stranded wire and I'm all set to build any cable can think of.

 

[Adimuzio513]

Definitley interested I'll have to do some homework to learn a bit more about what I'm doing but that's part of why I wanted solo in the first place. Shouldn't have too much trouble figuring things out but I am new to pixhawk and 3dr in general, so I guess I'll stay tuned and try to stay with you. Keep up the great work can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[Justin]

Is there a way to connect a cannon camera for chdk trigger with pwm?

 

[steve1]

Is there a way to connect a cannon camera for chdk trigger with pwm?

Using AUX pins as relays for CHDK
Marco Robustini's circuit worked for me on my x8. http://api.ning.com/files/iAT0B9wCR...fGHlqFbKfTThHXPkyjaetHNu-/Pixhawk_35_diag.png specifically.

With the solo you would want a 5 volt pin (like 19), a gnd pin (like 21), and i am not sure which one for the signal.

knowing what connector is needed just made this a lot easier.

 

[Justin]

Any idea where we would find this cable.

 

[lewma]

Something like this:

Modified from the stock version and switched all ports over to locking CLIK-Mate.

Sign me up for one

 

[Justin]

Any one know where we would buy the cable or can anyone make one.

 

[SteveMyers75]

Using AUX pins as relays for CHDK
Marco Robustini's circuit worked for me on my x8. http://api.ning.com/files/iAT0B9wCR...fGHlqFbKfTThHXPkyjaetHNu-/Pixhawk_35_diag.png specifically.

With the solo you would want a 5 volt pin (like 19), a gnd pin (like 21), and i am not sure which one for the signal.

knowing what connector is needed just made this a lot easier.

There are three of Solo's PWM's available to the expansion port, running to three 3-pin connectors labeled CH6, CH7 and CH8 on this breakout board.
They are wired as +5VDC, GND and PW6/7/8 respectively.

A quick look around tells me triggering CHDK should be a doable project with one.

LINK = common-CHDK Camera Control Tutorial | Copter
Explains how to trigger CHDK with a PWM signal.

Have you looked at ArduCopter-Solo source yet?

 

[SteveMyers75]

Any one know where we would buy the cable or can anyone make one.

The expansion port connector only comes in Board-Board, so you'll need a mini breakout board as a minimum.
There's a couple out in the wild already, but they don't have any way to screw them down.
They are aimed towards testing only, not day-to-day flight use.
OSH Park ~ Solo 3DR Bus Accessory Connector Breakout

The one I'm working on will mount to the Solo and is for flight use.
It will also have the option of bolting on an Arduino Uno if you want to leave the Solo's processor load to a bare minimum for any "fun" projects...

 

[SteveMyers75]

Definitley interested I'll have to do some homework to learn a bit more about what I'm doing but that's part of why I wanted solo in the first place. Shouldn't have too much trouble figuring things out but I am new to pixhawk and 3dr in general, so I guess I'll stay tuned and try to stay with you. Keep up the great work can't wait to see the finished product.

The first thing to do is get ArduCopter-Solo to compile on your PC, then read up on what the modules do.

It's actually a lot easier than it seems (learning the modules. Getting ArduCopter-Solo to compile can be a pain..)

 

[Adimuzio513]

Thanks Steve appreciate it, checking it out now and I'll dig into it a bit more after work tomorrow.