Hoverfly HF Pro Arming Troubles - Purple Flashing Light

[kgracey]

[SOLVED] HF Pro Arming Troubles - Purple Flashing Light

Hey all,

New to the Multirotor forums. I posted a version of this question in the RCGroups Hoverfly forum with no reply, but this looks like it offers more active Hoverfly support.

Spent four hours today trying to configure a quad that has flown well with the Sport board but was replaced with with a Hoverfly Pro board. Same ESCs, no change there. Downloaded the latest Hoverfly Firmware Client Update and loaded 4.8 into the Hoverfly Pro. Followed the two requests to set DIP switches which appears to have loaded firmware twice (once for each of the two possible settings).

These are my issues:

1. The new Hoverfly Firmware Client didn't allow me to select the configuration (X,+, quad, hex, oct, etc.). Seems that this latest software skips that tab - I assume this is okay?

2. Power up of the HF Pro starts with a short flashing green, then flashing purple light - unable to arm. I have no AUX1 connection (only gear for auto level and gain settings). Therefore is it safe to assume that altitude hold is not enabled because I've made no connection from the receiver to the Hoverfly Pro PCB?

3. Unable to connect to the Setup utility. This should work because the board connects (USB drivers work fine) to the Firmware Client just fine. It detects the COM port and then scans all prior ports in a cycle.

I feel that I should really know the troubleshooting better than I do, considering I work for Parallax and we sell loads of the Open boards. But I'm really struggling and would appreciate any help. I've read that the purple flashing light is an arming problem by AL or AH being enabled, but AL is disabled and AH is not connected.

Thanks,

kgracey

 

[Stacky]

The new firmware has changed how you select your configuration. All the info is in the release notes on the hoverfly support pages.
If you go in to the pro info section of the Setup software you will see the option to select the configuration there from a drop down tab. Use that to choose the configuration and hit save.
Im not sure why you can connect to the setup software, I have in the past had issues with usb leads so it might be worth trying a different lead.?
Usually your AL gain is set on channel 5, do you have that connected to your radios aux 1?.

 

[kloner]

I've had something like this happen when i loaded the firmware with the switch in the wrong spot....... I found it took a flashlight to reflect off the switch good enough to find the right position everytime i messed with that thing....... Might not be your case, but i'd try reloading the firmware and see if assistant works differently in your favor making sure the switch is in the right orientation

 

[kgracey]

Got it solved. The problem was my usage of the Hoverfly Setup Utility. I find it quite temperamental and found that I had to re-connect on every tab in the setup process - switching between tabs causes a disconnect. Anybody else experience this problem?

Otherwise, I'm flying again.

Next step is to get the altitude hold working. If you've got any tips for that do share! And GPS shall follow.

Thank you for the support.

Ken Gracey

 

[Stacky]

I think you will find ultimately the temperamental nature of the setup software for some reason comes down to usb cables. I have had the problem and tried a number of them until I found one that worked all the time. the other cables that were temperamental work fine elsewhere. i have no idea why this is but once you get a good usb cable for it, mark it. Also sometimes the little dipswitches can be a pain and need a few flicks to get right.

With respect to tips you need to go to the hoverfly support site with the zendesk help section and read the material there. Everything is there and if you read the instructions a few times and follow their tips and recommendations I have found 99% of the time it all works for me.

As the saying goes RTFM

ha

Got it solved. The problem was my usage of the Hoverfly Setup Utility. I find it quite temperamental and found that I had to re-connect on every tab in the setup process - switching between tabs causes a disconnect. Anybody else experience this problem?

Otherwise, I'm flying again.

Next step is to get the altitude hold working. If you've got any tips for that do share! And GPS shall follow.

Thank you for the support.

Ken Gracey

 

[SleepyC]

I have always had to reconnect between each tab. i thought that was normal.
Has anyone stayed connected while using different tabs?

 

[yeehaanow]

Same here. Always disconnects. Also, is finiky about powering the system. I have to connect USB, connect to software, then power the HFP system to see the Tx stick readings.

It makes up for the quirky software behavior with solid reliability and flying characteristics.

 

[tahoelight]

I've never stayed connected between tabs, but no probalems reconnecting.

Height hold does not take any configuration. There is no gain for height hold anymore.
Good luck with GPS.

 

[kgracey]

Thanks all. Now I'm ready to add altitude hold, so I'll probably see ya in another thread.

My problems ultimately sat with the Setup utility and a behavior I wouldn't expect. But I'm perfectly happy with the flight control system once I'm in the air (yet I have some accelerometer drift).

Thanks again- Ken

 

[Stacky]

You shouldnt have any accelerometer drift at all. Its possibly the AL settings that arent quite right yet, HF have a different way to do things from everyone else and it can seem quite weird to do, almost illogical on one level. Have you done the temperature calibration yet?

Cheers

Thanks all. Now I'm ready to add altitude hold, so I'll probably see ya in another thread.

My problems ultimately sat with the Setup utility and a behavior I wouldn't expect. But I'm perfectly happy with the flight control system once I'm in the air (yet I have some accelerometer drift).

Thanks again- Ken

 

[octocine]

One word of caution: I had an occasional, intermittent, purple blinking light in the past and came to regret not tracking down the problem. Eventually I discovered it was the power connection to the board coming loose which I learned after my helicopter fell from the sky! The plug and play aspect of HFP is nice, but there is a risk.