ArduPilot
The board runs ArduPilot. It does not run PX4. Parameters are stored in 32 KB of FRAM, which keeps them through a power cut and does not wear out with frequent writes. Logs go to the microSD card. USB-C with a DFU bootloader is used for firmware updates.
Updating the firmware
Our builds load as custom firmware. The ground station's normal firmware list does not show them, because the board is not in the official builds.
- Connect the board over USB-C. Leave the battery off.
- Mission Planner: open Setup, then Install Firmware, and click Load custom firmware. Choose the file we sent you.
- QGroundControl: open Vehicle Setup, then Firmware. Unplug and plug in the board again, tick Advanced settings, choose Custom firmware file and pick the file we sent you.
- Wait until the ground station says the update is complete, then reconnect. Your parameters stay in FRAM.
Recovery with the BOOT button
If an update fails and the board no longer shows up in the ground station, use the BOOT button next to the USB-C port. Hold it down while you plug in the USB cable, then let go. The processor starts in its built-in STM32 DFU mode, which cannot be erased. From there you can load the bootloader and firmware again.
- Ask us for the recovery file through the contact form.
- Install STM32CubeProgrammer, the free tool from STMicroelectronics.
- Put the board in DFU mode with the BOOT button, as above.
- In STM32CubeProgrammer, choose USB as the connection and click Connect.
- Open the file we sent and click Download.
- Unplug the USB cable and plug it in again without the button. Then load our firmware as in Updating the firmware.