Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection [SOLVED]

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Leopardopt
Beginner
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:40 am

Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection [SOLVED]

Post by Leopardopt »

Hello,

My issue is mainly regarding the Crazyradio PA and its connection to the crazyflie when trying to scan for a channel. In normal cases in the past, when in bootloader mode, the drone would find the radio to be 0/80/2M and then would be able to fly by python programming via the terminal. However, recently, something has happened which prevents the scanner to detect the correct channel and instead always reads "0/0/2M" which when connecting to the drone, does not show any movements in the fly control page on VM when moving the drone by hand. Since the correct channel is 80, I have tried to change the code as well as add additional pieces which directly work on channel 80. However, nothing has changed or worked. Below are some of the work I have done to try and fix this with no results:

1. Constant reset of drone to bootloader and scan on Virtual Machine (PA dongle selected for USB) -> (always reads 0/0/2M)
2. Using crazyflie-firmware packages of 2019, 2020(cf2), and 2021(cf2) from PC to try step 1 again -> (again reads 0/0/2M)
3. Changing everything, including the mentioned code parameters, to the new channel 0 to see a probable change ->(during run of python code for i.e. swarmSequenceCircle.py, there is a long pause without any events until battery runs out)
4. Tried scanning with crazyflie on first mode(on mode) -> (when on first mode, nothing can be scanned therefore no interface)
5. Building the crazyflie-firmware code with 0/80/2M parameters for radio, adding that inside the makefile, and trying bootloader scan -> (no result)
For step 5
For step 5
For step 5
For step 5
6. Trying step 5 with programming the crazyflie on bootloader with the modified cf2.elf -> (no result)
7. Tried to "upgrade" PA w/ given directions on VM, dongle would automatically disconnect and not allow further progress -> (no result)
8. Changing parameters of crazyflie on configure 1.0 (2.0 doesn't work) based on 0/0/2M and 0/80/2M ->(no result, code won't run says multiple packets lost and error in swarm part of the code)
step 8
step 8
9. Tried USB drone connection with the same process on either 0/0/2M or 0/80/2M parameters on the code i.e. swarmSequenceCircle.py to run -> (no result)
10. Interesting bug: The drone would not work until a glitch happened where I pressed the power button for too long causing only the M2 LED to flash. I disconnected the battery to be able to use the power button again and when writing 2019 firmware on the drone, it detected 0/80/2M and actually flew when running the code. After that, unfortunately, it did not work anymore(meaning detection of 0/80/2M) and when the same glitch steps were taken, nothing changed like it did before

Please help me understand what my issue is since this is very important to me to get this connection to work so I can test the drone.
Last edited by Leopardopt on Fri Apr 16, 2021 8:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
arnaud
Bitcraze
Posts: 2538
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:36 pm

Re: Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection

Post by arnaud »

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed report of what you have tried.

Channel 0 datarate 2M (so radio://0/2M) is the configuration of the bootloader, it is the channel that will be configured by the Crazyflie when putting it in bootloader mode. So if you always start from your step 1), what you are observing is expected: you cannot connect a Crazyflie in bootloader mode.

Things you can try:
- Do not put your Crazyflie in bootloader mode, scan with the client to find its channel and connect to it with your scripts
- If none is found, connect your Crazyflie over USB, connect to it using the client, and use the "connect/configure 2.x" menu to configure the address and channel. The default address is E7E7E7E7E7.

As a side note: if you want to connect your script over USB, the URI to use is "usb://0", not the radio uri.
Leopardopt
Beginner
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:40 am

Re: Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection

Post by Leopardopt »

Hello,

I am sorry, I may have not clearly mentioned but the USB connection way was already tested. Still, I would get nothing from that and no changes in VM client as I moved the drone. As for the first suggestion, if I do not put it under bootloader mode, the client will not find any signals and therefore, it will only say not connected and no interfaces. The only way I am able to get something is by putting the drone in bootloader mode. (It never lets me to pick configure 2.X only 1.0)
arnaud
Bitcraze
Posts: 2538
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:36 pm

Re: Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection

Post by arnaud »

This likely means that your Crazyflie is not setup with the default address.

The way to solve that is to:
- Connect to the Crazyflie using USB connection with the graphical client
- When the connection is open, "connect/configure 2.x" will be active
- Change the address back to 0xE7E7E7E7E7 (or take a note of the current address and use it for further connections).
Leopardopt
Beginner
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:40 am

Re: Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection

Post by Leopardopt »

Thank you so much for your help, arnaud. I have installed the new bitcraze VM (the much better version), and used your advice and it turns out the crazyflie was on address E7E7E7E702 which was different from being all E7. A quick change to that and it is working! Thank you once again, sorry for delayed response.
smt
Beginner
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 16, 2021 4:43 pm

Re: Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection [SOLVED]

Post by smt »

Hello,
I am having the same issue but using the Bitcraze Virtual Machine. I do not see any "Connect/configure 2.x" menu when I connect the drone via USB. I suspect that the students who used this drone before me may have changed the address, but I cannot find the "Connect/configure 2.x" menu so I do not know how to find the new address? Thanks for any input!
Leopardopt
Beginner
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:40 am

Re: Crazyradio PA No Wireless Connection [SOLVED]

Post by Leopardopt »

Hello,

Your issue is most likely going to be solved by updating the oracle VM as well as removing and re-installing the bitcraze ubuntu system again on that VM. The new ubuntu has improved everything from showing you the current battery life of the drone to enabling the crazyflie 2x config option. In order to first do this, you would need to "update everything" on ubuntu and then run the simulation. Connect crazyflie via USB and it should detect the USB. Press "Connect" and go to the same tab again and it should let you config crazyflie 2x for the address. Once you know the address of your drone, it is easy to change it on main window and then press connect and it will quickly then connect to the radio PA.

I hope this helps,

Leopardopt
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