A strange Phenomenon with Mission Planner and AMC connection between PC and Pixhawk

Hardware Pixhawk family
1

Hello,

I have this strange phenomenon with me. Either its a hardware issue or software issue.

I used to connect my pixhawk 2.4.8 with my PC using USB and everything seemed fine.

Then i downloaded the ardupilot methodic configurator and connected my FC with PC and all went fine.

Then when I started connection using MP, it wont connect. Main LED on pixhawk wont flash.

Fix-1: Power up the controller using battery the main LED will flash and then connect the usb cable and the MP would connect to the FC.

Fix-2: Only connect the PC with FC using USB cable and need not to connect the batteries. Use Aurdupilot Methodic Configurator to connect and the connection would establish and main LED on pixhawk would start flashing Close the AMC and now MP would connect to Pixhawk, without any problem.

I am wondering what the problem might be ? Is it a bug induced by AMC or AMC is helping me solve the problem or both ?

Regards

2

The concept is to use AMC to do steps 4 to 11 and not use MP at all.

Once that is done, AMC will explicitly tell you to close AMC and use MP to do step 12.

Once that is done, close MP and use AMC only to do all the other steps.

At no point should you use both at the same time as they both require exclusive access to the USB port.

All this is explained in the AMC readme, an on the AMC YouTube videos. And probably in the AMC FAQ as well.

1 Like
3

And always use the latest AMC version.

1 Like
4

Yes, I got it. But I am wondering if the anomaly induced in the connection is permanent or it can be resolved ? Because now If I connect FC to PC using USB port, its main LED won’t flash and no connection with PC can be established. If I open AMC and start the connection, the LED starts flashing and now if I close AMC and turn on MP, the connection is made successfully.

5

Then AMC “fixed” the connection for you.

No, that is not normal, the connection should work even without starting AMC.

But is is good that it solves your problem.

1 Like
6

Does this also happen if you reboot your PC.
What ports (COM and USB) are shown in your device-manager.

7

This happens whenever I power up the board using PC. The COM port settings are fine. It is COM5 port. If there was COM port settings issue, it would have given same problem everytime.

8

You do need to wait at least 7 seconds after connecting to the PC before starting any MP or AMC.

9

Yes did same also but issue persisted.