APM Firmware Upload Error: Unable to gain access to bootloader

ArduCopter
1

I’m making a DIY drone with APM 2.8. Last week I was trying the APM while waiting for some connectors, and it seemed to work fine, but today, I soldered the connectors of the motors, and the power module, but I soldered the power module in the wrong direction (+ to - and - to +), the fuse of the Power Module burned out. I was scared if something had been burned, but everything seem to work well, except the APM, that I can’t upload the Firmware.
When I connect the board, it only turns on the green power LED. but my computer detects the board correctly, as an Arduino MEGA 2560. It starts heating a bit, but the same as my real Arduino Mega 2560.
In Mission Planner, when I try to Upload the firmware from “INITIAL SETUP” → “Install Firmware” → “APM:Copter V3.5.0 Quad” it shows me a first message, which confirms that I am foing to install the selected firmware, when I click “Yes”, it shows me this message:

This board has been retired. Mission Planner will upload the last available version to your board (AC 3.2.1/AP 3.4.0)

I click “OK” and it starts downloading from internet, and reading Hex, but almost at the end of this progress, it shows an error:

Communication Error - no connection

I was Googleing a lot, and I found a program, based in Mission Planner, called APM Planner. I downloaded and installed it, and again, I did all the process: “INITIAL SETUP” → “Install Firmware”, and selected COM8, on the right, it showed me:

Arduino MEGA 2560
Arduino LLC (www.arduino.cc)

Then, I clicked the “ArduCopter V3.2.1”, and It showed me:

You are about to install ArduCopter.hex for apm2-quad

I clicked OK, and again, it downloaded the code correctly, but when loading the hex,it showed me an error. Here’s the output:

Started downloading http://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/apm2-quad/ArduCopter.hex
redirect to http://firmware.eu.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/apm2-quad/ArduCopter.hex
Finished downloading C:/Users/Arnym/AppData/Local/Temp/APM Planner.n11068
Opening firmware file…
Hex file loaded: 244418 bytes
Unable to gain access to bootloader

I supposed that it’s a problem of the board bootloader, and I started searching how to fix it, and I found this: https://github.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/tree/master/Tools/APM2_2560_bootloader.
I downloaded it, but I have Windows, I tried to make it with GNUWin32 and MinGW, any of those compiled the code. With VM Virtual Box, I executed the code, but it showed me:

-------- begin --------
sh: 1: avr-gcc: not found
Makefile:479: recipe for target ‘gccversion’ failed
make: *** [gccversion] Error 127

I don’t know what more to do, any other ideas? Or I have to buy another APM?

2

OK, one track was broken, and some components doesn’t work. I will buy another…

3

Hey… So just wanting to clarify… Ended up being your APM that was busted? I’m having the exact same problem and I have been putting off having to purchase one (I’m cheap…)… But I was getting to the point of just doing that. Want to verify that was also your problem and that everything worked once you bought the new APM.

Thanks!

4

I fixed that problem buying another, one track was broken. But, I had same problems with the new one, and I fixed them by disconnecting a Bluetooth Dongle that was connected to my PC. If you have any wireless component connected to an USB, disconnect them, and it should work.

5

Hello my friends, sorry for my English but I managed to solve this problem using the mission planner 1.3.75
I simply downloaded the firmware in my case it was for rover as the link ArduPilot firmware : /Rover/stable-2.5.1/apm2
then in the mission planner I went to setup > install firmware > Load custom firmware.
I selected the firmware I had downloaded and it was successful
I had tried to change the version of the mission planner, use the APMplanner and nothing worked, and I downloaded the firmware and loaded it with I explained