Flash/load firmware without using GCS - Windows

ArduCopter
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1

Hello,

Sorry for such a beginner question: I currently have arducopter latest stable version flashed to a hexacopter. I used mission planner to simply flash the firmware. However, I was wondering how could i flash the firmware without using mission planner.

Is it possible to make, and build the firmware, using windows? and then upload the file to Pixhawk?
My aim from doing this, is that i want to have the firmware already built and saved in git. So that I can keep track of everything i do in the future.

Thank you in advance.

2

Install from Sd card

2 Likes
3

Thank you for your answer. The page is helpful.
In case already there is PX4 firmware on board, does this method still work?

4

Wrong place for that question. Go to the PX4 forum and ask. PX4 Forum

5

I actually want to flash arducopter thats why im asking here.

6

OK, then do so. Does your Flight Controller support Sd card load? “Pixhawk” doesn’t define much.

7

Sorry should have added the information in my post but its already filtered as status. I am using Pixhawk 6X Holybro.
So yes I have SD Card. I just want to make sure that it is safe to do such thing without breaking the board.

8

That FC is capable as per the Wiki (*.abin file present). As far as safe I couldn’t say, never tried it.

9

I have done so multiple times using the SD method but I am not sure about going from PX4 to ardu this way. I would also guarantee that you will need to update the bootloader before being able to flash via sd card. To be safe I would first flash via USB (if it is hard to get to it will only need to be done once) while flashing via USB make sure and update bootloader to latest that allows flashing via SD card.

10

The whole procedure is not working for me. I have updated bootloader as you told me and then I proceeded with the following steps so I can test if it really works or not:

  • I have flashed 4.3.0 stable version using Mission Planner through the setup tab
  • I uploaded the abin file of a newer version into a new sd card. Then I simply removed the old sd card, and replace it with the new one which contains the 4.5.3 stable version.
  • I powered the pixhawk and waited more than 1 minute and then press on connect.

The messages tab still shows that I am in the older firmware that is 4.3.0

What am i doing wrong? Also shifting from PX4 firmware to Ardupilot using sd card was not possible.

11

you have made sure and renamed the abin file to ardupilot.abin

12

So I after uploading the arducopter.abin file into the sd card, i must rename it to ardupilot.abin? and then i simply plugin the sd card?
Did i understand your comment correctly?

13

Mission Planner has a custom firmware option that lets you select a locally saved file. All this SD card stuff seems like an unnecessary complication for the task at hand.

14

it will not flash unless you rename the .bin file to ardupilot.abin. download the abin file you’d like to flash rename it and save it to sd card. insert sd card into autopilot and it will flash on next boot with that file.
https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-install-sdcard.html

15

To throw in a third opinion, just flash the whole thing, bootloader and firmware in one, with STM32CubeProgrammer. Many ways to reach your goal.