How to setup the BN-880 GPS Module?

Hi

I am trying to get the BN-880 GPS running on a “Flywoo F745 AIO BL_32”.
It’s running Arducopter 4.0.7.

I connected the GPS Module exactly as shown in the diagram here:
https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-flywoo-f745.html
(so it’s on UART 6).

The Compass already runs fine, but the GPS-Module gets no connection.
I checked the module on another FC running PX4, and it works flawlessly.
Also triple-checked the wires to the Flywoo.

SERIAL6_PROTOCOL is set to 5 “GPS”.
SERIAL6_OPTIONS is on 0, and SERIAL6_BAUD on 57600.
There’s no other SERIAL set to “GPS”.

First GPS_AUTO_CONFIG was enabled, now I disabled it, because someone in the forums here suggested, that it might be better to not re-setup the GPS, when it was already working before.
(Both variants didn’t work.)

GPS_TYPE is on “AUTO”.
I also tried NMEA and UBLOX. But it didn’t make any difference.

The blue LED on the module is flashing slowly, which shows, that it does not communicate with the FC (should flash fast).

What can I do?
Is there any parameter I missed?

There is no 4.0.7 target for this board - which firmware did you use? I advise you to use the proper firmware from 4.1

I downloaded the Firmware from here a few days ago:
https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/latest/FlywooF745/
(In the Firmware-Info.txt it says: 4.0.7-FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE_OFFICIAL )

There’s nothing under “stable”.
But maybe I should try out the newest files in this folder, which are from today and:
4.2.0-FIRMWARE_VERSION_TYPE_DEV

It says 4.2 currently in that file, so I am certain you are using at least 4.1

I have one of these - if I get a chance I will try. If you can please move this discussion to the 4.1 group.

That yould be very cool, if you could give it a try.

But no. I am definetly using 4.0.7.
It’s also shown in QGroundControl.

Firmware is from 22.07.
Anyways. I will install the new version now.
Maybe it will just work.

I have no idea how that could be the case - there was no build for this board prior to 4.1

Tried to install 4.2.0, but QGroundControl didn’t want to.
In Mission Planner I clicked on “beta” and now installed 4.1.0.

Still no difference with the GPS.
But now I can’t connect to the FC with QGroundControl (Mission Planner works fine).

How can I reset all the settings to default?
(Was thinking this would be automatically the case, when new firmware is installed, but all my settings seem to be kept.)
Would like to start fresh with the settings in case I messed something up.

Also when I am connected to MP and go to the “Firmware installieren” tab, it offers me to Update the Bootloader (but also warns, that this can brick the board).
What exactly is this for, and can it really brick the board to a point, where not even the bootloader-button on the FC can bringt it back?

You can reset the parameters by setting FORMAT_VERSION = 0, but you will need to use mavproxy to do this I think

You can never totally brick this kind of board because you can always get into dfu mode and reflash everything. On some controllers (e.g. some of the cubes, pixhawk), getting into dfu mode is really hard and essentially counts as a brick.

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Just went back to Betaflight to make sure, the GPS is actually connected.
Could get it running there, when I switched the protocol from NMEA to UBLOX.

Will now try Ardupilot 4.2.0.

OK, great!

GPS is working with 4.2.0! :smiley:

Hope, support in QGroundControl will come soon.
MP always is a bit confusing to me.

Anyways. Glad, that everything seems to work now.
(4.2.0 also activated the LEDs.)

Pretty sure what you originally loaded was not firmware for that board whatever it was called.

Can you check GPS is working in 4.1beta6? If it’s not then we need to fix that.

I didn’t see 4.1beta6, only 4.1.0 (There the GPS didn’t seem to work, but it was my old settings and I didn’t dive in. Settings were erased, when I switched to Betaflight for a moment.).
But as I said it’s working in 4.2.0.

At this moment I am struggeling with the Compass.
It seems to be connected/working, but in the Compass-tab it shows nothing and I can’t calibrate anything.

Ok. Now I could connect with QGroundControl for some reason, but it shows me an error-message with:
“Parameters are missing from firmware. You may be running a version of firmware which is not fully supported or your firmware has a bug in it. Missing params: 1:MNT_RC_IN_ROLL, 1:MNT_RC_IN_PAN, 1:MNT_RC_IN_TILT”

It also says “Compass not healthy”, and I can’t calibrate the compass.
Still it also shows me a directional arrow, which turns when I turn the quad.

Ok, on the summary page of QGC it also says for all Compasses (1-3):
Not installed.
So the Arrow might be fake and just turn because of the Gyro.

What do I need to set up to get the compass running?

I went here ( https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/beta/FlywooF745/ ) and noticed, that this is the beta6 you mentioned (ArduCopter V4.1.0-beta6).

I installed the bl Version with the STM32CubeProgrammer.
It seems to behave exactly like the 4.2.0.
“Compass not healthy”, but GPS is working.

Any idea on how to troubleshoot this?
Is there any way to “debug” with Mission Planner?

Will reinstall the 4.0.7 again to see, if the Compass still works with it.
Since you said, there was no 4.0.7 for the Flywoo:
Is there any way to check, what FC this firmware is intended for?
Maybe that way you could figure out, what needs to be changed to make the compass working.

Now back to 4.0.7.

Same as before:
Compass is working here, but not the GPS.
(In both later versions: Compass not working, but GPS working.)

Here’s a screenshot of the recognized compass module with 4.0.7:

I don’t know if this will fix your issue, but try running the beta updates button in Missionplanner. I can’t tell from the build # but on mine it is says 1.3.74.2 and yours is missing the 2 so its probably the release from Aug 28, 2020, which there have been quite a few updates since.

You mean updating Mission Planner?
I am just doing that. However I’d be surprised if it changes anything.

@andyp1per
As there is one firmware, where the compass works and another one where the GPS works … is there anything I can do to help you find the issue?

I’d really like to get this working soon.

Agreed, doesn’t seem like Missionplanner is the cause of the issue.

Maybe try an early July build of the firmware and see if that restores the compass? I’m not optimistic that will fix it either but about the only thing I can think of to recommend. If it does fix it, that narrows down what the problem could be.
https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/2021-07/2021-07-01-09:07/FlywooF745/

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Thx for the idea.
Will ty that out tomorrow.