Article directory
5.1 Download driver and burning tool
5.2 Download ArduPilot firmware
5.3 Using beta and development versions
5.3.2 The latest development version
5.4 Upload firmware to autopilot
5.6 Loading firmware onto board with external flash memory
foreword
The latest versions of ArduPilot ( Copter-3.6 , Plan-3.9 , Rover-3.5 ) run on relatively small, non- Pixhawk autopilots using the ChibiOS operating system . Examples of these boards include the OpenPilot RevoMini , Mateksys F405-Wing , and Omnibus F4 Pro .
Most of the time these boards come with another flight controller software pre-installed. (If ArduPilot is already installed on the board , see Loading Firmware for firmware loading instructions.
Installing ArduPilot onto these autopilots involves:
- Install the required drivers and burning tools;
- Download the appropriate ArduPilot firmware;
- Load ArduPilot onto the board.
！Note
Instructions for using the ChibiOS to Pixhawk autopilot with ArduPilot can be found here ( here ).
5.1 Download driver and burning tool
STM32CubeProgrammer will install the required DFU (Direct Firmware Upload) drivers and can be used toburn firmware to the autopilot in DFU mode . This works on Windows , Linux and MacOS systems. Download and install this program. You may also need to install JAVA in order to set up this program.
5.2 Download ArduPilot firmware
Download the ArduPilot firmware for your board from firmware.ardupilot.org . Usually you can find suitable firmware by:
- Open firmware.ardupilot.org ;
- Choose to click the link for your aircraft type (such as Plane , Copter , Rover , Sub or Antenna Tracker );
- Select " Beta " or " Stable ";
- Find the directory whose name is closest to autopilot ;
- Download the " arduXXX_with_bl.hex " file, click on it. It will usually be saved in your Downloads folder.
5.3 Using beta and development versions
5.3.1 Beta
Before the stable version ( Stable ) is released, one or more beta versions ( Beta ) will be released. These releases are available if you want to try newer features or help the developers further test the code. Since they are " beta " there may still be bugs (although this is also possible in the stable firmware). However, it has been tested by the development team and has been flight tested. This release allows more users to do final testing of the Stable firmware before it is released. We encourage experienced ArduPilot users to test-fly this firmware and provide feedback.
5.3.2 The latest development version
This reflects the current state of the development branch of the ArduPilot code. It has been reviewed by the development team, passes all automated test suites, and in most cases is ready for test flight if significant changes have been made. This code is built daily and can be tested by experienced users. This amounts to an " alpha " release, which may have bugs, although very few " crash-causing ". Shortly after a change is added or a feature is introduced, the Upcoming Features section of the Wiki is updated with information about the addition or change.
5.4 Upload firmware to autopilot
Hold down the board's DFU button or temporarily bridge its " BOOT " pin, and plug in the USB debug cable (connected to your PC ). Release the button or de-bridge after power is applied.
Open Windows Device Manager and look for " STM32 BOOTLOADER " under " Universal Serial Bus Devices " to confirm that the board is in DFU mode.
Start the STM32CubeProgrammer .
1. Select the connection method: USB ;
2. Make sure there is a USB port showing...it means the board is detected in DFU mode;
3. Press " Connect ";
4. Then the specific situation of the CPU on the board will appear here;
5. Press " Open file " and select the " arduXXX_with_bl.hex " file you downloaded ;
6. The file name will appear in the tab;
7. Press " Download " to burn the file to the board.
You can now reboot the board and connect with your favorite ground station ( Mission Planner , QGC, etc. ), future firmware uploads should also work using the normal method for the Pixhawk board.
5.5 Alternatives
5.6 Loading firmware onto board with external flash memory
Too much space, another introduction: