# User Manual 

# TM

# 3DR Support

Contact 3DR Support for questions and technical help.

online: 3dr.com/support email: support@3dr.com call: +1 (858) 225-1414 (direct) +1 (855) 982-2898 (toll free in the US and Canada)
Support line hours: Mon-Fri 8 am to 5 pm PST

3D Robotics (3DR) 1608 4th Street, Suite 410 Berkeley, CA 94710 Tel. +1 (858) 225-1414 3dr.com

Solo User Manual V8 © 2015 3D Robotics Inc. Solo is a trademark of 3D Robotics, Inc.

GoPro, HERO, the GoPro logo, and the GoPro Be a HERO logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of GoPro, Inc.

# 1 Contents

1 Introduction 1
1.1 System Overview 1 1.2 Aircraft Overview 2 1.3 Controller Overview 3 1.4 Operating Parameters 4 1.5 Autopilot 5 1.6 Propulsion 5 1.7 LED Meanings 5

2 Setup 6
2.1 In the Box - Solo with The Frame 6 2.2 In the Box - Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal 6 2.3 Battery 6 2.4 Controller 8 2.5 Propellers 9 2.6 Camera 10 2.7 Mobile App 11

3 The Solo Gimbal 16
3.1 In the Box 16 3.2 Gimbal Installation 16 3.3 Gimbal Operation 22

4 Safety 25
4.1 Location 25 4.2 Environmental Awareness 25 4.3 Visual Line of Sight 25 4.4 Flight School 26 4.5 Propellers 26 4.6 GPS 26 4.7 Home Position 27 4.8 Altitude Limit 27 4.9 Emergency Procedures 27 4.10 Flight Battery 28 4.11 Controller 28 4.12 Antenna Configuration 29

5 First Flight 30
5.1 Preflight Checklist 30 5.2 Takeoff 30 5.3 Landing 31 5.4 Return Home 32 5.5 In-Flight Data 34 5.6 Joystick Control 35

6 Using the Solo App 38
6.1 App Interface Overview 38 6.2 Smart Shots 44 6.3 Selfie 45 6.4 Cable Cam 47 6.5 Orbit 48 6.6 Follow 50iv 7 Alerts 52
7.1 Preflight Errors 52 7.2 In-Flight Errors 53

8 Advanced Settings 56
8.1 Advanced Flight Modes 56 8.2 Enabling Advanced Flight Modes 57 8.3 Accessing Advanced Flight Modes 57 8.4 Home Position Safety 57 8.5 Performance Adjustment 57 8.6 Units 58 8.7 Maximum Altitude Adjustment 58 8.8 Map Tile Provider (Android only) 58

9 Support 59

10 Maintenance 60
10.1 Controller Battery Replacement 60 10.2 Calibrations 60 10.3 Pairing the Controller 61 10.4 Legs 62 10.5 Battery Tray 66 10.6 Motor Mods 67 10.7 Factory Reset 69

11 Appendix 71
11.1 Specifications 71 11.2 Warranty 72 11.3 Regulatory Compliance 72v 

# Figures

Figure 1.1.3.1: Solo System Context Diagram 1 Figure 1.2.4.1: Solo Overview 2 Figure 1.3.10.1: Controller Overview 4 Figure 1.4.1: Solo Operating Parameters 4 Figure 1.6.1: Solo Motor Order 5 Figure 2.1.1: Solo Parts 6 Figure 2.2.1: Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal Parts 6 Figure 2.3.1.1: Charing the Solo Smart Battery 7 Figure 2.3.2.1: Powering Solo 8 Figure 2.4.1.1: Controller Charging 8 Figure 2.4.2.1: Power On Controller 9 Figure 2.5.1.1: Attach Propellers 9 Figure 2.6.1.1: Attach Camera 10 Figure 2.6.2.1: Camera Configuration Process 10 Figure 2.7.3.1: Connect to Solo Link 11 Figure 2.7.4.1: App - Settings Menu 11 Figure 2.7.4.2: App - Wi-Fi Settings 12 Figure 2.7.5.1: Controller Preflight Update Prompt 12 Figure 2.7.5.2: App - Software Update 12 Figure 2.7.5.3: App - Connecting Instructions 12 Figure 2.7.5.4: App - Instructions List 13 Figure 2.7.5.5: App - Download Update 13 Figure 2.7.5.6: App - Start Update 13 Figure 2.7.5.7: Controller - Updating 13 Figure 2.7.5.8: App - Update Disconnection Confirmation 14 Figure 2.7.5.9: Controller Update Complete Displays 14 Figure 2.7.5.10: Controller - Waiting for Solo 14 Figure 2.7.5.11: App - Update Success 14 Figure 2.7.6.1: App - Viewing Video 15 Figure 3.1.1: Solo Gimbal Parts 16 Figure 3.2.1.1: Removing The Frame 17 Figure 3.2.2.1: Connecting cables 17 Figure 3.2.3.1: Positioning the Gimbal Cable 18 Figure 3.2.3.2: Positioning the HDMI Cable 18 Figure 3.2.4.1: Mounting the Gimbal 19 Figure 3.2.5.1: HDMI Plug Positioning 19 Figure 3.2.5.2: Attach GoPro 20 Figure 3.2.5.3: Fasten Camera 20 Figure 3.2.6.1: GoPro Weight Balancing 20 Figure 3.2.7.1: Adding the Sunshade 21 Figure 3.2.9.1: Camera Configuration Process 22 Figure 3.3.1.1: Gimbal Controls 22 Figure 3.3.2.1: LED Gimbal Signal 23 Figure 4.4.1: App Flight School 26 Figure 4.9.5.1: Controller - Motor Shutoff 28 Figure 4.12.1: Controller Antenna Orientation 29 Figure 5.2.1.1: Controller - Start Motors Prompt 30 Figure 5.2.2.1: Controller - Takeoff Prompts 31 Figure 5.3.1: Controller - User-Initiated Landing 31 Figure 5.4.1: Return Home Button 32 Figure 5.4.1.1: The Cone Zone 32 Figure 5.4.2.1: Above Return Home 33 Figure 5.4.2.2: Within the Cone 33 Figure 5.4.2.3: Below Return Home and Outside the Cone 34 Figure 5.5.1: Controller - In-Flight Data 34 Figure 5.6.1: Controller Left Joystick 35 Figure 5.6.2: Throttle Joystick Behaviors 35vi Figure 5.6.3: Yaw Joystick Behavior 36 Figure 5.6.4: Controller Right Joystick Controls 36 Figure 5.6.5: Pitch Joystick Controls 37 Figure 5.6.6: Roll Joystick Controls 37 Figure 6.1.1: Solo App Home Screen 38 Figure 6.1.1.1: App - Main Interface 39 Figure 6.1.1.2: Advanced telemetry data 39 Figure 6.1.2.1: Initial Map Screen 40 Figure 6.1.2.2: Map Screen During Caching 40 Figure 6.1.3.1: Camera button states 41 Figure 6.1.3.2: Tap for Camera Settings 42 Figure 6.1.3.3: In-App Camera Settings 42 Figure 6.1: App - Main Screen 44 Figure 6.2: App - Shot List 44 Figure 6.3.1: Selfie Path and Settings 45 Figure 6.3.1.1: App - Selfie Activation 45 Figure 6.3.2.1: App - Selfie Control 46 Figure 6.3.2.2: Controller - Selfie Control 46 Figure 6.3.3.1: App - Selfie Settings 46 Figure 6.4.1.1: App - Cable Cam Setup 47 Figure 6.4.2.1: App - Cable Cam Controls 47 Figure 6.4.2.2: Controller - Cable Cam Controls 48 Figure 6.4.3.1: App - Cable Cam Settings 48 Figure 6.5.1.1: App - Orbit Setup 48 Figure 6.5.2.1: App - Orbit Controls 49 Figure 6.5.2.2: Orbit Controls 49 Figure 6.5.3.1: App - Orbit Settings 49 Figure 6.6.1.1: Follow in Look At Me mode 50 Figure 6.6.1.2: Follow in Follow mode 51 Figure 6.6.2.1: Follow Controls 51 Figure 7.1.1.1: Controller - Calibration in Progress Alerts 52 Figure 7.1.1.2: Controller - Uneven Surface Alert 52 Figure 7.1.1.3: Controller - Re-Calibration Required Alerts 52 Figure 7.1.1.4: Controller - Calibration Error Alert 53 Figure 7.1.2.1: Controller - Service Alerts 53 Figure 7.2.1.1: Controller - Altitude Limit Alert 53 Figure 7.2.2.1: Controller - App Connection Alerts 54 Figure 7.2.3.1: Controller - Controller Disconnected Alert 54 Figure 7.2.3.2: Controller - Controller Signal Alerts 54 Figure 7.2.4.1: Controller - GPS Signal Alerts 55 Figure 7.2.5.1: Controller - Low Battery Alerts 55 Figure 7.2.5.2: Controller - Critical Battery Alert 55 Figure 7.2.6.1: Controller - Controller Battery Alerts 55 Figure 8.2.1: App - Advanced Settings 57 Figure 8.3.1: App - A and B Presets 57 Figure 8.5.1: App - Performance Sliders 58 Figure 8.6.1: App - Change Units 58 Figure 8.7.1: App - Altitude Limit 58 Figure 9.1: App - Submit Trouble Ticket 59 Figure 10.1.1: Controller Battery Installation 60 Figure 10.2.1.1: App - Compass Calibration Setup 60 Figure 10.2.1.2: App - Compass Calibration Procedure 61 Figure 10.2.2.1: App - Level Calibration 61 Figure 10.3.1: Pair Button 61 Figure 10.3.2: Detected Solo 62 Figure 10.3.3: Solo Paired 62 Figure 10.4.1: Leg Types 62 Figure 10.4.1.1: Standard Leg Replacement Process 63 Figure 10.4.2.1: Detaching the Antenna from the Leg 63 Figure 10.4.2.2: Attaching a New Leg with an Existing Antenna 64vii Figure 10.4.2.3: Attaching an Existing Antenna to a New Leg 64 Figure 10.4.3.1: Compass Connector on Mainboard 65 Figure 10.4.3.2: Insert New Leg with Compass 65 Figure 10.5.1.1: GPS Cover Removal 66 Figure 10.5.2.1: Battery Tray Removal 66 Figure 10.5.2.2: Battery Tray Detachment 66 Figure 10.6.1: LED Cover Removal 67 Figure 10.6.2: Motor Pod Removal 67 Figure 10.6.3: Motor Pod Disconnection 68 Figure 10.6.4: Motor Pod Connection 68 Figure 10.6.5: Motor Pod and LED Cover Attachment 68 Figure 10.7.1: Pair Button 69 Figure 10.7.2: Strobing Pairing Light 69 Figure 10.7.3: Controller Reset 69 Figure 10.7.4: Controller Update 70 Figure 10.7.2.5: Controller Screen After Reset 702 

# 1.2 Aircraft Overview

1.2.1 Smart Battery The battery connects to Solo’s battery bay. Solo’s power button is located on the battery; Solo can be powered only when the battery is connected.

1.2.2 Motors and Propellers Solo’s arms are labeled 1 through 4 on the ends of the arms. Motors on arms #1 and #2 spin counterclockwise and use clockwise-tightening propellers with silver tops. Motors on arms #3 and #4 spin clockwise and use counterclockwise-tightening propellers with black tops.

1.2.3 Orientation LEDs Each arm contains an LED for ground-to-air directional awareness; when armed for flight, the two front arms (#1 and #3) display white, and the two rear arms (#2 and #4) display red. This LED scheme mimics the headlight and taillight style of a car.

1.2.4 Fixed Camera Mount and HDMI Cable
Solo includes a GoPro® The Frame fixed mount to mount a GoPro® HERO camera. The HDMI cable connects to the GoPro® to output video during flight.

Figure 1.2.4.1 : Solo Overview Silver-top propeller

Power button
Battery

Rear orientation LEDs Black-top propeller

Motor Arm numbering

Front orientation LEDs

Fixed camera mount

HDMI cable Height: 10.2” Motor-to-motor: 18.1” Weight (no camera): 3.3 lbs.3 

# 1.3 Controller Overview

1.3.1 Mobile-Device Holder Mount an Android or iOS device to run the Solo App and effortlessly integrate the App into the controller’s operational flow. A user-supplied smartphone or tablet is required to initialize Solo and use Smart Shots.

1.3.2 Joysticks The controller’s left and right joysticks provide direct manual control of Solo and physical control mechanisms for use with Smart Shots.

1.3.3 Screen The controller’s full-color screen provides live in-flight data and prompts for certain Solo functions.

1.3.4 Power Button Press the power button once to check the controller’s battery level. Hold the power button until you see the controller startup screen to power on the controller.

1.3.5 Fly Button The Fly button lets you control Solo’s main flight functions: starting motors, takeoff, land, and activating GPS flight.

1.3.6 Return Home The Return Home button allows you to end your flight automatically at any point by returning Solo to its original launch point and landing.

1.3.7 Pause Button The Pause button is Solo’s emergency air brake. Press Pause to stop Solo and hover in place at any time.

1.3.8 Option Buttons The A and B buttons change functionality based on where you are in the operational flow. The screen shows the currently assigned functions of A and B at all times. You can program A and B to specific functions using the App. By default, the A button is assigned to Cable Cam and the B button is assigned to Orbit.

1.3.9 Antennas The controller’s long-range dipole antennas communicate with Solo during flight. See Section 4.12 for proper antenna configuration.

1.3.10 Gimbal Controls Use the paddle, buttons, and dial on the top of the controller are used to control the Solo Gimbal. You can also use them in some Smart Shots.4 Figure 1.3.10.1 : Contr Antennas

Mobile-device holder

Gimbal controls

Joysticks

Screen

Pause Return home Fly Power Options

oller Overview



# 1.4 Operating Parameters

The following operating parameters apply to Solo. Always operate Solo within these parameters. Solo’s performance and behaviors may vary significantly if flying in that conditions violate the paramet ers listed below.

Figure 1.4.1 : Solo Operating Parameters
* Flight time varies with payload, wind conditions, elevation, temperature, humidity, flying style, and pilot skill. Listed flight time applies to elevations less than 2,000 ft above sea level. ** To adjust maximum altitude, see Section 8.7. *** Depending on environmental conditions **** This top speed corresponds to Solo when operating in Fly mode. Maximum speeds for advanced modes may vary; see Section 8.1 for more information. Estimated flight time up to 25 minutes*

Default maximum altitude 150 ft. (46 m) above ground level** Range .5 mile*** (.8 km) Payload capacity 1 lb. (450 g) Cruise speed 18 mph (8 m/s) Maximum speed 33 mph (15 m/s)**** Wind speed limitation 25 mph (11 m/s) Operating temperature 32° F - 113° F (0° C to 45° C)5 

# 1.5 Autopilot

Solo uses a Pixhawk 2 autopilot running ArduPilot Copter software. ArduPilot is open-source flight control based on the MAVlink communication protocol. Pixhawk 2 runs an ARM Cortex-M4 STM32F427 processor with 2 MB of flash memory and 256 KB of RAM. Combined with an array of CAN, I2C, SPI, PWM, and UART interfaces, Pixhawk 2 uses a suite of onboard sensors to calculate Solo’s orientation and motion in flight. This data is input into ArduPilot’s inertial navigation and position-estimation algorithms and combined with control inputs to send commands to Solo’s propulsion system.



# 1.6 Propulsion

Solo uses four brushless 880 K
v motors and four self-tightening propellers for propulsion. For control and aerodynamic efficiency, two motors spin clockwise and two motors spin counterclockwise. Navigation in the air is achieved by mixing propulsion of the four motors to actuate flight control along the roll, pitch, and yaw axes.
Each of the four motors is numbered by the marking on the arm. These numbers correspond to the autopilot calculations for these commands and are used for indicating motor replacement procedures. Each motor is controlled by an ESC (Electronic Speed Controller) that regulates the rotation of the motors to achieve the speed commanded by the autopilot.

Figure 1.6.1 : So 03 01

02 04

lo Motor Order



# 1.7 LED Meanings

Solo’s four LEDs indicate its status during startup and in flight.

• Solid white (front) and red (back): Ready to fly, standard flight configuration

• Pulsing white (front) and red (back): Solo is flying under autopilot control

• Flashing red alternating front and back: Controller signal lost

• Flashing rainbow: Update in progress

• Solid green, then turning off one-by-one: Startup successful

• Solid green without turning off automatically: Startup unsuccessful, please restart Solo6 

# 2 Setup

This section covers everything you need to set up Solo out of the box. 

# 2.1 In the Box - Solo with The Frame

The Solo package includes the Solo Vehicle with The Frame (for mounting a GoPro camera), the Solo Controller, propellers (four plus two spares), the Solo Smart Battery, the Solo Smart Battery charger, and a charger for the Solo Controller.

Figure 2.1.1 : Solo Parts



# 2.2 In the Box - Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal

The Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal package includes the Solo Vehicle with 3-Axis Gimbal installed, the Solo Controller, propellers (four plus four spares), the Solo Smart Battery, the Solo Smart Battery charger, and a charger for the Solo Controller.

Figure 2.2.1 : Solo with Installed Gimbal Four silver-top props & four black-top props

Controller

Solo charger Controller charger

Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal Parts 

# 2.3 Battery

Solo is powered by the rechargeable Solo Smart Battery, which provides up to 25 minutes of flight time per full charge. (Note: Flight time depends on payload, wind conditions, elevation, temperature, humidity, flying style and Solo Three silver-top props & three black-top props

Controller

Solo charger Controller charger10 

# 2.6 Camera

The Solo package includes a fixed GoPro® The FrameTM mount for your GoPro® HERO 3, 3+ or 4.
Note : If you have Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal or have installed the Gimbal separately, see Section 3.2.5, Camera Installation, on page 19.

2.6.1 Attaching GoPro to The Frame To attach the camera to the GoPro® The FrameTM fixed mount, insert your GoPro® upside down and connect the Solo HDMI cable to the camera.

Figure 2.6.1.1 : Attach C GoPro ® The Frame TM
Your GoPro ® HERO 3, 3+ or 4 Mount your GoPro ® upside down. Connect the HDMI cable.

amera

2.6.2 Settings For best results, adjust the camera settings for inverted orientation and medium field of view. (Setting the field of view to medium ensures that you won’t see the propellers in the frame.)

Figure 2.6.2.1 Set the GoPro ® HERO3 to inverted orientation:

Enable GoPro ® HERO4 auto-orientation:

Set the GoPro ® to medium field of view: GoPro ® Settings Camera Orientation

GoPro ® Settings ORIENTATION

SETUP OFF

:OFF :UP :VIDEO ORIENTATION OFF

:OFF :AUTO :VIDEO EXIT

EXIT RESET CAM

ORIENTATION SETUP OFF

:OFF :UP :VIDEO ORIENTATION OFF

:OFF :AUTO :VIDEO EXIT

EXIT RESET CAM

: Camera Configuration Process

Make sure the Wi-Fi on your GoPro ® is turned OFF. Otherwise, it can interfere with Solo’s communication signals and cause unexpected behavior.16 

# 3 The Solo Gimbal

The optional Solo Gimbal holds your GoPro® camera and lets you control it remotely. It taps Solo’s intelligence to get perfectly automated shots, plus rock-solid footage, GoPro® control and charging, and long-range HD video feed. With the 3-Axis Solo Gimbal, you get:

• Smooth and fluid HD footage every flight.

• Start and stop recording (HERO4 models) while you fly so you can pick and choose the shots you want.

• Footage stabilized to within 0.1 degree of pointing accuracy for enhanced Smart Shots.

• Fine-grain camera tilt control, including angle presets and instant speed adjustment.

Note : If you purchased the Solo with 3-Axis Gimbal package, skip to section “Camera Installation” on page 19. 

# 3.1 In the Box

The Solo 3-Axis Gimbal package includes the Solo Gimbal, the sunshade, four balance weights for the GoPro® camera, and a screwdriver for installing the Gimbal.

Figure 3.1.1 : Solo Gimbal Parts
To install the Solo Gimbal and start utilizing its features, follow these Solo Gimbal installation instructions: 

# 3.2 Gimbal Installation

Before installing the Solo Gimbal, make sure the firmware on Solo and your GoPro as well as the Solo App on your mobile device are up to date for the best performance.

Recommended versions:

• Solo: 1.2.0 or higher

• Solo App: 1.2.0 or higher

• GoPro: 3.00.00 or higher

3.2.1 Remove The Frame

1. Flip Solo over to access the bottom of the vehicle.

2. The Frame is secured to Solo by three captive screws (permanently attached to the mount to prevent losing them). Since these screws don’t come out all the way, loosen each screw until they can’t be backed out any further.

3. Detach the mount from Solo by gently lifting up on it.

4. Route the HDMI cable out through the mount to complete the separation. Balance weights (4)

Solo Gimbal Sunshade Sc r ewdriver18 Tuck the Gimbal Cable’s slack into the front of the Solo body

Figure 3.2.3.1 : Positioning the Gimbal Cable
2. Loop the HDMI cable around and inside the front of the body, pushing any extra slack towards the pocket of Arm #01 as seen below.

Tuck the HDMI Cable’s slack into the side of the Solo body

Figure 3.2.3.2 : Positioning the HDMI Cable

3.2.4 Mount the Gimbal

1. Position the gimbal plate over the opening in the Solo Shell, making sure that the three screw positions are aligned (two in the back and one in front).

2. Slide the back of the plate in first, and then pinch the two front prongs in and down to insert the plate.19 Figure 3.2.4.1 : Mounting the Gimbal

3. When the plate is inserted and resting flush with the Solo Shell, tighten each of the three captive screws. If the plate isn’t resting flush with the Solo Shell, the most likely cause is that the screws didn’t catch correctly. If the screws are misaligned, do not try to tighten them. Back out any crooked screws with the screwdriver, then realign them manually before tightening with the screwdriver.

3.2.5 Camera Installation The 3-Axis Solo Gimbal holds your GoPro® HERO 3, 3+ or 4. To install your GoPro camera, follow these directions:

1. To create space for your GoPro inside the camera housing, move the the rubber HDMI plug out and away from the camera housing.

Figure 3.2.5.1 : HDMI Plug Positioning

2. Slide your GoPro into place from the front and gently press it in until it is flush with the back of the camera housing. Have extended feet? (Optional) Install for added clearance.21 3.2.7 Add Sunshade Flying on a sunny day? Use the sunshade to protect your video from glare. Simply press-fit the sunshade onto the GoPro lens to install.

Figure 3.2.7.1 : Adding the Sunshade

3.2.8 Update Your GoPro The GoPro HERO4 Silver and HERO4 Black are fully optimized to work with the Solo Gimbal. To use functions like Start Recording and Stop Recording, your GoPro HERO4 must be fully up to date. You can update your GoPro in either of two ways: Update through an iOS or Android mobile device, or through your computer.
Option 1: Download the Update Using your iOS or Android Device

1. Make sure you have the GoPro App downloaded onto your iOS or Android device, and that you have an SD card with plenty of available memory installed in your GoPro.

2. On the GoPro camera, go to Setup and then Wireless. Choose the Pair/Connect option, then GoPro App, and then follow the directions.

3. Open the GoPro app.

4. Connect your camera.

5. When you get to the screen with the live video preview, tap the downloads button at the top of the screen. It’s a circle with an arrow in the middle.

6. Follow the prompts to download and install the update.

7. Before flying, make sure the GoPro’s Wi-Fi is off! Hold the button on the side.

Option 2: Download the Update Using Your Computer

1. On your computer, navigate to ‘gopro.com/update’.

2. Choose your camera model from the list on the left.

3. Select “Update Your Camera Manually”.

4. Follow the instructions to register and update your GoPro.22 3.2.9 Recommended GoPro Settings For optimal results, adjust your camera settings to these recommended values. If you’re using the Solo Gimbal with the GoPro Hero3+ Black or either Hero4 model (Silver or Black), you can change settings in flight: For details, see Section 6.1.3, Camera Controls and Settings, on page 40.

Figure 3.2.9.1 : Camera Configuration Process



# 3.3 Gimbal Operation

The Solo Gimbal is a nearly autonomous tool. For example, it handles camera balancing and stabilization for you automatically. However, we recommend that you be aware of some operational aspects of the Solo Gimbal, as well as a handful of controls you can use.

3.3.1 Controlling the Solo Gimbal To manually adjust the tilt angle of the Solo Gimbal, use the tilt control paddle to move the gimbal up and down. You can also set up an automatic tilt control using the ‘1’ and ‘2’ button presets. These buttons are located above and below the tilt speed dial, as shown in Figure 3.3.1.1. To tilt to a preset angle, simply press either button and use the dial to adjust the tilt speed. To save a new preset angle, hold ‘1’ or ‘2’.

Figure 3.3.1.1 : Gimb Solo cont r oller (top view) Automatic tilt cont r ol: P r ess 1 or 2 to tilt to a p r eset angle, hold 1 or 2 to save new angles Manual tilt cont r ol

Adjust tilt speed

al Controls Resolution 1080P or 2.7K
Field of View Medium Low Light Off Spot Meter Off
Protune On (if available)
White blance Auto
Color GOPRO
ISO 400 Sharpness Medium EV Comp 0

Make sure that the Wi-Fi on your GoPro ® is turned OFF. Otherwise, it can interfere with Solo’s communication signals and cause unexpected behavior.24 3.3.3.3 The gimbal is not turning on or responding

• Symptoms : Gimbal appears not to be receiving power.

• Reason: Possible connectivity issues.

• Resolution: Check the LED on the gimbal (behind the GoPro) and refer to the color guide in Section 3.3.2. If the LED is off, make sure the gimbal connector is plugged in and seated properly.
If none of the preceding steps resolved your gimbal issue, please contact customer support at 3dr.com/support.25 

# 4 Safety

The following best practices will help ensure safe, successful flights and help reduce the risk of accident and serious injury:

• Always fly under adult supervision and with your full attention at all times.

• Do not fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol or when your ability to operate Solo safely is impaired.

• Use common sense to avoid unsafe situations and always operate Solo responsibly.



# 4.1 Location

When choosing an appropriate place to fly Solo, keep these location factors in mind:

• Don’t fly Solo indoors.

• Always fly outside in clear, open areas at a safe distance from yourself, other people, power lines, animals, vehicles, trees, and buildings.

• When flying in areas with potential hazards, maintain a distance of at least 100 feet (30 m) from any people, vehicles, or structures. As the operator, you are responsible for navigating Solo to avoid obstacles, including during Smart Shots.

• Don’t fly within five miles of an airport or within any airspace restricted by your local, state, or national airspace authority. As the operator, you are responsible for knowing and understanding the regulations that govern small, unmanned aircraft like Solo in your jurisdiction. 

# 4.2 Environmental Awareness

Don’t fly Solo in extreme weather conditions such as rain, high winds, snow, or fog. Such weather conditions can permanently damage Solo or cause instability in flight.
Before flying, determine the boundaries of the safe flying area at your location. Be aware of any risks, including bodies of water, structures, trees, power lines, etc, and designate a few areas where you can land Solo in case of an unsafe situation. Throughout your flight, be prepared to recover Solo manually or use an emergency procedure if Solo flies outside the safe flying area. 

# 4.3 Visual Line of Sight

Always fly Solo within your visual line of sight. Don’t let Solo get so far away from you that you cannot see its orientation or so that any physical obstructions block your view of Solo. Read and understand these important safety instructions before your first flight to help reduce the risk of accident and serious injury.

Physical obstructions can also block communication signals with the controller, causing Solo to attempt to Return Home along an obstructed path27 

# 4.7 Home Position

Solo’s home position is the latitude and longitude coordinates of the launch point and is used by the autopilot as the end point of a return-home command. The autopilot saves the home position location to where the motors are started, assuming GPS lock has been achieved. If Solo has taken off without GPS lock and then achieves GPS lock mid-flight, the home position will be set to wherever GPS lock was acquired. The location of the home position depends on GPS signal strength and is usually within one to two meters of accuracy. Always take off from an open location with a clear path for Solo to return home safely. For home position safety in advanced mode, see Section 8.4.



# 4.8 Altitude Limit

Always fly at appropriate altitudes for your flying location and local regulations. Solo cannot avoid obstacles on its own, so always select altitudes that avoid any obstacles, such as trees, buildings, and power lines.
Solo includes a safety fence enabled by default at 150 ft. (46 m). If Solo reaches the altitude limit, it stops ascending and limits throttle input to stay below the altitude limit. To adjust the altitude limit, see Section 8.7. FAA regulations mandate a maximum altitude of 400 ft. to avoid potential conflicts with manned aircraft and represents a safe line-of-sight altitude.



# 4.9 Emergency Procedures

If you experience a problem in flight, use one of the following emergency procedures to stop Solo, end your flight, or shut off the motors.

4.9.1 Pause The controller’s Pause button allows you to stop Solo in mid-air. Solo hovers at the paused location until given another command. Use the Pause button to stop Solo from hitting an obstacle or to reorient Solo for navigation. During Return Home or Land, you can pause Solo and stop the landing by pressing Pause. Pause is available only with GPS lock.

4.9.2 Regain Manual Control Keep the controller easily accessible at all times during flight, including during Smart Shots, and be prepared to regain manual control at any time. To return to standard flight during Smart Shots, Return Home, or Land, press the Fly button.

4.9.3 Return Home If Solo acquired GPS lock prior to takeoff, you can return it to the launch point and land by pressing Return Home on the controller. If you receive a low-battery notification or want to quickly end your flight, press Return Home. Solo does not avoid obstacles while returning home; always verify that the return path is clear before activating Return Home.

4.9.4 Land To land Solo at its current position, press and hold the Fly button. To exit the landing procedure at any time, lift the throttle. If Solo does not have GPS lock, automatic positioning is not available as Solo descends, and drifting can occur depending on environmental conditions.29 

# 4.12 Antenna Configuration

For the strongest connection to Solo, position the antennas down and away from the controller so they are approximately perpendicular to Solo in flight, and tilt each antenna out and away from one another at a 20° angle.

Figure 4.12.1 : Controller Antenna Orientation 

### 20°