VRxC ELRS v1.1.0

Note

Due to the complexity of installing the firmware required for any pilot (with HDZero goggles) that wants to use the capabilities this plugin provides, it is recommended to wait for the v1.5 release of the ELRS backpack before incorporating this plugin's functionality into your race events.

What's New's

• Simplified the pilot attribute settings
• Win Condition based OSD messages
• Separate race control for starting/stopping from transmitter
• Reduced number of post race stats
• Removed threading module for strict gevent support

Installing/Upgrading the RotorHazard Plugin

cd ~
sudo rm -r RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/VRxC_ELRS
wget https://github.com/i-am-grub/VRxC_ELRS/releases/download/v1.1.0/VRxC_ELRS.zip
unzip VRxC_ELRS.zip
cp -r VRxC_ELRS RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/
rm -r VRxC_ELRS
rm VRxC_ELRS.zip
sudo systemctl restart rotorhazard.service

Installing/Upgrading the ELRS HDZero Goggle and Timer Backpack

See the project's README

VRxC ELRS v1.0.0

The initial release of the Plugin!

Warning

While this plugin is considered stable, there are a lot of moving parts in order for this plugin to behave correctly (RH timer, this plugin, the timer's backpack, the HDZero goggle's backpack, and the HDZero goggles themselves). While I'm trying to stabilize the whole system as much as possible, not everything can be accounted for at this moment.

Installing/Upgrading the RotorHazard Plugin

cd ~
sudo rm -r RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/VRxC_ELRS
wget https://github.com/i-am-grub/VRxC_ELRS/releases/download/v1.0.0/VRxC_ELRS.zip
unzip VRxC_ELRS.zip
cp -r VRxC_ELRS RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/
rm -r VRxC_ELRS
rm VRxC_ELRS.zip
sudo systemctl restart rotorhazard.service

Installing the timer's backpack

The timer's backpack can be installed on either an ESP32 or ESP8266. The ESP32 is highly recommend over the ESP8266 as there is error correction built into the ESP32's version of the firmware. If you are using the onboard ESP32 on the NuclearHazard board, see the first time setup guide for installing the backpack.

To get the timer's backpack firmware:

1. Select Backpack in the ELRS Configurator,
2. Select GIT Branch under Firmware version
3. Select master for the Git branch
4. Select RotorHazard under Device category
5. Select the type of device you are going to install to (See the following note)

Note

You may have to build the WiFi binaries and then use esptool to install (instructions below) if the normal serial installer doesn't seem to work within the configurator.

Updating Pilot's HDZERO goggles

There was one change made to the HDZero goggle's backpack to help it receive messages from the timer's backpack at a faster pace. Any pilots wanting to utilize the full capability of this plugin should update their goggle's backpack with the firmware. The updates can be access under the same pull request as the timer's backpack.

1. Select Backpack in the ELRS Configurator,
2. Select GIT Branch under Firmware version
3. Select master for the Git branch
4. Select HDZero Goggles under device category
5. Select the Built-in ESP32 Backpack

Either upload the backpack firmware over WiFi, or follow the installation over SD card instructions found here

Installing the Timer Backpack using Esptool

1. Install python 3.7+ if not already installed
2. Install esptool with the following command

pip install --upgrade esptool

3. Make sure you have the following files for the timer's backpack from the ELRS configurator: bootloader.bin, partitions.bin, boot_app0.bin, and firmware.bin
4. Connect your ESP32 to the computer and find the port it is using. Run the following command
   • Replace PORT with the port that the ESP32 is using
   • Make sure that all of the paths for the .bin files are correct.

python -m esptool -p PORT write_flash --erase-all 0x00001000 bootloader.bin 0x00008000 partitions.bin 0x0000e000 boot_app0.bin 0x00010000 firmware.bin

VRxC_ELRS v1.0.0-beta.3

New/Updated Features

• Plays better with other plugins (removed monkeys)
• More info/improved methods when the plugin searches for a connected backpack on startup.
• Improved readability of the plugin's code base

Warning

It is not recommended to use this plugin official events until end-to-end system stability can be improved. Please only utilize this feature for practice/testing.

Installing/Upgrading the RotorHazard Plugin

cd ~
sudo rm -r RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/VRxC_ELRS
wget https://github.com/i-am-grub/VRxC_ELRS/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.3/VRxC_ELRS.zip
unzip VRxC_ELRS.zip
cp -r VRxC_ELRS RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/
rm -r VRxC_ELRS
rm VRxC_ELRS.zip

If installation is successful, the RotorHazard logs will contain the following messages after rebooting the server:

• __main__ [INFO] Loaded plugin module VRxC_ELRS
• plugins.VRxC_ELRS [INFO] v1.0.0-beta.3b

Installing/Upgrading the Backpack on ESP32

Note

The backpack's code base has been updated since beta.2. All further updates to the timer's backpack should be noted in the backpack's pull request

The compiled firmware within this repo will work for the original ESP32 chipset. Support for other chipsets will come when the backpack firmware is merged into the main branch and released. If you know what you are doing, you can access the firmware in the pull request through the ExpressLRS Configurator before it is released.

It is currently recommended to use esptool to install the backpack firmware. It is not required to complete this step on the RotorHazard server - another computer may be used.

1. Install python 3.7+ if not already installed
2. Install esptool with the following command

pip install --upgrade esptool

3. Download the firmware-esp32.zip file included within this release's assets. The files within it are needed for the next step.
4. Connect your ESP32 to the computer and find the port it is using. Run the following command
   • Replace PORT with the port that the ESP32 is using
   • Make sure that all of the paths for the .bin files are correct.

python -m esptool -p PORT write_flash --erase-all 0x00001000 bootloader.bin 0x00008000 partitions.bin 0x0000e000 boot_app0.bin 0x00010000 firmware.bin

VRxC_ELRS v1.0.0-beta.2

Added Features

• Updated ELRS Backpack (going to be starting the merging process to the main project)
• Added the ability to start/stop races from the race director's transmitter
• More configurable settings through the UI
• Switched packages used for communicating with the ELRS backpack for improved stability.

Installing/Upgrading the RotorHazard Plugin

cd ~
sudo rm -r RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/VRxC_ELRS
wget https://github.com/i-am-grub/VRxC_ELRS/releases/download/v1.0.0-beta.2/VRxC_ELRS.zip
unzip VRxC_ELRS.zip
cp -r VRxC_ELRS RotorHazard/src/server/plugins/
rm -r VRxC_ELRS
rm VRxC_ELRS.zip

If installation is successful, the RotorHazard logs will contain the following messages after rebooting the server:

• __main__ [INFO] Loaded plugin module VRxC_ELRS
• plugins.VRxC_ELRS [INFO] v1.0.0-beta.2

Installing/Upgrading the Backpack on ESP32

NOTE: The backpack will need to be upgraded if previously flashed during beta.1

NOTE: This process will be replaced by using the ExpressLRS Configurator eventually

The compiled firmware within this repo will work for the original ESP32 chipset. Support for other chipsets will come when the backpack firmware is merged into and released by the ExpressLRS Backpack (currently targeting the v1.5 release).

It is currently recommended to use esptool to install the backpack firmware. It is not required to complete this step on the RotorHazard server - another computer may be used.

1. Install python 3.7+ if not already installed
2. Install esptool with the following command

pip install --upgrade esptool

3. Download the firmware.zip file included within this release's assets. The files within it are needed for the next step.
4. Connect your ESP32 to the computer and find the port it is using. Run the following command
   • Replace PORT with the port that the ESP32 is using
   • Make sure that all of the paths for the .bin files are correct.

python -m esptool -p PORT write_flash --erase-all 0x00001000 bootloader.bin 0x00008000 partitions.bin 0x0000e000 boot_app0.bin 0x00010000 firmware.bin

v1.0.0-beta.1

Initial support for sending messages from RotorHazard to pilot's OSD through the ELRS Backpack.

Features ready:

• Initial backpack for RotorHazard (see my personal fork of the ExpressLRS Backpack)
• OSD messages for HDZero goggles