The app requires that your device supports USB host mode (OTG). It supports the following USB connections to ESC (s): - USB connected flight controller (FC) that supports BLHeli32 passthrough. Uncertain about what to buy? Check out THE ULTIMATE FPV SHOPPING LIST: ME ON PATREON at: http.
BLHELI is a firmware for ESC's. BLHELI_32 is the newer and improved version (generation 3 of the BLHELI firmware - after BLHELI and BLHELI_S) utilizing 32 bit processors on the ESC. The main job of ESC firmware is to control the speed of your motor and thus the timing for switching the motors phases. In this article we will discuss major differences between the new BLHELI_32 and the predecessor BLHELI_S.
So how do those firmwares differ in functionality?
One of the main factors is the protocols the ESC supports in order for the flight controller to communicate with it. Nowadays this communication is mostly digital and in many cases it is one form of Dshot.
Dshot comes in multiple variants: 150, 300, 600, 1200. The difference between Dshot versions is the amount of time it takes for one data packet to be sent from the flight controller to the ESC. This means, the higher the Dshot number the faster you can transmit data from your flight controller to your ESC, the more responsive your quadcopter is. If you can actually feel the difference between, for example, Dshot 600 and Dshot 1200 is up to your pilot skills and how used you are to one or the other.
Speed
The difference from Dshot 600 to Dshot 1200 if a factor of about 2, meaning the time it takes to send one data packet on Dshot 1200 only takes have the time that it takes on Dshot 600. On Dshot 600 it takes 26.7us to send one data packet, on Dshot 1200 it only takes 13.4us.
Dshot 1200 is only available on ESC's with BLHELI_32 firmware - so this is the first major difference.
Telemetry
The second major difference is, that BLHELI_32 has telemetry, meaning it can send data back to the flight controller. The ESC can sent metrics like RPM, temperature and current draw back to the flight controller. This enables you to show all those information in your OSD.
Configuration
Further BLHELI_32 may be configured with Dshot commands directly from the flight controller. It also allows current limiting, meaning the current output per ESC may be limited to a certain value.
Open source
Another major difference is that, BLHELI_32 is no longer open source. BLHELI and BLHELI_S were written in assembly language and were open source. The new BLHELI_32 is a complete rewrite in C and ESC manufacturers have to pay a licensing fee to the BLHELI developers in order to use the firmware.
RPM filtering with BLHeli_S for free
BHeli_S firmware is OpenSource software product. It evolved from BHLeli firmware that was running on the relatively slow Atmel MCU’s. It’s development almost stopped in year 2017, when the devs started a new BLHeli_32 branch with closed source, licensing and etc. BLHeli_32 ESC firmware introduced the so called bidirectional DSHOT protocol that enabled the ESC to send the telemetry to the Flight Controller. That allowed the RPM filtering to be implemented. RPM filtering soon became known as the best filtering option that reduces almost all the vibrations that multirotor motor can induce. The only problem was that the RPM filtering was only possible with BLHeli_32 ESCs.
Luckily, one of the developers, called joelucid, implemented the updated BLHeli_S firmware with optional closed source DSHOT telemetry module. To enable DSHOT rpm telemetry you would need to purchase the license for the optional Telemetry Service. Each ESC requires one license. The JESC firmware can be found here: https://github.com/jflight-public/jesc.
But that was until now when the RCGoups user JazzMaveric implemented the bidirectional DSHOT in the BLHeli_S firmware for free! This means no licenses and no fees needed for the bidirectional DSHOT on almost any BLHeli_S ESC! The modified BLHeli_S firmware repository can be found here: https://github.com/JazzMaverick/BLHeli/tree/JazzMaverick-patch-1/BLHeli_S%20SiLabs
How to flash the BLHeli_S firmware with DSHOT RPM telemetry?
Blheli_32 Configurator Chrome Download
First you’ll need the BLHeli Configurator. You can download it from here: https://github.com/blheli-configurator/blheli-configurator/releases. You can also use the BLHeli Suite (https://www.mediafire.com/folder/dx6kfaasyo24l/BLHeliSuite) to flash the BLHeli_S firmware, but this guide will show the steps with BLHeli Configurator.
Note: Remove your props before connecting the quad to the PC! (unless you have tiny whoop – its small props will make almost no harm 🙂
Note #2: Make sure you have fully charged battery before flashing BLHeli_s firmware. If your battery discharges in the middle of the firmware flashing process you may brick your ESC!
Start the BLHeli Configurator, connect the flight controller to the PC and plug the battery. Press [Connect] and then [Read setup]. You should see all four ESC settings.
Write down the type of the BLHeli_S firmware. The naming of the BLHeli firmware: first letter is the hardware configuration of the ESC, the second letter shows H – for BB2 MCU and L – for BB1 MCU and the last numbers show the Dead Time value.
Blheli_32
Now open the modified firmware repository https://github.com/JazzMaverick/BLHeli/tree/JazzMaverick-patch-1/BLHeli_S%20SiLabs and select the firmware file with the same naming as you see in the BLHeli Configurator.
After you have selected the right firmware, right click on the button [Raw] and select “Save link as” and save the file.
Next in BLHeli Configurator press the [Flash all] button and then press [Select File Manually]:
Select the downloaded BLHeli_S firmware file (double check the naming!):
Watch how the BLHeli Configurator flashes all 4 your ESCs:
If flashing process ended successfully, then you should see the BLHeli_S firmware number changed in the ESC tab (also you will notice the startup sounds have changed):
Thats it! Now you have BLHeli_s firmware with the bidirectional DSHOT and you can set up the RPM filtering in the Betaflight configurator.
- List of brushless whoop/toothpick flight controllers This is the list of brushless tiny whoop/toothpick style flight controllers with brief description
- Guide: Splash screen, background and model images in OpenTX radio OpenTX radios like Jumper T16 or Radiomaster TX16S have big color LCD screens, capable