RTK setup for Firefly6 Pro

Robert Dunaway · Aug 5, 2021

I’m trying to upgrade my Firefly6 to an RTK/PPK system and cannot find any documentation or pictures showing how BEV installed and configured their systems. My FF6 has a 4 pin connector coming out of the back of the pixhawk labeled “RTK”. I know that they originally used an Emlid setup but transitioned to a different system. I was hoping that someone might have something regarding this. The documentation is quite vague and has no pics showing how it was installed. Now that BEV is out of business it is becoming more challenging to get technical answers for this great UAV
Thanks!

yarrr · Aug 7, 2021

Also just getting spooled up on a used FF6, and am looking for more info on the GPS.

Not sure what you mean by 4 pin connector- there needs to be a wire (single red) attached to the GPS, Aux6 of the Pixhawk, and the first pin of the payload connector. Pictures of my working system attached.

Would be great if someone could chime in on the tech details of the GPS, it seems to only work with AVA.

Robert Dunaway · Aug 7, 2021

This is very helpful. The 4 pin that I was referring to was the one on top of the Pixhawk with RTK written on it. It looks like that red wire is a power lead, but am not sure what it powers as the plug leading into the GPS port on your Pixhawk also has power to it. Here is the diagram from the Emlid website. The black disk that the GPS antenna is sitting on is probably a ground plane. I'm still trying to figure out what that one red wire does, but it is a similar setup to the Emlid RTK system Since you have all of the gear it should be pretty much plug and play for you. It should be a matter of setting up your base station and then connecting your FF6.
Cheers!

yarrr · Aug 7, 2021

Nope, Emlid has nothing to do with it.

The red wire is actually the signal lead (on the 3 pin 'RTK' connector) , which syncs with the hotshoe from the camera for geotagging. Power and ground on that lead are not connected to anything.

The actual GPS connection (for RTK) is via the GPS connector to the Pixhawk.