Configure a GPS for CC3D

CC3D or Atom flight controllers do not support GPS functions such as Return to base or Position Hold. The original CopterControl (CC) board does not have memory left for GPS use.
The only purpose for GPS use is telemetry using radio modems (OPLink) or GPS position send to OSD device.

NMEA is not supported anymore because is less memory efficient, this page only refers to UBlox GPS and UBX protocol.

About autoconfig

Others boards like Revolution support auto-configuration and no need this manual configuration using UCenter.
This means also if you connect your 'CC3D GPS' to a Revolution board, your previous configuration is lost !

If GCS show "Coptercontrol" while board is connected and you really want to setup a GPS, this page is for you. If not, take a look at GPS setup page.

In this page

Prerequisites


GPS hardware

GPS to be used with CC3D board should be able to store his own configuration, this mean the GPS need a external flash memory.

Small "OP GPS" does not have flash memory for configuration storage, can be only used with Revolution or Sparky2 using autoconfigure..




Ucenter

Download the UCenter software here, check Zip icon in bottom page. (Windows only)


Install UCenter software.




FTDI

Serial connection with GPS using USB port (if any) or USBSerial (Gnd, +5V, Tx, Rx).



Configure your GPS

Connect GPS to USB serial or USB


Start UCenter software


Select COM port used for GPS


Open console (F6 key) or View > Packet Console and check if link is correct, you should see messages output from GPS.


Open Configuration View window : View > Configuration View


Reset current GPS config to defaults : Check Revert to default configuration


Send config


Open Messages View window : View > Messages View



Disable all active NMEA messages





Enable UBX messages needed :


POSLLH,

DOP,

SOL,

VELNED

Save current configuration using a little icon with  a gear on top.


Back to configuration window :


Move to PRT (Ports) in left column


Change message output in UART1 : only UBX for protocol in/out.


Change baudrate for UART1 port, same baudrate set for Flexi/Main GPS port : Usually 38400 or 57600.


Baudrate

You should use 9600 or 19200 baudrate for CC3D, or packets are dropped at higher speed.



Send config




Move to Rate (Rates) in left column


Change measurement Period value to 200ms for a 5Hz refresh rate


Send config





Save current configuration : Check Save current configuration.



All devices selected in blue



Send config




About satellite view

Using this configuration you can't display satellite in GPS plugin because GPS don't send this data (usually SVINFO message).

CC3D works only with minimal messages. (POSLLH, DOP, SOL,VELNED)