Here 2 User Guides
Table of Contents
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Step 1: Switching the Here 2 to CAN mode
Step 1: Switching the Here 2 to CAN modeRemove the case from the Here 2. Unplug the 8-wire cable and replace it with the included 4-wire CAN cable. Move the switch from the I2C position to the CAN position.
Note: This step is only required if your Here 2 has the 8-wire Serial/I2C cable which plugs in to the GPS 2 connector on the carrier board. If your Here 2 already has the 4-wire CAN cable attached, you can skip this step.
Step 2: Connect to the Cube
Step 2: Connect to the CubeConnect the CAN cable to the CAN 1 connector on the carrier board, as shown in the image to the left.
Note: On standard carrier boards manufactured before June 2019, this connector is mislabeled as CAN 2. Connect as shown in the image to the left.
Step 3: Connect USB
Using the supplied USB cable, connect the Cube to your computer.
Step 4: Install or update Mission Planner
The required version of mission planner is 1.3.66 or later. Mission planner can be retrieved from
Step 5: Download ArduCopter Firmware
Released versions of ArduCopter do not have support for SLCAN as of this writing. Download the stable from firmware.ardupilot.org. The file that you need is called arducopter.apj Direct link:
CubeBlack:https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/CubeBlack/arducopter.apj
CubeBlack+:https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/CubeBlack+/arducopter.apj
CubeOrange:https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/CubeOrange/arducopter.apj
CubePurple:https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/CubePurple/arducopter.apj
CubeYellow:https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Copter/stable/CubeYellow/arducopter.apj
Step 6: Flash ArduCopterFirmware
Step 6: Flash ArduCopter master
Launch Mission Planner. Click “Initial Setup,” then “Load custom firmware.” Navigate to the arducopter.apj file that you downloaded and select it.
Step 7: Enable CAN
Step 7: Enable CANClick Config/Tuning then Full Parameter List then search for CAN_, change CAN_P1_DRIVER to 1 and click Write Params.
Step 8: Reboot the cube
Unplug the USB cable, plug it back in and reconnect Mission Planner.
Step 9: Using the Mission Planner SLCAN interface
Step 9: Using the Mission Planner SLCAN interface
Click Initial Setup, then Optional Hardware, then DroneCAN, then SLCan Mode CAN1. Connected CAN devices (in this case, a Here 2) will be listed.
Step 10: Flash the bootloader updater
The bootloader updater performs the procedure listed above, which will start immediately after the firmware update completes.On the Here 2 entry in the list, select Update, navigate to the bootloader_updater file and open it. After this point, DO NOT DISCONNECT POWER UNTIL THE LEDS ARE EITHER GREEN OR YELLOW, OR 3 MINUTES HAVE ELAPSED
Step 11: Flash the application
Select Update again, navigate to the Here2_com.hex.here_2.1-crc.bin file and open it to flash the latest firmware.
Here 2 CAN Mode Instruction
How to use CAN mode:
Using Ardupilot Firmware:Current official Ardupilot firmware (Copter3.6.7, Plane3.9.6 as well as previous versions) does not support Dynamic Node Allocator, hence user needs to allocate node ID to Here2 manually. The later released Copter3.7 firmware will support Dynamic Node Allocator, user only needs to set the parameters of their flight controller to use CAN mode.Allocating node ID method：For allocating node ID to Here2, user needs to use Cube as SLCAN (Serial port to CAN) device, and use the latest version of Mission Planner. At first, upgrade the MissionPlanner to 1.3.63 version, please go to the link: for downloading. Meanwhile the Cube which would be the SLCAN connector needs to be uploaded with copter3.7master firmware.Connect the 4p CAN cable in Here2 with the CAN2 port in the Cube controller. Connect the cube to MissionPlanner 1.3.63 version and select firmware upload, click on ‘upload custom firmware’ to upload the previously downloaded arducopter firmware.
After uploading successfully, click on ‘Connect’. Press Ctrl+L keys to enter into DRONECAN interface.
Click on ‘SLCan Mode CAN1’, then the information of Here2 device will show up. Click on ‘Parameters’ on the right side.
Pop up the parameters setting interface shown as the screenshot below, set the value of dronecan.node_id between 0 and 125. Click on ‘Writing parameters’, then click on ‘Commit Params’ to save the setting. With the above mentioned steps, manual Node allocation is completed. If the user would like to enable the barometer, it can be done by setting the value of BARO_ENABLE as 1.
After modifying the Node ID, the firmware and MissionPlanner can be changed into stable version.Boot Cube controller and connect with MissionPlanner, enter into the MissionPlanner to change the parameters with corresponding values as follows:
CAN_D1_PROTOCOL：1
CAN_D2_PROTOCOL：1
CAN_P1_DRIVER：1
CAN_P2_DRIVER：1
GPS_TYPE：9
NTF_LED_TYPES：231
Writing the modified parameters, reboot the cube therefore the CAN mode can work properly.CANBUS external compass will show up as the third compass with current Ardupilot firmware. Future firmware update will allow CANBUS external compass to be primary. Safety switch on the Here2 will not work under CAN mode. Modify the parameter BRD_SAFETYENABLE to 0 to disable the safety switch, or connect an external safety switch to GPS1 port.Note: The later released Copter3.7 firmware will support Dynamic Node Allocator. To use the CAN mode user only needs to modify the parameters.
Using PX4 firmware:
Connect with CAN1 or CAN2 port. Connect with the controller to set the DRONECAN_ENABLE parameter as Sensors Automatic Config. The sensors should work properly.
How to use I2C mode:
Here2 also supports the traditional serial port + I2C communication. To use this mode, please disassemble the Here2 housing, Put the lever switch for CAN and Serial+I2C to Serial+I2C position shown as below. Connect the here2 with GPS1 port of the Cube flight controller.
Here 2 Firmware Update Troubleshooting
Most issues updating the HERE 2 are related to not following the update process exsactly or not leaving enough time before rebooting after updaing the bootloader, some issues that have been see are
- Here 2 not showing in SLCAN
- Here 2 No showing in SLCAN after updating bootloader step
- LED’s stuck solid green
If you are having trouble updating you Here 2 firmware or your Here 2 is not showing in SLCAN check the following
Check CAN Port
On some early standard carrier board models including the Intel Edision verison the CAN ports were incorrectly labled and swapped around, this could result in CAN 1 and CAN 2 showing reversed in SLCAN.
Latest Mission Planner
Make sure you are using the latest release of mission planner, you can download this from https://firmware.ardupilot.org/Tools/MissionPlanner/If you are still having issues with SLCAN now showing the Here 2 try using the Beta verions of Mission Planner, you can download this from the help page.
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