How to Brick an A2 MC

[ErichF]

Connect to the WKM Assistant and load WooKong firmware. Don't ask how I know...

[setishock]

Is there any support going to be able to help you with that? Or is it bricked for sure?

[cbergen]

Oh crap.... I assume you tried hooking it up to the A2 assistant and download? Tried the reset?

[Tahoe Ed]

Originally Posted by setishock

Is there any support going to be able to help you with that? Or is it bricked for sure?

The FC can be reset by connecting the signal leads of F1 and F2 then power cycling the controller. He should be able to load the A2 firmware after that.

[ErichF]

I'm going to attempt the reset as Ed suggested. I did get a response back from DJI North America within 24 hours, but the email referred me to a phone number to call a live tech. I haven't done that yet, as I am going to try the reset first.

Fingers crossed...

[setishock]

Did it work?

[ErichF]

Don't know yet. I've been out training guys to fly all week. Will play with it on Monday and see if it works.

[ErichF]

So far just jumping F1 and F2 signals is not working.

Still can't connect to assistant, either.

[flightengr]

I posted my story about nearly bricking my Phantom 2 Vision in another thread a couple of weeks ago. Maybe what I did will help you. I tried the jumper F1/F2 thing as well, but it didn't work for me either. Long story short, here are the steps I followed:

1. Start Assistant, and click "Skip..." on the title screen since it won't find the flight controller.
2. Go to the screen in Assistant where it would normally identify the controller by ID, check the version, and check online for updates. That screen won't be very interesting without a controller connected, but that's OK.
3. Power up the controller, and then after it's on and working, connect the USB cable from the controller to the PC. I found that if the USB cable was connected before powering up the controller, Windows would sometimes complain about the driver and the whole thing would fail miserably. So it was important to wait for the controller to be ready before connecting it to the PC.

At that point, Assitant realized that a controller was out there but didn't recognize the firmware so it immedately went into update mode and wanted to download and apply the current version as an update.

I had to tinker with it a few times to get it to work. It didn't work magically the first time. When Assistant failed to apply the upgrade or see the controller, I left Assistant on that screen, turned off the quad, unplugged the USB cable, and repeated step 3. After two or three tries I finally got all the way through the upgrade process and got my flight controller working again.

[ErichF]

I will give that a shot. Thanks!

[ErichF]

OK, so here's the fix.

Thanks to a timely firmware update on both the A2 and Assistant, I was able to get a USB connection. I updated the Assistant, which found the A2 on the USB. Here's where it got interesting. I updated the A2 to the newest firmware. Reset all the parameters and calibrated the transmitter. Took it out, and it tried to pin me against a wall of our building! For some reason the cyclic controls were 90 degrees out of phase. So, I took it back inside, reloaded the firmware, and tried another flight, same thing. UUGH...

The next day, I restarted the older version of the A2 Assistant, and loaded the previous version of firmware. Flight tested that, good to go! Then, updated the firmware to latest version, and thankfully flight test was good to go again.

What a ride, but it's all good again!

[flightengr]

Woohoo!

[setishock]

It's good to know you can recover from those lockouts. Might be a good thing to compile these recovery techniques and sticky them for others to have handy.

Now that you're back in the air how about some vids from your baby.

[Heli Yea!]

I'd have to agree with you Seti. Any types of "BRICK" or "DOORSTOP" bailouts are key. I'll be honest and say I have not read much in the DJI MR forum, yet, but this may help to connect up my TX/RX/MC issue I'm having.

[kenny.c]

Just for info and for the benefit of anyone Google searching this problem....linking F1 and F2 pins did the trick for me on my A2......

Thanks
Ken

[Tahoe Ed]

It does for most folks. Not sure why ErichF had an issue but he is a competent user so I have no reason to think that he did not follow the proper procedure.

[kenny.c]

Don't get me wrong....I'm not doubting anyone's ability....just letting people know it can work on the A2

Ken

[ErichF]

My issue was more complicated than just needing a reset. The reset only worked AFTER the new firmware and assistant software came out. Actually, the reset MAY have actually worked the first time, but for whatever reason the older Assistant SW didn't detect the MC connection. In any case, I don't intend to ever duplicate that again

[kenny.c]

I follow you...

I actually opened the Wookong assistant by mistake and managed to flash Wookong firmware on my A2.....My computer then didn't even see the A2 as a USB device never mind actually connecting to it....

Anyway...thank god it worked.....Wookong assistant now deleted from my computer...LOL

Ken

[mfwar1]

Originally Posted by ErichF

My issue was more complicated than just needing a reset. The reset only worked AFTER the new firmware and assistant software came out. Actually, the reset MAY have actually worked the first time, but for whatever reason the older Assistant SW didn't detect the MC connection. In any case, I don't intend to ever duplicate that again

Did anyone in this thread have issues with the USB not connecting once the firmware was re-uploaded? If I hook up the battery first it hooks up no problems but if I put the usb in without the battery A2 Assist won't read it at all. Or is that normal?

Does anyone have any more specific instructions on rolling back the firmware? I have tried downloading a2 assist 1 and 1.1 and they won't let me re-download the older firmwares to go on.