SkyShit Booster mods for BB2 any good?

[mikeexplorer]

After soldering on the U.FL antenna connections to the board, I did use a meter to verify the connections and that there was no shorts. (as outlined in his video)

When I turn on the boosters, the drone sees the change in wifi strength. My first test was I flew the drone when it was still stock and checked the boosters. Video below. So I think the boosters are working. Even the following flights I did (I already posted those Videos) the flight data does show good signal, but the drone still lost connection and returned home.

Last night I opened the drone back up, the booster is getting power as I do see a small LED lit up on it. The antenna connections seem right. I emailed him these pictures to see what he thinks.

Mike

Hello,

Sorry to hear you’re having issues with the Solaris Bebop mod, if it’s getting hot and the mod has created other problems most likely it’s one or several U.FL antenna connections not correctly applied.

This happened to me on my first Solaris mod kit, it’s very easy to incorrectly cut a trace line or incorrectly solder on a U.FL antenna connector.

Retrace all work, test each solder with a meter. I’ve installed around 5 of these Solaris mod kits, first one is the toughest.

Keep us posted,
Paul

 

[Waldo Pepper]

The bebop camera amplifier booster board and antenna foot cables are connected correctly, yes both are at correct position good job.And that’s great you double checking the cut trace leads and U.FL connectors.

The disconnect may be due to WiFi on, or another minor issue. I sometimes get a disconnect with my modified Power controllers the controller using the small cylinder battery, but get no disconnect with the original controller same one as yours with soldered U.FL sockets using square battery. I think it’s a minor issue, is your WiFi left on during this disconnect?

Paul

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Another reason for disconnect, Parrot set parameters with SkyController 2 maximum distance is 2.1 miles, around 3400 meters.

Your bebop 2 will disconnect at this range, but will reconnect on flight back well it should reconnect.

Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

I don't suppose anyone's got the manual to install the 2020 booster mod and would be willing to share, would they? My kit just arrived today, and I emailed Solaris earlier for the manual, but haven't gotten a reply yet. I'm an impatient bastard and am dying to start installing it, but I've got only a vague idea where to start
-Marc

 

[Skydreamer]

Installation Tutorial of Bebop 2 Booster Mod Kit + SkyShit 2 Booster M

Bebop 2 Booster Mod Kit This tutorial video acts for an installation manual for Bebop 2 Booster Mod Kit only. The booster demonstrated in this video is the 2017 old version and is already obsolete. Any purchase order since March/2020 will be shipped with booster version 2020. Both old and new...

droneboost.myshopify.com

 

[Marcsoup]

Installation Tutorial of Bebop 2 Booster Mod Kit + SkyShit 2 Booster M

Bebop 2 Booster Mod Kit This tutorial video acts for an installation manual for Bebop 2 Booster Mod Kit only. The booster demonstrated in this video is the 2017 old version and is already obsolete. Any purchase order since March/2020 will be shipped with booster version 2020. Both old and new...

droneboost.myshopify.com

Wow, I'm an idiot sometimes... when I saw the url you sent, I realized the tutorial is right at the very top of the page... derp... Thanks!

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Wow, I'm an idiot sometimes... when I saw the url you sent, I realized the tutorial is right at the very top of the page... derp... Thanks!

Good luck with the mod installation, take your time and free feel to ask questions.

You probably already know which bebop 2 amplifier cables connect too, In case you need help here’s a picture showing proper connection. The RE Input side mounts to mother board, the Output side goes to antenna foot.

Keep us posted,
Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

I've been soldering and working with smd components since I was 8 years old and I STILL haven't learned the "take your time" bit. More u.fl connectors will be here Saturday... drone side went smoothly. SC2 side didn't... 3 out of 4 u.fl connectors went well. The fourth I melted and I somehow managed to lose the rest. I'll finish up when it's not 1:30 in the morning and I've got a clear head.

 

[Skydreamer]

Yup,i purchased pack of 20 small adapters before i started job,they disapppear like a magic,you spent more time looking for them then working on sc2......here is how i did it ,it might help....i made 3 scratches in board,i cut tiny piece of soldering wire and placed on middle scratch and melted it to board , holding small adapter with tweezers,pressed it against solder in board and heated up with iron,center peice soldered no need for tweezers,cut 2 small pices of soldering wire,placed on scratched sides next to adapter,pressed them with iron and soldered them together....i have 4 irons,not one is made for this microscopic stuff so i came up with easy way to install adapters.....i think biggest problem is soldering adapter to board without moving adapter,you need one hand to hold iron,one hand to hold wire and one hand to hold adapter,thus melting solder to one of scratches first gets rid of need to have “third hand”

 

[mikeexplorer]

The last time I flown, I did notice the phone was not on airplane mode, I did have Wifi off, this could be an issue? The phone is only used for the drone, it is a Tracphone that is not activated so its not used as a cell phone.

The controller I am using is the Bebop 2 type. Silver sticks with the 8.4 volt square battery. This is why the trace cuts and soldering was needed. I did verify the connections with a meter. In my test flights when I would toggle the boosters off and on, the change in the wifi signal was seen so they are working.

I did not see it in the manual, but I found a video on which antenna connection to attach to the motherboard. I took a screenshot and attached it below.

I won't have time until after the weekend to look at it again. I plan to use the drone so it still flies fine, just does not go much past the range as if it was stock.

I did purchase a second hull kit, I have a second Bebop 2 that I have as a backup unit. I plan to install it in that drone as well. Maybe next week that is what I will do and see if that drone performs better. That drone has only a few flights on it. My original one that I modified has about 240 flights on it.

That might clue me into what is wrong if I modify the second drone.

Mike

The bebop camera amplifier booster board and antenna foot cables are connected correctly, yes both are at correct position good job.And that’s great you double checking the cut trace leads and U.FL connectors.

The disconnect may be due to WiFi on, or another minor issue. I sometimes get a disconnect with my modified Power controllers the controller using the small cylinder battery, but get no disconnect with the original controller same one as yours with soldered U.FL sockets using square battery. I think it’s a minor issue, is your WiFi left on during this disconnect?

Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

Well, I said screw it and soldered the cable directly to the board, then made sure to shield it and it seems to work great. It used to be that it'd disconnect about 400 feet away. I went for a quick test flight and flew it about 1.5 miles before bringing it back in (I plead the fifth btw.) The battery is still iffy so I didn't want to have it crash on the way, otherwise I'd have tried going further. I'm not intending on using the thing at its max distance, especially because faa regulations require line of site for recreational drone use, and I can barely see the thing at 500 feet. It's just really nice to not have to worry about it dropping the connection and not properly returning to home or falling from the sky or who knows what.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

No worries here, 1.5 miles is great in an area when 400’ was it’s maximum. It’ll probably go 2.1 miles had you pushed it, still 1.5 is terrific.

Soldering cables directly is fine, Whatever works those small U.FL connectors are a nightmare. We’ve been there, Welcome to the club ?

You'll find the modded bebop 2 can fly lower elevations at great distances, that’s another advantage this mod does.

Congratulations with your modded maiden flight, the first of many to come ?

Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

Would anyone want to do me a favor and test the resistance of the inductor on their booster on the drone side? I think mine might be shorting internally as the drone now drops the connection at under 1km, and the inductor measures 0 ohms. Also, if someone's got a high res photo of the components for me to compare to, that'd be hugely appreciated.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Would anyone want to do me a favor and test the resistance of the inductor on their booster on the drone side? I think mine might be shorting internally as the drone now drops the connection at under 1km, and the inductor measures 0 ohms. Also, if someone's got a high res photo of the components for me to compare to, that'd be hugely appreciated.

Here’s two pictures of two 2020-mid drone amplifiers, compare with yours see if a mini component broke off yours. Is the red mini light on when battery connected?

If you suspect yours is damaged, I’ll mail you one to compare. Have extras, Send it back when your test are completed, or if you need someone to go over yourController work I’ll happily do this for you.

Try the Auriga Bebop app, will show controller signal strength it’s a very good app. This will give you an indentation if controller is working correctly, Good luck.

Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

That's just what I was looking for, thank you! After comparing, my board is near identical to yours, except my board is a slightly lighter blue (probably just the color of the day at the pcb factory,) I'm missing a capacitor on the right side (in the orientation in the photo,) and the resistor on the left side has been switched from the upper to the lower spot. The capacitor looks like one side was partially soldered and the other looks like it wasn't touched, and I assume it probably fell off. I wish the board didn't have a full metal backplate as it'd be so much easier to view the traces with a light. I can see that there is a trace from one side of that capacitor which runs across to the rest of the components on the rf in side, so that might potentially explain why I'm not getting anything on the output side, but I can't be sure as I haven't traced the rest of the board, and it's not worth it for me to spend the time to do so.

I think I'll grab a capacitor from my spare components bin and test it, and hopefully not let out the mystical blue electronic smoke when turning it on. I'm willing to take that risk as at the end of the day, it is just a drone and if I blow it up, at least I will have learned why it's not the smartest thing to test random capacitors in a circuit without knowing the value beforehand xD

 

[Marcsoup]

Also, I actually purchased Auriga after reading your post yesterday but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Also, I actually purchased Auriga after reading your post yesterday but I haven't had a chance to try it out yet.

I’m glad these pictures helped, and you found what may be why you’re having issues.

Solaris came out with an earlier blue 2020 amplifier, I wonder if yours is this particular one? You can email Solaris, ask if yours is the earlier 2020 version.

I returned two earlier blue 2020 Versions, for 2020-mid replacements. Then, ordered two additional amplifiers (4 total).

Wouldn’t hurt to contact him, pretty sure you’ll be flying again soon.

Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

I just tried the capacitor and the rssi of the drone went from -50 dbm to -15 dbm, so I think that was it. It hasn't blown up yet, but it's also almost 10:30 pm where I am and I don't feel like pissing off my neighbors with a loud drone at bedtime. I'll go for a test flight tomorrow and hope it works and that the capacitor didn't throw anything way off

I did contact Solaris, but I think he might have felt I was being a bit of a **** the other day. I kinda was, and I did email an apology earlier this afternoon after rereading my previous email and realizing I was absolutely in the wrong, but he hasn't replied since.
For future reference, don't email people when running on half an hour of sleep in the previous 48 hours and then having a very stressful day. It doesn't end well lmao
-Marc

 

[Waldo Pepper]

Super fix Marc,

Sounds like you found and fixed the problem, good job.

Don’t worry, Everyone including Solaris has said things only to regret later. I know I have, We’re all human. Things happen, things get said let’s not sweat the small stuff. It’s a hobby, help others when we can.
Enjoy your modded bebop 2?
Paul

 

[Marcsoup]

I figured I should post an update. I believe I found the ultimate issue with mine. When I was scraping the coating off the pcb, it looks like I was a little too rough and partially lifted the via to the antenna. When checking for continuity, I never thought to check the other side of the board, and sure enough, there wasn't any. Thermal expansion and contraction would explain why it sometimes work and sometimes not. When the SC2 board would heat up and cool down, the via would occasionally make the connection to the other side of the board. I can't say with 100% certainty, but that makes the most sense to me at least. Everything else I did would have most likely been irrelevant.
I'll definitely say, I really should have listened to Waldo and should have taken my time. Live and learn