Skip to main content

How to Flash Firmware of ELRS RX/TX

BETAFPV
  • Updated

The stock firmware of the Nano receiver and TX module manufactured by our company is ELRS V1.0.0-RC5(the fifth release candidate version) and the Lite receiver and Micro TX Module is V2.0.0 ; ELRS Innovative team has officially released the first major version V2.4.0 . High recommend upgrading the TX modules and receivers' to the 2.4.0version that is also able to bind with our F4 1S 12A AIO Brushless Flight Controller and F4 1S 5A AIO Brushless Flight Controller (ELRS 2.4G)

Note:

1. TX module and receiver have to be in the same ELRS version, otherwise, the binding will fail.
2. Nano TX module does NOT support upgrades via WiFi. Please use the ExpressLRS Configurator to upgrade the firmware.

There are two ways to flash ExpressLRS, via WiFi or ExpressLRS Configurator. The recommended way is to use ExpressLRS Configurator. Here is the manual for pilots to flash the firmware to the BETAFPV TX module and receiver via ExpressLRS Configurator.

Install ExpressLRS Configurator 

Download the latest ExpressLRS Configurator application for your platform. Install ExpressLRS Configurator and open it. 

mceclip0.png

Flash Receiver

We use the Betaflight passthrough function to flash the ELRS receiver. Please follow the steps below one by one.

Step1：Preparing for Passthrough Flashing

Make sure that your FC is wired with the ERLS receiver correctly as shown below. Connect Rx to a Tx pad on the FC and Tx to an Rx pad on the FC. Don't forget to also wire up 5V and GND. 

mceclip1.png

Connect this FC to USB and configure the FC firmware via Betaflight Configurator as shown in section "Serial RX Setup" and "Protocol".

Step2：Flashing via Passthrough

Now close the Betaflight Configurator. Connect this FC to USB and open the ExpressLRS Configurator. 

Please select the corresponding target and set your firmware options in ExpressLRS Configurator as shown below (take the 2.4G version for example).

mceclip1.png

mceclip1.png

Then click Build and Flash. For first-time flashing/updating, it would normally take a while. A Success message will be shown once the process is complete.

Step3：Flashing via Wifi：

This method especially applies to the Lite receiver, due to the pre-factory firmware（V2.0.0) is compiled by our companies, if the polites want to update the receiver please flash it via Wifi as steps below，the new firmware supports the V2.4.0 TX module.
1. Power on the receiver and wait for 60 seconds. The LED light of the receiver will flash, indicating that it has entered WIFI mode. Then turn on the WIFI of the computer, find Wifi named：ExpressLRS RX, and input the password ”expresslrs“
mceclip1.png
2. Enter  http://10.0.0.1/ in your Google browser after you connect to the Wifi， then select the files for your receiver click update after a few seconds a Success message will be shown once the process is complete. If there is a firmware upgrade conflict, there will be a prompt to confirm the firmware, click "Flash anyway" to force the flash.
 
mceclip0.jpg

 

mceclip0.png

Pilots could check the sector "Flashing via Passthrough" and chapter Firmware Options on ExpressLRS Quick Start for more details.

Note: The operation to upgrade the firmware of the built-in ELRS 2.4G receiver for F4 1S 12A AIO Brushless Flight Controller is the same as above. Pay attention to use the stock cli of this FC board to prepare for passthrough flashing. Here is the Youtube manual for you.

Flash TX Module

Attach a USB Data Cable to ELRS TX module and Computer. Windows users might have to install CP210x Drivers to ensure the device is properly detected and initialized.

Nano TX Module

Please select the corresponding target and set your firmware options in ExpressLRS Configurator as shown below (use the 2.4G version Nano TX module for example).

mceclip0.png

mceclip3.png

mceclip2.png

mceclip4.png

Micro TX module and 1W Micro TX module

You could only flash version V2.0.0 firmware for the Micro TX module and 1W Micro TX module from the ExpressLRS Configurator currently

Attention：

You need to dial up the DIP switch behind the 1W Micro TX module before updating：

mceclip1.png

Use the 2.4G version Micro TX module for example

mceclip5.png

mceclip7.png

mceclip8.png  

Backpack update on 1W TX module

You could only flash version V0.1.0 firmware for the Backpack on 1W Micro TX module from the ExpressLRS Configurator currently， the flashing steps are shown below：

mceclip2.png

mceclip4.png

Hit Build & Flash. Wait for the process to finish, and you should be greeted with the "Success" message.

Note： Nano TX module does NOT support upgrades via WiFi. Please use the ExpressLRS Configurator to upgrade the firmware, as shown above.

Note: Please download the driver if you fail to choose a relative serial port during the flash process. 

mceclip3.png

Here is the Youtube manual to upgrade the TX module.

Troubleshooting

  1. Turn off the Telemetry option is highly recommended for passthrough flashing on ELRS receiver or F4 1S 12A AIO board with built-in ELRS receiver.

  2. If the firmware in the receiver is corrupted (AKA soft-bricked), press the button on the receiver, then power on. Now you could release the button and flash via passthrough.mceclip5.png

  3. The ExpressLRS Configurator works on the highest serial baud rate 460800. High recommend using the USB port from the mainboard directly on desktop computer, usually on the back of the computer case. The front panel USB port could not provide a stable connection at such a high baud rate as usual.
  4. If you still could not flash the firmware, please open the module case first, then press the button and connect the module to the computer next. Now you could release the button and try again.

mceclip4.png

Submit a request

Related articles

Comments

16 comments

Date Votes
  • Kevin Wgl

    Hello,

    I try to flash my RX via Betaflightpassthrougt, and i have this message :

    A fatal error occurred: Failed to connect to ESP8266: Invalid head of packet (0x38)
*** [upload] Error 2

    The led flash slowly and i dont see any wifi from the RX. Did i something wrong?

    2
  • Kathy

    @Kevin Wgl 

    Hi Sir,
     
    The article about "How to Flash Firmware of ELRS RX/TX" has been updated. Please check it and try again.
    If it still fails to work, welcome to submit a support ticket to get help. Create a new ticket
     
    Please attach a video about your operation when you open a ticket. Hope that can help you.
    0
  • Michael Ford

    Has anything changed for elrs v2? I'm unable to update my elrs aio rx with these instructions. BF passthrough fails.

    1
  • elpinguinofrio

    I just bought new HX115LR and I can't even fly this thing because your tutorial doesn't work!

     

     

    2
  • alessandro

    hi, I have a problem with your nano module and the 900 receiver. I have flashed both of them with the same version, the latest. The bind works but the flight distance is very short, it goes in faisafe at 1 km !! I updated the Taranis x-lite radio and uploaded the new LUA file as recommended. Everything seems to work but the distance is bad. What do you recommend to do? thank you

    1
  • Roman
    • Edited

    Hello,

    flashing my Lite RX/2.4GHz via Betaflight passthrough, gives me following error:

    A fatal error: Failed to connect to ESP8266: Invalid head of packet (0x80)

    The led is steady blue. ELRS version is 1.2.0. FC is GEPRC GEP-F4-12A.

    Thank you 

    0
  • Nick Whitehead

    Just received 2400MHz Tx Micro module. Tried to build and flash it (2.5.1) via USB, fails on upload:

    Configuring upload protocol...
AVAILABLE: esp-prog, espota, esptool, iot-bus-jtag, jlink, minimodule, olimex-arm-usb-ocd, olimex-arm-usb-ocd-h, olimex-arm-usb-tiny-h, olimex-jtag-tiny, tumpa
CURRENT: upload_protocol = esptool
Looking for upload port...
Using manually specified: COM11
Uploading .pio\build\BETAFPV_2400_TX_MICRO_via_UART\firmware.bin
esptool.py v3.1
Serial port COM11
Connecting........_____....._____....._____....._____....._____....._____....._____

A fatal error occurred: Failed to connect to ESP32: Timed out waiting for packet header
*** [upload] Error 2
========================= [FAILED] Took 83.58 seconds =========================

Environment                     Status    Duration
------------------------------  --------  ------------
BETAFPV_2400_TX_MICRO_via_UART  FAILED    00:01:23.579
==================== 1 failed, 0 succeeded in 00:01:23.579 ====================

    COM port is right, driver is right, tried multiple times on different USB ports and two computers. Tried booting Tx with different internal pushbuttons depressed as per some YouTube videos. Never worked.

    Considered trying to flash via WiFi, but ELRS network never showed up with any reliability.

    2
  • Multisoft
    • Edited

    Hello, I need help. I have receivers Nano and Lite, I installed firmware 3.0.0 RC2 in Nano receiver, I do not see telemetry, she does not work. If I turn on Race telemetry on the transmitter, then controlls to work with a delay of 2 seconds, after which the connection is cut off.

    I don't have the firmware for the Lite receiver, I can't compile it because ELRS Configurator 1.5.0 use Python 11, he doesn't work on Windows 7. Please send me firmware 3.0.0 RC2  BetaFPV_2400_RX_ESP8285_SX1280.

    0
  • Wins

    Hello Beta_Fpv team
    I haven't had access to the receiver via transmitter for some time, and the telemetry data aren't displayed in the osd either. but the connection is stable.
    I then tried several times to play the current 3.0.0 firmware via wifi without success. With the reasoning, the wrong target was selected. Transmitter is BetaFPV 2.4Ghz Micro 1000Mw and Betafpv 2400 NanoRX
    Does betafpv support the new firmware?

    0
  • Floza

    I also get the 'Targets Mismatch' error when attempting to flash the BetaFPV micro Tx module to ELRS v3.0. 

    Any idea when 3.0 will be supported?

    0
  • Francesco

    ciao a tutti anche ioho questo problema  ho acquistato betafpv expresslrs 1w e volevo aggiornare il firmware,dopo l'aggiornamento 3.0.1 ilmodulino dietro ha cambiato aspetto grafico e il pulsantino non funziona più..

    qualcuno sa aiutarmi

     

    0
  • Ray

    I plan to buy Meteor85 elrs, my transmitter elrs is 3.0 that can I flash Meteor85 elrs to 3.0 by following the above procedure? Need to flash FC firmware as well?

    0
  • Konstantin
    • Edited

    Hi BetaFPV team,

    After several firware updates of Nano RX 915 I can't get the RX to share WiFi. It's never actively blinking. It only blinks slowly with single blink. I put RX module into bottloader mode by pressing firmware update button - and the LED was solid blue. Then I was updating firmware with ExpressLRS Configurator but after setting 20s of await before turning on wifi it keeps flashing slowly once at time. How can I make it working again?

    N.B. I'm updating to the latest 3.2.1 version of ELRS

    1
  • Dan Benson

    Frustrated!

    1. To have the firmware versions match I have to build firmware using ELRS configurator for my matek ELRS receiver.   There doesn't seem to be any common  firmware since your firmware is 2.4.1 and the oldest version for Matek on the configurator is 2.5.0

    So how can I get these versions to match!?

    Basically, I can't get the BetaFPV MicroTx to bind to my Matek ELRS receiver.

    1
  • Nick Whitehead

    2.4.1 and 2.5 should match, it is the major version number (2 in this case) that has to be a match for different ELRS versions. I've got a BetaFPV Tx on 2.5 binding with an Rx on 2.4. However the binding phrase must match. There are two ways of doing this usually: (1) you build the Tx and Rx firmware with the same phrase, that's nice and simple, and (2) if the Rx firmware was built with no binding phrase you can bind later.

    The way you do (2) is to power on and off the Rx three times in quick succession, the Rx will then go into binding mode (conceptually a bit like powering an FrSky Rx with the button pressed). You can tell it's in binding mode because the LED on the Rx will flash twice in quick succession, repeating once per second. Then you go into the ELRS menu on the Tx and press 'bind'. Note - the ELRS menu, not the main model setting menu in opentx where the protocol is selected. That's it, worked for me.

    The latter only works if the Rx code was built with no binding phrase. I assumed therefore that once set it was done and could not be changed. Seems not so, because I got the Rx back into binding mode by powering on-off too quickly, and had to rebind it. So, I assume you can change the bind that way at a later date should you wish - but again, only if the code was originally built with no binding phrase.

    0
  • Jerry Osborne

    Hello,
     
    We Offer Swift MT760 BG/SBLC, FC MTN, Letter of Credit { LC }, MT103Etc.
     
    N/B: Provider's Bank move first.
     
    Let me know if you have any need for the above offers.
     
    Thanks 
    Name: Jerry Osborne
    Email: osbornej715@gmail.com
    Skype: jerryosborne45@outlook.com

    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.