@akihiro We want to take a look at that particular controller, BLE board, and battery pack. I will have someone reach out to replace all of those components. Thank you!

@akihiro We'll take a look!

@akihiro Could you send one more image of your controller? I am most interested in the wiring on the Smart Inventor board. There may also be a defect on another part of the board so pictures would be very helpful in diagnosing the issue!

@ldostis Thank you for bringing this to our attention! We will take a look right away. What version of the dashboard are you running?

@bmartin_ascte Also beware of areas in the school where there may be lots of interfering network signals. It might be why some areas are having better luck than others!

@bmartin_ascte For the pairing issues, try updating to the latest version of the CoDrone library. Go into PyCharm's package manager and select the CoDrone library. Specify the latest version (1.2.8) and install that one. For your COM port issue, I recommend opening the device manager and figuring out which port the drone is connected to. PyCharm might try and connect to other ports that the drone isn't connected to so you may need to specify that port in the pair function: drone.pair('1234', 'COM3').

Let me know if you have any questions!

@bmartin_ascte The drone ID needs to be in quotation marks. Take a look at my previous reply or at our documentation page for an example. I hope this helps!

Hi @bmartin_ascte ,

Thanks for your questions! For Python, you will only need the BLE board. Make sure the other 4-pin cable (UART cable) is disconnected from the SmartInventor board. Only your MicroUSB needs to be connected to the BLE board. You do not need AA batteries unless you are using the remote control to fly using the joysticks. In that case, the BLE needs to be reconnected with the SmartInventor board.

The first time you pair, you will need to use pair(drone.Nearest) with one drone and BLE board at a time. Once you have labeled the two, rerun the code again with just pair() and verify that the device can pair with that drone. Then, turn off that drone/board pair and repeat with the next pair. We recommend doing this on your own without the students. In class, instruct students to always use pair() without the Nearest parameter. You can also pair using the ID like this: pair("1234") if the student knows the ID of their drone. This will prevent pairing issues and students pairing to someone else's drone and undoing all of the work you did to pair them!

As for drone performance, always check for debris in the motors, calibrate, and charge the batteries. This will affect the reliability.

Once you make these changes, let me know if this helps!

@efkpall
There are ideas in the Basecamp lessons and the teacher lesson plans for CoDrone challenges! Here are some suggested challenges. We don't have solutions codes because the student code will vary.

• Search and Rescue: Students create a payload carrier for a Lego person using strings and magnets. Scatter Lego people or similar objects on the floor with magnets. Use the remote control or autonomous code to rescue as many people as possible!
• Use the LEDs and sounds to send secret coded messages across the room.
• Build an obstacle course out of PVC pipes and have students build and design landing pads
• Set up DIY bowling pins and play drone bowling
• Make a synchronized light and drone show with another student
• Use loops and turns to fly in various shapes and letters

@spinningkick The light on the charger will not turn on if the battery is already charged. Do not forget to check the other side of the USB as well. The light is only going to show on one side. If you are certain that it's fully charged, verify by pairing in Blockly and take a look at the battery percentage on the bottom left. Try a takeoff and land as well. If the battery percentage is still low even after you have been charging, please let us know!