DroneEngage FAQ

Find answers to common questions about using DroneEngage with Ardupilot. For additional terms, see Drone-Engage Glossary. Submit new questions via GitHub Issues.

1. I don’t understand many terms used in this wiki.

   • Check the Drone-Engage Glossary for definitions of terms like FCB (Flight Control Board), MAVLink, and JSON.

   • For a beginner’s overview, see What is Drone-Engage ? or Building DroneEngage Code.

2. I can’t find my Access Code.

   • Your Access Code is sent to your registered email after creating an account (see Create your Drone-Engage Account Key).

   • Check your spam or junk folder, as it may be filtered.

   • If still missing, create a new one or contact support via mohammad.hefny@droneengage.com.

3. How many drones and Ground Control Stations (GCS) can connect simultaneously?

   • Theoretically unlimited, but depends on: - Network quality (e.g., WiFi or GSM-Modem stability). - Data type (e.g., telemetry, video streaming). - Hardware performance (e.g., Raspberry Pi model).

   • See Drone-Engage Telemetry for optimizing bandwidth with Smart Telemetry.

4. Does DroneEngage support Raspberry Pi 5?

   • Yes, new RPI-Images runs on RPI-5 as well as RPI-4 & RPIZero W2, as pre-built binaries are for RPI-WZero2 and RPI-4 (Bullseye 64-bit).

   • Follow Building DroneEngage Code for compilation steps.

   • For camera module support, additional changes are needed (see de-config-camera).

5. How do I update to the latest DroneEngage binaries?

   • Download the latest binaries from https://cloud.ardupilot.org/downloads/RPI/Latest/ (e.g., Drone_Engage_24Jul_2025.zip for telemetry, Drone_Engage_Camera_24Jul_2025.zip for camera).

   • Follow DroneEngage Installation for installation steps.

   • Always verify the latest versions, as they update periodically.-

   • READY-IMAGES setups are always more consistent and easier to install.

6. Why is my MAVLink connection failing?

   • Ensure the correct fcb_connection_uri settings in de_mavlink Configuration File (e.g., UDP or serial port).

   • Check that TX/RX pins are correctly connected between Raspberry Pi and FCB.

   • Verify the baudrate matches your Flight Control Board settings.

   • If using dynamic port detection, ensure dynamic: true is set in the JSON config.

7. How do I use the RPI Image Tools?

   • Use the Navigator (Drone Engage RPI Image Tools - Navigator) to manage files.

   • Use the Configurator (Drone Engage RPI Image Tools - Configurator) to edit JSON files like de_comm.config.module.json.

   • Use the Terminal (Drone Engage RPI Image Tools - Terminal) for advanced CLI commands.

8. What is Smart Telemetry, and how do I adjust it?

   • Smart Telemetry reduces bandwidth by filtering non-critical data, ideal for slower networks.

   • Adjust levels (0–3) in de_mavlink.config.module.json (see de_mavlink Configuration File). - Level 0: No optimization (full data). - Level 3: Maximum optimization (minimal data, slower GCS updates).

9. Can I test DroneEngage without a drone?

   • Yes, use Software-in-the-Loop (SITL) to simulate a drone on your computer.

   • See Simulation using SITL for setup instructions.

10. How do I contribute to the wiki or report issues?

    • Edit content by submitting pull requests to https://github.com/DroneEngage/droneengage_ap_wiki (see Contributing to the DroneEngage Wiki).

    • Report issues or suggest FAQs via GitHub Issues.