How I installed Cleanflight on a CC3D flight controller

The OpenPilot GCS software is not longer supported.  There are several options available for the CC3D flight controller.  Options include: LibrePilot, TauLabs and Cleanflight... which is what I am currently using for my CC3D and Naze32 flight controllers.

Software & Drivers Required:

  1. Cleanflight https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cleanflight-configurator/enacoimjcgeinfnnnpajinjgmkahmfgb?hl=en – Requires that you have the “Chrome Browser” Installed!
  2. The correct FTDI drivers installed for your particular FTDI adapter (This guide assumes you already have the drivers installed and working!)
  3. Cleanflight USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers (Your old OpenPilot drivers will not work!)

 

Hardware Required:

1: CC3D Flight Controller

Installing cleanflight on cc3d

2: 4 Wire Molex Cable (It came with your CC3D)

cc3d 4 pin Serial Molex thrustworx

2:  “Mini” not “Micro” data capable USB Cable (Make sure its a USB data Cable and not USB power only!)

Mini USB Cable Thrustworx

3: FTDI Adapter

FTDI available from: Amazon | Banggood | eBay

FTDI Adapter thrustworks

4: Jumper or small wire/pin for shorting the pads on the CC3D

Step One:

Install Cleanflight Configurator in Chrome.

Step Two:

Install USB to UART Bridge VCP Drivers (For use later with Cleanflight).

Step Three:

Connect your 4 pin Molex connector to the “Main Port” of your CC3D. (Its the one on the right! 

CC3D Main Port Cleanflight Pinouts

Step Four:

1: Connect the other end of your 4 pin Molex connector to your FTDI Adapter following the pinouts below.

NOTE: The  color of your cables might be different than outlined below. As long as you follow the actual orientation and pattern, the wire colors are irrelevant!

  • Ground to Ground (Far Left wire)
  • Power (Not Used)
  • TX to RX (Third in from the left)
  • RX to TX (Last wire on the far right)

FTDI to CC3D Cleanflight Pinouts

2: Now plug your FTDI adapter into a working USB port on your computer. 

Step Five & Six:

1: While shorting the pins with a piece of wire/metal/etc…

CC3D Boot Pins

2: Connect your USB cable to the USB port on your CC3D board to supply it with power.

CC3D USB Port Connection

3: You know you got it right when the LED’s on your CC3D have gone solid.

Step Seven:

You should now have solid (non flashing) LED’s on your CC3D. If not, go back to step Five/Six above!

1: Open Cleanflight in Chrome.

2: Select/Go to the “Firmware Flasher” tab at the top Left corner of the Cleanflight Configurator.

3: Select your FTDI adapters “COM Port” from the top right hand side of Cleanflight Configurator.

4: Select the latest “CC3D” firmware file from the “Choose a Firmware / Board” drop down menu in the top left area of Configurator.

5: Make sure the following options are selected under the drop down menu:

  1. No reboot sequence (On/Selected)
  2. Flash on connect (Off/De-Selected)
  3. Full chip erase (On/Selected)
  4. Manual baud rate (On/Selected) – You should be OK with the default settings!

Cleanflight Configurator Settings

 

5: Select “Load Firmware [Online] and wait for it to load

6: Select “Flash Firmware”

 

Cleanflight Configurator Flash Firmware

You should now see the green bar across the bottom of configurator moving along its merry way. If not, go back and troubleshoot the steps above.

Once its done verifying, unplug the USB power from the CC3D (as well as your FTDI adapter) and restart Configurator.

You can now plug your USB adapter into the USB Port on your CC3D and your computer. Cleanflight Configurator should now pickup your CC3D board directly via the USB cable.

Congratulations, Your done!