QGroundControl enable hardware safety switch

PX4 Autopilot Configuration & Flight Modes ⚙️
1

Hi all,
I am a newbie with PX4 and drones in general. I have a quad frame, with Pixhawk flight controller.
Initially I was using Mission Planner and after setting up the flight controller I would take it out to fly. I would press the hardware safety switch which came with the flight controller, and arm the drone while moving throttle stick in bottom-right position on my RC. This would arm the drone and motors will start spinning.

Now I am trying the same with QGroundControl but not able to arm. I see that it only gets armed/disarmed if the flight controller is connected to QGC. Even pressing the hardware safety switch won’t do anything if drone is not connected to QGC. I have setup aux arm channel and a switch on my RC as well. But it only works if the drone is connected to QGC, otherwise I see red light blinking thrice on the flight controller.
My questions are these:

  • Is it the case that I need to keep drone and QGC connected, via say a telemetry device in order to arm/disarm it? I do not have a telemetry module.
  • If not, what is the way to arm/disarm the drone? I think there are some parameters to set but I am not able to find them.

Thanks,
SP.

2

we use one of the parameters to disable the safety switch. i cant remember which one exactly but go to parameters and type in 22027 in the search box. then change the parameter from whatever it is to 22027 to disable it.

3

Hi,
I tried to do what you said and also referred to what this page says about the parameter configuration: Redirecting to latest version of document (main)
What is happening: when I disconnect my drone from QGC, I am not at all able to arm it. I have a switch assigned to my RC to arm the drone. When I press the switch of RC the flight controller shows red light blinking thrice.
What I want to do is this: enable hardware safety switch on the flight controller and then arm/disarm the drone using a switch on my RC. This is very easily done using Mission Planner, in fact it seems to be the default behavior there.

EDIT
Okay I am able to engage the safety switch now. Question then remains: Does my drone have to be connected to QGC to arm/disarm via USB/telemetry module? As I am not able to arm the drone if it is not connected with QGC. At the moment I do not have a telemetry module.

Thanks,
SP.