Flashing Betaflight on FlightOne Lightning H7 FC

ATTENTION! Since 2024 the F1 Configurator is broken and doesnt flash the correct Bootloader anymore! So don´t do this if you are not sure, that you have a relabeled H743 on your FC, because you cant go back to F1 anymore if you dont have the a local image of the F1 bootloader .bin file!

I wanted to flash Betaflight on my Lightning H7 FC since Betaflight 4.3 as it performs better than FalcoX for me, has better documentation, and more tuning options.

The issue with flashing Betaflight on the Lightning H7 is that there is no unified target for the FC and it has a custom bootloader from F1. The reason for the custom bootloader is that the MCU only has 128 KB of internal flash, making it impossible to flash BF via DFU mode.

There is a BF firmware for the Lightning H7, the SPRACINGH7NP firmware created by Dominic Clifton (aka "hydra").
I initially tried booting this firmware via the F1 bootloader, which worked (by flashing manually via the F1 configurator), but it was unstable. I tried different methods, including using an older F1 bootloader, but no luck as well.

As a last resort, I tried flashing a random H743 target via DFU mode, which surprisingly worked. BF detected a device with 2048 KB of flash and completed the flashing process without any issues. It turns out my H750 is likely a relabeled H743 MCU.

Knowing this, I found the MATEKH743 target with the same gyro as the Lightning H7. I made a dump of the SPRACINGH7NP firmware when it occasionally booted up, and then flashed the MATEKH743 target via BF. After restarting, I had a working gyro and correctly mapped UARTs, motors, and sensors. Another member of the German FPV community tried this method and it worked for him as well. This suggests that there may be many Lightning H7 FCs with a relabeled H743 MCU.

To find out if your FC is a relabeled H743 MCU, try flashing a H743 target in BF via DFU mode. If it detects 2048 KB of ROM, then you're good to go. If you don't get an error message like "Firmware image contains addresses not found on target device" or a memory address error, then it's likely a relabeled H743 MCU.

So far, everything is working: all TX/RX pads, current and voltage sensors, all motor outputs, and OSD over MSP. However, the 128 MB flash and the analog OSD are not working. The boot button doesn't do anything either.

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Please note that flashing your FC is at your own risk and responsibility. I haven't had any major issues, but in the worst-case scenario, you may have to manually send the FC to DFU mode by connecting the 3.3V and BT pad (I had to do this a few times).

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#fpv #flightone #falcox #betaflight #fpvfreestyle #fpvdrone #fpvquad #fpvracingdrones #fpvlife #fpvgermany #freestylefpv

[fishjaeger]

Sehr nice, da warst du erfolgreicher wie der ganze F1 Haufen die letzten 2 Jahre ;)

[dogrc]

Worked for me except I was given a hint that the dump needs to be updated for 4.5. If your gyro is not recognized type this in the CLI. The SDI and SDO resources where renamed from the MISO MIDO in 4.5. Off to wire up everything else and test!

resource SPI_SDI 1 NONE
resource SPI_SDI 2 C02
resource SPI_SDI 3 B04
resource SPI_SDI 4 NONE
resource SPI_SDI 5 NONE
resource SPI_SDI 6 NONE
resource SPI_SDO 1 NONE
resource SPI_SDO 2 C01
resource SPI_SDO 3 D06
resource SPI_SDO 4 NONE
resource SPI_SDO 5 NONE
resource SPI_SDO 6 NONE

[KnowThings]

Hey Ho, ja das hat wirklich alles funktioniert. Ich hab jetzt 3 F1H7 Lightning mit BetaFlight geflasht und einen 7" DRL Spec damit bestückt. Fliegt wie BetaFlight. Einfach Top! Wenn jetzt der Speicher noch erreichbar wäre, hättest Du die Nuss vollständig geknackt, aber so ist es auch schon richtig gut.
Ich mag extrem gern wie F1 fliegt, besonders mit frischen Props, leider wird es mit leicht angeschrammten Props echt eklig. Daher kommt jetzt BF drauf.
Danke für Dein mega Research!

[ChrisRooneyFPV]

Nice Ho, H7 flog nie wirklich gut. Du hast den auf BF gebracht und ich baue gerade einen alten revolt Apex mit Falco😂

[iBooFPV]

Can you tell me where is situated the 3.3V and BT pad ? i see no information on H7 documentation .. :)
thanks !

[Fantazy]

Hi !
Would you by any chance have the bootloader bin file to share ?
Thanks in advance !

[ManiekFPV]

Unfortunately, returning to FalcoX on my flight controller no longer works... :/
Only Betaflight works normally. I need to try if 4.5.1 works ok.

[luqash]

how connect GPS to H7? I have BN220 and it not work...

[ianfpv]

Bro nice video You are only one who show something about it . but i have a question i try to use revolt osd with betaflight soft but i cant get crossfire working on rx1 there is no input on betaflight soft . did You know how i can fix it ? regards !!

[cee-beefpv]

Flugfootage schaut gut aus! Sehr schön Onkel 💯🙌
Nennenswerte Unterschiede für dich erkennbar?

[madhahakil]

i'm using rush ultimate plus. the vtx is undefined. everything else works. the mcu chip gets hot easily though.

[rogerbfpv]

The above results in a Bricked H7, that will no long work, and can not be flashed back either.