SP140 (Legacy)

Intro#

OpenPPG SP140 Controller (Legacy) uses WebUSB to communicate from your browser to your device.

Make sure you are using one of the supported browsers. We recommend Chrome.

Get started#

1. Plug the USB cable into your controller and connect to your PC or Android phone. Use a Micro USB or USB Type-C cable depending on your controller.
2. You may see a notification pop up from your browser. Now navigate to the config tool.

Using the SP140 Config Tool#

Units#

Prefer to view your altitude in meters or feet? Simply toggle this to update the controller setting.

Orientation#

By default the SP140 controller is set up for use in the left hand. If you prefer to use it in your right hand, update this setting to flip the screen 180°.

Performance Mode#

The performance mode changes the dynamics of the SP140 throttle and serves different flying styles. “Chill” is less responsive and reduces max power to ~80%. “Sport” unlocks full power and is more sensitive to slight input changes.

We recommend flying in chill mode until you get comfortable with the instant power the OpenPPG SP140 can provide.

Device Info#

Armed Time#

Shows the total number of hours and minutes the controller has been “armed”. This roughly equates to a combustion engine hour meter.

Device ID#

Shows the unique controller serial number. This is may be used to help troubleshoot config tool issues with OpenPPG support.

Updating firmware#

New firmware can add features and improve functionality. To update the firmware:

1. Download the .uf2 firmware you wish to flash (make sure to select the proper architecture).
2. With the controller connected press “reboot in update mode” to switch to the UF2 compatible bootloader. The screen will flash a message, then turn off.
3. Drag or paste the .uf2 file onto the newly discovered USB drive and wait for a reboot.

If the config tool can’t connect, press Reboot in update mode (backup) instead and pick the OpenPPG controller from the list. It uses the controller’s serial port, so it works even when the normal connection doesn’t. See Troubleshooting.

Video tutorial#

Troubleshooting#

“Unable to claim interface”#

This means your computer can see the controller but won’t let the config tool talk to it. The controller and cable are fine. There are two usual causes:

• Another tab or program already has the controller open. Only one page can talk to the controller at a time.
• Windows didn’t set up the controller’s driver. Windows is supposed to do this automatically when you first plug the controller in. If it fails once, it keeps failing on that computer. Windows 7 and 8 can’t do it at all.

Try these in order:

1. Close every OpenPPG config tab and any other program that might use the controller (for example the Arduino IDE).
2. Unplug the controller, restart the computer, plug the controller back in, and open the config tool in just one tab.
3. Try a different computer. A Mac works best since it doesn’t need a driver.
4. To update firmware without connecting, use Reboot in update mode (backup) under Upgrades, then drag the .uf2 file onto the USB drive that appears.

No USB drive appears#

The update drive only appears after the controller reboots into update mode. It won’t show up just from plugging the controller in. Use Reboot in update mode (or the backup button) first.

Default values#

Below are the controller default values after first initialized at the factory.