3.0 KiB
MCU-Link Debug Probe
The MCU-Link Debug Probe is a cheap, fast and highly capable debug probe that can serve as a stand-alone debug and console communicator when working with Pixhawk boards.
Key features:
- Just one single USB-C connection for Reset, SWD, SWO, and serial in a very small package!
- Up to 9.6MBit/s SWO connection. Up to 5 MBaud serial. 1.2V to 5V target voltage. USB2 high-speed 480 Mbps connection.
- Driven by NXP LinkServer or pyOCD software with wide device support.
- Much cheaper (<15€) than a Pixhawk Debug Adapter (~20€) with a JLink EDU mini (~55€) or JLink BASE (~400€) while having better hardware specs.
The Pixhawk Debug Adapter provides an easy way to connect a Pixhawk to an MCU-Link (the probe does not come with an adapter for working with Pixhawk flight controllers).
::: info These instructions have been tested on: FMUv6X-RT, FMUv6X, FMUv6c, FMUv5X. :::
Debugging Configuration using NXP LinkServer
The MCU-Link provides for NXP (FMUv6X-RT) chips the LinkServer GDB server:
Download the Linkserver for your operating system and follow the installation instructions.
On Windows LinkServer gets installed to C:\NXP\LinkServer_x.x.x
On Linux LinkServer gets installed /usr/local/LinkServer/LinkServer
To flash you can use the LinkServer flash command with target MIMXRT1176xxxxx:MIMXRT1170-EVK-CM7-ONLY for the FMUv6X-RT
/usr/local/LinkServer/LinkServer flash MIMXRT1176xxxxx:MIMXRT1170-EVK-CM7-ONLY load build/px4_fmu-v6xrt_default/px4_fmu-v6xrt_default.elf
You can launch the GDB server in a new terminal shell:
/usr/local/LinkServer/LinkServer gdbserver MIMXRT1176xxxxx:MIMXRT1170-EVK-CM7-ONLY
Then connect to port 3333 via GDB:
arm-none-eabi-gdb build/px4_fmu-v6xrt_default/px4_fmu-v6xrt_default.elf -ex "target extended-remote :3333"
Use GDB to load the binary into the Pixhawk:
(gdb) load
Debugging Configuration using pyOCD
The MCU-Link provides the GDB server via pyOCD:
python3 -m pip install -U pyocd
You can launch the GDB server in a new terminal shell:
pyocd gdb -t mimxrt1170_cm7
The target needs to be one of:
- FMUv6X-RT:
mimxrt1170_cm7 - FMUv6X:
stm32h743xx - FMUv6C:
stm32h743xx - FMUv5X:
stm32f767zi
You can then connect to port 3333 via GDB:
arm-none-eabi-gdb build/px4_fmu-v6xrt_default/px4_fmu-v6xrt_default.elf -ex "target extended-remote :3333"
Use GDB to load the binary into the Pixhawk:
(gdb) load