This is a huge release that brings a ton of new features and improvements to ELRS!

Major additions include: a new FLRC mode that adds 1000 Hz packet rate, DVDA modes for better LQ, full-res Aux channels, unified targets for most hardware, improved stick resolution, revised SNR-based dynamic power algorithm, better PWM support, and the ability to use receiver to wirelessly connect to Betaflight Configurator. Note that SPI receivers will no longer be supported by ELRS v3+, but a new hardware design has been developed and shared with manufacturers that allows for an on-board ELRS receiver to share a MCU with the VTX, allowing for serial-based (ie UART) on-board ELRS receivers. Read more below.

https://github.com/ExpressLRS/ExpressLRS/releases

From the release page:

ExpressLRS V3.0.0 Release Candidate 1

The important stuff

• Arming must be on AUX1 for safety and feature reasons, having this fixed allows us to maintain small packet sizes and deliver better aux channel options
  
• Be sure to flash both the TX and RX.
  
• LUA script MUST be updated for V3 and is backwards compatible with 2.x. Get it here: LUA
  
• Users of SPI receivers (AIO boards) must not update as only ELRS V2.x is compatible.
  
• This is a RELEASE CANDIDATE, and is not guaranteed to be stable or bug free. Test at your own risk! Bad things might happen!
  
• The user notes below are an initial draft version of the new features and fixes. Once the final release has been cut, these will be expanded to add more detail. For now, testers are expected to research within the relevant pull request links, and be prepared to use documentation that is not yet complete.
  

Compatibility
3.x TXes only work with 3.x RXes and vice versa, we try to prevent them from working with 1.x and 2.x hardware entirely because they are completely incompatible. SPI RXes will not be compatible with TXes on 3.x.

Packet types and RF smarts

• FLRC - The F is for Fast (modulation) and lower latency, but a shorter range than our normal modes. Our version can still easily do +10km and comes in 500Hz and 1000Hz flavors #1277
  
• Déjà Vu Diversity Aid (DVDA) - On top of FLRC, these modes use multiple sends to create more reliable connection when faced with interference such as at FPV races with many transmitters. 250Hz and 500Hz versions, which do quad and double sends respectively, and across multiple frequencies. #1527
  
• More channels (fullres) - Instead of just 4ch + 8x switches, support for 10-bit 8ch/12ch/16ch modes in 100Hz and 333Hz rates, using LoRa modulation. #1572
  
• LBT - For compliance, listen-before-talk has been added to allow certification of our TX modules in the EU up to 100mW. #1243
  
• Increased precision over 2.x modes - 25% better stick precision in the 988us to 2012us range, except for fullres modes. 1 "bit" over-the-air used to represent 1.2us of stick, now 1 bit = 1us. #1572
  

Functionality changes

• Rewritten Dynamic Power - Uses SNR instead of RSSI to determine appropriate power, as RSSI doesn't factor in the noise floor or if the RX has an amplifier. Also reacts faster, needing just a single telemetry packet to make a decision, and preemptively steps up power when missing packets instead of waiting to jump to full. Also will lower power if overloading the RX at close range.
  #1529
  
• "Standard" telemetry ratio - Automatically picks a basic ratio for the selected packet rate, which means it will pick a “good default” for the packet rate selected. #1599
  
• "Race" telemetry ratio - Same as "Standard" except disables telemetry and SYNC packets when armed (replaces NO_SYNC_ON_ARM). #1599
  

Features

• Wifi-based Betaflight Configurator through the RX (mobile and desktop versions). #1274
  
• Loan model - Easily loan your quad to someone else by effectively binding it to their TX from Lua or by bumping for TXes with accelerometers (Axis Thor). #1459 #1510
  
• Dynamic bind phrase - A loan not enough? Just type a new bind phrase in the web-ui to own the model forever.
  
• PWM servo output refactored - Allows per-output servo rate (50Hz, 100Hz, 160Hz, 333Hz, 500Hz) and massively reduced update latency over 2.x. #1558
  
• Increased telemetry bandwidth - Makes things like RxBt and GPS position update more frequently.
  
• LUA config for receivers - Currently just telemetry power and diversity antenna select. #1362
  
• VBAT telemetry for PWM RXes - Not just the Matek converters, built into the native PWM RX itself.
  
• Reduce handset sync margin - Reduces latency for all RF Modes by 0.3ms #1532
  
• Lua shows TX Power / VTX Admin settings without drilling down. Current Model ID and Tlm bandwidth shown as well. #1436
  
• Updated web-ui with tabs and more options. #1604
  

New targets

• Unified ESP targets - Our internals are now set up to produce just one firmware image for all devices of the same type (all ESP32-based TXes, all ESP8285 RXes and now ESP32 based RXes)
  #1552
  
• Integrated VTX - New receivers with the VTX combined on a single MCU, similar to the Happymodel Fyujon, but without the extra MCU for the VTX side. This will allow for AIOs with serial RXes, rather than SPI, thanks to us taking over the VTX duties and only using a single UART. Keep an eye out for the next generation of ExpressLRS AIO’s from your favorite manufacturers in the near future.
  Manufacturers and DIYers can find reference designs here #1607
  
• True diversity receivers with optional integrated VTx - working with manufacturers currently to make these
  Manufacturers and DIYers can find reference designs here #1555 (comment)
  
• Receivers with more PWM outputs - working with manufacturers currently to make these, 6ch, 8ch and 10ch at least in pre-production
  
• Use any (ESP8285) receiver as TX - Just for DIYers really #1457
  

That came quick.
Does WiFi betaflight configuration through the rx mean what I think it does? No need to plug in a USB to change settings in betaflight? If so, that is *awesome*!

(02-Jul-2022, 06:57 AM)Lemonyleprosy Wrote: That came quick.
Does WiFi betaflight configuration through the rx mean what I think it does? No need to plug in a USB to change settings in betaflight? If so, that is *awesome*!

Yes sir! The one caveat is that CLI does not work over WiFi. See the PR for more info:
https://github.com/ExpressLRS/ExpressLRS/pull/1274

So V3, 100% no longer works with SPI based drones?

Also, if you buy external ELRS RX boards, can you flash those to 2.5.1, ie, is the hardware backwards compatible within the protocol?

(02-Jul-2022, 09:30 PM)Pathfinder075 Wrote: So V3, 100% no longer works with SPI based drones?

Correct. No support for the ELRS 2.x SPI receivers in ExpressLRS 3.x as mentioned in the other thread (HERE), so if you have any of those you will need to keep your transmitter or ELRS module on the ELRS 2.x release otherwise it will no longer work with the ELRS 2.x SPI receivers. Or get an external ExpressLRS receiver and connect that you the FC instead of using the onboard SPI receiver. You can then flash both your transmitter and the external receiver to ELRS 3.x.

(02-Jul-2022, 09:30 PM)Pathfinder075 Wrote: Also, if you buy external ELRS RX boards, can you flash those to 2.5.1, ie, is the hardware backwards compatible within the protocol?

Yes, external ELRS receiver can be flashed to any version of ELRS from 1.x all the way to 3.x (and future versions as they get get released).

Eventually I will add an external to it, but for now probably anything I build I will install 2.5.1 to maintain compatibility. Failing that I will pick up a Literadio 2 ELRS or similar cheap controller and keep that for anything SPI based. Several options moving forward.

(02-Jul-2022, 09:30 PM)Pathfinder075 Wrote: So V3, 100% no longer works with SPI based drones?

Also, if you buy external ELRS RX boards, can you flash those to 2.5.1, ie, is the hardware backwards compatible within the protocol?

There is a plan to submit a Betaflight PR to support the ELRS v3.x LoRa modes on SPI receivers. This would allow you to use a ELRS v3.x TX with a ELRS v2 SPI RX, with the limitation that only the existing v2 LoRa modes and none of the new FLRC modes or v3 features would be supported. No ETA for the PR yet, however, and it will be up to the BF devs if and when it is merged.

(02-Jul-2022, 07:38 AM)V-22 Wrote: Yes sir! The one caveat is that CLI does not work over WiFi. See the PR for more info:
https://github.com/ExpressLRS/ExpressLRS/pull/1274

Hi V,

Wow, now that is pretty COOL.     

Now, I guess you would still need the USB port for the original install of ELRS, Correct ???

So, if one has an FC with the USB broken off, there wouldn't be a way to get an ELRS
receiver installed and configured. Right ???

Unless, of course, ELRS can be configured as SBUS...maybe...might be tricky, huh ???

(04-Jul-2022, 11:04 AM)iFly4rotors Wrote: Hi V,

Wow, now that is pretty COOL.     

Now, I guess you would still need the USB port for the original install of ELRS, Correct ???

So, if one has an FC with the USB broken off, there wouldn't be a way to get an ELRS
receiver installed and configured. Right ???

Unless, of course, ELRS can be configured as SBUS...maybe...might be tricky, huh ???

In simple terms, the communication that is carried out via the USB protocol, is wrapped in the CRSF pipeline and therefore usable through every wifi-capable RX ExpressLRS receiver. I already mentioned it here somewhere, I think in the dynamic power of the VTX.
Network communication is then sent to the network port on which the BF listens. The CLI doesn't work yet, maybe it won't.
Logically, it is necessary to force the FC to communicate via RX, as is the case when redirecting USB to UART, which we probably cannot do without USB. (Not in all cases.)
This is how I understand it.
There is a lot of news if you follow every pull on github,,,

(04-Jul-2022, 11:04 AM)iFly4rotors Wrote: Hi V,

Wow, now that is pretty COOL.     

Now, I guess you would still need the USB port for the original install of ELRS, Correct ???

So, if one has an FC with the USB broken off, there wouldn't be a way to get an ELRS
receiver installed and configured. Right ???

Unless, of course, ELRS can be configured as SBUS...maybe...might be tricky, huh ???

The ELRS receivers can be flashed over WiFi or FTDI. You'd just need a FC configured to use a CRSF receiver on a UART, and connect the receiver to that UART. SBUS wouldn't work, as the receivers do not support SBUS and you need a full UART for bidirectional communication.

Yeah, I thought I read somewhere that ELRS could use just one part of the UART and
would run under SBUS if you didn't need telemetry.

More complicated, but I have seen a Crossfire to SBUS board. 

Here is the thing, if the FC doesn't have the USB connector, you would need to set
the ELRS to what ever protocol was already set up on the FC...SBUS.  I seem to recall
someone doing this and just not having telemetry, which I don't care about anyway. 
If you could do that, then you could reconfigure the FC for TBS Crossfire protocol and
rewire the FC for TBS Crossfire. Then you could manage the FC over WiFi and THEN 
you could properly set up ELRS and get it configured.

The issue is having a disconnected USB port. So, the ELRS might resolve the issue,
but it has to first work with the protocol that is configured on the FC...THEN you
could start changing things. So, if there is a way to make it work with SBUS {which
I recall someone doing this} then it would be viable as a solution. On the other hand,
if it can't work with the protocol installed, then it would be useless for this application.

I am looking for some way to connect to Betaflight on the FC other than going through the hardware
USB port which is no longer physically connected to the FC.

Got any ideas here, I am all ears.

ELRS does not support SBUS. It is possible to get the receiver to output an inverted CRSF signal so you can wire it to the SBUS pad on a FC, but you would still need to have that port set to use CRSF protocol in Betaflight. Regardless, Betaflight config over WiFi would not work in this situation.

In your case, I would wire up a 4 pin connector to the existing pads on the FC and make a 4-pin to USB converter or use one like BetaFPV includes with their ELRS AIO board.

HI V,

Thanks, That sounds like what I should do. When I need to pop the lid on that
quad, I will look for a USB board with wires that I could just wire in where the
connector was. I appreciate your help with my dilemma and your suggestions. 

Thank You  

iFy. 

(03-Jul-2022, 05:19 AM)V-22 Wrote: There is a plan to submit a Betaflight PR to support the ELRS v3.x LoRa modes on SPI receivers. This would allow you to use a ELRS v3.x TX with a ELRS v2 SPI RX, with the limitation that only the existing v2 LoRa modes and none of the new FLRC modes or v3 features would be supported. No ETA for the PR yet, however, and it will be up to the BF devs if and when it is merged.

That would be sweet (and save me the £60 I would need to buy a second one of these Jumper radios to use with v3 receivers).  

(05-Jul-2022, 05:15 PM)Pathfinder075 Wrote: That would be sweet (and save me the £60 I would need to buy a second one of these Jumper radios to use with v3 receivers).  

In the meantime I don’t think you’d need to buy another whole transmitter to run both v2 and v3. Pretty sure you could just buy an external nano ELRS tx module, run v2 on your internal and v3 on your external or vice versa, and just switch between internal or external module depending on the quad you wanted to fly.