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Cheerson CX-20 Firmware and Driver

By
Blade Detonator
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Latest Cheerson CX-20 Firmware

First off all, upgrading the quadcopter’s firmware or any other device it’s a very risky process, can brick your device, proceed only at your own risk!

The downloaded file also includes a short tutorial video about how to flash the firmware on your Cheerson CX-20 quadcopter.

At this moment, there are three versions of the CX-20 on the market with different firmware upgrade techniques. The difference between Open-source flight controller, Zero Tech flight controller and A Big Shark Flight Controller is:

  • CX-20 with open-source flight controller can be upgraded by the user;
  • Zero and A Big Shark versions only can be upgraded with the software made by the manufacturer;
  • In the CX-20 with the Zero Tech Flight Controller the firmware can be upgraded only with special USB cable from the manufacturer.

The Cheerson CX-20 multi-rotor board is using the PL2303 USB-to-Serial Bridge for firmware upgrade purposes. That means, first you have to install the driver (also included in the downloaded file) for PL2303 on your computer before you can proceed with the firmware upgrade process.

Download the Cheerson CX-20 Firmware and Driver here:

[wpdm_file id=2]

Updates 20.11.2015

After Joe’s problem with the firmware upgrade, I decided to password protected the CX-20 download.

Please let me know if others had the same problem after the firmware upgrade and how they solved the issue.

Updates 23.11.2015

I removed the password protection from the download. Please proceed with the firmware only on your risk!

99 COMMENTS

  2. Hi… I have the zero version of CX20 … I have the original mini USB 5 cable … the pc run on windows 10 … but the pc is not recognised the usb ….
    Can some one help me with this…
    The problem on the drone is that the back side of drone levitate first. …
    I need to fix the problem. ..

    In advance thanks

  3. I have the drone Cheerson CX-20 ZERO and would like to do an update of it firmware. I have the USB to 232 PL2303HX MINIUSB 5P.
    How do I do this?
    Thanks in advanced!

  4. Hi

    I have a cx20 Big Shark and when I connect it to my computer and open the software I see a problem.

    Under the DATA tab it seems as if the GPS thinks the drone is “flipping” through the air, and the pitch and roll is constantly moving from one side to the other.

    Anyone have this problem or know how to fix it?

  6. I have the open source auto pathfinder.
    I upgraded the FW to 3.2.1 Now I can only do a compass calibration thru MP not from the radio….Is this correct?
    Also the quad flies very stable in manual mode however any of the GPS features absolutely don’t work.
    I tried everything I can. Relocated the GPS and I must of re-calibrated the compass a thousand times it seems.
    As soon as I put it into a GPS mode like Loiter it just wants to fly away or is struggling to register its position.
    Any help will be greatly appreciated.
    Does anybody have a settings for this ver.?

  7. Commentary for all above…There is nothing wrong with this craft. Almost all errors can be attributed as pilot error..in my opinion…. Only for CX20 Open Source versions… Find online and download ‘Mission Planner’…update it when asked…There are tutorials available in MP, also online..have to look. Once in MP, you will be able to update the firmware…once that is updated you can proceed to all calibrations for both CX20 and it’s TX. This will correct all issues described from posters above….unless there is something inherently wrong with your CX20.

  9. Sir I hoping for help with my new Cheerson CX20 open source quad.(this is brand new out of the box) I fully charged the battery 12.4volts. Upon plugin in the battery the binding and GPS lights flash once, a moment of nothing then it starts to beep and beep. I popped the top, all connection are tight including the USB connector. There is a blue and red flashing LED on the power distribution board. I noticed that all 4 motors do a slight twitch. I have tried to connect the quad to Mission Planner, with a prompt, no heart beat packets received. I’m new to the more sophisticated quads and I’m at a total loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks John

  10. I have an open source cx20 and it will take off and hover but when I try to use the control lever on the left, there is a substantial lag and it appears that the quad is not linked properly to the transmitter.
    Any ideas?

    • Try to recalibrate the radio through Mission Planner…if it doesn’t help most probably you have to replace the receiver from the Cheerson

  11. Can anyone assist me in how to do a full firmware flash?
    I downloaded the above file and following the video instruction but when i try to select the Cheerson_cx20_20140630 file.. mine ends with .rar and not .vast like the video shows.
    I tried to manually change the file type and then select the file. When i get back into the vast program it shoots an error and does not proceed. We did this with the drone plugged in and everything matches up with the video until that point. If i should be taking a totally different approach to this please let me know.
    I’m trying to assist my father-in-law over face time from 8000 miles away so i don’t have hands on use of the drone itself.

  12. Hi,

    Does the download link fetches the APM (ArduCopter) CX-20 firmware or it is the firmware for other versions (Zero, BigFlyShark)?

    Thank you.

  14. New CX20. Never flew it. Put on mission planner and resET max and let 3500. Armed and disarmed. This morning, put the battery in, starting beeping and left light was flashing yellow, with green light on right. Can’t even hook up to to MP now. Will not arm.

  15. Hello to all. Ive had my OS CX-20 for around 10 months now. Taken ~50 flights, used the Mission Planner software quite a bit, but experienced some pains today, after taking a successful flight.
    Looking for some ideas to get me back up and flying again.

    While updating some parameters, I accidentally unplugged the USB cable from the CX20 in the middle of the load.
    Since this happened, I now cant get the CX20 to recognize the connection to MP when attempting to connect MP to the CX20.
    Ive opened it up. Everything looks fine. mini USB is firmly plugged in, but no connection is recognized.

    Anyone ever experience such an issue ?
    Any Ideas what to do ?

  16. Getting closer, the blue star is indicating a v2 shark for the cx-20. The star was also on the battery. Now I have to downloaded the Shark flight tools and their latest firmware I can go on.
    Any idea why my green gps light no longer blinks after the first few times. The light on the gps keeps blinking rapidly. Yes it is still plunged into the gps port and the plug is keyed so it can’t be plugged in upside down

  17. I am a newbie, I could not get green light (gps) to connect unless I turned on controller first then quad. So did that but motors wouldn’t unlock. So I shut off controller and right back on then motors unlocked with gps. Not sure what’s up but it altitude holds. Haven’t tried return to home yet. Hopin to learn alot about mission planner but have no idea what to do.
    I hope it helps someone to fly

  18. Admittedly I don’t know what a controller should look like by in addition to the logo in center of label the pin plugs ar labeled. Left from top: led, com, gps, ch7 down to ch1. On the right from top to bottom: M1 to M7, pwr, usb

  19. I checked the sites for the three controllers listed and none had an enclosure nor a logo that looked the same as the units at the mfg site.

    I am trying a windows 7 machine to see if the USB driver works under win7 and is detected

    Appreciate any thoughts and assistance in figuring this out

  20. Ok how about a 4th cx-20 controller, will send photo if you give location I can send it.

    White plastic box inside copter, no usb mini port on box, just usb pin connection like rest of plugs

    Branded with a 5 pointed blue star whet the bottom left spike of the star is yellow all this on a black background with a white box around it and a big D below the box, also the listed USB to serial interface chip (at least as detected by the verify software in with the driver, but all under Windows 10)

  21. Hi,
    I am new this group but I have notice that it seems there is a lot of people with knowledge of the Cheerson CX20.
    I have the Cheerson open source CX20, which I had for about a year. Everything was good but then the GPS failed. I replaced it with the same model and serial number GPS.
    After connecting it and getting GPS lock I found that I can not arm the motors. I tried to connect to the computer with UBS connection but it will not hook up. I get a timeout error.
    If anyone has any idea what might be wrong it would be greatly appreciated for your help.

  22. I have an open source. I can bind, and fly but it constantly beeps on the main board. Red and green esc lights blink with the constant beep.
    I have loaded original parameters, I have tried 3.1.5 and 3.2.?
    Cannot get it to stop beeping cannot identify why. Binds and flies normal.
    New battery, old battery, confirmed charge.
    Any help would be appreciated.

    • Is your low voltage battery warning ever been changed? For instance might accidentally clicked it to a higher voltage for the alarm to go off?

  23. If you are uploading the firmware on your CX-20 through Mission Planner and the firmware update is interrupted, the device will be bricked.
    It won’t successfully connect through Mission Planner. It will annoyingly beep and drive you crazy. The solution is to not use the “Connect” function on Mission Planner.
    Just connect the drone via USB and go through the initial setup. This will load new firmware, including the new boot-loader.
    Using the banggood solution as provided in the forums is difficult unless you can read Chinese.

  24. My Cheerson CX-20 is blocked at the customs cause they are asking for the CE cerificate. Where can I find it?
    DO you have a copy ?

  25. I installed driver included. But my computer can’t recognize the PL2303.
    My CX-20 is open source (old) version.
    When I connect the battery to the quad, it break my head with the beep sound…

  27. unlocking has change with the new update for the cheerson cx-20 move both sticks to the inside bottom or outside bottom to unlock the props

  28. after updating my cheerson Big Fly Shark “D” to the newer firmware V2 it is hard to control i have try the calibration but is still hard to control any help please ??

  29. Hi,
    I have the Cheerson cx 20 open source I connected it to mission planner and uploaded the new firmware. Now when I connect my battery the copter beeps constantly and I can not unlock the motors.
    Please help!

  31. I have replaced a motor on my CX20 and now it just blinks and alarms when the battery is connected?
    I cannot unlock the motors with the transmitter.
    The APM board lights flash normally (I think) and I have tried resetting the APM board with the reset button.

    Does anyone have any tips?
    Should I disconnect the APM board altogether and download the software again?

    thanks

  32. I ‘ve a cx20 quardcopter, it can’t controll manually. I can used only position hold mode and It can fly slowly, since I bought from market. Although I tried to calibrate the controller it can’t fly horizonally and flew out away. So what Should I do.
    Please give me advice to repair it.
    Thanks

  33. I have tried to find out how to wire up my new shark version KY control board, it comes with no instructions and is not marked on how to wire up. I have looked on line and on YouTube to see if it showed anyone wiring one up because of no instructions. Mine is the white one, the open source version.
    Please tell me or help me find something that will show me how to do this. I forgot to tell you it is for my cx-20 quadcopter. Also how to calibrate my motors so they will start at the same time. I am someone that doesn’t know much about electronics. I don’t want to short my stuff out.
    If you can help I Thank You very much, and God Bless

    • Easiest way is remove the last connector on the reciver board. It has a red light when paired with your transmitter. Unplug the one that has a B should be the last plug then plug usb up. Let it load turn transmitter on and have throttle max.(make sure your battery is not plugged up) then hit the reset button on the apm. Done flashing hit it again and then connect the battery and you will hear two beeps pull throttle down. Give it some gas they should start together.

  34. New to the sport..bought a $50 model and flew for two weeks and then bought a Cheerson cx-20 from Amazon, came last week.
    Believe its a big fly shark model cause under gps lid is silver/white chip saying cirocmm t 0062 and pics here show that model….anyway I fly it every day and everything works great why is every one hooking it up to their pc and then having trouble all the videos on u-tube show …charge batt. and go fly…am I missing something?

  35. Just got my CX20 open source. Please, someone can upload the best firmware for it?
    Also I need some details how can i add telemetry to this bird.

  36. Just got my cx-20. Excited to get it in the air. But when i tried to take off, it would flip. After about the 4th time I was going to try calibration mode. I got it into calibration mode once and it flipped again. Now I can’t get the motors to unlock. I put it on mission planner, updated the firmware, everything tests fine except when I try to do a motor test it says that the command was refused (or something like that).
    Transmitter works fine and unlock command works when plugged into usb, but when I disconnect and put the battery in and try to unlock, It still won’t unlock. GPS is getting lock just fine.
    Any ideas?

    • I’m having the exact same issues. Can get to unlock now. Can u help me out if you’ve figured out how to get unlocked? Wo u ld be greatly appreciated

  37. I know this is probably a dumb noob question. I want to upgrade to the latest firmware that mission planner says is available. When I go to download there are thousands of builds. I’m choosing APM copter and then going to the current month then the latest folder, but I don’t see the Cheerson CX-20 in the list. Do I choose the PX-4 copter? Just want to make sure I don’t brick my new quad.
    Thanks!

  38. My Cx-20 flies well, but won’t respond when I want it to roll to the left. As in mode 2 right stick pushed to the left. Everything else is fine.
    Any ideas would be a great help. Open source model.
    Thanks.

  39. The usb cable can get discontinued inside the Cx-20 so that mission planner won’t connect. Take off the top of the quad and push the usb back in Then a touch of hot glue will stop it coming back out.A hard landing can cause this

  41. What type of usb cable? Is there Photos with it, please help
    Where did you get on the manufacturer’s program (firmware) for big shark?

  42. Hello,
    The firmware download is available as a generic firmware or is the factory firmware optimized for Cheerson CX-20? Which version?

  44. I recently purchased, at two different times, a Cheerson CX-20 quadcopter. On both occasions the right rear motor locked, twitched, and beeped each time it twitched.
    I investigated and found that I think it needs a firmware update, but I have no clue as to which model I have. Have you tested this one? It appears constantly faulty!

  45. Thanks Hunter, I did that and now is working again. I just have lots of other problems now. If hover and flip to GPS hold then it takes off somewhere and I have to bring it back manualy.I don`t even wont to try RTL.That would be disaster.
    I will just keeping trying, Thanks Milan

    • Sounds like your compass needs calibrating… or open the cx-20 up and double check the FC and GPS is secured down and all plugged in. Hope you get it flying properly soon!

  46. Hello Milan,

    after i connected the CX20 to Mission planner i had the same prolem (no power for lift up)
    Mission planner set the THR Max to 80. I dont know why. Conect to Mission planner again and set the Parameter: THR Max to 1000 and save, after that i could fly again. Try it it could help.

    • The parameters can be messed up as the USB cable can move a tiny bit causing a monetary glitch, Tap the USB cable to a led ant on table near pc to prevent any accidental movement (import if calibrating through CX20 Mission Planner when you have to trun the quad). :Dd

  47. I recently upgraded my cx 20 to 3.2 then back to 3.1.5, it flies fine just can’t access compass calibration mode anymore except for in mission planner.
    Anybody have any ideas ?

  48. Hi I have the CX20 open source. I crashed it in calibration mode. Then the motors will turn slow (no power to lift off ground}
    I try to calibrate with mission planer but the motors still don`t have power to lift of the ground. It feels like about half throttle and no more.
    Anyone had same problem?

    • The answer to that issue 9yes I know you posted a year ago) is in the parametrs file under THR Max it will read 80 or some low number it needs to be 1000 (yes thats right happened to me because of some glitch when i had the CX20 connect to Mission Planner)
      once you change the Thr max to read wooo its under full parameters list in mission planner Save the change and upload the parameter file to the Cheerson CX20 (this is not firmware its the parametr file).

      Orig Throttle numbers are;
      thr hmax 1000
      Thr mid is about 493
      Thr low is about 130

  50. Just bought a Cx-20- with gps with green circle trying to connect to pc and are unable to do so. do i need a special usb cable. does anyone know where to get it. Thanks

  51. I have made the bone head move of connecting my Cheerson CX-20, to my computer and sending a “sample” command to it using the Arduino software.

    My Cheerson is no longer lighting up and simply chronically “beeps” when powered up via a charged battery or a connection to the USB jack on my computer.

    Curious if it’s possible to reinstall the base software and overwrite whatever I sent to the unit, in an effort to get it off the ground again.

    Your help would be greatly appeciated.

    Thank you in advance.

    Michael

    • Hi Mike,

      I did the EXACT same thing through Mission Planner but believe I have a fix after two days of trying everything! Download APMPlanner 2.0 and open the program after download. Once open plug in your CX-20 and go to initial setup and then install firmware. Make sure you are connected first. Unplug when done and try to start as before. That did it for me! Good luck. Let me know if it works.

      • Hi Keith and Mike,
        Ditto guys, only maybe worse!

        I just received my Cheerson CX-20 from BG, took only 2 weeks from China. Haven’t taken it on it’s maiden flight! I hooked it up to Mission Planner and it was detected immediately. The Set-Up-Wizard popped up and I let it run. It reported that my Firmware was “retired”, so I let it update, (figuring it was required for this version of MP), never thought to first backup or copy the Parameters, (figured they would be in a separate EPROM).
        Everything seemed to proceed OK, until after Magnetic cal. after that it required information about the make and model of devices attached. Since I didn’t know, I elected to abort. I hadn’t saved anything, so figured it would be safe and I would complete the calibration via TX. Because of the problems, I now wonder if MP writes to the eprom after every step, if so I probably screwed myself. Right now I would be happy to get back to factory settings.
        Anyway, now I can’t get the CX-20 into either GPS or Flight calibration via the TX. Any suggestions before I use APMPlanner? Not sure how it’s different.
        – Let this be a warning to newbies, leave well enough alone ;-(

        Keith I may give your suggestion a try, unless someone posts a better solution.

        Premature Thanks.
        Ken

  52. Where can I find the original parameters for the Cheerson CX-20 (open Source) so I can re-load the original parameters with Mission Planner?

  53. Hello. I´ve lost all flying modes (I don´t know how it can be possible). So, do you think that if I reinstall the firmware I will recover the flying modes? (I have the open source CX20)
    Thank you!!

    • Hi,
      no need to re-install the firmware (no effect), you just need to re-load the original parameters with Mission Planner.

      Hope this help,
      Domi

      https:/ /www.facebook.com/pages/Cheerson-CX-20-Quanum-Nova/1512739795655154

  54. Hi, I’m new and I have the CX-20 open source version, I have made three flights of interiors none outside for lack of time, do not know what happened but has misconfigured or uncalibrated and I can not start the engines. How I can set default values ​​?
    Please help, thanks in advance.

    • I think is the CX-20 Zero version.
      I recommend you to ask the seller which model it has on stock, before place your order.
      The CX-20 is made in 3 versions: open source, Big Shark Flight and Zero.
      Differences between CX-20 versions here

  56. Can any one please help me out? I have a Cheerson CX-20 open source qaud. Before I added the telemetry qaud was flying fine and all the modes worked alt hold GPS lock etc. I didn’t change anything but added telemetry, which is hooked up correct. I didn’t know what to do the apm has a reset so I pushed the reset. When I connect the battery red light is blinking as well as the green gps light qaud won’t bind ( nothing ) do I have to reinstall the apm 2.5.2, if yes how do I do this. Please can anybody help me out I’m a newbie in the RC field.
    Thanks very much Ed

    • Have you try it outside ? The motors can’t unlock if all the sensors are not ok; if, for example, there is no gps signal, the motors won’t unlock but this can be bypass using MissionPlanner.

      Hope this help,
      Domi.

    • Connect your quad to a PC, open Mission Planner, and make sure you have the most recent Firmware installed.
      Once you are sure of that, go through the “Calibration” directions for each module as listed. All components must be calibrated before it will fly.

  58. Hi , how to find out the version of the CX 20 ? im going to buy one soon from a local site like ebay and the seller dosnt know which version it is. Please tell me a way to find the version . Thank you in advance

  59. Hola, entonces cual de las tres versiones del cx-20 recomiendan??… cual es la mas estable, la que da menos problemas?.. en fin cual es la mas reciente y mas confiable para yo comprar.

    Muchas gracias!!

  60. Sir I purchased a Cheerson cx 20 some six weeks ago flew perfect for six or seven flights then on the last flight it tipped in fitted new undercarriage ground checked seemed to be ok it found GPS unlocked lifted off ok when turning with left stick ( mode2) tipped in again I have been told it is a zero version is there anyone can help me with reprogramming?

      • Just use any mini USB to USB cable no special cabel to buy for the Bigshark version you have to download the Shark X8 assistant software to update you firmware if you so wish. And also set paramitors on your CX20.
        (updating your firmware can brick your decive is not done correctly.You do so at your own risk)

        • So what do I need to do then? I want to update my big shark so that she flies correctly. I have yet to put her in the air and am scared she might fly off as I have seen in many youtube videos (thats where I was told the fix would be in the updated firmware) So what should I do then to keep from bricking her before I ever even fly her for the first time? Thanks ahead of time for your help!
          Please feel free to email me as well.

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