Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus CE Python User manual

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Texas Instruments Incorporated 1 education.ti.com
TI-84 Plus CE Python – Tello Drone
Getting Started
Tello Drone
Installation of ti_runtime and 84 Plus CE Tello modules
1. Determine if your micro:bit card is a V1 or V2. The V2 card has scallops
on the board's gold edge, while the V1 is straight. The Tello Drone only
works on a V2 board. Download and unzip the Tello .zip file to a
convenient location on your computer, such as your desktop. Locate
the 2.x.x ti-runtime.hex file.
2. Click here to watch a video on how to configure your Tello drone.
3. Connect the micro:bit to your computer using a micro USB cable. The
micro:bit will appear as a flash drive icon on the computer. Drag and
drop the 2.x.x ti-runtime.hex file to the micro:bit icon. Alternatively,
left-click on the file and use the 'Send to' command to copy from the
Tello folder to the micro:bit card. This file provides functionality
between the TI-84 Plus CE Python and the micro:bit card. The
ti_runtime installation is a one-time process. If the micro:bit is
connected back to the PC and programmed in a different language
other than Python, such as MakeCode, the ti_runtime.hex will need to
be installed again. See additional information at the end of the
document.

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TI-84 Plus CE Python – Tello Drone
Getting Started
Tello Drone
4. Locate the TELLO.8xv file in the Tello folder. Use TI-Connect to transfer
the TELLO.8xv module from your computer to the calculator. The
module will install automatically into the archive memory.
a. Select Actions from the menu.
b. Select Add Files from Computer…
c. Navigate to the module folder.
d. Select in the TELLO.8xv and select Open.
e. The menu on the right will appear. Select SEND to complete
the transfer.
Note: Get the PC and Mac: TI-Connect CE Software (free):
https://education.ti.com/en/products/computer-software/ti-connect-ce-
sw
5. Register your Tello Drone.
a. Download the Tello flight app to your phone. You will need the
app to do a one-time registration of your new drone.
b. Turn on the Tello drone.
c. Use a phone to search for available WiFi hotspots.
d. Connect to your Tello drone. An example of a Tello drone SSID
is TELLO-9EF498.
e. Open the application, and you will be prompted to register
your drone. Once registered, you do not need the phone or
Tello application.
f. Disconnect your phone from the Tello drone and quit the Tello
app. You will no longer need this app to program on the TI-84
Plus CE PYTHON. Ensure the Tello does not reconnect to the
phone again; this will cause a problem when the calculator
attempts to connect to the drone.

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Texas Instruments Incorporated 3 education.ti.com
TI-84 Plus CE Python – Tello Drone
Getting Started
Tello Drone
6. Connect the Tello Drone system.
a. Insert the micro:bit V2 card into the BitMaker expansion
board. Be sure the 5x5 LED display faces the correct direction.
b. Connect the external battery to the BitMaker power port.
c. Connect the Grove WiFi module to the BitMaker ~P1 port.
d. Ensure the external battery is fully charged and turned ON.
e. Turn ON the BitMaker board. The LEDs on the micro:bit,
BitMaker board, and the WiFi Module will illuminate.
f. Connect the unit-to-micro:bit cable to the micro:bit card's USB
port (micro-end) and then to the TI-84 Plus CE Python
calculator (mini-end). Then turn ON the calculator.
g. Ensure the Tello drone is fully charged and turn it ON. It will
blink several colors and settle on flashing yellow when it is
ready.
7. Configure the Tello Drone system.
a. Select [New] to create a program with the name 'TESTFLT'
b. Select [Ok]. There will be a blank Python editor screen on your
calculator.
c. Import the tello module into your program. Select the [Fns…]
tab and select [Modul] tab.
d. Select the [Add-On] tab and select from tello import * the
import statement will paste at the program's top.
e. Ensure the Tello is quickly blinking yellow; run the program.
f. Select the [Run] tab. Drone configuration will begin.

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Texas Instruments Incorporated 4 education.ti.com
TI-84 Plus CE Python – Tello Drone
Getting Started
Tello Drone
g. Select the micro:bit expansion board, Grove or BitMaker, and
ensure the WiFi module is inserted into the ~P1 port.
h. Select Advanced only if you are using a different expansion
board or port other than P1.
i. The system will scan for a Tello SSID and connect if available.
It is best only to have one Tello turned on and ensure the Tello
is not connected to a phone or other WiFi device.
j. Enter a single character ID, 0-9 or A-Z, to identify the
Tello/micro:bit pair. It is best to mark this ID on the Tello. After
paring, the micro:bit will automatically connect to only this
Tello.
k. Unplug the cable from the calculator and then plug it back into
the calculator to reset the system.
l. Your Tello is now ready to fly!
Creating Your First Python Tello Program
2. Select [New] to create a program named 'TESTFLT' or edit the same
program from the previous steps.
3. Select [Ok]. There will be a blank Python editor screen on your
calculator.
4. Import the tello module into your program. Select the [Fns…] tab and
select [Modul] tab.
5. Select the [Add-On] tab and select from tello import * the import
statement will paste at the program's top. This action will import the
tello module into the editor and add the tello menu to the bottom of
the module list.
6. Next, select [Fns...] and arrow over to the Modul tab, then arrow
down to tello drone and press [enter]. The menus will display all of the
tello drone methods.

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Texas Instruments Incorporated 5 education.ti.com
TI-84 Plus CE Python – Tello Drone
Getting Started
Tello Drone
7. Select .takeoff() always as the first statement in all flight programs.
8. Explore the Python programming menus and the tello module menus
and enter the remainder of the TESTFLT program.
9. Place your drone in a well-lighted area free of obstructions. The drone
has a positioning camera on the underside, and it works best when the
drone flies over a nonuniform floor, e.g., a patterned rug. Ensure
everything is powered up and Run the program.
10. Modify your program by adding a flip at the end of the square. The
drone must have at least 50% battery charge to perform a flip. The
charge

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Texas Instruments Incorporated 6 education.ti.com
TI-84 Plus CE Python – Tello Drone
Getting Started
Tello Drone
Trouble Shooting
Problem
Solution
I don't see the tello module menus.
Use TI-Connect to transfer the module to the calculator. The menus only
appear in the editor after the from tello import * line.
I don't see the Texas logo on my micro:bit.
Transfer the TI_runtime file to the microbit card.
The calculator will not connect to the Tello drone.
Quit the program. Unplug the cable from the calculator and press the reset
button on the back of the microbit card and the RST button Grove WiFi
module. Reconnect the cable to the calculator and try again.
The default TX and RX pins for the BitMaker expansion board are P2 and P1.
If using a different expansion board other than the MakerBit, you must
configure different TX and RX pins unique to that board's port. For example,
if using the Grove Shield, plug the Grove WiFi into the P1/P15 port and enter
Command status reports "COMPLETED", but Tello flight is erratic.
Tello uses flight vision for positioning. A well-lighted space is required.
Additionally, the floor should not be uniform or glossy in appearance. Try
moving to an area with a different floor appearance with lots of light.
Tello crashes and flies oddly.
Bent propellers and interference with propeller guards may be the problem.
Replace propellers (notice markings on props and placement order). There is
also a IMU calibration that can be done using the phone software. See the
owner's manual.
Tello drone will not take off, and the status light is blinking red.
Charge the drone battery.
Tello will not perform flips.
The battery charge must be greater than 50%.
The calculator does not connect to Tello, and microbit displays an unhappy
face
•Check that the WiFi module is in the correct port.
•Check that the expansion board's power switch is ON if present.
•Check that all batteries are fully charged.
•Check the external battery connected to the expansion board is turned
on.
•Disconnect and reconnect the calculator and the external battery and try
the program again.
For more information on the Tello drone
•Tello drone user manual