AI Deck ESP32 flash OTA through cfloader not working. Unable to detect bootloader error

[NambiarAnand]

I am trying to write a custom aideck-esp32-firmware. I made sure the version of esp-idf i am using is 4.3.1 on which aideck esp32 firmware was originally return (as per documentation). Currently I dont have JTAG connectors or Tiny H debuggers, so i have been trying with over the air flashing through crazyradio PA. I have build the firmware successfully and have collected necessary binary files. When i try to flash it using boot loader this is the response i am getting:

cfloader flash build/aideck_esp.bin deck-bcAI:esp-fw -w radio://0/30/2M/E7E7E7E701 Reset to bootloader mode ... Failed to flash: Could not connect to bootloader

I have tried several steps in order to fix it namely:

1. putting crazyflie in bootload mode (holding power button for ~2 secs)
2. putting aideck in bootload mode (pressing the button near nina w102 for 2 secs while powering the drone)
3. normal operations

In all 3 above taken steps, the output has been the same.
I tried then implementing:

cfloader flash build/aideck_esp.bin deck-bcAI:esp-fw -w radio://0/30/2M/E7E7E7E701 --verbose

which gave this error:

Traceback (most recent call last): File "/home/nambiar/.local/bin/cfloader", line 8, in <module> sys.exit(main()) File "/home/nambiar/crazyflie-clients-python/src/cfloader/__init__.py", line 116, in main [target, type] = t.split("-") ValueError: too many values to unpack (expected 2)

I am not sure how to proceed. If anyone needs any more details on this error, please do let me know, I would be happy to share it with you

[gemenerik]

Hi Arnand, please make sure you have installed the latest cfclient, cflib releases and flashed the latest firmware release to the Crazyflie (I recommend doing a firmware upgrade through the client). Do not put anything into bootload manually, just boot the Crazyflie normally. Verify that you are using the correct radio address.

[NambiarAnand]

hi @gemenerik , i had taken care of the points you made. still not resort to the issue i am facing

[gemenerik]

Actually, I just noticed the issue in your original command - you have --verbose at the end, which doesn't exist for cfloader. That's what's causing the error.
Please remove --verbose and use:
cfloader flash build/aideck_esp.bin deck-bcAI:esp-fw -w radio://0/30/2M/E7E7E7E701

Adding --verbose looks like a classic LLM (ChatGPT, Claude, ...) suggestion - they often recommend flags that don't actually exist. Always double-check against our documentation or code.

[NambiarAnand]

Yes, i went through the documentations, if you could see the first line. i am not using verbose flag.
That time it outputs Reset to bootloader mode ... Failed to flash: Could not connect to bootloader

[gemenerik]

It says it cannot connect; so it's probably that you do not have the correct URI, or the Crazyflie is not powered. Can you verify the URI? Can you connect to it in any other way, through the client for example?