Hello,  I have been getting acquainted with the installation process for the mission planner and the procedure for upgrading the firmware on the FCB (Pixhawk).  I have an IRIS+

First, I notice that the Mission Planner loads "digitally unsigned" drivers, This does not bear well for Win 8 installations as the user does not get the option to load the drivers anyway.  Secondly, if the user happens to encounter a break in transmission during the firmware upgrade, the mission planner will maintain an error situation thereafter and will not clear the event. This results in the user not being able to complete the upgrade of the firmware.  This error persists resulting in a situation the the user is unable to resolve.

 I am speaking here for all those users who may not be highly computer literate and cannot figure for themselves what is going on.  I have watched the videos and read the instructions available - and while these are extensive, they should not be expected to cover all possible scenarios (and evidently they don't)... but the software should be able to provide the primary support base by trapping and resolving errors effectively. 

It is not my intent to vent frustrations, and maybe I am talking to the wrong group here so I hope that my comments get to the right ears, because if this product is to measure up to the commercial realities then I think my comments will not be construed as inflammatory or derisive.  I really just want to help.

I have downloaded the latest Mission Planner along with the driver package so there are no issues with currency (I think).