Prerequisites¶
Before you can flash and use your Luma P1, you need to gather a few tools and downloads.
Hardware¶
You will need the following physical items:
- Luma P1 camera (one or more)
- LumaSwitch (optional but recommended for multi-camera PoE setups)
- USB-C cable — required to connect the Luma to the programming laptop for flashing
- Ethernet cables (×3 recommended) — for networking during calibration
- Programming laptop — Windows, macOS, or Linux
- Vision calibration board — for the calibration step
- Surface to prop the Luma on — during calibration
- Tape or labels — to mark which cameras have been flashed
Using LumaSwitch?
For switch mounting, wiring, fuse setup, and PoE behavior, see the LumaSwitch Overview & Mounting.
Software Downloads¶
Download and install the following on your programming computer before you start:
1. RPIBoot¶
RPIBoot is required to put the Luma P1 (Raspberry Pi CM5) into USB mass-storage mode so you can flash it.
Download Link
See the official Luma docs for the current download link.
Install the RPIBoot executable. After installation, search for "cm5" in the Windows Start Menu—you should see an entry called rpiboot-CM4-CM5 - Mass Storage Gadget.
Follow the instructions in the official Raspberry Pi documentation for building RPIBoot from source.
2. Raspberry Pi Imager¶
The Raspberry Pi Imager is used to write the PhotonVision image to the Luma P1.
Use Raspberry Pi Imager — not Balena Etcher
The flashing process requires Raspberry Pi Imager specifically. Do not use Balena Etcher or other imaging tools, as these do not support the required options.
Download Link
Download from raspberrypi.com/software.
3. Latest PhotonVision Image for Luma P1¶
This is the firmware image that will be written to the camera.
Download Link
See the official Luma docs for the current release download.
4. FRC Game Tools (for calibration)¶
FRC Game Tools includes the Driver Station and other utilities needed during setup.
Download Link
See the official Luma docs for the current download link.
Summary Checklist¶
Before proceeding to the Flashing Guide, confirm you have everything:
- Luma P1 camera(s)
- USB-C cable
- RPIBoot installed
- Raspberry Pi Imager installed
- Latest PhotonVision image for Luma P1 downloaded
- Programming laptop
Once all items are confirmed, proceed to Flashing your Luma P1.