Windows

The DragonFly Windows software includes the main application, the ASCOM drivers and the Configurator — all in a single installer. The ASCOM platform must be installed first, even if you plan to use DragonFly as a standalone unit without an astronomy application. It is free and available from the ASCOM Standards website.

Version 7.0.0 — March 2026

This release brings a cleaner, unified interface — the extra configuration window that launched alongside the main program has been eliminated. Everything is now in one window.

  • Single-window interface: the separate configuration window is gone.
  • Macro execution now requires relay access — ensure relays are properly configured before running macros.
  • Multiple DragonFly units from one PC: refer to the operating several DragonFlies guide for the updated procedure.

Downloads

Version history

  • 6.3.1 (April 2024) — Fixed issues with N.I.N.A beta compatibility.

Linux & macOS

Linux and macOS users can use the DragonFly through the INDIGO and INDIlib frameworks, both of which include DragonFly drivers. INDIGO is the recommended framework for new setups.

OSX Configurator 1.5 — March 2020

The standalone Configurator app for macOS lets you set up the DragonFly controller without the full Windows software stack.

Mobile apps

The DragonFly companion app is available for Android and iOS. It lets you monitor sensors, toggle relays and receive push notifications from your observatory — even without a PC running.

Manual firmware update with SAM-BA / BOSSA

If the standard drag-and-drop firmware update via the DragonFly software fails, you can update the firmware manually using the SAM-BA or BOSSA programming tools. This procedure programs the Atmel microcontroller directly over USB and is the recovery path when the controller cannot be reached over the network.

When to use this: Only follow this procedure if the standard firmware update fails, or if the controller is stuck in an unresponsive state and cannot be reached from the software.

What you need

  • A USB cable (USB-A to USB-B, the same type used for Arduino boards)
  • SAM-BA programming tool (from Microchip/Atmel) or BOSSA
  • The DragonFly firmware file (.bin format)

Step 1 — Connect over USB

Connect the DragonFly to your PC using a USB cable. The controller will appear in Windows Device Manager as an Atmel device or COM port. Note the COM port number assigned to it.

Atmel device in Windows Device Manager Atmel COM port assignment

Step 2 — Open SAM-BA or BOSSA

Launch the SAM-BA programming tool (or BOSSA if you prefer the simpler interface). Select the COM port that matches the DragonFly, and choose AT91SAM3U4E as the target device.

BOSSA tool interface

Steps 3–9 — Flash the firmware

The remaining steps in SAM-BA walk you through selecting the firmware binary and writing it to flash memory. The sequence of screens is shown below:

SAM-BA step 1 SAM-BA step 2 SAM-BA step 3 SAM-BA step 4 SAM-BA step 5 SAM-BA step 6
SAM-BA step 7 — complete DragonFly PCB boards

After flashing: Disconnect the USB cable and reconnect the DragonFly's Ethernet cable. Power-cycle the unit. It should now boot with the new firmware and be reachable from the software as normal.