Problem loading sketch to arduino MiniQ
That error usually means that AVRdude missed the window to send something before the bootloader dropped through to the already loaded sketch.

Some arduino bootloaders have a different wait-for-program delay (or none at all)
depending on the reset source (poweron, reset pin, or watchdog).

Do you have a schematic (didn't find one on DFR site)?  Are you applying reset the
same way each time, or differently the first time (power on vs reset-from-serial-DTR maybe?)