How to Setup Esc Telemetry for Current Reading

Updated 3/21/2018 – Overhauled the guide for Betaflight 3.3. Made it simpler with more than links to outside guides for specific content. If you wish to view our old Betaflight 3.i guide, you can click here.

This guide is part 2 of our Drone software setup serial. After you've flashed your Flying Controller (FC) and ESCs and configured BLHeli, the final software set-upwards you'll need to practice before getting out and flight is Betaflight. The tricky thing about this process is that flying controllers these days have more than a hundred different options that you tin can enable and configure. The goal of this guide is to get you started with the accented minimum featureset needed to go out and start flying. If this is your starting time time flying a miniquad, this is exactly what we recommend yous do. Keep it simple at first, constitute a flying baseline – and so add actress features.

Throughout this guide, we are making some important assumptions well-nigh your gear and prepare-upwardly. These assumptions are reinforced throughout our Drone Racing Guide – so if you've followed united states of america up to this point, you should exist good to go.

1. Aircraft is a quadcopter with iv motors hooked upward in standard "X" configuration.

   

   Standard motor configuration.

2. RC RX connected via PPM or Serial RX — see our article on fixing common RC receiver issues if y'all are having bug.
3. BLHeli_S ESC configured per our BLHeli set-up article. Ideally, you should have an ESC that supports DSHOT. See our ESC buyer's guide for suggestions.
4. RC TX configured properly.  If you need help setting up your transmitter, you tin can cheque out our guide here.

If you lot are using a different ready-up, certain parts of this article may not apply to you. We have linked the relevant sections from the BetaFlight documentation for this purpose. Even if y'all are not using a different set-upward, we highly encourage y'all to follow these links and learn from the rima oris of the developers who brought you this amazing software.

Install Betaflight Configurator

To do any work on your quadcopter, yous will demand to install Betaflight Configurator. This is a desktop awarding that is available for Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome. It used to be a Chrome browser awarding, but is now distributed independently from Github. You tin read how to install it in our Betaflight Configurator installation guide. If you simply want the download link, it is here:

https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight-configurator/releases

Note that Betaflight Configure is tightly bound to the Betaflight version yous are running. You must update Betaflight Configurator when you update your Betaflight firmware on your flight controller! Failure to exercise so volition ofttimes issue in some very strange bugs.

Fill-in

Before you practice anything, we recommend you make a fill-in. This volition permit you to stash away the default settings for your quadcopter or flight controller so that you lot can restore them if you totally screw it up somehow by following the steps beneath. If you don't know how to exercise a back-up, checkout our article on performing a Betaflight Fill-in.

Enable Expert Mode

The "Expert Mode" checkbox was added to hibernate tabs that some users may never use. This is a handy feature that was added to reduce the number of visible features from first time users. However – you're non the boilerplate user. You've found our site, and nosotros're going to walk you lot through how to set up your quadcopter. This includes using some of the features hidden by this checkbox. Therefore, we recommend all users just plow on "Expert Manner" permanently by clicking the gear icon in the height correct corner and checking "Permanently enable Expert Mode".

Now hit the "Connect" push button in the top right of the window. From hither on out, we're going to walk through each tab in Betaflight Configurator and show you what you need to exercise.

Ports

In this tab we set-up communication with your RC RX if yous are using SBUS, IBUS or Spektrum Satellite receiver.

The only thing that needs to be done is enabling the Series Rx switch on UART2, UART3 or UART6. On F3 flight controllers like the SPRacing F3, this will by and large be UART3. On F4 flight controllers, information technology will oft be UART4. Most flight controllers with their own firmware volition take the right box already checked. If you don't know and have a dorsum-up from a previously working country – restore the "serial" settings!Don't forget to click "Save and Reboot".

If you lot are using a PPM connection to your RC RX, don't practise anything in this tab.

Read more about ports from the Betaflight Series documentation.

Configuration

In this tab, we do basic configuration of the diverse features you want on your quadcopter. As discussed above, nosotros recommend you prepare-up the blank minimum.

And if you lot coil down –

1. Configure how your FC talks to your ESC/motors and configure their features. If you using an ESC and Flight Controller that supports DSHOT, use it. A few boosted notes for these settings:
   1. If your set-upwards supports DSHOT, we recommend starting with DSHOT600. It is a safe setting that works with everything we've used and offers fantastic performance.
   2. If you are using a flight controller or ESC that does not support DSHOT, you will need to configure a few additional options:

      

      1. Minimum Throttle: Gear up this to a value 10 digits higher than the throttle value when your motors first begin spinning. You should determine this value in the motors tab later configuring your ESCs.
      2. Maximum Throttle: Set this to the maximum throttle value your ESCs tin can recognize. In general, 2000 is a skillful setting.
      3. Minimum Command: Set this to the minimum throttle value your ESCs can recognize. The motors must be stopped at this throttle.
   3. MOTOR_STOP: Controls whether or not the motors spin up when the quadcopter is armed. When turned off, the motors will spin. Nosotros recommend you always keep this option turned off.
2. Next you'll configure the Receiver Settings:
   1. If y'all are using SBUS, IBUS or a Spektrum Satellite RX, pick "Serial-based receiver". If you are connecting via PPM, use "PPM RX Input".
   2. If you lot are using SBUS, IBUS or a Spektrum Satellite, you lot volition need to pick your Serial Receiver Provider. Follow this table:
      

      RX Type	Serial Receiver Provider
      DSM2 Satellite	SPEKTRUM1024
      DSMX Satellite	SPEKTRUM2048
      FrSky RX	SBUS
      Futaba RX	SBUS
      FlySky RX	IBUS
      Turnigy RX	IBUS
      Crossfire	CRSF

      Read more about receiver setup from the Betaflight documentation establish here.
3. Set the Other features you want to utilize. In general, we recommend you utilize the defaults and enable DYNAMIC_FILTER.Get your quadcopter flying with the bare minimum features showtime, and so add together on later on. We recommend always enabling DYNAMIC_FILTER because as of Betaflight 3.3 it represents a huge performance improvement with no downside.

Don't forget to click "Salvage and Reboot" before leaving this tab. The flight controller will reboot, you may need to manually re-connect Betaflight Configurator.

Power & Battery

Many flight controllers these days come with a built in PDB that automatically hooks up battery voltage (VBAT) readings and often electric current readings. These features are disabled by default in Betaflight and can exist enabled in the "Power & Bombardment" tab. You'll want to select "ONBOARD ADC" in nearly cases. The exception would be if you are using ESC telemetry for these readings.

If yous know the "Scale" values for your flying controller, and so you can input them at present. These can oft be found on RCGroups or the manufacturers webpage. Otherwise you volition need to make up one's mind them manually – but the defaults volition frequently be shut.

Don't forget to click "Relieve" before leaving this tab.

Receiver Tab

Later on treatment the Configuration Tab, it is best to set-up your Receiver. This is because most of the rest of the quadcopter configuration will require you to be able to interface with your quadcopter using your transmitter. To finish Receiver set-up, let's go to the "Receiver" tab adjacent. You may need to plug your battery into your quadcopter to get this tab to piece of work properly.

1. For virtually of the pilots out in that location (particularly anyone flying with a Taranis, FlySky, Turnigy or Spektrum radio) – yous will need to change the "Channel Map" to "JR / Spektrum / Graupner". One time selected, this shows up every bit "TAER1234". Practice this first and click "Save".
2. Now, turn on your RC TX and commencement moving the sticks on the different axes from total left to right and total down to total upwardly. Brand sure that the corresponding slider in the GUI moves from 1000 to 2000 and centers on 1500.
   1. The centering part is the most important for the roll/pitch/yaw channels – if it does not center at 1500, use trim or subtrims to adjust information technology (consult your Radio's user transmission). The exception is throttle, which should rest at or under 1000 when in the fully downward position – this is disquisitional, and you should use trims and end-point adjustment to fix information technology if it does not.
   2. On many radios, you volition notice that the values on the slider practise not middle directly on 1500, just chop-chop oscillate between a range of values close to 1500. Don't panic! This but means your radio Gimbals are not centering perfectly – every radio I take used has this problem. Watch the sliders for a little while and note how the largest or smallest numbers you see. At present subtract those numbers from 1500 and enter them into the deadband fields in the GUI. For example, if you are seeing a range of 1497-1500, then enter a value of '3'. If you are seeing a range of 1500-1506, enter a value of 'half-dozen'. I am seeing almost no fault on this quadcopter so I set the deadband to '2' to be safe.
3. Before yous motility to the next tab, cheque to make sure your arming and mode switches are working properly by flipping them. Yous should run into the AUX1, AUX2 or AUX3 sliders move in the GUI. Notation which switch corresponds to which slider and let'south move on.

Don't forget to click "Save" before leaving this tab.

Modes

In the "Modes" tab you will tell your flight controller what your RC controller switches do. About pilots volition want to configure two switches: an arming switch and a flight manner switch:

1. The arming switch should be spring to the "ARM". This will plough your quadcopter on and off when information technology is flipped.
2. The quadcopter's default mode is acro (also chosen "Charge per unit" mode). If no other modes (similar "HORIZON" or "Angle") are active, this is the mode it is in. Therefore, you merely demand to bind your mode switch to non-acro modes. We recommend most new pilots activate ANGLE mode to accept advantage of cocky-leveling flight – at least starting out.

If you don't run into ANGLE or HORIZON modes in this tab – it's probably because yous have the accelerometer disabled. Await for that in the Configuration tab discussed higher up. You tin can larn more about all the different modes bachelor to you in the Betaflight Modes Documentation.

Binding a mode to a switch is pretty intuitive. Here is how:

• Clicking "Add Range" on the appropriate mode.
• Figure out which TX switch you lot want to demark to this mode. If you lot don't know, go to the Receiver tab and see which AUX channels "motility" when you flip the switches on your TX.
• Pick the appropriate AUX channel for the switch yous want to use for that fashion using the drib down menu.
• Flip the switch in the on position and dragging the sliders so that they fully encompass the indicated switch nub in the GUI.
• Click "Save"
• Repeat this process for each way you lot desire to set.

Failsafe

In the Failsafe tab you'll set-up an extremely important characteristic which takes upshot if your RC Radio ever fails or if you fly out of range. This is the feature that will prevent your quadcopter from "flight off" into someones house, a forest, or wherever the winds have it. It does this by totally disarming the quadcopter presently subsequently radio signal is lost. This is generally gear up-up past default, only you should double-check it. We volition explain how below.

Earlier you go to the failsafe tab, you'll need to confirm that failsafe is working on your RC RX beginning. Go back to the Receiver tab and turn off your RC TX. Observe what happens to the throttle slider. It should instantly move from a thou to a low number between 850-950 when your TX turns off. This indicates your RC failsafe is working correctly. If this does not happen, consult your TX manual on how to set it up.

Annotation the value that throttle settles at when the TX is turned off.

The only thing you need to do in the Failsafe tab is set the "Minimum length" in the "Valid Pulse Range Settings". This value should exist at or higher up the throttle value yous encounter when you lot turn off your transmitter. For me that was 885, the default.

This is the only thing y'all need to arrange on this folio. Betaflight comes with some extra features you may want to adjust, including failsafe "staging" and behavior. You can learn more about how the Failsafe works in the Betaflight Failsafe Documentation.

Don't forget to striking "Relieve and Reboot" afterwards changing anything on this page.

PID Tuning Tab

This is the tab where you volition do almost all of your tweaking from here on out. It contains all of the settings which command how your quadcopter volition wing – as opposed to whether information technology will wing. You lot will want to somewhen learn about every field in this tab, but for your first gear up-upwards nosotros volition simply need to deal with the basics. This tab has 2 settings pages, "PID Settings" and "Filter Settings". Let'due south look at "PID Settings" starting time:

This kickoff tab tin can be ignored for beginners. Skip to the "filter' tab, described later on these next few bullet points.

1. Ready your preferred RC Rate and Rate. These values are universal across all quadcopters of equal capability – so if you lot have the aforementioned values in all your quadcopters theoretically all of your quadcopters should respond to the sticks in a very like mode. If you are just starting out and don't accept a preferred value, the defaults are very reasonable. Endeavour them out. If the quadcopter is besides sensitive to you, reduce them by about 25% and go out and fly again. The same is truthful vice versa.
2. For figuring out your stick rates, Betaflight Configurator provides a handy graph labeled '2' in the to a higher place screenshot. As you adapt your rate values the graph volition change to bear witness you how the control curves await. I don't recommend you get below a roll/pitch/yaw speed of 480 deg/s. That may audio fast but it will be lethargically slow near the center of the sticks. Yous desire to acquire to fly a racing quadcopter, right?
3. Finally, there are the PID settings. For pretty much whatever 3S or 4S quadcopter on the market, these defaults will be undertuned and should wing just fine. We recommend you become your commencement flight in earlier touching these. If yous have a buddy who has the exact same ready-up as you with a "neat flying" quadcopter, however, you lot might want to copy his PIDs. The same goes for if you bought an ARF quadcopter — hopefully you lot did a backup of the mill settings and y'all should restore the mill PIDs.See the conclusion for some handy links on where to go to acquire virtually making adjustments here.

Both PID Tuning and rate configuration are discussed in the Betaflight PID tuning documentation.

The other settings page under "PID Tuning" is the Filter Settings page:

Turn off all notch filters if you lot are using the DYNAMIC_FILTER feature.

If y'all enabled the DYNAMIC_FILTER in the Configuration tab per our suggestions, you should go alee and disable all of the notch filters in this folio (they are enabled by default). The Dynamic Filter replaces all of these notch filters, meaning yous will be using this folio much less ofttimes and then y'all might have washed previously. The only adjustment y'all might make going forward is irresolute the "D-Term Lowpass Filter", which has some new options as of Betaflight 3.3. Nosotros recommend you leave it at the default for the commencement few flights. In that location is extensive documentation on these filter on the Betaflight Wiki.

Blackbox Tab

This tab configures the flight data recorder features of your flight controller – called "Blackbox". As y'all get more proficient at flight and tuning your quadcopter, these logs volition become your best friend. Logging is now turned on by default. Data will be logged to either the onboard wink memory (so-called "dataflash bit"), or an SD bill of fare if your FC is equipped with i. If you lot are using an SD bill of fare, I would recommend that you lot plug one into your FC right now and use this tab to verify that Betaflight is able to access the SD carte and write to it:

Safe Checks

Before yous put your props back on, we recommend you perform some checks to prevent any problems when you're ready to wing.

Check Motor Direction

Go to the "Motors" tab and enable "Motor Test Mode":

As of Betaflight 3.3, you must check this box to exist able to arm the quadcopter while information technology is continued to your computer.

At present, arm your quadcopter from your transmitter. Verify that your motors are spinning in the right direction:

Check CPU Load

While the quadcopter is armed, look at the CPU load in the bottom of Betaflight Configurator:

If information technology is ever over 95%, you lot are overworking your CPU and yous volition likely have some flying issues. Try turning off some features (or overclocking it if it is a F4) to bring the CPU load back down.

Verify Failsafe

With the motors however spinning, shut off your radio TX. Your quad should disarm within 5 seconds of the TX fully powering off. If not, yous need to investigate your failsafe settings again.

Go ahead and disarm your quadcopter now.

Check Gyro

Now, lets go to the Setup tab to double-check your gyro configuration:

Check to make sure the 3D quadcopter moves identically to the real ane.

Move your quadcopter on the pitch, roll and yaw axis. Verify that the pictured quad in the setup tab moves identically to your quad. If not, investigate how you lot take your flying controller installed. The arrow on the board should be pointing towards the front of the quad.

Backup Your Configuration

Once you lot are happy with your initial configuration — back it up! This'll relieve some work if it somehow gets deleted.

Video Guide

We besides put together a video guide to make the process easy to follow!  This guide parallels the setup hither, and then y'all can watch information technology alongside your software setup.  Nosotros shot this video using Betaflight 2.nine in 2016, only it is still very relevant and closely follows this guide. Check it out!

Decision

Subsequently following all of our software setup guides, you should finally exist ready to become out and fly your miniquad. If it is your first fourth dimension flying, make certain yous have enough of space to move around and that your "LEVEL" switch is enabled so that the quadcopter self-levels. We hope you lot have a blast.

Please remember that while the default Betaflight PIDs are pretty good for virtually quadcopters, they are not always perfect. You lot may experience vibrations in turns or descents or sluggish handling. If your quadcopter vibrates in a hover, land immediately – the motors volition quickly overheat and interruption.

Read the Wiki!

The Betaflight development customs maintains an fantabulous wiki on Github which has technical details and guides on about every feature of Betaflight. These guides are a flake scattered, but are incredibly useful in one case y'all know what you lot are looking for. You can cheque it out here.

Once yous've gotten your initial configuration settled out and your quadcopter is flying, you should be able to use the wiki to enable the actress features similar telemetry, smartaudio, etc ane at a time. The wiki is a great resource for this – as is our site!

In one case you're fix to beginning tuning, bank check out our guides in this club:
Setting up a notch filter
Easy tuning using in-flight adjustments

romerostrapead1988.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.propwashed.com/betaflight-configuration-guide/

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