Installing and using Betaflight Configurator for beginners
Betaflight Configurator allows you to check and change FC (Flight Controller) settings of drones that use Betaflight as their firmware.
Here's how to install Betaflight Configurator on your Windows computer, how to use it, and some things that beginners should check first when they get a drone.
- Download Betaflight Configurator
- Install Betaflight Configurator
- Horizontal calibration and backup of settings
- Check channel map, connection status with radio
- Check functions assigned to each channel
- VTX transmission channel settings
- Using CLI commands
- Tune PID and Rate profiles
- Update FC firmware : Version-up Betaflight
- Adjust your drone on your smartphone / tablet: use SpeedyBee
- Related links
Download Betaflight Configurator
Betaflight Configurator is distributed on Github.
There is also a link called "betaflight-configurator-nightlies", but since this is a nightly build, so-called beta version, it may be unstable or contain bugs. This version is for developers, so please do not use it for general users.
There is also a version with "(RC1)" or "(RC2)" .e.t.c. added to the end of the version name, which is the Release Candidate version. As with Nightly, it may contain bugs, so general users should avoid using it as much as possible.



For Windows, click the file name ending with "_win32.exe".
OS | File name |
---|---|
Windows (7, 8, 10) | betaflight-configurator-installer_[version]_win32.exe |
Mac OS X | betaflight-configurator_[version]_macOS.dmg |
Ubuntu, debian | betaflight-configurator_[version]_amd64.deb |
Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS | betaflight-configurator-[version].x86_64.rpm |
Other Linux | betaflight-configurator_[version]_linux64.zip |
Android (Preview version) | betaflight-configurator_[version]_android.apk |



Install Betaflight Configurator




At the end of the installation, progress bar on the screen progresses very slowly, but if you leave it, installation will end soon.


Alternatively, if you turn on "Auto connect" switch at the top right of the screen, drone and computer will be connected simply by connecting the USB cable.
There are two types of USB cables: "For data communication" where all terminals are connected, and "For charging" where only power supply terminals are connected. You need to use "For data communication" to communicate with Betaflight Configurator. Please note that some cables attached to bonus of mobile phone or charger, battery are "For charging".

If you cannot connect the drone, quit Betaflight Configurator, connect the drone to your computer first, and then start Betaflight Configurator again.

Horizontal calibration and backup of settings



In previous versions, Setup screen above had a Backup button to back up your settings in Json text format, but it's gone now.
Check channel map, connection status with radio

And you can also check connection status between radio and drone in the bar graph on the left side of the screen. If you bind radio and drone, and operate sticks or switchs of the radio, bar graphs here will move. You can check that drone is receiving radio signal correctly and that each switch is set to expected channel.
If you change value on the screen, click "Save" at the bottom right of each page to reflect it on drone. Conversely, if you click "Refresh" at the bottom right, drone settings will be read and reflected on the screen.
On this screen, adjust radio so that pulse length should be 1500 μsec when you take your finger off the stick (Roll, Pitch, Yaw) of the radio. Also, adjust radio so that it is larger than the value in "Stick Heigh Threshold" column when it is swung to the maximum and smaller than the value in "Stick Low Threshold" column when it is swung to the minimum. For radios with OpenTX, these values can be adjusted on "OUTPUT" screen.
If value flutters when you take your finger off the stick, specify the width (up to about 10) in each "Deadband" column. If these are not adjusted, drone will not fly straight.
RC Deadband: Specifies the width to ignore the jitter of the center value of the roll and pitch stick.
Yaw Deadband: Specifies the width to ignore the jitter at the center value of the yaw stick.
Check functions assigned to each channel

In the example on this screen, ARM function is assigned to pulse length "1700 - 2100 μsec" of "AUX1 (channel 5)". Radio switch sends pulse of less than 1000 μsec when it is “down”, 1500 μsec when it is “center”, and 2000 μsec or more when it is “up”. This means that assigning a switch to channel 5 and switching it to "up" position will enable ARM functionality.
In addition, flight modes ANGLE and HORIZON are both assigned to "AUX2 (channel 6)". In this case, if you assign 3-position switch to channel 6, "down" position will enable ANGLE mode, "center" will enable HORIZON mode, and "up" will enable ACRO mode (ACRO mode will enable if no flight mode is specified).
VTX transmission channel settings

Select band field and channel field, and click "Save" at the bottom right of the screen to set. Transmission channels that can be used in each region are limited as follows, so please set accordingly. If you have multiple drones, keep all drones on same channel so you don't have to use goggles scanning feature.
Using CLI commands

Enter command in text box that says "Write your command here" at the bottom of the screen, and press [Enter] key to enter command. You can also save CLI exchange displayed on screen as a text file by clicking "Save to File" at the bottom right of the screen.
You can read current values of various setting values with [get] command and change them with [set] command. However, if you do not enter [save] command at the end, the changes will not be reflected in drone.
[help] command displays a list of available CLI commands.
[diff] command displays a list of differences from default values. If you type "diff all" and saving displayed result when you get drone, you can always restore it to factory defaults. Use "Save to File" or "Copy to Clipboard" button to save this in a text file.
[dump] command dumps list of settings.
[bind_rx] or [bind_rx_spi] command put drone in bind mode (if receiver is built into FC board).
On the drone manufacturer's website, execution result of the product's [diff] or [dump] commands may be called "CLI DIFF" or "CLI DUMP" and distributed as a text file. After resetting with [defaults] command, you can copy and paste the contents of this text file into "CLI" screen and press [Enter] key to initialize the drone to factory defaults.
Tune PID and Rate profiles

However, if you change these parameters indiscriminately, drone will not be able to fly. While studying the meaning of these parameters, try adjustments in order from the one you understand. Also, save initial values so that you can restore them at any time.
To make it easier, first try increasing P value and RC Rate value little by little to test the operability.
The information on each site below will be helpful.

It is also a good idea to apply it to your actual machine by referring to the initial value of VelociDrone shown in the figure.
Update FC firmware : Version-up Betaflight
You can update the FC (Flight Controller) firmware: Betaflight.


Alternatively, you can specify the firmware file saved on your computer by clicking "Load Firmware [Local]" at the bottom right of the screen. You can write the firmware obtained from the website of FC manufacturer. The extension of Betaflight firmware is ".hex".
If you turn on "Show unverified release" and select "Release and Release Candidate" on the above screen, RC (Release Candidate) version will also be displayed in the list. But RC version firmware is under evaluation and may contain bugs. Please use release version as much as possible. You may also be able to download tuned RC version of your product from the FC manufacturer's website. When using RC version, first check FC manufacturer's website.



Adjust your drone on your smartphone / tablet: use SpeedyBee
With SpeedyBee app, you can adjust the parameters of drones equipped with Betaflight 3.1.0 or later on your smartphone / tablet. Smartphones / tablets and drones are connected via Bluetooth using " Bluetooth-UART Adapter (SpeedyBee) " or via Wi-Fi using " Speedy Bee Adapter 2 (Amazon.com) ". Screen configuration of SpeedyBee app is the same as the Betaflight Configurator. If you master how to use Betaflight Configurator, you can also use Speedy Bee app.-
SpeedyBee App
CAMERA2000 LIMITED Utility free
It is an application that can set the flight controller of the drone equipped with Betaflight 3.1.0 or later. Connect to the drone using "Bluetooth-UART Adapter (Bluetooth)" or "Speedy Bee Adapter 2 (Wi-Fi)".
view details(App Store) -
Speedy Bee Adapter 2 BF/INAV/Emu Portable Configurator
Speedy Bee 2020-09-09 USD30.99
With the Built-in WIFI, Speedy Bee Adapter 2 is a full-featured BF/INAV/Emu mobile configurator help the FPV pilots go to the field to fly without carrying a heavy laptop. The lanyard-style cable is tight of connection enough, can prevent being lost. The liquid silicone cable is with two same micro USB ports on both ends, it can even easily carry 500 grams.