Manual Mode? Atti Mode? GPS Mode?

[Vermiform]

I thought I knew what these terms mean, but now I'm not so sure. Please correct me if I'm wrong:

Manual Mode: Multirotor does not level out when aileron/rudder stick is released.

Atti Mode: multirotor remains level unless input is given, but altitude is not maintained by FC.

GPS Mode: Not even sure at all here. Is this the mode where orientation of mutirotor is not relevant and controls only respond in relation to the pilots location?

 

[maxwelltub]

Atti Mode also holds altitude, GPS mode will hold the aircraft in place when there are no stick inputs. There are other modes within GPS like orientation lock, or "intelligent" orientation lock, this mode makes it so you "can't loss orientation."

 

[Vermiform]

So when people refer to manual mode, the copter does not level itself when there is no input?

 

[maxwelltub]

Correct. It is much much harder, but allows you to go a lot faster and climb out a lot lot faster. Good for racing.

 

[Vermiform]

So what would you call the mode that only levels a quad?

 

[maxwelltub]

Atti. Also holds altitude

 

[Vermiform]

Understood. Thanks for helping me sort it out in my head!

 

[Old Man]

With APM or Pixhawk that would be called "Stabilize". Altitude is not held.

 

[Vermiform]

I figured pixhawk would have that option. Most of the flying I do with my Blade 200qx, Nano, and my S500 with thunderqq FC is Stabilized flying then. I can still nose-in hover in non-stabilized but it is nerve racking. I can't imagine doing it on a heavy bird with $2k worth of equipment on board. I'd need a diaper for starters......

 

[MadMonkey]

With APM or Pixhawk that would be called "Stabilize". Altitude is not held.

Yep. Different companies give their modes different names.

Acro, sport, drift, guided, circle, position, follow me, heading lock, home lock, loiter, rate, angle, horizon, baro, mag, headfree, attitude, GPS, etc... there isn't much standardization on terms from what I've seen.

That being said, there ARE some other modes out there, but I'd venture to guess that the vast majority of us use Manual, Attitude and GPS modes as described.

 

[Old Man]

Agreed. Most don't explore much beyond what they find most convenient. The flip and roll flyers will use Acro a lot. Photographers would use Atti. APM provides Altitude Hold, Position Hold, and Loiter for that kind of operation, while adding a Simple or Super Simple option to assure the user can avoid loss of orientation. Vector uses the term Cartesian.

Standardized terminology would be nice but we have the issue of one firm having a heck of a lot more flight modes than others and one of the "others" holds market advantage so people become overwhelmed when they hear of flight modes they are not already familiar with.

OTH, Atti/Stabilized mode is the one people just getting started should spend a lot of time with. Once you can handle those and maintain orientation nose in and out you have things pretty well under control. Constant practice in this mode will help keep you sharp, and it's the one you'll be using when GPS modes fail.