Cheat Sheet — Multicopter Flight Modes
All MC modes with what the pilot controls vs what the autopilot handles. Modes shown with their human-readable names and requirements.
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╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ MULTICOPTER FLIGHT MODES ║ ╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ ║ Mode │ Category │ Pilot controls │ Autopilot ║ ╠═══════════════╪═══════════╪═════════════════════════╪═══════════════════════╣ ║ Acro │ Manual │ Roll/pitch/yaw rates │ Nothing ║ ║ Stabilized │ Assisted │ Roll/pitch angle, │ Levels when sticks ║ ║ │ │ yaw rate, throttle │ centered ║ ║ Altitude │ Assisted │ Roll/pitch, yaw rate, │ Holds altitude ║ ║ │ │ climb rate │ ║ ║ Position │ Assisted │ Horiz velocity, │ Holds position + ║ ║ │ │ yaw rate, climb rate │ altitude ║ ║ Position Slow │ Assisted │ Same as Position │ Velocity limited ║ ║ Orbit │ Auto │ Optional radius/speed │ Circles a GPS point ║ ║ Hold │ Auto │ — │ Loiters at GPS pos ║ ║ Mission │ Auto │ — │ Follows waypoints ║ ║ Return (RTL) │ Auto │ — │ Flies home + lands ║ ║ Land │ Auto │ — │ Descends + lands ║ ║ Takeoff │ Auto │ — │ Climbs to altitude ║ ║ Follow Me │ Auto │ — │ Follows GCS GPS ║ ║ Offboard │ Auto │ — │ External setpoints ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Cheat Sheet — Fixed-Wing Flight Modes
Fixed-wing modes use TECS for altitude/airspeed and NPFG for lateral navigation.
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╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ FIXED-WING FLIGHT MODES ║ ╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ ║ Mode │ Category │ Pilot controls │ Autopilot ║ ╠═══════════════╪═══════════╪═════════════════════════╪═══════════════════════╣ ║ Manual │ Manual │ Direct surface control │ Nothing ║ ║ Acro │ Manual │ Roll/pitch/yaw rates │ Nothing ║ ║ Stabilized │ Assisted │ Roll/pitch angle, │ Levels when sticks ║ ║ │ │ yaw, throttle │ centered ║ ║ Altitude │ Assisted │ Roll/pitch, throttle │ Holds altitude (TECS) ║ ║ Position │ Assisted │ Course + climb rate │ Altitude + course ║ ║ Hold │ Auto │ — │ Loiter circle at GPS ║ ║ Mission │ Auto │ — │ Follows waypoints ║ ║ Return (RTL) │ Auto │ — │ Flies home + loiters ║ ║ Land │ Auto │ — │ Approach + touchdown ║ ║ Takeoff │ Auto │ — │ Climb to altitude ║ ║ Offboard │ Auto │ — │ External setpoints ║ ╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Mode requirements quick reference
Manual/Acro/Stabilized: requires RC input (mode_req_manual_control). Altitude: requires local altitude estimate. Position: requires local position estimate. Mission: requires valid mission + global position. Return: requires home position + global position. Offboard: requires active offboard signal stream.