Tool
Field cards
The things you need to hand at the field, as cards to print or save as PDF: checklist, voltages, channels, emergencies, Betaflight commands and your drone’s card.
Six cards designed to go in your field bag. They print two per A4 sheet (A5 size): fold them, laminate them or save them as a PDF on your phone to check without signal.
In the print dialog, choose “Save as PDF” if you don’t want paper. Turn off the browser’s margins and headers so they come out clean.
fpv.cat · card 1
Before every flight
- Props undamaged, the right way round and tightened
- Battery charged, firmly strapped and with the lead away from the props
- Receiver and VTX antennas in place
- Area clear of people and a spotter beside you
- Goggles on the channel you agreed on; check nobody else is flying on it
- Radio on before the drone; arm on the switch
- First, a short hover: if anything makes a strange noise, land
Afterwards: touch the motors. Warm is fine; hot, don’t fly again until you know why.
fpv.cat · card 2
LiPo voltages
| Cells | Full | Storage | Land (in flight) | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1S | 4.20 | 3.80 | 3.50 | 3.00 |
| 2S | 8.40 | 7.60 | 7.00 | 6.00 |
| 3S | 12.60 | 11.40 | 10.50 | 9.00 |
| 4S | 16.80 | 15.20 | 14.00 | 12.00 |
| 6S | 25.20 | 22.80 | 21.00 | 18.00 |
For LiHV, full is 4.35 V per cell. If you won’t fly for a few days, leave them at storage voltage.
Puffed, punctured or hot after charging: don’t use it. Always charge it in a fireproof bag and within sight.
fpv.cat · card 3
Video channels in a group
| Pilots | EU licence-free band (25 mW) | With a licence |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | F1 · F7 | R1 · R8 |
| 3 | F1 · B6 · A1 | R1 · R4 · R8 |
| 4 | In heats | R1 · R2 · R7 · R8 |
Before plugging in the battery, ask who’s flying and on which channel. Power up the VTX in pit mode if it has one.
For more pilots or mixed systems: channel planner at fpv.cat/calculadores.
fpv.cat · card 4
If something goes wrong
- You lose video
- Gentle throttle and let it climb straight up; if it doesn’t come back in a couple of seconds, disarm over a safe area.
- Radio failsafe
- The motors stop (or it returns with GPS if you’ve set that up). Note where it falls.
- Lost drone
- Check the DVR and the last GPS position on the OSD. If it has a buzzer, turn it on from the radio.
- Someone enters the area
- Land or fly away. No flight is worth a scare.
- Smoking battery
- Disconnect it if you can do so safely, move it away from everything, onto soil or sand, and don’t touch it until it cools down.
fpv.cat · card 5
Pocket Betaflight
diff all- A copy of everything you’ve changed. Always save it.
status- Status, CPU load and flags that prevent arming.
get name- Shows a parameter (or those containing the name).
set name = value- Changes a parameter.
save- Saves and reboots. Without it, nothing sticks.
OSD menu with the sticks: throttle centred, yaw left and pitch up.
Won’t arm? Check the message on the OSD or connect it to the fpv.cat assistant.
fpv.cat · card 6
My drone’s card
- Name
- Firmware and version
- Receiver (UART and binding)
- VTX channel and power
- Rates
- Batteries and voltage alarm
- Props
- Date of last diff