Betaflight is the firmware that runs almost every FPV freestyle and racing quad. Its configurator looks intimidating at first, but you only need a handful of tabs to get flying. This guide goes tab by tab in the order you should set them up.
Before you start: remove props. Install the latest Betaflight Configurator (desktop app or the web version), and have your flight controller’s manual open for its UART and pad layout.
1. Flash or update firmware
If your board shipped with old firmware, open Firmware Flasher, select your board’s target, choose the latest stable release, and enable the options you need (for example GPS, your radio protocol and your VTX protocol). Back up your settings with the diff all command in the CLI tab first if the board was already configured.
2. Setup tab: orientation and calibration
- Place the drone on a level surface and click Calibrate Accelerometer.
- Tilt the drone and check the 3D model follows. If it moves the wrong way, set the board alignment in the Configuration tab.
3. Ports tab
Each UART on the board is a serial port. Assign them:
- Serial RX on the UART where your receiver is wired.
- VTX control on the VTX UART: SmartAudio, IRC Tramp or MSP DisplayPort, depending on your video system.
- GPS on the GPS UART, if you have one.
Leave UART for USB/MSP enabled. Save and reboot.
4. Configuration tab
- ESC protocol: DShot600 is a common choice. Use DShot300 on older or slower setups.
- Bidirectional DShot: enable it if your ESC firmware supports it. It allows RPM filtering, one of the best filters in Betaflight.
- Motor poles: usually 14 for 5-inch motors and 12 for many small whoop motors. Check your motor’s spec.
- Receiver mode: Serial-based receiver, with CRSF for ExpressLRS.
5. Receiver tab
Move your sticks and confirm each bar moves the right channel: roll, pitch, yaw and throttle. If channels are swapped, change the channel map (AETR is standard). Check that stick ranges are close to 1000–2000, with center around 1500.
6. Modes tab
Assign switches on your radio:
- ARM on a two-position switch. Always.
- ANGLE for self-leveling while you learn.
- FLIP OVER AFTER CRASH (turtle mode) to flip a crashed quad.
- BEEPER to find a lost quad.
- GPS RESCUE if you have GPS.
7. Motors tab
Battery connected, props off:
- Accept the safety warning.
- Spin each motor one at a time with its slider and confirm it matches the diagram’s position and direction. The default layout is “props in.”
- Reverse any wrong motor using the ESC configurator or the motor direction settings.
8. Failsafe tab
- Stage 1: the default short delay is fine.
- Stage 2: Drop for most freestyle flying in open areas, or GPS Rescue for long-range builds with GPS.
- Test it: arm with props off, switch off your radio, and confirm the motors stop.
9. OSD tab
Add at minimum: battery voltage (or average cell voltage), flight timer, RSSI or link quality, warnings and crosshairs. Place them around the edges so they don’t block your view.
10. Presets and tuning
Open the Presets tab and look for presets for your frame size and style, or your board maker’s recommended tune. Presets are a good starting point. Then refine with PID tuning and set your stick feel with rates.
Understanding the CLI
The CLI (command line interface) tab gives direct access to every Betaflight setting:
diff all: shows every setting you’ve changed from default. Use it for backups and when asking for help.status: shows the CPU load, gyro and arming status.get <name>: searches settings by name, for exampleget vtx.set <name> = <value>: changes a setting.save: saves and reboots.
Betaflight setup by build type
| Setting | Whoop | 5-inch freestyle | 7-inch long range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor poles | Usually 12 | Usually 14 | Usually 14 |
| Failsafe stage 2 | Drop | Drop | GPS Rescue |
| Rates | Moderate | Freestyle | Smooth, lower |
| VTX power | Low | Moderate | Depends on rules |
| GPS | No | Optional | Yes |
Common setup mistakes
- Forgetting to enable Serial RX on the receiver UART.
- Wrong motor pole count, which breaks RPM filtering.
- No arm switch or arming on the same switch as another mode.
- Not testing failsafe.
- Skipping the backup before flashing firmware.
Keeping Betaflight updated
New Betaflight versions add features and fix bugs. Before upgrading:
- Back up with
diff all. - Read the release notes for changes.
- Flash, then reconfigure carefully. Pasting an old
diff allinto a new major version can bring over settings that no longer apply; reapplying key settings by hand is often safer.
11. Back up your setup
Open the CLI tab, type diff all, and save the output to a text file. If you ever need to reflash, you can paste it back in seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which DShot protocol should I use?
DShot600 is a common default on modern flight controllers. DShot300 is a safe choice on slower boards or when you see motor signal errors.
Why won't my Betaflight quad arm?
Check the arming flags in the Setup tab. Common causes are throttle not at zero, the drone not level after calibration, an active failsafe, or being connected to USB with certain settings.
What is bidirectional DShot?
A feature that lets the ESC send motor RPM data back to the flight controller, enabling RPM filtering, which cuts motor noise very effectively.
How do I back up my Betaflight settings?
In the CLI tab, type diff all and save the output to a text file. You can paste it back into the CLI later to restore your settings.