VTOL Knowledge Base
Published technical guides for the checks that matter before another hover, transition, or retest.
Each guide below is written to answer one practical question: what to verify first, what evidence matters, and what should stay props-off until the hardware and parameter story agree.
Five core checks that prevent the most expensive guesses
Guide 1: Verifying AHRS Flight Controller Orientation Before First Hover
Before touching gains, confirm Mission Planner attitude movement matches the real aircraft and every correction is trying to oppose the disturbance.
- Check HUD pitch, roll, and yaw response with the aircraft in hand.
- Confirm board-orientation parameters match the installed controller direction.
- Reject any tuning step until wrong-way correction is cleared.
Guide 2: Props-Off Output Function Mapping & Servo Reversal Validation
Output ownership errors often look like unstable tuning. The safest first proof is a props-off actuator map and reversal check.
- Verify which outputs own hover motors, tilt servos, forward thrust, and control surfaces.
- Confirm servo reversal in the direction the aircraft actually needs.
- Document the expected motion for each channel before enabling another flight mode.
Guide 3: Tilt-Rotor Neutral Geometry and Endpoint Calibration
A tilt system must prove vertical thrust at hover neutral before transition logic can be trusted.
- Measure neutral tilt angle mechanically, not by eye alone.
- Confirm both tilt lanes agree at low, mid, and full travel.
- Set endpoints so the mechanism reaches intended geometry without stalling or binding.
Guide 4: 4+1 Lift-Plus-Cruise — Separating Hover Ownership from Forward Throttle
Lift-plus-cruise aircraft need clean separation between hover outputs and forward-thrust ownership.
- Identify the dedicated forward-thrust output and verify it is not blended into hover lanes.
- Check how VTOL and fixed-wing modes hand off authority during transition.
- Review failsafe behavior so the aircraft does not enter the wrong propulsion state under loss conditions.
Guide 5: Safe Transition Tuning — Pitch Assist and Airspeed Thresholds
Transition tuning comes after orientation, outputs, and geometry are proven. Otherwise the tune can hide the real fault lane.
- Confirm the aircraft can hold a controlled hover before transition changes.
- Review assist behavior, timing, and airspeed assumptions against the real airframe.
- Use short, logged retests and change one lane at a time.
Use the right tool before changing the aircraft again
Start with a file-backed review, then escalate to a comparison or expert review only when the remaining uncertainty still matters.