Betaflight 4.6 is shaping as much as be one of the crucial feature-rich updates in latest reminiscence. Though it’s nonetheless in pre-release on the time of writing, lots of the new options and enhancements have already confirmed to work effectively for early adopters. Let’s break down the key updates you may anticipate on this model—and whether or not it’s price upgrading now.
New Options in Betaflight 4.6
Altitude Maintain, Place Maintain & Auto-Touchdown
Probably the most thrilling addition for me must be the brand new GPS-assisted flight modes, together with Place Maintain, Altitude Maintain, and Auto-Touchdown. Now, your freestyle FPV drone can hover in place with minimal drifting—much like how a DJI Mavic behaves.
This places Betaflight nearer to what iNav affords by way of GPS-assisted options, making it particularly interesting for long-range and cinematic pilots.
- Altitude Maintain & Place Maintain (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13975): Works with or with no magnetometer, although it is strongly recommended for higher accuracy.
- Auto-Touchdown: A brand new function that helps with hands-free landings.
- GPS Rescue Enhancements: Higher altitude management and return habits.
Ought to I write a tutorial on find out how to set this up? Let me know within the remark if there’s curiosity.
Chirp Sign Generator for Tuning
The Chirp Sign Generator is a model new tuning instrument that helps you tune your quad’s PID and filtering higher.
You may assign this tuning mode to a change, and when activated, it sends stepped enter indicators (oscillations) to at least one axis at a time, first roll, then pitch, then yaw—when you can nonetheless fly usually. It begins gradual and step by step hastens, letting Betaflight see how your drone reacts at totally different speeds.
This may generate constant Blackbox information for evaluation, and can assist you to measure how the drone responds to allow them to make PID tuning extra correct.
For you as a newbie: You wouldn’t use this for on a regular basis flying—it’s extra of a diagnostic instrument to enhance tune high quality. But it surely’s cool to know your firmware can do automated “in-flight testing” now as a substitute of solely handbook stick waggling.
Turtle Mode Enhancements
This replace makes turtle mode (flip-over-after-crash) smarter and safer—particularly for highly effective quads that are inclined to over-flip or slam into the bottom when attempting to show upright.
- Controls the flip pace so that you don’t over-rotate.
- Stops the motors robotically as quickly as you’ve flipped upright, saving your ESCs and motors from injury.
- Enables you to immediately resume flying after a profitable flip with out doing a full disarm/re-arm, helps you get better quicker in races.
LED Enhancements
Two new LED upgrades:
- Adjustable LED brightness (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13776) – Now you can management LED strip brightness utilizing an AUX change or slider in your radio (setup in Adjustment tab within the configurator).
- New LED show modes (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13404) – Your LED strip can now:
- Present the variety of GPS satellites as a bar, if you get GPS lock it modifications from pink to inexperienced.
- Reveals the battery proportion in a loading bar model. Goes from inexperienced to pink relying on the battery degree.
- Change colour primarily based on barometer altitude.
Racing-Particular Enhancements
- Superior Feedforward Algorithm (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13576): A brand new rise/decay management makes quads extra responsive with out including oscillations—particularly useful for racing.
- Launch Timer Mode (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14332): Mechanically begins a timer when launch mode is activated—excellent for time-based racing.
Cinematic & Lengthy Vary Enhancements
- Higher Filtering: Extra exact RPM and dynamic notch filter placement plus improved filter initialization. That is particularly useful for heavy builds like CineLifters that want additional filtering to cope with noise. https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14150
- Rangefinder & Optical Circulation Assist: Betaflight will assist rangefinders and optical movement sensors, enabling correct altitude maintain near the bottom—perfect for exact indoor or low-level out of doors flying.
Enhanced Mounted-Wing Assist
There are a bunch of latest options added for wings, which makes Betaflight an actual contender for high-performance wing plane. I gained’t go into all the main points, however a number of the new options embody:
- S-Time period and Management Floor Compensation (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14010): A brand new management enter for dealing with servo throw primarily based on airspeed.
- TPA Primarily based on Airspeed: As a substitute of throttle enter, TPA (Throttle PID Attenuation) can now scale PID good points primarily based on precise GPS-derived pace. Nice for dealing with gusty winds at excessive speeds.
- Degree-Flight and Pitch Offset Changes
Different Enhancements
Betaflight 4.6 consists of over 500 new options, enhancements, and bug fixes—we’ve solely scratched the floor right here. For the complete listing, try the official GitHub milestone web page:
https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pulls?q=ispercent3Apr+milestonepercent3A4.6
Is there something you’re enthusiastic about that I haven’t talked about? Drop it within the feedback—I’d love to listen to your ideas.
Ought to You Improve to Betaflight 4.6?
On the time of writing, Betaflight 4.6 remains to be in pre-release. Which means:
- There should still be bugs.
- Some deliberate options and enhancements won’t be totally applied.
- You’ll must arrange your flight controller from scratch—it’s not really helpful to revive your 4.5 settings attributable to doable incompatibilities.
In the event you get pleasure from experimenting with the most recent options and don’t thoughts troubleshooting, you may take a look at 4.6 now—be sure that to again up your present configuration first.
In the event you’re proud of how 4.5 performs or wish to be protected, it’s finest to attend for the official launch.
Learn how to Replace to Betaflight 4.6
Entry Newest Configurator
Each new Betaflight launch requires an up to date Configurator. You need to use the latest model for Betaflight 4.6—older variations could trigger compatibility points.
As a substitute of downloading and putting in, the best possibility is to make use of the web configurator, which is already up to date to model 11.0: https://app.betaflight.com/
Word: Betaflight 4.6 remains to be in pre-release. There could also be bugs, so proceed at your personal danger.
Backup Settings
Again up your flight controller utilizing the Presets tab earlier than updating to Betaflight 4.6. If something goes incorrect, you may all the time revert to your earlier state (i.e., flash the earlier firmware then restore the preset).
An alternate backup technique is utilizing STM32CubeProg, which backs up your present firmware and configuration in a single file: https://oscarliang.com/backup-fc-stm32cubeprogrammer/
Flashing BF4.6
As a result of BF4.6 remains to be not formally launched but, observe these extra steps:
- Go to the firmware flasher tab.
- Allow the “Present Launch Candidates” possibility, and choose “Improvement”.
- Auto-detect your flight controller goal or manually choose the proper one.
- Choose the most recent firmware model, on this case “4.6.0”.
- Underneath Construct Configuration, choose the options and protocols you wish to embody in your construct. The default ought to work wonderful for a quad that makes use of ExpressLRS/Crossfire. If you wish to be taught extra concerning the strategy of flashing, see this detailed tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/flash-update-betaflight/. In the event you intent to make use of Magnetometer (compass) be sure that to pick it within the choices in any other case it gained’t work.
In the event you encounter any points whereas flashing, seek advice from my FC driver troubleshooting. One widespread drawback with new flight controllers is failing to enter DFU mode: https://oscarliang.com/fc-driver-issues-flash-firmware/
Remaining Ideas
Betaflight 4.6 delivers enhancements for each kind of pilot—whether or not you race, fly cinematic FPV, go long-range, freestyle, or fly mounted wings. Whereas it might not seriously change flight efficiency, the GPS options and utility upgrades stand out as probably the most thrilling. I can’t wait to check Betaflight 4.6 on my quads!