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Version: 6.x

Flight Controller

Flight Controller

The Flight Controller page allows you to configure the MAVLink connection between your Raspberry Pi and flight controller. UAVcast-Pro supports any MAVLink-compatible flight controller including Pixhawk, APM, Cube, and other ArduPilot or PX4-based systems.

Overview​

UAVcast-Pro uses mavlink-routerd to manage MAVLink telemetry routing. This allows you to:

  • Connect your flight controller via USB or Serial
  • Route telemetry to multiple ground control stations
  • Monitor connection health in real-time
  • Configure baud rates and communication parameters

Connection Method​

Choose how your flight controller connects to the Raspberry Pi:

  • Advantages:

    • Plug-and-play, auto-detected
    • More reliable connection
    • No GPIO pin configuration needed
    • Supports hot-plugging

  • Device Detection:

    • Most flight controllers appear as /dev/ttyACM0
    • Some may use /dev/ttyUSB0
    • UAVcast-Pro auto-detects the correct device
Best Practice

USB is the recommended connection method for most setups. It's more reliable and easier to configure than Serial/GPIO.

Serial/GPIO Connection​

  • Advantages:

    • Saves USB ports
    • More compact physical setup
    • Direct hardware connection

  • Requirements:

    • Connect flight controller TELEM port to Raspberry Pi GPIO:
      • TX (Flight Controller) → RX (GPIO 15, Pin 10)
      • RX (Flight Controller) → TX (GPIO 14, Pin 8)
      • GND → GND (Pin 6 or any ground pin)
    • Enable serial port in Raspberry Pi configuration
    • Disable serial console (if enabled)

  • Device Path: /dev/ttyAMA0 (or /dev/serial0 on some models)

Configuration Options​

Baud Rate​

  • Default value: 57600
  • Common options: 9600, 57600, 115200, 230400, 460800, 921600

Select the baud rate that matches your flight controller's telemetry port configuration.

Common baud rates by flight controller:

  • Pixhawk/Cube (ArduPilot): 57600 or 115200
  • Pixhawk (PX4): 57600
  • APM: 57600
  • Modern flight controllers: Can support up to 921600
Performance

Higher baud rates (115200+) allow faster telemetry updates but require quality cables. Start with 57600 for reliability.

Internal Telemetry Address​

This is the internal address UAVcast-Pro uses for routing telemetry.

  • Default value: 127.0.0.1:14550
  • Format: IP:PORT

When to change:

  • Advanced routing scenarios
  • Custom MAVLink router configurations
  • Integration with other onboard services
Leave Default

For most users, the default value works perfectly. Only change if you have specific routing requirements.

Enable Flight Controller​

Toggle to enable or disable the flight controller service.

  • Enabled: MAVLink router starts and telemetry is routed
  • Disabled: Service stopped, no telemetry routing

Connection Status​

The page displays real-time connection status:

  • 🟢 Connected: MAVLink HEARTBEAT messages received
  • 🔴 Disconnected: No HEARTBEAT detected
  • 🟡 Connecting: Service starting up

What is Monitored:​

  • HEARTBEAT Messages: Confirms active MAVLink communication
  • Message Rate: Number of messages per second
  • System ID: Flight controller's MAVLink system ID
  • Component ID: MAVLink component identifier
  • Autopilot Type: Detected autopilot (ArduPilot, PX4, etc.)

Service Controls​

Start/Stop Service​

Control the MAVLink router service:

  • Start: Begins telemetry routing
  • Stop: Halts all telemetry communication
  • Restart: Stops and starts the service (useful after configuration changes)
Configuration Changes

After changing baud rate or connection method, restart the service for changes to take effect.

Troubleshooting​

No Connection / Red Status​

Problem: Flight controller shows disconnected status

Solutions:

  1. Check Physical Connection:

    • Verify USB cable is securely connected
    • Try a different USB port
    • Use a quality USB cable (cheap cables can cause issues)
    • For Serial: verify GPIO wiring is correct

  2. Verify Baud Rate:

    • Ensure baud rate matches flight controller configuration
    • Check flight controller parameters (e.g., SERIAL1_BAUD in ArduPilot)
    • Try common rates: 57600, 115200

  3. Check Device Path:

    • For USB, verify device appears: ls -l /dev/ttyACM* or ls -l /dev/ttyUSB*
    • For Serial: ls -l /dev/ttyAMA0 or /dev/serial0
    • Check kernel messages: dmesg | grep tty

  4. Flight Controller Configuration:

    • Ensure telemetry output is enabled on the port
    • Verify MAVLink protocol is selected (not MSP or other protocols)
    • Check flight controller is powered and initialized

  5. Service Status:

    • Check if mavlink-routerd is running: sudo systemctl status mavlink-manager
    • View system logs: journalctl -u mavlink-manager -f

UAVcast-Pro supports:

  • MAVLink v1: Legacy protocol
  • MAVLink v2: Modern protocol with signing and extensions

The router auto-detects protocol version.

Best Practices​

  1. Use USB Connection for simplicity and reliability
  2. Start with 57600 baud and increase if needed
  3. Test connection before flight using the status indicator
  4. Monitor logs if experiencing connection issues
  5. Keep cables short (< 1 meter for USB)
  6. Use quality cables - cheap cables cause signal integrity issues
  7. Secure connections - vibration can disconnect loose cables

Next Steps​

After configuring your flight controller:

  1. Verify connection status shows 🟢 Connected
  2. Configure Ground Control Stations to route telemetry
  3. Set up VPN for remote access
  4. View live telemetry on the Flight Map