Betaflight 4.6 is shaping as much as be some of the feature-rich updates in latest reminiscence. Though it’s nonetheless in pre-release on the time of writing, most of the new options and enhancements have already confirmed to work properly for early adopters. Let’s break down the most important updates you may anticipate on this model—and whether or not it’s value upgrading now.
New Options in Betaflight 4.6
Altitude Maintain, Place Maintain & Auto-Touchdown
Probably the most thrilling addition for me needs to 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—just like how a DJI Mavic behaves.
This places Betaflight nearer to what iNav gives 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’s endorsed 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 methods 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 possibly can assign this tuning mode to a swap, and when activated, it sends stepped enter alerts (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 progressively hurries up, letting Betaflight see how your drone reacts at totally different speeds.
It will generate constant Blackbox information for evaluation, and can assist you 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 an alternative 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 making an attempt to show upright.
- Controls the flip pace so that you don’t over-rotate.
- Stops the motors mechanically as quickly as you’ve flipped upright, saving your ESCs and motors from injury.
- Permits you to immediately resume flying after a profitable flip with out doing a full disarm/re-arm, helps you get well 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 swap 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 adjustments from pink to inexperienced.
- Exhibits the battery share in a loading bar type. Goes from inexperienced to pink relying on the battery stage.
- Change shade 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 helpful for racing.
- Launch Timer Mode (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14332): Robotically 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 Stream Help: Betaflight will assist rangefinders and optical move sensors, enabling correct altitude maintain near the bottom—perfect for exact indoor or low-level out of doors flying.
Enhanced Mounted-Wing Help
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 embrace:
- 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 Based mostly on Airspeed: As a substitute of throttle enter, TPA (Throttle PID Attenuation) can now scale PID positive aspects primarily based on precise GPS-derived pace. Nice for dealing with gusty winds at excessive speeds.
- Stage-Flight and Pitch Offset Changes
Different Enhancements
Betaflight 4.6 contains over 500 new options, enhancements, and bug fixes—we’ve solely scratched the floor right here. For the total 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 continues to be in pre-release. Which means:
- There should still be bugs.
- Some deliberate options and enhancements won’t be totally carried out.
- You’ll have to arrange your flight controller from scratch—it’s not beneficial to revive your 4.5 settings attributable to potential incompatibilities.
For those who take pleasure in experimenting with the newest options and don’t thoughts troubleshooting, you may take a look at 4.6 now—ensure that to again up your present configuration first.
For those who’re pleased with how 4.5 performs or wish to be secure, it’s greatest to attend for the official launch.
Methods to Replace to Betaflight 4.6
Entry Newest Configurator
Each new Betaflight launch requires an up to date Configurator. You could use the most recent model for Betaflight 4.6—older variations might trigger compatibility points.
As a substitute of downloading and putting in, the simplest choice is to make use of the net configurator, which is already up to date to model 11.0: https://app.betaflight.com/
Observe: Betaflight 4.6 continues 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 improper, you may at all times revert to your earlier state (i.e., flash the earlier firmware then restore the preset).
Another backup methodology 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 continues to be not formally launched but, observe these further steps:
- Go to the firmware flasher tab.
- Allow the “Present Launch Candidates” choice, and choose “Improvement”.
- Auto-detect your flight controller goal or manually choose the proper one.
- Choose the newest firmware model, on this case “4.6.0”.
- Beneath Construct Configuration, choose the options and protocols you wish to embrace in your construct. The default ought to work tremendous for a quad that makes use of ExpressLRS/Crossfire. If you wish to study extra concerning the strategy of flashing, see this detailed tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/flash-update-betaflight/. For those who intent to make use of Magnetometer (compass) ensure that to pick out it within the choices in any other case it gained’t work.
For those who encounter any points whereas flashing, consult with my FC driver troubleshooting. One frequent 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 not wait to check Betaflight 4.6 on my quads!