Operation Manual

Read before 

flying!

IMPORTANT
Contents

01 Meet IRIS

03 Parts

04 Charging the Battery

06 Attaching Propellers

07 Safety and Failsafes

08 Learn to Fly

11 Flight Modes

13 Return to Launch

13 Geofence

14 First Flight

19 Planning Missions

20 Flying Missions

21 Specifications and Resources

22 Learn More and Support
01

Meet IRIS.

Thank you for purchasing IRIS. 

IRIS is a personal aerial imaging platform powered by open-source 

hardware, software, and firmware. Please read this manual carefully 

before your first flight and pay close attention to safety information.

Happy flying!

Important note: When using a GoPro with IRIS, always 

ensure that the WiFi on the GoPro is turned OFF.
02

Front

Rear

antenna

status LED

battery 

compartment

USB port

front arms (blue)

safety button

rear arms (black)
03

Parts

Controller

your direct link to IRIS

Ground station radio 

with USB and Android adapters

Slide out the leg to remove it, and replace with the tall leg. 

Tighten the set screw until it sits flush with the surface. 

Do not tighten the screw beyond this point.

Use the small (1.5 mm) hex 

key to loosen the set screw 

in the bottom of the leg.

Battery kit

battery, guard bag, and charger

with international travel adapters

Propellers and tool kit

four propellers with propeller tool and 

small, medium, and large hex keys 

(1.5 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm)

Tall legs

Switch to tall legs to use IRIS with the Tarot 

Gimbal or for extra clearance on landing.
04

Charging the Battery

IRIS is powered by a rechargeable lithium polymer (LiPo) battery. Store 

the battery at half charge then charge fully before flying. Batteries must 

ship at half charge, so please charge before your first flight. Each full 

battery provides up to 22 minutes of flight time without a gimbal and 

up to 16 minutes when using a Tarot Gimbal.*

Connect charger to the 

power adapter cable and 

a wall outlet.

Connect the red cable to the 

+ port and the black cable 

to the - port.

Set the charger to 

LiPo and 3A.

Connect the white 

connector to the 3S port. 

Join the two yellow 

connectors together.

1

2

+

–

LiPo 3A

3S

3
05

Battery Safety

Secure battery inside the guard bag 

while charging. Charge until the status 

indicator displays green.

Charging Complete

4

Protect the battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing, 

and flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store 

the battery in the guard bag.

Charge the battery using a designated LiPo balance charger only. 

Always monitor the battery while charging.

Flying with a low battery is a safety risk and can render the battery 

unusable. Always discontinue use when you receive a low battery 

notification, and always fly with a fully charged battery.

Inspect the battery for damage before takeoff and after landing. 

If you observe any swelling of the package or the battery ceases 

to function, locate your local battery recycling center to dispose 

of the battery. In the US and Canada, visit call2recycle.org to find 

a location. Do not dispose of the battery in the trash.

*Flight time varies with payload, wind conditions, altitude, 

temperature, humidity, flying style, and pilot skill. See the Flight 

Checklist for instructions on managing battery levels during flight.
06

IRIS uses four propellers: two with black nuts and two with silver nuts. 

Attach the propellers with black nuts to the motors with black tops and 

the propellers with silver nuts to the motors with silver tops.

Attaching Propellers

For propellers with black nuts:

Spin clockwise to attach.

Spin counterclockwise 

to remove.

For propellers with silver nuts:

Spin counterclockwise 

to attach.

Spin clockwise to 

remove.

Each propeller has locking and unlocking direction symbols. To attach, 

spin the propeller in the direction of the locking symbol. The propellers will 

automatically tighten onto the motors when you arm IRIS before takeoff.

To remove, hold the motor in place with 

the propeller tool, and spin the propeller 

in the direction of the unlocking symbol.
07

IRIS has powerful motors and high-speed propellers. Never place your hands 

near propellers while IRIS is armed or the safety button displays solid red. 

Always press the safety button until it displays blinking red before handling. 

Always fly in an open area away from people and buildings; do not attempt to 

fly indoors or in a confined space. Do not fly over people, near airports, or in any 

situation that could pose a hazard to those around you. Always fly within your 

line of sight and in compliance with local regulations. IRIS will not avoid 

obstacles on its own. As the operator, it is your job to recognize and avoid 

obstructions while flying. Always follow the preflight and postflight steps in the 

order described in this manual, and remain attentive at all times while flying.

Environmental factors, such as wind and GPS irregularities, can cause instability 

in flight. IRIS will attempt to compensate for these factors by triggering a failsafe 

if it detects an unsafe flying condition due to loss of controller signal, loss of GPS 

signal, or low battery (see below for details). To avoid potential hazards due to 

environmental factors, identify the boundaries of your flying area before takeoff, 

and recover IRIS manually by switching into standard (STD) if it moves outside 

your designated flying area. If you observe any inconsistent behavior, land, and 

consult the troubleshooting guide at 3dr.com/iris/info.

Failsafes

Loss of RC signal

Always use the controller as a primary or backup control system when flying. 

Ensure that the controller is turned on any time IRIS is powered. If contact with 

the controller is lost during flight, IRIS will land and display a blinking yellow LED. 

If IRIS is more than 2 meters (6.5 feet) from the launch point, it will return to 

launch (RTL) before landing. (See page 13 for more information about RTL.)

Loss of GPS signal

IRIS requires an active GPS signal before takeoff. If IRIS loses GPS signal in flight, 

it will trigger a GPS failsafe, indicated by a blinking blue and yellow LED with a 

high-high-high-low tone, and automatically switch to manual control (standard 

- altitude hold mode). Always be prepared to regain manual control of IRIS at 

any time while flying and choose an unobstructed flying area to improve GPS 

signal strength. When flying a mission, we recommended changing the GPS 

failsafe behavior to land. (Visit 3dr.com/iris/info for more information about 

configuring the GPS failsafe.)

Low battery

When the battery reaches 25% of its remaining charge, IRIS will land and display 

a blinking yellow LED with a quick repeating tone. If IRIS reaches the low battery 

limit during a mission, it will return to the launch point before landing.

Safety
08

Maneuver IRIS in flight using 

the controller sticks.

left stick:

throttle

& yaw

right stick:

pitch

& roll

Left Stick

Left Stick

Lower the throttle 

stick below center 

to decrease altitude. 

Set the throttle stick 

to center to maintain 

the current altitude.

left stick

Left Stick

Left Stick

Move the left stick up and down to control altitude.

Throttle

Learn to Fly

Set the throttle stick 

fully down to land 

once IRIS is a few 

inches above the 

ground.

Left Stick

To take off and to 

gain altitude, raise the 

throttle stick slightly 

above center position.

Left Stick Left Stick
09

Flight Tip

When adjusting orientation, move the left stick horizontally without changing its 

vertical position.

ver + Land

wer just slightly

hover

ft Yaw

Left

Righ

ght Yaw

activate

d until propellers

p spinning

ver + Land

wer just slightly

hover

ft Yaw

Left

Righ

ght Yaw

activate

ld until propellers

p spinning

Move the stick to 

the left to rotate 

counterclockwise.

Move the stick 

to the right to 

rotate clockwise.

left stick

Left Stick

Release the stick to 

stop rotating and 

maintain the current 

orientation.

Move the left stick horizontally to rotate IRIS and change orientation. 

For a slow rotation, move the stick slightly away from the center

in either direction. Moving the stick farther from the center creates 

a faster rotation.

Yaw

Left Stick
10

Left

Back

Forward

Right

Left

Back

Forward

Right

Move the right 

stick forward to 

fly forward.

right stick

Move the right 

stick back to fly 

backward.

The right stick allows you to control IRIS’ position in the air. Move the right 

stick to tell IRIS to move in that direction: forward (toward the blue arms), 

back (toward the black arms), left (toward the left arms), or right (towards 

the right arms). How far you move the stick from the center before releasing 

it tells IRIS how fast to move. 

Pitch and Roll

Left

Back

Forward

Right

Left

Back

Forward

Right

Move the right 

stick left to fly 

left.

Move the right 

stick right to fly 

right.

Flight Tip

IRIS moves according to its orientation. The blue arms and white lights face 

forward, and the black arms and red lights face backward. Before using the right 

stick, use yaw to keep IRIS facing in outward orientation so that the black arms and 

red lights face towards you and the blue arms and white lights face away from you.
11

Standard (altitude hold mode)

STD

fly manually

Start your flight in standard to select altitude hold 

mode, and fly IRIS manually using the controller.

Loiter mode

LTR

hover

Select loiter to set IRIS to hover in place automatically. Use the 

controller to adjust IRIS’ position then release the sticks to hold 

that position. Loiter is a great way for beginners to learn how to fly! 

If you’re new to flying, start your first flight in loiter instead of standard.

Flight Modes

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

mode switch

IRIS includes three flight modes: manual flight 

(STD-altitude hold), hover mode (LTR-loiter), and 

mission flight (AUTO). Use the switch on the 

right side of the controller to select a flight mode.

To avoid sudden changes in altitude, set the throttle stick 

to center position before switching modes, including in the 

event of a GPS failsafe.
12

Auto mode

AUTO

fly a mission

Select auto mode to fly an autonomous mission. IRIS will 

automatically fly the series of waypoints saved to the autopilot. 

See pages 19 and 20 for instructions on planning and flying missions.

Do not activate auto mode unless you have saved a 

mission to IRIS using a ground station application.

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

Gimbal control

TILT

tilt the camera up and down

Connect a Tarot Gimbal (sold separately), and use the TILT knob to 

control the angle of the camera in flight. Visit 3dr.com/iris/info for 

instructions.

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Land

CH 7

land at the current position

Set the CH 7 switch to ON to end your flight and land IRIS at its 

current position. Once you activate land, set the throttle stick fully 

down, and IRIS will automatically disarm after landing. IRIS will not 

disarm automatically unless the throttle stick is set fully down.

Reposition during landing: During landing, use the 

right stick on the controller to adjust IRIS’ position.
13

land at the launch point

Set the RTL switch to ON to end your flight and return 

IRIS to the launch point automatically. Ensure that the 

RTL switch is set to OFF before takeoff.

RTL returns IRIS to the location where IRIS was armed. 

Always arm IRIS in a safe, unobstructed launch point.

When commanded to RTL, IRIS will:

1 Achieve minimum altitude of 15 m (50 ft) 

or maintain current altitude if above 15 m.

2 Move to launch point and loiter for 5 seconds.

3 Land at launch point. launch point

1 15 meters 2

3

hover 5 seconds

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

Return to Launch (RTL)

Reposition during landing: During landing, use the 

right stick on the controller to adjust IRIS’ position.

A safety fence restricts IRIS to within 300 meters (980 feet) of the 

launch point and under 100 meters (320 feet) in altitude. If IRIS reaches 

the edge of the geofence, it will initiate an automatic return to launch.

launch point

100 m

300 m

Geofence

In the event of a GPS failsafe, the horizontal geofence will be disabled. 

If IRIS breaches the vertical geofence during a GPS failsafe, it will land at 

its current position.
14

First Flight

Select an open area for flying, away from people and buildings, and 

remember to bring the Flight Checklist and a fully charged battery. 

Determine the boundaries of your flying area before takeoff, and select 

a level, unobstructed space as a launch point. Follow these preflight 

and postflight steps in the order shown here and on the Flight Checklist 

every time you fly.

1

Preflight

Check 

IRIS.

Point the controller antenna up 

and the IRIS antenna down for 

the strongest signal.

Ensure that the RTL switch 

is set to OFF.

Set the mode switch to standard (STD).

If you’re new to flying, try starting your first 

flight in loiter (LTR) instead of standard.

2 Power on 

controller.

Ensure that the controller is always turned on while 

IRIS is powered. If IRIS loses communication with 

the controller in flight, IRIS will initiate an automatic 

return to launch.
15

3 Connect battery.

Press the sides of the battery 

compartment together and 

rotate the door down.

Insert battery, and attach the yellow 

connectors. To close, squeeze the door, 

and rotate up until it clicks into place, 

ensuring that the battery cables do not 

interfere with the LED cables.

Place IRIS at the launch point 

with the black arms facing 

towards you and the blue arms 

facing away from you.

Connect the radio to your ground station, and select Connect.

An optional ground station lets you view live data in 

flight and unlock IRIS’ advanced autonomous features. 

To download a ground station app for you laptop or 

Android device, visit 3dr.com/iris/info.

Press and hold the DN button on the controller to 

view flight data from IRIS. See the Flight Checklist 

for more information about controller flight data.
16

Do not handle IRIS while the 

safety button is solid red and 

IRIS is live. Always press the 

button until it displays blinking 

red before approaching 

the propellers.

Autopilot ready, GPS locked

Acquiring GPS, please wait.

Initializing, please wait. 

4 Press safety 

button.

Press the safety button 

until it is solid red.

IRIS is now live. 

Stand back!

5 Check LED.

Check the LED to view the status of IRIS. Wait 

to proceed until you see the blinking green light 

indicating that IRIS has acquired GPS lock.

Error, disconnect battery and restart 

flight procedure. See the troubleshooting 

guide at 3dr.com/iris/info.

6

To activate the motors, 

hold the left stick down-right 

until the motors spin. 

Now you’re ready for takeoff! 

Arm motors.

IRIS will spin its propellers 

when armed. Ensure that the 

launch point is clear of 

obstructions before arming. 

Always disarm the motors 

before approaching IRIS.

Motors inactive, safe to handle Motors active, deactivate before 

handling

GPS lock requires a clear view of the 

sky. IRIS may take a few minutes to 

acquire GPS lock depending on your 

flying location. Always fly in an open 

area to improve GPS signal strength, 

and review the GPS failsafe 

information on page 7.
17

Flight

Left Stick

Take off and gain altitude by 

raising the left stick slightly 

above center.

Left Stick

Fly forward, backward, left, or right 

by moving the right stick in the 

direction you want to fly.

Left Stick

Release the right 

stick to level IRIS.

Left Stick

Lower the left 

stick below center 

to descend.

Left Stick

Set the left stick to 

center to maintain 

the current altitude.

Rotate counterclockwise and 

clockwise by 

moving the left 

stick left and right. 

IRIS is a powerful and agile 

flier. Move the sticks in small 

increments until you feel 

comfortable with how IRIS 

responds to controls.

Left Stick

Set the left stick fully 

down to land once IRIS 

is a few inches above 

the ground.

!
18

Postflight

1 Disarm 

motors.

After landing, hold 

the left stick downleft until the motors 

stop spinning.

2 Press safety 

button.

Press the safety 

button until it 

displays blinking 

red to make IRIS 

safe to handle.

3 Disconnect 

battery. 4 Power off 

controller.

Your first flight is now complete!

Follow the steps shown here and 

on the Flight Checklist every time 

you fly.

Tips for New Fliers: Practice these exercises to help you master flight controls.

Skill 1: Hover

Your first step is to maintain a consistent altitude while keeping IRIS oriented so 

the black arms face towards you and the blue arms face away from you. Practice 

taking off, rising to a comfortable hovering altitude, and keeping IRIS in place 

without allowing for any changes in orientation or position. If IRIS drifts forward, 

backward, left, or right, or rotates clockwise or counterclockwise, use the 

corresponding stick controls to correct.

Skill 2: Box

When you feel comfortable with your ability to maintain a consistent hovering 

altitude, try flying a box pattern. To practice this, take off, reach your hovering 

altitude, then fly forward, right, backward, and left by making small adjustments 

to the right stick. Make sure to fly the box in front of you and not around you. 

Use the left stick to rotate IRIS so the black arms face towards you and blue arms 

face away from you for the duration of the exercise.

Skill 3: Figure Eight

When you can confidently navigate a box while maintaining altitude and 

orientation, try flying a figure-eight pattern. Once again, make sure to fly the figure 

eight in front of you and not around you. Use the right stick to create a smooth 

flight path while using the left stick to correct orientation and maintain altitude.
19

Planning Missions

1 Power IRIS, connect the radio to your laptop 

or Android device, and select Connect.

2 Configure waypoints.

To plan a mission, download a ground station application from 

3dr.com/iris/info, and install onto your laptop or Android device.

DroidPlanner 2 for Android

Mission Planner for Windows

When flying missions, we recommend changing the GPS 

failsafe behavior to set IRIS to land in the event of a loss of 

GPS signal. For instructions, visit 3dr.com/iris/info.

Connect the blue end of the 

Android adapter to your device 

and the black end to the radio.

Select Connect.

Select Edit and tap to add 

waypoints, or select the brush 

tool and draw a path for IRIS 

to follow.

Select Flight Plan, and click to 

add waypoints. Select the green 

arrows at the bottom of the 

screen to configure altitude and 

change waypoint types.

3 Save the mission to IRIS.

Select Write WPs. Select the option menu in 

the top-right corner, and 

select Send Mission.

Connect the USB adapter to the 

radio and your laptop. Select 

AUTO, 57600, and Connect.

APM Planner for OS X
20

To avoid sudden changes 

in altitude when switching 

from auto to standard (STD), 

ensure that the left stick is 

set to the center position.

Fly a brief test flight to verify 

that all controls (throttle, yaw, 

roll, and pitch) are responding 

normally.

1 Perform a pre-mission 

test flight.

If you planned a takeoff waypoint into 

your mission, switch to AUTO on the 

ground, and raise the throttle to initiate 

the mission. If you did not add a takeoff 

waypoint, switch to AUTO mode after 

takeoff to initiate the mission in flight.

3 Switch to

AUTO.

When the mission is complete and IRIS has landed, 

use the controller to switch to standard (STD) then 

disarm and proceed with the postflight steps. 

If you added an automatic landing waypoint to your 

mission, IRIS will disarm automatically after landing.

4 Switch to standard

before disarming.

To recall IRIS during a mission, 

use the controller to switch 

to standard (STD) and land 

manually. Or switch to RTL, 

and automatically return to 

the launch point.

2 Arm IRIS 

in standard.

When you’re ready 

to start the mission, 

arm IRIS in standard 

(STD).

Flying Missions

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Left Stick

For auto-takeoff, 

raise throttle to 

start mission.
21

Specifications

Autopilot: Pixhawk v2.4.5

Firmware: ArduCopter 3.2

GPS: 3DR uBlox GPS with Compass (LEA-6H module, 5 Hz update)

Telemetry radio: 3DR Radio Telemetry v2 (915 mHz or 433 mHz)

Motors: 920 kV

Frame type: V

Propellers: 9.5 x 4.5 T-Motor multirotor self-tightening counterclockwise (2)

 9.5 x 4.5 T-Motor multirotor self-tightening clockwise (2)

Battery: 3S 5.1 Ah 8C lithium polymer

Low battery voltage: 10.5 V

Maximum voltage: 12.6 V 

Battery cell limit: 3S

IRIS is compatible with 3S lithium polymer batteries only. 

Using a 4S battery can cause permanent damage to the gimbal electronics and will void 

the warranty.

Payload capacity: 400 g (.8 lbs)

Radio range: up to 1 km (.6 miles)

Flight time: 16-22 minutes, depending on payload

Resources

Hardware: 3dr.com/iris/info

Firmware: copter.ardupilot.com

Software: planner.ardupilot.com and planner2.ardupilot.com

3DR Store: store.3dr.com

Community: diydrones.com

Happy flying!
Support

Learn More

Visit 3dr.com/iris/info to learn about:

» 3PVTM Follow Me and DroidPlanner

» Opening the shell

» Replacing the arms and motors

» Installing software

» Planning a mission

» Updating firmware

» LED meanings and tones

Visit copter.ardupilot.com to learn about:

» Additional flight modes

» Configuring parameters, including yaw behavior during 

 autonomous flight, descent speed during RTL, and more

Visit planner.ardupilot.com (Mission Planner) and 

planner2.ardupilot.com (APM Planner) to learn about:

» Planning a mission with waypoints and events

» Using a ground station to command IRIS in flight

» Downloading and analyzing flight logs

Join the community and share your experience at 

diydrones.com.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @3drobotics.

For customer support, contact us at help@3dr.com

or call our support line at +1 (858) 225-1414 

Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm, PST.

Iris+ Operation Manual vC | ©3D Robotics, Inc. | 13 October 2014