Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013-01-21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

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Operators handbook 

md4-1000
 Operators handbook | md4-1000 

Revision 2013-01-21, ©2012, microdrones GmbH

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Table of contents

1. General ................................................................................................................................................ 4

1.1. Safety instructions............................................................................................................................ 6

1.2. Statutory regulations for using the microdrone............................................................................... 8

1.3. Export terms..................................................................................................................................... 8

1.4. Technology and history .................................................................................................................... 9

1.5. System overview ............................................................................................................................ 10

2. The microdrone md4-1000................................................................................................................ 11

2.1. General mode of operation of the md4-1000 microdrone............................................................ 11

2.1.1. Drive motor and motor controller............................................................................................... 12

2.1.2. The main on-board electronics ................................................................................................... 12

2.2. Opening / putting on the cover...................................................................................................... 13

2.3. Inserting and connecting the flight battery.................................................................................... 14

2.4. The rotors....................................................................................................................................... 15

2.5. Opening out and locking the arms................................................................................................. 16

2.6. The connections of the md4-1000 ................................................................................................. 17

2.6.1. Configuration and data terminal................................................................................................. 17

2.6.2. The control wires of the md4-1000............................................................................................. 17

2.6.3 The servo connections of the md4-1000...................................................................................... 18

2.6.4 Downlink transmitter connection ................................................................................................ 18

2.6.5 Downlink receiver......................................................................................................................... 19

2.7. Taking off and landing the microdrone.......................................................................................... 20

2.8. Taking off in GPS position hold mode ............................................................................................ 21

2.9. GPS waypoint.................................................................................................................................. 23

2.10. The flight data recorder................................................................................................................ 24

2.10.1 Preparing a new SD card for the flight data recorder................................................................ 24

2.11. Technical data of the md4-1000 .................................................................................................. 26

2.12. Beeps of the microdrone.............................................................................................................. 27

2.12.1. Error bleeps............................................................................................................................... 27

2.12.2. Status sounds ............................................................................................................................ 28

3. Operating modes of the microdrone ................................................................................................ 29

3.1. INS mode ........................................................................................................................................ 29

3.2. GPS position hold ........................................................................................................................... 29
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3.3. Dynamic position hold (DPH) function........................................................................................... 29

3.4. Teach-in function............................................................................................................................ 30

3.5. Waypoint function.......................................................................................................................... 30

3.6. Homing function............................................................................................................................. 30

4. The remote control............................................................................................................................ 32

4.1. Switching functions of the microdrone.......................................................................................... 33

4.1.1. Control stick allocation of the remote control............................................................................ 33

4.1.2. Slide switches E and F of the remote control.............................................................................. 34

4.1.3. Switching functions of the remote control ................................................................................. 35

4.2. Remote control settings................................................................................................................. 36

4.2.1. Trim of the control sticks............................................................................................................. 36

4.2.2. RC channel selection ................................................................................................................... 37

4.2.3. Switching between display pages................................................................................................ 37

4.2.4. Resetting the timer to 30 min ..................................................................................................... 37

4.2.5. Teacher/student operation......................................................................................................... 37

4.3. Charging the remote control transmitter....................................................................................... 38

4.4. Bleeps of the remote control ......................................................................................................... 38

4.5. The antenna of the hand transmitter............................................................................................. 38

4.6. Technical data of the hand-held transmitter................................................................................. 38

5. Camera .............................................................................................................................................. 39

5.1. Camera suspension systems........................................................................................................... 39

5.2. Olympus camera............................................................................................................................. 41

5.3. Full HD Sony HDR-CX 740 VE camcorder........................................................................................ 42

5.4. CCD daylight camera ...................................................................................................................... 43

5.5. Dawn (near IR) camera................................................................................................................... 43

5.6. Thermographic camera .................................................................................................................. 43

6. The base station ................................................................................................................................ 44

6.1. Connections and functionality........................................................................................................ 44

6.2. Charging the base station............................................................................................................... 46

7.0. The flight battery............................................................................................................................ 47

7.1. Safety and care information on the battery................................................................................... 47

7.2. The charging case ........................................................................................................................... 48

7.2.1. Connection of the battery to the charging case.......................................................................... 49

8. Safety procedures.............................................................................................................................. 50
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1. General

The md4-1000 systems by microdrones are remote-controlled automatic flying platforms. They can be 

used to take photos, record videos and perform any other observation and inspection work. The 

systems use a quadrotor carrying system with state-of-the-art technology. You can take high-quality, 

professional pictures and videos from the air thanks to a torsionally resistant, extremely light CFRP 

body and an advanced electronics system. The technology used in the aircraft is normally only found 

in manned planes, e.g. GPS, inertial navigation system, autopilot and flight data recorder.

The GPS position hold function uses GPS to keep the 

microdrone hovering in its current position even when 

the wind is blowing. So the operator can concentrate 

fully on operating the camera without having to fly the 

microdrone against the wind at the same time.

The system is particularly powerful and highly 

effective thanks to the highly advanced carrying 

platform, a ground station and a notebook with 

appropriate software. It is also very cost-efficient 

compared to conventional aerial photography 

platforms. 
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1.1. Safety instructions

Always comply with the laws and regulations governing use of the microdrone that apply 

at the area of use.

Always keep a safety distance of 5m towards any kind of objects.

Always keep a safety distance of 10m towards people and animals.

When calculating the flight time always include the time required to fly back and descend. It is 

not a good idea to have the microdrone ascend to 500 m and then descend through the final 

100 m in emergency landing mode because the battery is almost empty.

When planning waypoint flights, always take the GPS resolution into account as it might change 

depending on local conditions. Always calculate in a safety buffer if you want to fly the 

microdrone close to obstructions.

Never save other data to the SD card of the microdrone. The entire content of the SD card is 

managed by the microdrone or mdCockpit. Even if it appears that there is space, there is not: 

the flight data are recorded directly to the sectors of the SD card and cannot be seen in the 

table of contents. If you write other data to the SD card of the microdrone, the chances are that 

you are will overwrite flight data. In such cases microdrones cannot be held liable for technical 

defects if their cause cannot be traced due to overwritten flight data.

Try not to fly directly over the RC transmitter. In this position the RC could fail if the signal is 

shielded by the housing of the microdrone, making the microdrone lose control. The distribution 

of the radio waves is also poor in this position, augmenting this effect.

Avoid flying in or close to model aircraft clubs due to frequency interference from other 

transmitters.

Do not fly close to airports and avoid flying in the vicinity of military 

complexes or model aircraft clubs or other strong transmitters. The 

systems used in such places create interference which could badly 

disrupt the microdrone and might even disable the emergency program. 

Therefore, keep to a distance of at least 5 kilometres from airports.

Due not fly close to high-voltage lines, transformer stations and power 

plants.

Do not fly directly over persons, because if there is an accident, the 

falling microdrone could injure someone.

Do not fly directly over water. If it cannot be avoided, then remain at 

least 10 m above the surface.

Avoid ‘linear descents’, i.e. flying down vertically. Instead fly down in 

large spirals or from side to side. If you fly directly down, the microdrone

becomes less stable as it is flying in its own downwash and the motor 

power has been throttled back for descent.

Pay attention to the mdCockpit speedometer when descending. Do not push the throttle down 

fully for a long time. Descent is normally at the end of the flight when the battery is often almost 

empty. If you begin the descent too fast, particularly if carrying a large load, the microdrone
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might not have enough power left to prevent crashing into the ground.

Do not adjust the trim of the remote control. Otherwise the microdrone might perform flight 

manoeuvres unexpectedly and lose control.

Pay attention to local wind conditions. The microdrone has not been designed to fly when the 

wind speed is higher than 12 m/s. Even a wind speed of 4-5 m/s might be too much for 

inexperienced pilots to handle. Pay attention to the wind information and warnings in 

mdCockpit.

Never fly with a cold battery. The LiPO cells used are powerful, though very sensitive to 

temperature. When temperatures are low, the battery’s voltage might unexpectedly plunge, 

causing the microdrone to lose control for lack of power.

Only take off if the battery is fully charged. A lack of power is often the cause of emergency 

situations which could have been avoided.

Before taking off, ensure that the rotors are properly attached. Even if the rotors are not about to 

come off, poorly fastened rotors subjected to a load could touch the housing of the microdrone. 

This could result in much higher power use and a considerable reduction in flight time.

Be careful if the Waypoint auto execute function is active. Once the battery has been inserted, a 

GPS signal has been detected and if the destination is within range, the microdrone sets out on 

the waypoint route automatically.

Please read and comply with the separate safety and care information for batteries.

The transmission aerial of the hand transmitter (remote control) has to be fully extended during 

flight. If it is not, there is an acute risk of losing control of the microdrone suddenly after a short 

distance. Also ensure that the receiving antenna is correctly installed and in place on your 

microdrone.

Take off immediately after connecting the battery. Don’t let the microdrone idle before takeoff. If 

you don’t do so it is possible that the microdrone takes off on its own due to a wind gust etc. 

Always let the microdrones settle to its ambient temperature before takeoff. This does not apply 

to the battery itself! A difference of more than 5 C° between the ambient temperature and the 

temperature of the sensitive components and sensor inside the microdrone may cause serious 

misbehaviors.

Never use the microdrone without rotors (for tests etc.). The exceptional high rpm may cause a 

damage of the drives and other related electronic parts.

Always use both hands to carry the microdrone from your car to the area you want to start flying. Grab the microdrone at it’s both arms as much as possible near the body-center.

Never touch or catch the microdrone within flight, landing approach or with running motors on 

the ground.
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1.2. Statutory regulations for using the microdrone

The user alone is responsible for using the system and must ensure that appropriate registrations are 

made and that statutory provisions governing the system md4-1000 at its place of use are complied 

with.

Check in particular that using the

 remote control,

 video transmitter

 and the aircraft itself

is not against the law.

Due to different rules governing flight permits, maximum altitude, liability insurance, etc., the user must 

himself find out about compliance with regulations and provisions that apply in the area he intends to 

use the microdrone.

Under no circumstances can microdrones GmbH be held liable for: damage to the microdrone or any 

other kind of damage; consequential damage; direct or indirect damage; or financial loss or 

interruption to operations due to: improper use of the microdrone by you or third parties; unforeseeable 

or abnormal circumstances; or general operation of the microdrone.

Aviation liability insurance has to be concluded!

The video transmitter must be registered! Please contact the relevant agency.

1.3. Export terms

The md4-1000 is a dual-use good, meaning that it can be used in Germany and the rest of the EU for 

military and civilian purposes. Therefore the ‘Council Regulation (EC) np 1334/2000 of June 2000 

setting up a Community regime for the control of exports of dual-use items and technology’ 

applies to international transport and export.

In particular the above regulation stipulates that an export permit must be obtained from national 

authorities if the md4-1000 or one of its components is exported to countries for which there is no 

general export authorization. Countries for which there are currently (July 2007) such general export 

authorizations:

Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States of 

America, ...

You can find the complete list and more information at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/trade-topics/dual-use/

microdrones GmbH cannot be held liable if the user breaches these terms.
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1.4. Technology and history

VTOL is an acronym for vertical take-off and landing. 

It denotes the ability of an aircraft to take off and land 

vertically without a runway. Helicopters also come 

under the VTOL category.

A quadrotor (from the Latin quadrum - four) is an 

aircraft that is lifted by four rotors or propellers 

operating in the same plane and working vertically 

downwards to achieve lift and, from the inclination of 

the rotary plane and different rotor speeds, thrust.

Picture: ‘Flying Jeep’ Curtiss-Wright VZ-7AP

It is a helicopter and like this one and VTOL aircraft in general, it can take off and land vertically. Other 

descriptions include quadrotor helicopter and quadcopter.

The advantage of this type of construction is that, if the directions of rotation are suitably positioned, all 

three axes can be controlled simply by varying the thrust and therefore the torque of the four 

propellers. Complicated swash plates as used on helicopters or other actuators are therefore not 

necessary. Nor is there drift as encountered with a tail-rotor configuration. And it does not matter 

whether the thrust is regulated by using differences in rotational speed or the pitch of the respective 

propeller. The thrust change just has to occur fast enough. If the aircraft thrust is controlled by rotor 

speed, this is done by using e.g. stepless transmission or electric motors.

When helicopters were first developed, several rotors 

were often used as the use of swash plates had not 

yet been practically conceived. The French pioneer 

of aviation Étienne Oehmichen had experimented 

with rotating wings as early as 1920 before his 

Oehmichen No. 2 (see picture) took to the skies on 

11 November 1922. The four rotors of this early 

quadrotor were elastic and their pitch could be 

changed using cables. Picture: Étienne Oehmichen No. 2

Next to them were an additional eight propellers acting horizontally to stabilise the aircraft and provide 

thrust as the rotors could not yet be controlled precisely enough. The Oehmichen No. 2 was the first 

reliable aircraft that could take off vertically. It completed more than 1000 flights and got into the record 

books on 4 May 1924 by flying for 14 minutes and doing a kilometre circuit.

With the development of the swash plate and tail-rotor, tandem and coaxial constructions, the 

quadrotor went off developers’ radar. Not until a general interest for VTOL vehicles in the 1950s did 

quadrotors fly again.

Manned quadrotors are currently not used. Though they are often used as drones and UAVs. This is 

because of developments made in electronics, sensory systems and lightweight materials.
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1.5. System overview

A md4-1000 system basically consists of the microdrone in the transport box, a charging case and the 

ground station which is in its own case. The following picture shows the entire set. Optional extras 

include diverse cameras, a mobile video receiver and waypoint navigation. 

The md4-1000 microdrones have been manufactured from carbon fibre and top quality high-tech 

materials to be very lightweight. They should be treated with appropriate care.

Picture: entire md4-1000 system
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2. The microdrone md4-1000 

2.1. General mode of operation of the md4-1000 microdrone

As already mentioned, the md4-1000 microdrone is a quadrotor aircraft. When hovering all the rotors 

operate at the same speed, as shown in the following diagram. Positional changes can be made by 

adjusting the speeds of individual rotors.

• Forward flight/reverse flight by tilting forward or back 

about the horizontal axis, i.e. accelerating or braking (nick 

or pitch) -> alter speed and therefore thrust ratio between 

A and C.

• Lateral flight by tilting about the longitudinal axis, side 

movement (roll) -> alter thrust ratio between B and D.

• Rotating about the lift axis (yaw) -> alter thrust ratio in 

pairs between A-C and B-D.

• Climbing or going down (throttle) -> increase or decrease

the thrust of all rotors uniformly. Diagram: Motor schema

Any position can be achieved with a combination of these basic commands. The device maintains the 

desired height using the temperature-compensating, barometric height control.

This four-rotor concept, where pairs rotate in opposite directions, mean the torques are cancelled out 

when the rotors are at the same speed. A tail rotor, which reduces the performance of conventional 

helicopters because it does not generate thrust, can therefore be left out.

The microdrone and its motors are maintenance-free. Only the batteries are subject to wear. The front 

and back rotors rotate to the left, the two side rotors to the right. When climbing all four motors are 

under the same load, when descending the power of all of them is reduced. If you move the aircraft 

forwards, the speed of the back rotor is increased and the speed of the front rotor is decreased by the 

same amount. If you roll the aircraft to the left, the right motor revs up and the left one slows by the 

same amount. To turn the microdrone to the left, the speed of the left and right rotors is increased and 

the speed of the front and back rotors is reduced. This creates torque resulting in rotation about the lift 

axis.

The two control sticks on the remote control transmitter 

shown in the adjacent diagram control the microdrone.

The right stick controls forward and back movement 

(nick or pitch) and movements to the sides (roll).

If the left control stick is moved forward, the 

microdrone climbs (throttle). If the control stick is 

moved back, the device goes down. Movement of the 

stick to the side causes rotation about the lift axis 

(yaw).

Picture: The hand-held transmitter
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2.1.1. Drive motor and motor controller

The 42-pole motor weighs 250 grammes and has a 

diameter of 86 mm. The brushless external rotor motor 

(see adjacent diagram) with 36 grooves and 48 

magnets has a synchronous commutator.

Picture: Details of the drive unit

The motors are controlled entirely via a CAN bus system at which every motor has its own address. 

The interplay of these components creates a control circuit that enables, due to the dynamics of the 

whole unit, the motor speeds to be controlled quickly, therefore stabilising the md4-1000.

2.1.2. The main on-board electronics

The heart of the electronics system is the IMU module

(IMU = Inertial Measurement Unit), the positional 

control system with barometric height stabilisation. It is 

a combination of three positional and acceleration 

sensors that are merged in what is called a Kalman 

filter. The two 32 bit micro-controllers ensure that all 

data is calculated fast.

Picture: Components of the on-board electronics
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2.2. Opening / putting on the cover

Caution: 

Check the lock before starting! Never lift 

microdrone at the top cover. Check it by 

slightly turning cover left/right in order to 

assure proper fitting.

microdrone with closed cover. It is locked if the 

arrows are not opposite each other.

To open the cover, hold the cover with one 

hand and the bolt with the other.

Push the bolt down to unlock, now the cover 

will turn.

Turn the cover whilst pushing down the bolt 

until the two orange arrows are opposite one 

another.

You can now carefully remove the cover.

When removing the cover, ensure that you do 

not accidentally tear off the GPS cable 

between the cover and microdrone or trap the 

cable when putting the cover back on.

Once you have released the GPS cable from 

the microdrone, you can take the cover off 

completely.
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2.3. Inserting and connecting the flight battery

The battery is brought into the correct position 

by the side guides highlighted in the adjacent 

picture. The battery has three projections on 

the side that should engage under the three 

guides.

Put the battery between the side guides and 

slide it under the holders.

When inserting the battery, ensure that the 

snap-in nose behind the battery locks properly.

To take out the battery, hold down the snap-in 

nose with your thumb and using your other 

hand push out the battery through the side 

guides.

If the battery has been inserted properly, the 

microdrone’s connections will be coupled to the 

battery.

The left one is the negative connection.

The right one is the positive connection.

The balancer connection ensures the individual 

cells charge uniformly. It also checks the cells 

when charging and discharging. It is only 

required for the charging or discharging 

process.
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2.4. The rotors

The md4-1000 has two rotors that rotate to the left (counter clockwise / CCW) and two that rotate to 

the right (clockwise / CW). The rotors are made from carbon, are robust and, together with the 

motors, are highly efficient. Before every flight, check for visible cracks to prevent problems during 

flight and crashes.

After an accident, make sure you check the rotors to prevent breakage during flight.

Every rotor is fastened to the motor of the microdrone with four Allen screws (M3x16). The torque of 

the screws is 0.7 Nm.
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2.5. Opening out and locking the arms

Upon delivery or after transporting the microdrone in the transport box, the arms are folded up. The 

following diagram shows how the arms are opened out. 

Folding them up is done in the reverse order.

To open out the arms, release the lock hook from 

the connecting bolt.

Then remove the connecting bolt from the side 

so that the arm can be put into place.

Lift the arm and fasten it in place with the 

connecting bolt.

After you have pushed in the connecting bolt, it 

has to be adjusted with the lock hook.
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2.6. The connections of the md4-1000

2.6.1. Configuration and data terminal

To adjust the configuration of the microdrone or to upload waypoint routes to the system, a connection 

with the PC has to be established. Use the adapter supplied to connect the microdrone by USB.

The connection on the microdrone is right next to the plug-in 

connection for the GPS module. It is slightly smaller and 

marked with ‘FC’ and ‘NC’. Which micro-controller establishes 

the connection depends on which way around the plug of the 

adapter cable is inserted. For configuration or to upload the 

waypoints, the flight controller has to be connected with the 

PC. So the white mark on the microdrone end of the adapter 

(1) should point in the direction of the mark FC (3).

The connection to the navigation controller NC (2) is normally 

only required for servicing or a firmware update.

2.6.2. The control wires of the md4-1000

The picture shows the underside of the microdrone and its connection wires and the downlink 

transmitter. The downlink transmitter sends videos and data wirelessly.

The connection wires coming from the microdrone for the camera and zoom and the power supply for 

the download transmitter are showing.

The connections for controlling the servos are also on the back.
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2.6.3 The servo connections of the md4-1000

This detailed picture shows the 4 servo connections of the 

md4-1000. 

Servo 1 is for the pitch adjustment, servo 2 for adjusting 

the roll angle and connections 3 and 4 are AUX channels, 

i.e. they are unassigned.

If you are looking at the back of the microdrone and use 

the front (marked) arm as a reference point, the 

connection for servo 1 is on the left. Servo 2 is connected 

to the second connection from the left, etc.

When connecting the servos, check that the servo wire is 

inserted the right way around.

The orange wire should point in the direction of the front 

arm (arm with red mark).

2.6.4 Downlink transmitter connection

A digital download link is shown on the picture.

The download link transmitter is supplied by 

BMS. It is small and light, has a particularly good 

signal quality and a very low signal delay.

This transmitter allows us to send wirelessly 

video, audio and any other data from the 

microdrone to the ground station.

Special characteristics:

• Low signal delay (approx. 40 ms)

• Power supply 6 to 16 V

• Frequency range 2.2 to 2.6 GHz 

• MPEG-2 encoding

The power supply connector of the downlink transmitter is connected with the power supply connector 

of the microdrone. The video connection of the transmitter is connected with the camera used. 

The configuration cable is only used internally for servicing.

The analogue transmitter differs from the digital transmitter in a number of ways. The cooling fins 

make the digital transmitter look different. The digital transmitter has cooling fins, the analogue 

transmitter does not.

Nor does the analogue transmitter have a configuration cable. The third difference is the analogue 

transmitter’s lack of antenna filter.
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2.6.5 Downlink receiver 

The antennas for receiving the video/audio data look like this:

Digital Analogue

Caution:

When connecting the digital antenna, make sure that the small slide switch is in the DATA 

position so that it can also receive data sent from the microdrone.

The CONFIG switch position is for service work.

Technical data of the downlink receiver

Frequency range 2.3 ... 2.5 GHz

Channels 16 (can be set via the channel selector switch)

Video output 1 Vss +/- 0.1 Vss @ 750 Ω

Video bandwidth 30 Hz ... 5 MHz

Audio input 500 mW effective at > 1 kΩ

Audio bandwidth 15 Hz ... 16 KHz (3 dB)

Energy supply 230 V mains, 12 V vehicle, flight battery

Special features  External diversity box with 4 antennas

 Audio stereo channel display

 Switch channel

 Display of the relative reception strength

 Video picture inversion

 Automatic channel switching

 Video audio mute function

 5 V output for antenna input amplifier

 Video detect output
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2.7. Taking off and landing the microdrone

Put the microdrone onto a flat surface about 10 m 

away from you. If the microdrone is too lopsided, 

the electronics will register this and will not let the 

rotors start as they might otherwise come into 

contact with the ground.

Always ensure that grass does not entangle with 

the axles of the motors.

Fly in a range of about 80° in front of you. Avoid 

flight to your side or above you.

Diagram: Schema of the start position

‘Nose in hover’, that is hovering with the front, orange arm pointing towards you, requires special skill 

and must be practised sufficiently in the simulator. Beginners in particular quickly run into difficulties. 

Nose in hover is not needed in normal operation. It poses a coordination risk and therefore should be 

avoided.

Do not leave the microdrone stationary for too long before taking off. It could lead to the 

microdrone developing an incorrect model for the sensor filter, leading to unpredictable flight 

manoeuvres.

In particular, do not leave the microdrone on the ground with its motors running. Otherwise the 

microdrone would already be in flight mode. This increases the risk of a defective filter model 

and unpredictable flight manoeuvres.

Take off as soon as possible after inserting the battery!

If the microdrone is on the ground in flight mode, it could take off autonomously at any time as 

a gust of wind or changes in the air pressure could make it think it is already flying.

Never let the microdrone run without the rotor blades (e.g. for test purposes)! The 

unnecessarily high speeds could damage the motor or its electronics.
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2.8. Taking off in GPS position hold mode

Flying in GPS position hold mode is easy and makes operation of the microdrone simple. During flight 

you can release the operating buttons of the remote control and the microdrone will remain in its 

current position (hovering).

The GPS antenna is incorporated in the cover see picture below. When removing the cover, be careful 

not to tear off the connection wire for the GPS receiver. 

The red arrow on the picture on the right shows the connection position of the GPS antenna in the 

microdrone.

Picture: GPS connection wire Picture: GPS antenna in the cover

If the battery has been inserted and the cover has been connected to the microdrone with the GPS 

receiver, you can take off. The take-off sequence is as follows:

Switch on the microdrone with the RFID tag. To 

do this hold the RFID tag to the red mark of the 

microdrone (see picture on the right).

The microdrone will emit a single bleep.

The start-up procedure now begins.

First, the remote control is registered. While it is 

registered there are several bleeps in quick 

succession.

If the remote control has been registered, 

confirmation is given with a slow sequence of 

bleeps. Picture: Switching on with RFID tag

After the remote control has been registered, a search begins for the GPS signal. The GPS signal is 

registered via the GPS antenna in the cover of the microdrone. If there is no GPS signal available, 

there is a slow sequence of bleeps. The better the reception, the faster the beep. Once GPS is ok you

can hear a double bleep. 

The application software mdCockpit constantly shows the number of satellites (SV for space vehicles) 

and the precision. 
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Once the microdrone has emitted a double bleep, 

the motors are started using the motor slider 

switch ‘F’ in the adjacent picture.

CAUTION: Once the motors have started up, 

the microdrone is in flight mode and must be 

supervised at all times. You should also take 

off now to avoid the microdrone acting 

uncontrollably (this could happen if you wait 

too long) on the ground. If the microdrone is 

in flight mode — i.e. the motors are running —

the microdrone wants to fly. Picture: Starting the motors

If the microdrone is not yet ready to take off in GPS position hold mode but the motor slider is actuated 

anyway, several bleeps in succession are emitted as a warning. Taking off like this is not possible. 

You can pull the connection to the cover and fly without GPS too. But you have to do this before 

inserting the battery.

As an exception, you could skip the search for GPS satellites by using the ‘E’ slide switch (see picture 

above). The microdrone will then continue to search for satellites when airborne. To skip the GPS 

search, slide the E switch forward for 2 seconds and then slide it back. The microdrone will 

acknowledge this acoustically. This should only be done as an exception because when the 

microdrone finds the satellites during flight, it might turn about the lift axis to align itself.

After landing remove the battery immediately. Put in a completely charged battery for every new flight.
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2.9. GPS waypoint

The GPS waypoint option allows a predefined route to be flown automatically. The route can be 

defined on the notebook or using a teach-in procedure (also see mdCockpit handbook, waypoint route 

planning).

The screenshots are of the Waypoint editor.

mdCockpit has a very simple flight 

planning module for automatic flights 

with waypoint navigation. It even 

makes it possible to change the flight 

plan completely at short notice on 

location or to enter completely new 

routes with just a few clicks of the 

mouse.

All flight routes can be saved on the 

hard drive of the ground station 

notebook and are available again 

within just a few seconds.
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2.10. The flight data recorder

The md4-1000 has a flight data recorder which records the flights internally on a micro SD card. This 

is basically like the blackbox found in commercial aeroplanes and continually records the current flight 

status, sensor values and all flight commands received from the remote control.

The card is slightly hidden on the bottom of the mother board of the flight controller as the green 

arrows in the following pictures show.

Picture: Picture of the microSD card inserted Picture: Picture of the microSD card withdrawn

Picture: SD adapter with 

microSD card

To remove it, push carefully with your finger against the edge of the card. 

It will go in slightly. Upon retraction, it jumps out of its holder and can be 

removed. The card can be read using the supplied SD card adapter. 

mdCockpit application software can be used for reading and then 

evaluating the data.

WARNING: Please do not save other data to the SD card of the 

microdrone. The entire content of the SD card is managed by the 

microdrone or mdCockpit. Even if it appears that there is space, 

there is not: the flight data are recorded directly to the sectors of 

the SD card and cannot be seen in the table of contents. If you write 

other data to the SD card of the microdrone, the chances are that 

you are will overwrite flight data. In such cases microdrones cannot 

be held liable for technical defects if their cause cannot be traced 

due to overwritten flight data.

2.10.1 Preparing a new SD card for the flight data recorder

If you want to use a new SD card to record flight data, it has to be prepared for use with the md4-1000.

Download the official SD Association formatter (https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_3/) and 

install it on your PC. Insert the new SD card into the card reader of your PC and select its drive letter 

in the SD formatter. Under Option select Format type: FULL (OverWrite) and Format Size Adjustment: 

ON. Begin formatting. During formatting do not remove the card or card reader from your PC.
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Afterwards the microdrone has to format the card to create the 

fundamental structures of the flight data recorder such as the table of 

contents. Therefore, insert the card back into the microdrone and 

connect the FC interface to your PC as described in chapter 2.6.5. 

Open a terminal dialogue, select the tab Drone Options. In the bottom 

area called Special Functions you will see the button Format SD card 

in the microdrone.

After this the SD card is ready to be used with the md4-1000. If required, you can also use the existing 

connection to upload to the microdrone using the waypoint editor.

You can proceed in the same way if you want to repair a faulty SD card. However, before doing this 

you should use the data analysis tool in mdCockpit to read out in comprehensive mode all data still on 

the card so that records are not lost (see chapter 5.4 (3) of the operating instructions for mdCockpit.
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2.11. Technical data of the md4-1000

Technical Specifications

Vehicle mass 2650g

Payload mass

(recommended) 800g

Payload mass

(maximum) 1200g

Battery 6S2P LiPo

22,2V / 13Ah

Climb rate 7,5 m/s

Cruising speed 12,0 m/s

Peak thrust 118,0 N

Endurance up to 88 min.

Flight radius approx. 500m on C&C

Ceiling altitude

(relative to take-off) 1000m

Maximum take-off altitude

(above sea level / WGS84) 4000m

Operational Conditions

Temperature range -10 .. 50°C

Humidity max. 90% r.H.

Wind tolerance 12 m/s

Dimensions

Diameter 1135mm

Height 495mm
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2.12. Beeps of the microdrone

To make using the md4-1000 easy, the microdrone has a small loud speaker. This loud speaker 

makes bleep sounds to give you information on the status of the microdrone. Only important statuses 

are conveyed by a bleep so as not to confuse you. All information and statuses are available to you 

via the downlink when using the base station, and via the serial interface of the computer.

The first acoustic sign of life is emitted directly after switching the microdrone on with the RFID tag. 

Short acknowledgement bleeps are also emitted after successful initialisation of the microdrone and 

after landing.

There are also other bleeps to provide status information and error notifications.

A distinction can be drawn between error bleeps and bleeps on the status of the microdrone.

2.12.1. Error bleeps

All error messages are introduced clearly by a sequence of sounds: 3 successive bleeps. Following 

this signal, the error code is provided by a number of lower pitched sounds that follow it. The error 

status can be determined using the following table:

Number 

of bleeps

Designation Description Remedy

1 RC key 

pressed

Unknown RC command Check command

2 SD memory 

card

SD card not inserted / incorrectly 

formatted

Check/insert SD card*

3 Motor At least one motor has an error Re-insert battery; if error status 

re-occurs, contact microdrones 

4 EEprom Initialisation values invalid Check the initialisation values 

with serial connection

5 Waypoint 

invalid

Programmed WP flight not possible

- route length too long (incorrect start 

point)

- WP flight contains errors

Check WP list and correct if 

necessary Select start point 

correctly.

Apart from error codes 1 and 5, the errors only occur immediately after inserting the battery, i.e. during 

the initialisation process.

*)If a high-pitched uninterrupted rapid bleeping follows this error signal, an error recording data to the 

SD card could have occurred. To avoid flight data being lost, the microdrone will block any take-off 

attempts until the problem has been rectified. Please read out all data still on the card using the data 

analysis tool in mdCockpit in comprehensive mode (see chapter 5.4 (3) of the mdCockpit operating 

instructions) and then format the card as described in chapter 2.10.1 of this manual.
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2.12.2. Status sounds

There are sounds other than error messages that could occur during operation of the md4-1000. They 

are easily to identify as they take the form of sound sequences. The table provides an overview of the 

status sounds. The sounds could be emitted during initialisation or whilst the md4-1000 is flying. There 

might also be situations where several error sounds are emitted. But so you can easily identify the 

error only the most important error sound is emitted. The priority of the status sound is given by the 

number in the table. The smaller the number, the more important the status information. The battery 

emergency threshold has the highest priority. The quality of the GPS signal has the lowest priority.

Priority Designation Length of 

sound (ms)

Pause 

duration 

(ms)

Remedy

1 Battery emergency 

threshold reached

very short

(50)

medium

(200)

Land immediately!

2 Battery warning 

threshold reached

short

(100)

long

(400)

Prepare to land soon

3 Incorrect alignment 

for take-off

short

(100)

short

(100)

Check take-off position

4 Magnetometer value 

range exceeded

medium

(200)

medium

(200)

Check take-off point

- Metallic objects

- Magnets

- Check magnetometer calibration

5 WP convert success very long

(800)

very long

(800)

- valid WP found on helicopter

6 WP auto execute 

countdown

short

(100)

very long

(1000)

7 WP auto execute 

active

3 x short

(100)

short

(100)

Autostart active without remote 

control

8 GPS valid 2 x short

(100)

very long

(1000)

Double bleep signifies GPS is 

ready 

9 GPS quality 

indicator

QualitydependentQualitydependentWait for GPS to be ready
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3. Operating modes of the microdrone

The condition for the following operating modes is a very good GPS signal with a resolution of about 

2.5 m. If the GPS accuracy is less than this — larger than 2.5 m — then this has a negative effect on 

flight behaviour.

The different flight modes can be set in mdCockpit. 

The mdCockpit operating instructions tell you how to make these settings.

3.1. INS mode

In this mode the operator pilots the microdrone without help from GPS position hold or dynamic 

position hold. You must be very experienced to use this mode as the microdrone provides no 

positional help. The operator has to steer the vehicle taking the wind into account and must react to 

every undesired influence of the wind. This requires a high degree of alertness and confident handling 

of the microdrone. Only experienced pilots should control the position angle using the control stick, 

and only in exceptional cases.

As the operating modes that have automatic flight control require a sufficiently strong GPS signal, the 

INS mode is the only way to fly if the GPS signal is very bad or non-existent.

Of course there are situations when the GPS signal is not good enough, e.g. if you are taking off 

between two houses, and taking off without GPS is unavoidable. To cater for this there is a function 

that allows the operator to override the GPS signal for take off. To do this, push the E slider switch of 

the remote control forward for a short time and then push it back. The microdrone responds to the 

GPS override by emitting a sound. The microdrone can now take off. In the air the microdrone

continues to search for GPS satellites to allow GPS-aided flight, and the mode is switched to GPS 

position hold or dynamic position hold as soon as possible.

3.2. GPS position hold

If you release the control stick during manual flight when In GPS position hold mode, the microdrone’s 

current position will be maintained. This means that the microdrone remains in its current position and, 

if required, will fly against the wind to do so. The benefit of GPS position hold is that it allows the user 

to concentrate on the task itself, e.g. taking photos.

To exit position hold, you only have to move the control stick 5% out of its neutral position. You have 

to be very careful at this point as this is where the most frequent errors are made. If the microdrone is 

in the wind and in GPS position hold mode, the microdrone counteracts the effect of the wind 

automatically. When you exit GPS position hold mode, you have to counteract the wind yourself. 

Depending on the strength of the wind, you have to counteract it sufficiently. An error often made here 

is that users do not counteract the effect of the wind to a sufficient extent. If they do not, the 

microdrone drifts with the wind and inexperienced pilots then release the control sticks to put the 

microdrone back into GPS position hold mode. If this process is repeated several times, the 

microdrone could drift a long way. The above situation requires you to fly against the wind with enough 

power to counteract it before moving on. To fly onwards against the wind, you have to be even more 

assertive with the control stick.

3.3. Dynamic position hold (DPH) function

It is possible, from firmware version 2.8, to activate Dynamic Position Hold (DPH) when flying the 

microdrone manually. You do this with the G switch. The middle position means DPH is off and 

forward/up means it is on.

Dynamic position hold is a type of autopilot (do not confuse with waypoint function) for the microdrone. 

Dynamic Position Hold is a further development of GPS position hold. In GPS position hold the current 

position is only held when the control sticks are released. When you use the control sticks again, you 

exit GPS position hold mode and you have to fly the microdrone yourself (taking any wind into account 

if necessary). The stronger the wind, the stronger you have to counteract its effects. In Dynamic 

Position Hold you do not have to counteract the wind. You fly the microdrone comfortably using the 

control sticks according to the GPS coordinates you want to move to. In this way the microdrone is 

sent a new GPS position which it moves towards and maintains automatically until you give another 

command via the control sticks. This prevents the microdrone from drifting in the wind.

In mdCockpit under microdrone settings / DPH you can select different DPH settings:
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Setting Function

Mode 0 : DPH function deactivated

Mode 1 : DPH function activated

Mode 2 : DPH function can be set via switch G:

G in ‘middle’ position: DPH deactivated

G in ‘top’ position: DPH activated

3.4. Teach-in function

The teach-in function is activated by pulling back/down switch G for at least 3 seconds. This saves the 

current waypoint coordinates such as position, orientation and altitude to the SD card of the 

microdrone. Though there can be no waypoint route already on the SD card. If this is the case, the 

teach-in function cannot be used. The main reason for the teach-in function is to create and calibrate 

your own extremely precise map material so you can fly waypoint routes safely. To see how this is 

done in detail, please see the mdCockpit instructions under Waypoint Editor / Importing map pictures 

from files.

3.5. Waypoint function

The waypoint function allows you to automatically fly a predetermined route (according to predefined 

positions: GPS position, altitude and orientation), e.g. to take pictures. 

Waypoint is activated by pushing up/forward the G switch whilst pushing down the H button. For this to 

work there has to be a valid waypoint route on the SD card of the microdrone.

If you are in waypoint mode and you put the G switch back in the middle position, the microdrone will 

stop flying the waypoint route and you are again in control of the microdrone. To take up the waypoint 

route again, hold down the H button and move the G switch back to the forward/top position. The 

microdrone will now return to where its waypoint route was interrupted and continue from there.

3.6. Homing function

In this operating mode the microdrone automatically flies to the first position from which it received a 

valid GPS signal (point of first fix). This position is also normally the take-of position, provided the GPS 

signal was strong enough for take-off.

The homing function can be triggered with the remote control. To do this the function Homing via RC 

switch has to be activated in mdCockpit. Once activated, if you move the G switch back/down whilst 

holding down the H button, the homing function is triggered. You can also activate the option Auto 

homing upon RC loss in mdCockpit. This activates homing automatically once the RC outage time has 

exceeded a defined value. This value can also be set in mdCockpit. If this setting has been 

deactivated and the RC outage time is exceeded, the microdrone goes into emergency landing mode 

and lands.

There are three important things that the homing function enables: Once the function has been 

activated, the microdrone aligns itself to the line of sight of the operator. This assumes that the 

operator is at or close to the point of first fix (ideally the take-off position). 

In mdCockpit you can reverse the alignment during the automatic return flight so that the microdrone is 

not aligned to the line of sight of the operator, instead it faces the operator.

Secondly, the microdrone flies at the safe altitude that you can configure in mdCockpit. Thirdly, the 

microdrone will fly safely at a defined speed of 5 m/s to the point of first fix.

If the microdrone is so far away that you can no longer see the red front arm, activating the homing 

function is enough to align the microdrone in a defined direction. In this way you know the direction in 

which the microdrone is pointing.

If Auto homing upon RC loss is selected, the homing function is automatically activated if the RC 

connection has been severed. If the RC connection is re-established during the return flight, the 

homing function is automatically turned back off and you can re-assume control of the microdrone.
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The following illustration shows the three major components of the homing function:

The following tables provide an overview of the available homing settings in mdCockpit:

Homing via RC switch

Activated Allows the function to be activated using the remote control. 

The switch/button combination:

G back whilst holding down H switches the function on. Switch G in the 

middle deactivates the function.

Deactivated Does not allow activation remotely.

Auto homing upon RC loss

Activated If the RC signal is lost for a defined period (period can be defined in 

mdCockpit), then the microdrone switches to homing mode and flies back to 

the point of first fix.

Deactivated In this setting the microdrone goes into emergency mode and lands if the 

RC signal is lost for a defined period.

Alignment during automatic return flight

Forwards The microdrone aligns itself so that the red arm points towards the operator

when flying back.

Backwards The microdrone aligns itself so that the red arm points in the line of sight of 

the operator.
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4. The remote control

Picture: An overview of the hand transmitter of the remote control

The Royal pro 9 by Multiplex is the 

remote control transmitter currently 

used by microdrones to control the 

microdrone. It is shown on the left 

with its main operating elements. 

The transmitter has what is called a 

synthesizer HF module, that allows 

you to select any 35 MHz frequency 

band.

The display of the Royal pro 9 can 

be tilted up (see picture below).

Picture: Display adjustment

 Picture: Hand-held transmitter in the console

The safest way to use the control 

sticks is by holding each between 

thumb and forefinger. There is also 

an optional console into which the 

hand transmitter is pushed that 

makes handling easier. The console 

can be hung on a belt or around your 

neck, meaning your hands are free, 

making operation more comfortable 

and precise.
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4.1. Switching functions of the microdrone

4.1.1. Control stick allocation of the remote control

The microdrone is controlled using the two control sticks. The coloured arm (normally red) is defined 

as being the front. A quadrotor doesn’t actually have a front, which is why microdrones chose one.

The left control stick controls the 

height (gas/throttle) and rotation 

about the lift axis (yaw).

If you move the stick forward, 

the microdrone climbs; if you 

move it back, the microdrone

descends.

Pushing the stick to the left 

makes the microdrone turn anticlockwise.

Pushing to the right makes it 

turn clockwise.

The right stick controls 

movement forward and 

back (nick/pitch) and to the 

sides (roll).

Moving forward makes the 

microdrone fly forwards, 

pulling the stick back 

makes it fly backwards.

Push to the left, 

microdrone flies to the left. 

Push to the right, 

microdrone flies to the 

right.

 Diagram: left control stick Diagram: right control stick
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4.1.2. Slide switches E and F of the remote control

Picture: Slide switches E and F

The slide switches E and F have to be in the lower 

position before take off.

E is used to override the GPS. If the microdrone does 

not have GPS reception on the ground, it can take off 

without GPS and search for the satellites during flight. 

This procedure should only be an exception. The 

override is carried out by sliding the E switch forward, 

waiting a short time and then pulling it back. The 

microdrone will acknowledge this acoustically.

The F switch is used to turn the motors on and off. The F switch has to be pushed up to switch on the 

motors. The motors start up in turn, first at the front, then left and at the back, and finally on the right.

To switch off the motors, the F slide switch has to be pushed down and at the same time the left 

control stick has to be pulled down at least 80%.

If you have old firmware (before version 2.8) or if you have deactivated the function Safe motor switchoff in mdCockpit, you only have to push the F switch down to switch off the motors.

Safe motor switch-off can be set in mdCockpit:

Safe motor setting

Activated Motors are switched off by pulling the F slide switch down whilst pulling the 

left control stick down.

Deactivated Motors are switched off by pulling the F slide switch down.

CAUTION:

Do not pull down the F switch during flight unless you want to crash the microdrone

purposefully to avoid an accident. If the F switch is pulled down whilst moving the left control 

stick down, the microdrone is switched off directly. Re-starting the motors is not immediately 

possible.

If not shut down by the "F" slider the microdrones inhibits the next flight for safety reasons. 

The flight then might not have been completed properly on the SD card. The microdrone 

prevents overwriting of the last flight on the SD card. 

Error message in mdCockpit’s terminal dialogues: "possible lost flight data”
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4.1.3. Switching functions of the remote control 

The switches L, N, O, J and button M have no direct relation to piloting the microdrone. The O switch 

is for teacher/student operation. O allows you to switch controls.

I, G and H are important during flight.

The H button is on the side behind switch J (see red 

arrow).

They open up a host of possibilities to the user as 

shown in the table below. 

Functions of switches I and G:

Switch position Function

I forward/up Take photo (only during manual control)

I back/down Take photo deactivated

I forward/up and press button H Optical 3x zoom: 1.0x, 1.7x, 3.0x 

Depends on type of camera.

Switch position Function

G forward/up DPH active (from version 2.8)

G in middle position Static GPS position hold

G back/down Teach-in function

G forward/up whilst pressing the H button Activate waypoint

G back/down whilst pressing the H button Homing function when Homing via RC switch has 

been activated

Button H in combination with the control sticks

The H button has other functions in addition to the functions provided in combination with switches I 

and G. The four servos can be controlled by pressing the H button and using the control sticks at the 

same time.

The left control stick is used to adjust servos 1 and 2.

Moving the control stick up or down adjusts servo 1, which adjusts the pitch of the camera mount. 

Moving the control stick to the right or left affects servo 2, which adjusts the roll angle of the camera 

mount. 

The right control stick in combination with the depressed H button controls auxiliary servos 3 and 4, 

which are currently unassigned.

If firmware/hardware is installed , pressing the H-Button for more than 10s switches flight lights on/off.
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4.2. Remote control settings

The following chapter contains a few settings of the Royal pro 9 made by Multiplex that we currently 

use. Please see the manufacturer’s operating instructions concerning the diverse settings that can be 

made.

The menu structure is very user-friendly and well structured, making programming and operating the 

transmitter much easier.

4.2.1. Trim of the control sticks

Picture: Allocation of the trim switches

The trim for both control sticks (i.e. the value in the 

central position) must always be at neutral to operate 

the microdrone. The stylized bars on the display of the 

Royal pro 9 (see picture below) shows this value. You 

can change this setting with the four cross-like buttons 

under the control sticks (see circles in adjacent 

picture). You can see when the neutral position has 

been reached on the display, and a sound is also 

emitted.

WARNING: Only start when the trim is in the 

neutral position, otherwise the microdrone will 

assume that the operator is sending a permanent 

control command and will therefore turn off GPS 

position hold. 

If the voltage of the transmitter battery is under 

7.2, it should be charged immediately.

Picture: Royal pro9 display
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4.2.2. RC channel selection

Hold down the ‘Spanner - ABC1’ button and then turn on the transmitter to change 

the channel.

Then release the button and set the desired channel using the rotary knob on the top 

right of the transmitter.

The channel has to be confirmed using the wide enter button in the middle of the 

button field. The channel is activated once the transmitter is turned back on.

4.2.3. Switching between display pages

Press the bottom right button "/-#0" to switch between pages on the LC display.

This switches between the voltage and trim display, the status screen and the 

countdown timer.

4.2.4. Resetting the timer to 30 min

You can use this button to reset the timer. Once the F motor switch has been pushed 

forward, the timer begins and counts down from 30 minutes.

You should do this each time you land. 

4.2.5. Teacher/student operation

The Royal pro 9 allows teacher/student operation (see Royal 

pro 9 handbook). Two pro 9 transmitters are used at the same 

time for this. You can switch between the controls using the O 

switch. A cable has to connect the transmitters to do this (see 

picture).

Ensure that the connection plugs for the teacher and student 

transmitters are the right way around. The transmitters must be 

set to teacher/student operation (see Royal pro 9 handbook). 

The easiest way to do this is to use software available from 

microdrones that can be put onto the transmitters via a cable. 

This allows a beginner to be taught by an experienced operator, 

and by moving the O switch the teacher can regain control.
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4.3. Charging the remote control transmitter

A separate charger is used to charge the remote control 

transmitter. It should be charged at the latest when a value of 

7.2–7.3 V is shown on the voltage display. You get to the 

voltage display by pressing the bottom right button "/-#0". 

Charging overnight is easily enough to recharge the NiMh 

battery of the transmitter. Insert the round plug into the 

charging socket on the back of the transmitter for this purpose. 

Caution: Pay attention to the nose of the plug to prevent 

voltage reversal.

4.4. Bleeps of the remote control

Once the motors have been activated using the F switch , a countdown begins on the transmitter and 

a sound is emitted on reaching every full minute.

This is simply a signal for the operator to make managing the flight time easier. Once the time is up, a 

constant warning sound is emitted. You now have to land as a matter of urgency, and replace the 

battery immediately after landing.

4.5. The antenna of the hand transmitter

CAUTION: The transmitter antenna must be completely extended during flight.

The antenna should not point towards the microdrone as this is the weakest orientation thus reducing 

range (so do not fly the microdrone over your head). You should align the antenna so it is parallel to 

the antenna of the microdrone. The swivel mechanism of the antenna can be unlocked by pulling the 

antenna slightly and then bent up.

4.6. Technical data of the hand-held transmitter

Multiplex Royal pro 9 hand-held transmitter

Transmission type Switchable FM / PPM or FM / M-PCM with 10 kHz spacing

Modulator HF module synthesizer HFM-S

Servo impulse format MPX 1.6 +/- 0.55 ms

UNI 1.5 +/- 0.55 ms

Energy supply 7.2 V, NiMH 6 cells, AA,

Power consumption < 50 mA without HF emission

~250 mA with HF emission

Charging current Max. 1.4 A (quick charge)

210 mA (normal charge)

Operating temperature

Storage temperature

Charging temperature

-15 °C to 55 °C

-20 °C to 60 °C

0 °C to 4 0°C

Weight Approx. 900 g (with battery)

Dimensions (L x W x H) 220 x 270 x 60 mm
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5. Camera

5.1. Camera suspension systems

There is a suspension system made from CFRP for every camera type that is put into position on the 

under side of the microdrone.

The above picture shows an Olympus camera with the standard mount for our microdrone. All camera 

mounts have a remote control servomotor that enables a pitch angle of the optical axis of about 0–90°.

To control the pitch angle, hold down button H on the right of the remote control and now move the left 

control stick forwards and backwards (otherwise used to adjust the height (throttle) of the microdrone). 

You must keep the H button depressed all the time, otherwise you will change the altitude of the 

microdrone.
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This special camera mount, shown on the picture below, has two servos. These two servos allow you 

to adjust the roll and pitch angles. The camera mount is not part of the standard range and can be 

purchased separately.

The camera mount is controlled by pressing the H button and operating the left control stick. Moving 

the control stick up or down alters the angle of inclination. Whilst moving the control stick to the right or 

left changes the roll angle.

Connecting the servos is explained in the chapter The servo connections of the md4-1000.

Please note: Do not attempt to adjust the camera angle by hand, otherwise you might 

irreparably damage the delicate transmission of the servo.
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5.2. Olympus camera

The Olympus Pen E-P2 is currently the standard camera we offer with our system.

• High-quality multimedia tool for photos 

and filming

• Classic design

• High flexibility

• HD video 

• Good picture quality

• Comprehensive photo functions and 

integrated picture stabiliser

Technical data:

Olympus Pen E-P2

Resolution 4,032 x 3,024 pixels

3,200 x 2,400 pixels

2,560 x 1,920 pixels

1,600 x 1,200 pixels

 640 x 480 pixels

Colour depth 24 Bit (16.7 million colours) for JPG format

Sensor 17.3 x 13 mm LiveMOS-Chip with 12,300,000 pixels

File format JPEG (.jpg), AVI-Video(.avi), WAV and RAW

Compatible with removable 

data storage media

SD card (SDHC-compatible)

Connection to computer USB interface (version 2.0 hi-speed)

Other connections Audio output, HDMI, accessory port (also for optional microphone 

adapter and supplied viewfinder)

Power supply 1 x lithium ion battery, camera-specific (1,150 mAh; 7.2 V)

Type: BLS-1

Focussing Autofocus and manual focus

Exposure times 1 / 4000s to 2s (automatic)

1 / 4000s to 60s (manual)

1 / 180s to 60s (with flash)

Dimensions W x H x D 120 mm x 70 mm x 35 mm

Weight 370 g (ready for operation)
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5.3. Full HD Sony HDR-CX 740 VE camcorder

The picture shows a Full HD camcorder with universal mount.

• High definition 3MOS camcorder

• 3MOS camera system and progressive recording 1080/50p

• Lens with 10x optical / 120x intelligent zoom and XXmm wide angle

• 3D compatible (optional converter)

Technical data:

Sony HDR-CX740VE

Picture sensor type Exmor RTM CMOS sensor, type 1/2.88 (6.3 mm)

Pixels Approx. 6.14 mill. pixels (16:9); approx. 4.6 mill. pixels (4:3)

Optical/digital zoom 10x / 120x intelligent

Focal length 3.8 – 38.0 mm

Picture stabiliser Balanced optical SteadyShotTM with active mode (wide angle to 

tele)

Display Xtra Fine LCDTM display with TruBlackTM technology, 7.5 cm 

(921,000 pixels)

Recording format AVCHD: Full HD 1920 x 1080 (50p /50i); 

iFrame: 540/25p

Recording standards 1080/50p (28Mbps), HA (17Mbps), HG (13Mbps), HN (9Mbps);

HE (5Mbps), iFrame

Audio recording format Dolby-Digital 5.1 channel

Storage medium SD/SDHC/SDXC card (min. class2)

Photo picture size 16:9 (pixels) Max. 24.1 mega pixels (JPEG; 6544 x 3680)

Dimensions (W x H x D) 67.5 x 73.5 x 137.5 mm

Weight Approx. 555 g without battery
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5.4. CCD daylight camera

The CCD daylight camera is a video camera 

without recording unit. So it doesn’t have a 

battery or storage card. It sends the video live to 

the ground station.

The focus cannot be adjusted. The stream is 

recorded using the application software (e.g. 

mdCockpit) on the notebook.

5.5. Dawn (near IR) camera

The dusk or dawn camera is a video camera for 

taking night pictures where light levels are very 

low. It does not have a recording unit, so is used 

for live transmissions. It doesn’t have a battery or 

storage card. The video is sent live to the ground 

station. The focus cannot be adjusted. The 

stream is recorded using the application software 

on the notebook.

5.6. Thermographic camera

The thermographic camera is like a conventional 

camera that takes pictures, though is sensitive to 

infra-red light.

Thermography is a process that visualizes heat 

radiation (medium infra-red) invisible to the 

human eye emanating from an object or body. 

Thermography records and represents 

temperature distributions on surfaces and objects.

It sends the video live to the ground station.
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6. The base station

6.1. Connections and functionality

The picture on the left shows the 

base station we use. 

The base station receives the 

video and telemetry signals of the 

microdrone. 

The signals received are prepared 

for use with a PC.

The operating panel of the base station is shown 

on the right.

You choose one of the three power supplies by 

inserting the power cable, car cable or battery. The 

station is switched on using the switch at the top on 

the left. Depending on the power supply, the 

corresponding LED lights up.

The base station can also charge the LiPo battery.
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The coloured connection cables of the antenna are 

connected to the corresponding cinch connections. 

The sockets Audio 1 and Audio 2 receive the 

telemetry data and the Video in socket receives the 

video signal.

The video signal is sent to a notebook via USB.

The second USB connection, downlink, provides the 

notebook with the telemetry signal. Using appropriate 

software (mdCockpit) the telemetry can be 

processed and displayed by the PC in real time.

Both Video out connections allow the user to pick up the video signal using external devices, e.g. with 

a projector or video glasses.

Video glasses allow the operator to fly the microdrone as if he were in the cockpit himself.

The small display shows the current battery level of the base station in percent. The DATA LED lights 

up as soon as data are received.

The AC, 12V or BATT LED tells the user which power supply is operating the base station. Normally 

the best available power supply is used.

The base station can be connected to a 100–240 V AC 

mains socket, a 12 V car power supply or power is 

provided by a battery whose connection is under the 

cover.

The 12V DC out socket is the power supply for the 

digital receiver.

CAUTION: Newer vehicles, vans or lorries might 

have other on-board voltages (e.g. 24 V). Always 

check the operating instructions of the vehicle to 

avoid damaging the base station.
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6.2. Charging the base station

The battery can only be charged by 

connecting to the AC mains or 12 V car 

power supply. 

To do so, insert the battery into the 

charging slot inside the case and switch on 

the charger (see adjacent picture).

The battery will be fully charged after one 

hour at most and can then be removed.

If storing for a long period, the battery 

should be about 60% charged.

Only batteries that have completely 

cooled down are permitted to be charged.

Caution:

Constantly monitor the charging process!
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7.0. The flight battery

Lithium polymer batteries currently have the highest energy density and so are the best choice for our 

system. However, due to fluctuations caused by manufacture, the internal resistance and capacity of 

each individual cell can vary. In addition, low temperatures, battery age and difficult flight conditions 

could cause the voltage of the battery to dip unexpectedly. Therefore, always monitor the voltage 

display, e.g. using mdCockpit.

microdrones selects the cells and matches each 

individual battery for quality-assurance purposes.

The LiPo battery (picture) consists of individual cells and 

has a rated voltage of 22.2 V and a capacity of 13 Ah. 

The maximum voltage is 25.2 V.

This battery type is used in the md4-1000 system to 

operate the microdrone. It is charged using a charger that 

is in a separate charging case.

Picture: LiPo battery

7.1. Safety and care information on the battery

The batteries should only be operated and stored at room temperature. So if temperatures are 

low, make sure the batteries get up to room temperature (20–40 °C, inner pocket of jacket) for 

at least 3 hours before use. The voltage of cold batteries could drop suddenly and cause the 

microdrone to crash.

Avoid short-circuiting the battery contacts. Coins or keys in your pocket or putting a battery onto 

wet grass is enough to short circuit it.

If storing the battery for a long time, it should be at least 60% charged. The easiest way to 

check this is to use the charger or the mdCockpit voltage display.

If you can hear the battery warning during flight, then you should land straight away. The battery 

should not be drained to less than 21 V to keep it in good condition and so it has a long life. 

Immediately remove the battery from the microdrone after landing.

Avoid exposing the microdrone to direct sunlight for long periods as otherwise the temperature 

specifications of the electronics and battery might be exceeded and cause malfunctions.

You can only take off if the battery is completely charged. Used batteries must be stored in the 

microdrone box so that they cannot be confused with others. Crashes and hard landings are 

caused by a lack of power.

New batteries do not perform at their full power immediately. Therefore, you should end the first 

flight with a new battery after ten minutes and then, as always, only charge the battery after it 

has cooled down. A battery that is not completely discharged can be charged many more times 

during its life than a battery that is often completely drained.

Batteries wear, just as car tyres do. They do not last forever and have to be replaced from time 

to time. However, if you treat them well, you can increase their life considerably.
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7.2. The charging case

The picture on the left shows the charging case 

we sell. Two batteries can be charged at the 

same time.

• Input 115-240 VAC / 50-60 Hz

• Output 20 VDC – 20 A for every 

charger.

Caution:

Do not shut the charging case during 

charging!

The red wire is the positive connection, the 

black wire is negative.

The connection in the middle is the balancer 

connection. This connection ensures that all 

the individual battery cells are completely 

and uniformly charged. The balancer 

connection is required to ensure the charging 

process runs correctly.
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7.2.1. Connection of the battery to the charging case

First connect the earth (black wire) of the charging 

case to the battery.

Then establish the positive connection (red wire).

Finally, connect the balancer to the battery. The 

balancer connection ensures the individual cells 

charge uniformly. It also checks the cells when 

charging and discharging.
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8. Safety procedures

microdrones md4-1000 are protected against several kinds of hazards. The behavior of the 

systems was tested in many different emergency situations. The following chapter gives an 

overview of the tested situations.

Situation: Command & Control (C&C) signal reception is bad or lost.

Behavior: The microdrone will enter GPS Position Hold immediately and try to reacquire the 

signal for an adjustable amount of time (30s by default). If that time runs out, the 

microdrone will either enter emergency landing with a descent speed of 0,5m/s or 

go into homing mode, depending on the user ́s settings. Homing mode will align 

the microdrone with the operator ́s line of sight, climb to a predefined minimum 

altitude (30m by default), return to the take-off position in a straight line and finally 

– if the C&C could not be recovered during the whole procedure – enter emergency landing at the take-off position. If C&C is recovered during homing or landing the procedure is interrupted and the operator has full control over the craft.

Situation: GPS signal reception is bad or lost.

Behavior: Flight control will revert to inertial navigation mode. The stabilization system of 

the microdrone is still active. The operator is notified by textual, graphic and spoken messages about the situation and has to hold position manually.

GPS Position Hold kicks in again as soon as the signal quality is back to normal.

Situation: Command & Control (C&C) and GPS signal reception is bad or lost simultaneously.

Behavior: The microdrone will immediately enter emergency landing with a descent speed 

of 0,5m/s .If C&C is recovered the emergency landing is interrupted and the behavior of the situation “GPS signal reception is bad or lost” applies.

If GPS is recovered the emergency landing is interrupted and the behavior of the 

situation “Command & Control (C&C) signal reception is bad or lost” applies. 

Situation: Virtual Fence is being approached or reached.

Behavior: The microdrone slows down and finally stops, if the operator continuously flies in 

a direction in which he would leave the approved air space volume. GPS Position 

Hold stays in effect until the operator commands the microdrone back towards 

the inner circle of the virtual fence.

Situation: Flight reaches critical speed.

Behavior: If the microdrone’s speed increases to critical speeds the operator will be informed to immediately slow down the craft. The messages get more insistent, if 

the speed is not reduced. The best solution to resolve the situation is to let go of 

the controls and have the microdrone ́s GPS Position Hold stabilize the flight. In 

case GPS is not present the operator has to find the right maneuvers on his own 

to resolve that situation as soon as possible.
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Situation: Flight reaches critical pitch or roll angle.

Behavior: Pitch or roll angles above 40° are a potential risk. As soon as the microdrone’s 

attitude approaches a critical angle in at least one axis the operator will be informed by spoken message. The best solution to resolve the situation is to let go 

of the controls and have the microdrone ́s GPS Position Hold stabilize the flight.

In case GPS is not present the operator has to find the right maneuvers on his 

own to resolve that situation as soon as possible.

Situation: Flight under increasing wind speeds.

Behavior: The operator is notified by textual, graphic and spoken messages about the current wind speed. Critical conditions are marked as such. Especially the approach 

of maximal motor load, high pitch and roll angles are also reported in this situation. In case of too much wind the operator has to land the system immediately.

Situation: Flight reaches critical altitude and/or distance.

Behavior: The drones distance and altitude can always be read on the base station screen. 

In regular intervals also a spoken message informs about the current readouts. If 

one of these values reaches a critical level, the operator is immediately informed 

by spoken message.

Situation: Motor power reaches its limit.

Behavior: The power output of every individual motor is monitored continuously. The operator is informed by spoken message, if one or more motors approach their performance limit in case of payload overweight or critical wind speeds.

Situation: A rotor blade collides with an obstacle.

Behavior: Motor power is cut immediately. Motor control will intermittingly try to restart the 

motor with low power. Only if the obstacle is gone and the rotor blade turns freely 

full power is applied again.

Situation: Battery consumption in flight.

Behavior: During normal flight the battery voltage is constantly monitored by the base station. The state of the battery is communicated alphanumerically, graphically and 

through spoken messages. Readouts and messages include current battery 

level, estimated flight time remaining, “bingo” warning, which indicates the moment when the remaining battery power is just enough to comfortably and safely 

return home.

Situation: The microdrone is powered up with an insufficiently charged battery.

Behavior: Always during startup and after landing the voltage of the battery is checked. If it 

is not sufficient for sustained flight the microdrone enters an error state, blocking 

(another) take-off.
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Situation: Battery is depleted below warning voltage during flight.

Behavior: The microdrone employs two battery voltage warning levels, which are by default 

20,6V/20,1V. As soon as the voltage falls below the first threshold, the microdrone refuses to gain more altitude. Only horizontal or descending movements 

are allowed. If the operator does not touch down before the voltage falls below 

the second threshold, the microdrone will descend on its own with a speed of 

0,5m/s and the operator can only influence the horizontal position or accelerate 

the descent.

The status is constantly announced by the Base Station in textual, graphic and 

spoken messages.

Situation: Unusual vibrations are detected.

Behavior: During the post-flight check of the flight recorder, acceleration sensor data is 

checked for unusual vibrations to detect body damage or loose screws in an early 

stage and prevent subsequent problems before they arise.

Situation: microdrone automatically starts to spin wild and uncontrollably

Behavior: This can indicate a faulty component within the Navigation System which can 

lead to a crash.

The operator has to turn the "G" switch to PH (center position) immediately. He 

has to take over manual control with movements of more than + / -5% and immediately land the system. Depending on the firmware pulling the E-Slider up to 

switch of GPS completely is an alternative method. If both does not help the operator has to decide to initiate an emergency shutdown with F-Slider down and 

Throttle full down to initiate a controlled crash landing if the expected crash-zone

is save to do so.