Ocelleye, LLC 

600 Kentucky Ave., Suite 100 

Indianapolis, IN 46225 

P 317.764.6400 

www.ocelleye.com 

May 5, 2015 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Docket Management System 

120 New Jersey Ave., SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

RE: Exemption Request Section 333 of the FAA Reform Act and Part 11 of the Federal Aviation 

Regulations 

Dear Sir or Madam: 

Pursuant to Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the Reform Act) and 14 CFR 

Part 11, Ocelleye, LLC, an operator of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) for aerial photography and 

video capture for the Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, on behalf of itself and its 

related affiliates under common ownership and control, hereby applies for an exemption from the listed 

Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) to allow commercial operation of its sUAS for aerial imaging of 

secured and controlled environment construction and survey sites, so long as such operations are 

conducted within and under conditions outlined herein or as maybe established by the FAA as required 

by Section 333. 

As described more fully below, the requested exemption would permit the operation of small, unmanned 

and relatively inexpensive sUAS under controlled conditions in airspace that is 1) limited 2) predetermined 

3) controlled to access and 4) would provide safety enhancements to the already safe operations in the 

AEC industry benefitting public interest because it provides an equivalent or greater level of safety than 

approved manned aircraft operations or traditional surveying means. 

The name and address of the applicant is: 

Ocelleye, LLC 

Attn: Greg Sherwin 

PH: 317-491-4306 

Email: gsherwin@ocelleye.com

Address: 600 Kentucky Ave. Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46225 

Regulations from which the exemption is requested: 

14 CFR Part 21 Subpart H 

14 CFR 45.23(b) 

14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b) 

14 CFR 91.7(a) 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 2

14 CFR 91.9 (b)(2) 

14 CFR 91.103 

14 CFR 91.119 

14 CFR 91.121 

14 CFR 91.151(a) 

14 CFR 91.203(a)&(b) 

14 CFR 91.405(a) 

14 CFR 407(a)(1) 

14 CFR 409(a)(2) 

14 CFR 417(a)&(b) 

This exemption application is expressly submitted to fulfill Congress’ goal in passing Section 333(a) 

through (c) of the Reform Act. This law directs the Secretary of Transportation to consider whether certain 

unmanned aircraft systems may operate safely in the national airspace system (NAS) before completion 

of the rulemaking required under Section 332 of the Reform Act. In making this determination, the 

Secretary is required to determine which types of sUAS do not create a hazard to users of the NAS or the 

public or pose a threat to national security in light of the following: 

x The sUAS size, weight, speed, and operational capability; 

x Operation of the sUAS in close proximity to airports and populated areas; and 

x Operation of the sUAS within visual line of sight of the operator. 

Reform Act 333(a). Lastly, if the Secretary determines that such vehicles “may operate safely in the 

national airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft 

in the national airspace system.” Id. 333(c) 

Ocelleye’s sUAS is a multirotor vehicle, weighing 10 lbs. or less, including payload. It operates under 

normal conditions at speeds or no more than 50 knots and has the capability to hover, move in the vertical 

and horizontal planes simultaneously. The sUAS will operate in the pilot’s visual line of sight at all time 

and will operate only within a sterile area as defined by the construction site or survey area limits. Such 

operations will insure that the sUAS will “not create a hazard to users of the national airspace system or 

the public.” Reform Act Section 333 (a) 

Ocelleye LLC’s Operations 

The sUAS 

The sUAS will have the following specifications or equivalent: 

Airframe: TBS Discovery Pro (See Exhibit 1) 

Control System: APM 2.5 (See Exhibit 2) 

Pilot Controls: FrSKY Tarnais (See Exhibit 3) 
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May 5, 2015 

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Tx: EzUFH JR Module 433 Mhz (See Exhibit 4) 

Rx: ExUHF 8-channel 433 Mhz (See Exhibit 4) 

Motors: 900KV brushless w/ 30A ESC 

Propellers: 9x5 

Data Link: 3DR Radio 915 Mhz (See Exhibit 5) 

Batteries: 4S 4.5Ah TBS LiPo 

Flight Conditions 

The sUAS will be flown in airspace under 400 feet AGL and under controlled conditions on restricted, rural, 

and private property. The sUAS will be used to monitor two different types of sites, active construction 

sites and proposed construction sites. 

Flight Operations 

The purpose of every sUAS flight will be to safely, accurately, and efficiently create logistical overlays for 

potential construction sites and to measure progress of ongoing construction sites. The survey data will 

be 3D surface models and high resolution aerial photographs. 

The standard pre-flight and operational procedure will be as follows: 

1. Meet at security gate and complete pre-flight security appropriate to each site (described below) 

2. Drive or walk the area to be surveyed. 

3. The pilot in command begins to ready sUAS for flight. 

a. Check over airframe, connections, and propellers for damage during transport in the 

vehicle. 

b. Turn on and ready laptop computer. 

c. Connect data link antenna to computer. 

d. Open ground station software and load pre-planned photogrammetry flight path. 

e. Remove main Tx from case, power up, verify voltage and settings. 

f. Strap battery to sUAS frame (do not connect main power supply). 

g. Move sUAS to takeoff point, approximately 30 feet from vehicles and crew. 

h. Attach main power on sUAS. 

i. Listen to power up sequence of beeps on speed controls. 

j. Set up traffic cones around sUAS with approximately a 20 foot radius. This is considered 

the “home” area and the operators are not allowed inside this area while the sUAS is 

armed. 

k. Walk back to vehicle with Tx. 

l. Using laptop Ground Control Station connect the data link with the sUAS. 

m. sUAS should appear on the map on the screen along with recorded “home” point, battery 

voltage, current altitude relative to ground, and current velocity and heading. 

n. Upload the mission flight path data to sUAS. 

o. Verify good upload and connection to data link. 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 4

p. Record time and weather in Flight Log. 

q. sUAS is no fully prepped and ready to operate. 

4. While pilot in command is readying the sUAS, support team members are preparing the ground 

control points and walking the site. 

5. Pilot double checks takeoff area is clear. 

6. Pilot arms the sUAS and increases the throttle to takeoff and rises to an altitude of approximately 

10 feet AGL. 

7. Pilot performs a short test of the controls to ensure the sUAS to responding properly to control 

inputs. 

8. Pilot sets Tx flight mode switch to “Auto” and the sUAS starts to execute its preprogrammed 

mission. 

9. During the entire preprogrammed flight pilot always has visual line of sight and is prepared to 

take over flight operations. Pilot’s Tx has a countdown timer set to alarm at 30 minutes. The timer 

begins from the point the throttle is raised above minimum. 

10. During the flight the Ground Control Station announces each waypoint upon arrival and voltage 

levels at one minute intervals. 

11. Upon completion of the preprogrammed flight, the sUAS returns to the “home” point and 

automatically lands itself. During the landing sequence the pilot is observing the decent and is 

ready to take over flight operations. 

12. Upon landing pilot disarms the sUAS using the Tx. 

13. Pilot checks the battery voltage displayed on the Ground Control Station and records flight battery 

and flight information in the Flight Log. 

14. After disarming the sUAS the pilot enters the “home” area inside the cones and disconnects the 

main power. 

15. Pilot turns off Tx. 

16. Pilot review airframe of sUAS for and damage or wear during flight. 

17. Pilot packs up equipment for safe transport. 

Given the small size of the sUAS involved and the restricted and sterile environment within which it will 

operate, our application falls squarely within the zone of safety (an equivalent level of safety) in which 

Congress envisioned that the FAA must, by exemption, allow commercial operations of sUAS to 

commence immediately. Also due to the small size of the sUAS and the low altitudes and restricted areas 

in which the sUAS will operate, approval of the application presents no national security issue. 

Given the clear direction in Section 333 of the Reform Act, the authority contained in the Federal Aviation 

Act, as amended; the strong equivalent level of safety surrounding the proposed operations, and the 

significant public benefit, including enhanced safety, the grant of the requested exemptions is in the public 

interest. Accordingly, Ocelleye respectfully requests that the FAA grant the requested exemption without 

delay. 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 5

The use of sUAS on a construction site can significantly reduce the risk to workers of falls while inspecting, 

surveying, or monitoring site progress. sUAS can inspect, photograph, and collect data on hard to get to 

areas that otherwise would require worker inspection. Falls are among a leading source of workplace 

fatality and injury on construction sites, and reducing falls through sUAS use for site imaging could save 

workers lives and or prevent injuries. 

Additionally, sUAS could replace the use of helicopters and small fixed wing aircraft to monitor sites. The 

sUAS we propose to fly in this application is under five pounds, and carries no combustible material on 

board, as opposed to the much larger conventionally powered small aircraft. Shifting to sUAS from 

helicopters and small fixed wing aircraft presents a marked safety increase for our workers and the public. 

Lastly, sUAS reduce the environmental impact by dramatically decreasing the energy used for aerial 

imaging and data collection over a construction site. Our sUAS uses rechargeable lithium ion batteries, as 

opposed to fossil fuels burned in operation of helicopters and small fixed wing aircraft that are many 

hundreds of times heavier. 

Ocelleye proposes that the exemption requested herein applies to sUAS that have the characteristics and 

that they operate with the limitations listed herein. These limitations provide for at least an equivalent or 

even higher level of safety to operations under the current regulatory structure because the proposed 

operations represent a safety enhancement to the already safe protocols followed on construction sites 

and imaging and surveying operations conducted with helicopters and other small conventional aircraft. 

Ocelleye will be bound by the following limitations when conducting its sUAS operations under and FAA 

issued exemption: 

1. The sUAS will weigh less than 10 pounds including payload. 

2. Flights will be operated within visual line of sight of the pilot 

3. Maximum total flight time for each operational flight will be 30 minutes. The sUAS calculates 

battery reserve in real-time, and will return to its point of launch with at least 20% battery power 

reserve should that occur prior to the 30 minute limit. 

4. Flights will be operated at an altitude of no more than 400 feet AGL. 

5. Crew for each operation will consist of the sUAS pilot will keep the sUAS within his visual line of 

sight at all time. 

6. The sUAS pilot will be trained in flight, operations, and safety procedures as detailed in the sUAS 

systems manuals. 

7. The sUAS will only operate within a confined “Sterile Area” as defined by the survey or 

construction site limits. This area will be kept free of persons not involved in the activities being 

monitored on the site or not directly connected with the survey production. 

8. A briefing will be conducted in regard to planned sUAS operations prior to each day’s production 

activities. It will be mandatory that all personnel who will be performing duties within the 

boundaries of the safety perimeter be present for this briefing. 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 6

9. All onsite personnel will consent to the sUAS flyover on site by waiver, and the operator will obtain 

additional verbal or written connect of all persons who will be allowed within the 100 of the flight 

operation. 

10. Pilot will have been trained in operation of sUAS generally and received up-to-date information 

in the particular sUAS to be operated as required by the sUAS systems manuals. 

11. Written and/or oral permissions from the relevant property holders will be obtained. 

12. All required permissions and permits will be obtained from territorial, state, county or city 

jurisdictions, including local law enforcement, fire, or other appropriate governmental agencies. 

13. If the sUAS loses communications or loses its GPS signal, it will have the capability to enter “loiter 

mode” and hover, reestablish connection or return to a pre-determined location within the 

construction site or survey area and land. 

14. The sUAS will not operate with 5 nautical miles of an airport reference point (ARP) as denoted in 

the current FAA Airport/Facility Directory (AFD) or for airports not denoted with ARP, the center 

of the airport symbol as denoted on a the current FAA-published aeronautical chart, unless a letter 

of agreement with that airport’s management is obtained or otherwise permitted by a COA issued 

to the exemption holder. The letter of Agreement with the airport management will be made 

available to the Administrator or any law enforcement official upon request. 

14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b): Private pilot privileges and limitations: Pilot in command 

Sections 61.113(a) & (b) limit private pilots to non-commercial operations. Because the sUAS will not carry 

a pilot or passengers, the proposed operations can achieve the equivalent level of safety of current 

operations by requiring the Pilot operating the aircraft to have completed a sUAS flight training course of 

100 hours before flying a sUAS. Unlike a conventional aircraft that carries the pilot and passengers, the 

sUAS is remotely controlled with no living thing or cargo on board. The sUAS proposed in the application 

is also operated by an autopilot, which greatly reduces the danger of human error. The area of operation 

is controlled and restricted to hard hat areas, and all flights are planned and coordinated in advance. 

The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 10 lbs. fully loaded, carries neither a pilot nor passenger, 

carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operated exclusively within a controlled area. 

Like other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and monitored by the 

operator and under the requirements and in compliance with local public safety requirements, to provide 

security for the area of operations as is currently done on active construction sites. 

The risks associated with the operation of the sUAS are therefore diminished from the level of risk 

associated with commercial operations contemplated by Part 61 when drafted, and allowing operations 

of the sUAS as requested achieves the level of safety contemplated by 14 CFR 61.113(a) & (b). 

14 CFR 91.103: Preflight action 

This regulation requires each pilot in command take certain actions before flight to ensure the safety of 

flight. An exemption is needed from this requirement as the pilot will take separate preflight actions, 

including checking for weather conditions, checking flight battery requirements, checking takeoff and 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

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landing areas, and all other actions in the Preflight Checklist (See Exhibit 6) in the sUAS systems manuals. 

These actions will provide and equivalent level of safety. 

14 CFR 91.119: Minimum safe altitudes 

Section 91.119 establishes safe altitudes for operation of civil aircraft. Section 91.119(d) allows helicopters 

to be operated at less than the minimums prescribed, provided the person operating the helicopter 

complies with any route or altitudes prescribed for helicopters by the FAA. The exemption is for a 

multirotor craft that flies similarly to a helicopter, with vertical takeoff and vertical landing, which will 

operate at altitudes no more than 400 feet AGL, so an exemption may be needed to allow such operations. 

The sUAS will never operate at an altitude higher than 400 feet AGL and will be operate in a controlled 

area with security perimeter, where buildings and people will not be exposed to operations without their 

pre-obtained consent. 

The equivalent level of safety will be achieved given the size, weight, speed of the sUAS as well as the 

location where it is operated. No flight will commence without the permission of the property owner or 

their agent or local officials. Because of the advance notice to the property owner and any onsite 

personnel, all affected individuals will be aware of the planned flight operations. Unlike flight operations 

with conventional small aircraft or helicopters weighing far more that the maximum 10 lbs. proposed 

herein, our sUAS will not carry flammable fuel. In addition, the low-altitude operations of the sUAS will 

ensure separation between sUAS operations and the operations of conventional aircraft that must comply 

with Section 91.119. 

14 CFR 91.121: Altimeter settings 

This regulation requires each person operating an aircraft to maintain cruising altitude by reference to an 

altimeter that is set “...to the elevation of the departure airport or an appropriate altimeter setting 

available prior to departure.” As the sUAS may not have a barometric altimeter, but instead a GPS altitude 

readout, an exemption may be needed. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by the operator, 

pursuant to the uUAS systems manuals and Preflight Checklist (See Exhibit 6), confirming the altitude of 

the launch site shown on the GPS altitude indicator before flight. 

14 CFR 91.151(a): Fuel requirements for flight in VFR conditions 

Section 91.151(a) outlines fuel requirements for beginning a flight in VFR conditions. Our sUAS is limited 

to operations in controlled environments, and has a limited range and flight time which require an 

exemption from 14 CFR 91.151(a). 

The battery powering the sUAS provides approximately 35 minutes of powered flight. To meet the 30 

minute reserve requirement in 14 CRF 91.151, sUAS flights would be limited to approximately 5 minutes 

in length. Given the limitations of the sUAS’s proposed flight area and the location of its proposed 

operations within a predetermined area, a longer time frame for flight in daylight or night VFR conditions 

is reasonable. 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 8

Ocelleye believes that an exemption from 14 CFR 91.151(a) falls within the scope of prior exemptions. See 

Exemption 10673 (allowing Lockheed Martin Corporation to operate without the compliance with FAR 

91.151 (a)). Operating the sUAS, in a tightly controlled area where only people and property owners or 

official representatives who have signed waivers will be allowed, with less than 30 minutes of reserve fuel, 

does not endanger the type of risks that Section 91.151(a) was intended to alleviate given the size and 

speed of the sUAS. Additionally, limiting the sUAS flights to 5 minutes would greatly reduce the utility for 

which the exemption will be granted. 

An equivalent level of safety can be achieved by limiting flights to 30 minutes, or enough battery reserve 

to ensure that the sUAS land at the point of launch with at least 20% of battery power (as determined by 

the onboard monitoring system and the pilot), whichever happens first. This restriction would be more 

than adequate to return the sUAS to its planned landing zone from anywhere in its limited operating area. 

Similar exemptions have been granted to other operations, including Exemptions 2689F, 5745, 10673, and 

10808. 

14 CFR 91.405(a); 407(a)(1); 409(a)(2); 417(a) & (b): Maintenance inspections 

These regulations require that an aircraft operator or owner “shall have the aircraft inspected as 

prescribed in Subpart E of this part and shall between required inspections, except as provided in 

paragraph (c) of this section, have discrepancies repaired as prescribed in Part 43 of this chapter...,” and 

others shall inspect or maintain the aircraft in compliance with Part 43. 

Given that these sections and Part 43 apply only to aircraft with an airworthiness certificate, these sections 

would not apply to Ocelleye’s operations proposed by this application. Maintenance will be accomplished 

by the operator pursuant to the sUAS systems manuals. An equivalent level of safety will be achieved 

because these sUAS are very limited in size and will carry a small payload and operate only in controlled 

areas for limited periods of time. If mechanical issues arise the sUAS can land immediately and will be 

operating from no higher than 400 feet AGL. As provided in the uUAS systems manuals, the pilot will 

ensure that the sUAS is in working order prior to initiating flight, perform required maintenance as 

recommended by the manufacturer, and keep a log of any maintenance performed. Moreover, the pilot 

is the person most familiar with the craft and best suited to maintain the craft in an airworthy condition 

to provide the equivalent level of safety. 

14 CFR 45.23(b): Marking of the aircraft 

The regulation requires “When marks include only the Roman capital “N” and the registration number is 

displayed on limited, restricted, or light-sport category aircraft or experimental or provisionally certified 

aircraft, the operator must also display on that aircraft near the entrance to the cabin, cockpit, or pilot 

station, in letters not less than 2 inches nor more than 6 inches high, the words “limited,” “restricted,” 

“light-sport,” “experimental,” or “provisional,” as applicable.” 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 9

Even though the sUAS will have no airworthiness certificate, an exemption may be needed as the sUAS 

will have no entrance to the cabin, cockpit or pilot station on which the required words can be placed. 

Given the size of the sUAS, two inch lettering would be impossible. 

14 CFR Part 21, Subpart H: Airworthiness Certificates 14 CFR 91.203(a)(1) 

Subpart H, entitled Airworthiness Certificates, establishes the procedural requirements for the issuance 

of the airworthiness certificates as required by FAR 91.203(a)(1). Given the size and limited operating area 

associated with the aircraft to be utilized by Ocelleye, an exemption from Part 21 Subpart H meets the 

requirements of an equivalent level of safety under Part 11 and Section 333 of the Reform Act. The Federal 

Aviation Act (49 USC 44701(f)) and Section 333 of the Reform Act both authorize the FAA to exempt 

aircraft from the requirement for airworthiness certificate, upon consideration of the size, weight, speed, 

operational capability, and proximity to airports and populated areas of the particular sUAS. In all cases, 

an analysis of these criteria demonstrates that the sUAS operated without an airworthiness certificate, in 

the restricted environment and under the conditions proposed will be at least as safe, or safer, than a 

conventional small aircraft or helicopter operating with an airworthiness certificate without the 

restrictions and conditions proposed. 

The sUAS to be operated hereunder is less than 10 lbs. including its payload, carries neither a pilot nor 

passenger, carries no explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and operates exclusively within a 

controlled area. Unlike other civil aircraft, operations under this exemption will be tightly controlled and 

monitored by both the operator and under the requirements and in compliance with local public safety 

requirements, to provide security for the area of operations as is now done with construction and survey 

sites. These safety enhancements, which already apply to civil aircraft operated in connection with 

construction site monitoring and surveying, provide a greater degree of safety to the public and property 

owners than conventional operations conducted with airworthiness certificates issued under 14 CFR Part 

21 Subpart H. Lastly, application of these same criteria demonstrates that there is no credible threat to 

national security posed by the sUAS, due to its size, speed of operation, location of operation, lack of 

explosive materials or flammable liquid fuels, and inability to carry a substantial external load. 

14CFR 91.7(a): Civil aircraft airworthiness 

This regulation requires that no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in airworthy condition. As 

there will be no airworthiness certificate issued for the aircraft, should exemption be granted, no FAA 

regulatory standard will exist for determining airworthiness. Given the size of the craft and the 

requirement contained in the uUAS systems manuals for maintenance and use of safety checklists prior 

to each flight, an equivalent level of safety will be provided. 

14 CFR 91.9(b)(2): Civil aircraft flight manual in the aircraft 

This regulation requires the craft’s flight manual to be located onboard the craft. The sUAS, given it size 

and configuration, has no ability to carry such a manual on the craft, not only because there is no pilot 

onboard, but because there is no room or capacity to carry such on item on the craft. 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 10

The equivalent level of safety will be maintained by keeping the sUAS systems manuals at the point of 

launch where the pilot flying the sUAS will have immediate access to it. The FAA has issued the following 

exemptions to this regulation: Exemption Nos. 8307, 8737, 8738, 9299, 9299A; 9565, 9565B, 10167, 

10167A, 10602, 62827, and 10700. 

14 CFR 91.203(a) & (b): Carrying civil aircraft certification and registration 

This regulation provide in pertinent part: 

(a) Except as provides in 91.715, no person may operate a civil aircraft unless is has within it the 

following: 

(1) An appropriate and current airworthiness certificate... 

(b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by paragraph 

(a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under 91.715 is displayed at the cabin or 

cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew. 

The sUAS fully loaded weighs no more than 10 lbs. and is operated with an onboard pilot. As such, there 

is no ability or place to carry certification and registration documents or to display them on the sUAS. 

An equivalent level of safety will be achieved by keeping these documents at the point of launch where 

the pilot operating the sUAS will have immediate access to them, to the extent they are applicable to the 

sUAS. The FAA has issued numerous exemptions to this regulation. A representative sample of other 

exceptions includes Exemption Nos. 9656, 9665, 9789, 9789A, 9797, 9797A, 9816A, and 10700. 

******** 

Pursuant to 14 CFR Part 11, the following summary s provided for publication in the Federal Register, 

should it be determined that publication is needed: 

Applicant seeks an exemption from the following rules: 14 CFR Part 21, Subpart H; 14 CFR 45.23(b); 14 

CFR 61.113(a) & (b); 14 CFR 91.7(a); 14 CFR 91.9 (b)(2); 14 CFR 91.103; 14 CFR 91.119; 14 CFR 91.121; 14 

CFR 91.151(a); 14 CFR 91.203(a) & (b); 14 CFR 91.405(a); 14 CFR 407(a)(1); 14 CFR 409(a)(2); and 14 CFR 

417(a) & (b) to operate commercially a small unmanned vehicle (55 lbs. or less) in construction and survey 

operations. 

Approval of exemptions allowing commercial operations of sUAS in the construction industry enhances 

safety while reducing risk. Manned aircraft monitoring and surveying creates a greater risk because the 

craft of much larger, have combustible fuel, and carry an onboard human pilot. In contrast, a sUAS 

weighing fewer than 10 lbs. and powered by batteries eliminates virtually all of that risk given the reduced 

mass and lack of combustible fuel carried onboard. The sUAS will carry no passengers or crew and, 

therefore, will not expose them to the risks associated with manned aircraft flights. 

The operation of small sUAS, weighing less than 10 lbs., conducted in the strict conditions outlines above, 

will provide an equivalent level of safety supporting the grant of the exemptions requested herein, 
U.S. Department of Transportation 

May 5, 2015 

Page 11

including exempting the applicant from Part 21 and allowing commercial operations. These lightweight 

crafts operate at slow speeds, close to the ground, and in a sterile environment and, as a result, are far 

safer than conventional operations conducted with conventional small aircraft and helicopters operating 

in close proximity to the ground and people. 

Privacy 

All flights will occur over private or controlled access property with the property owner’s prior consent 

and knowledge. Images taken will be of the individuals who have also consented to being filmed or 

otherwise have agreed to be in the area where aerial imaging will take place. 

******** 

Satisfaction of the criteria provided in Section 333 of the Reform Act of 2012—size, weight, speed, 

operating capabilities, proximity to airports and populated areas and operation within visual line of sight 

and national security—provide more than adequate justification for the grant of the requested 

exemptions allowing commercial operations of Ocelleye’s sUAS in the Architectural Engineering and 

Construction industry pursuant to the Manual appended hereto. 

Sincerely, 

Gregory A. Sherwin 

President 

Ocelleye, LLC 
TBS DISCOVERY PRO Quadrotor 

Durable and crash resistant multirotor perfect for 

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Revision 2014-07-24

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1

EXHIBIT 1
Before we begin 

Thank you for buying a TBS product! The TBS DISCOVERY PRO is a new multirotor aircraft from Team 

BlackSheep (TBS) for hobbyist, semi-pro and pro aerial videographers. It features the best design practices 

available on the market to date, providing great flying stability and incredible FPV characteristics. 

Please read this manual carefully before assembling and flying your new TBS DISCOVERY PRO quadrotor. Keep 

this manual for future reference regarding tuning and maintenance. 

Disclaimer 

Our request to you; the aircraft may not be used to infringe on people's right to privacy. We have designed a toy 

with mind blowing capabilities. It is your responsibility to use it reasonably and according to your experience 

level. Use common sense. Fly safe. You are on your own. TBS has no liability for use of this aircraft. 

● Locate an appropriate flying location 

● Obtain the assistance of an experienced pilot 

● Practice safe and responsible operation 

● Always be aware of the rotating blades 

● Prevent moisture 

● Keep away from heat or excessive amounts of sunlight 

 

2
Specifications 

Type: Asymmetric spider quadrotor 

Airframe: Reinforced black fiberglass (rear top RF transparent, bottom PDB) 

Battery: 4S (14.8V) 3300 to 4500mAh LiPo pack, max. 31 x 47 x 157mm 

Propellers: 9x5-inch or 10x5-inch (2xCW, 2xCCW) 

Motor: 2216 class, ~900kV, 180-220W, 16x19mm mount pattern 

Speed controllers: 18 to 30A 400Hz Multirotor ESCs 

Receiver: 6 channels or more, 8 channels recommended 

Flight controller: Standard quadcopter controller with optional GPS module 

Current sensor: 50A on-board 

Camera gimbal: GoPro HD Hero1/2/3 supported, 2-axis, roll and tilt stabilization 

Gimbal controller: BaseCam 12V, tied to CORE to auto-switch profiles, GB2208-80 motors

Center of Gravity: 15mm in front of Center of Thrust mark 

Duration: 8 to 13min (dependent on drive train and battery system) 

Distance: up to 4km range (and return) 

Altitude: up to 1.5km / 5000ft 

All-up-weight: 1500 to 2000g 

Required tools 

● Hex (Allen) screwdrivers (0.9mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm) 

● Soldering iron (50 to 100W recommended) 

● Solder (Sn60Pb40 or Sn62Pb36Ag2, multicore flux) 

● Propeller balancer (recommended) 

There will be some soldering required to connect the speed controllers, battery lead, R/C header and CORE 

voltage configuration for the video transmitter and camera. We offer most of the following items on our 

website individually or as part of an Almost-Ready-to-Fly (ARF) kit. 

The equipment and parts we offer has been truly tried-and-tested to meet our standards for an excellent flight 

experience. But you can of course replace these with equal components or of similar type. 

 

3
Parts list 

Before building your TBS DISCOVERY PRO, make sure the following items are included in your kit. 

1x Top frame plate 1x Bottom frame plate 1x Gimbal IMU board 

1x GoPro link card 1x Pilot camera mount plate 7x Red aluminum spacers 

1x Battery pigtail 14AWG with 

XT60 connector 

2x VTx and camera Molex 

Picoblade cables 

4x Black Molex 1.25 Picoblade 

cables 

3x Pin headers for R/C and RSSI 

connections

4x Hex screws bags (M2.5x5, 

M3x6.5, M2.5x6, 

M3x4+M2x6+M2x12) 

10x Black anodized aluminium 

gimbal parts 

1x Gimbal bearing 2x Gimbal motors 25x Orange/Red/Green gimbal 

dampeners 

4
Required parts 

To get in the air the following equipment and parts are needed for assembly. 

4x DJI Flame Wheel arms 4x 400Hz Multirotor Speed 

Controller 18-30A 

4x 900kV brushless motors (incl. 

prop adaptor and mounting 

screws) 

4x 9x5 or 10x5-inch propellers 

(2xCW, 2xCCW) 

1x 4S 3300 to 4500mAh LiPo 

battery 

1x Multicopter flight controller 

1x R/C receiver (6-channels or 

more, 8-channels preferred)

1x R/C transmitter (6-channels or 

more, 8-channels preferred)

1x LiPo battery charger

1x Pilot camera (32x32mm) 1x HD recording camera (GoPro 

HD Hero 1/2/3)

1x Video transmitter

1x Equipped ground station 3x Velcro straps - now included! 

Other essential parts: 

1x Threadlock (purple/blue) low 

strength 

20x Zip-ties 

2x Self-adhesive foam pads 

5
Build guide 

The TBS DISCOVERY PRO comes in the usual quality finish and plug & play style the TBS DISCOVERY line is 

famous for. The essentials are fully integrated on the plates, to make the final assembly as easy as humanly 

possible. No separate boards, wire spaghetti, purchasing stuff from multiple sources or components that don't 

match. It is all in the box, just take it out, mount the ESCs, motors and props, a flight control and you are ready to 

shoot videos. 

TBS CORE 

The CORE has won over the FPV enthusiasts worldwide and as the easiest to use OSD module. Clean data layout 

and only the most important information presented on screen. Clutter-free, permanently visible, zero wires for 

installation, and nicely tucked away under a tin shield. The most robust and secure solution for on screen 

telemetry. 

Features: 

● Accurate flight pack voltage and mAh consumption display 

● Reliable power supply for FPV camera and transmitter 

● Flight time shown once a minute 

● Display RSSI (R/C signal strength) from all major UHF systems and some regular R/C systems 

● Single battery FPV system - less chance of failure! 

At the heart of the TBS DISCOVERY PRO sits a new CORE integrated into the frame. It provides a rudimentary 

OSD and clean power distribution to the FPV camera (user installed), video transmitter (user installed), gimbal 

electronics, IMU board and gimbal motors, regardless of input voltage (2S-10S). It delivers up to 2A at 5V and 

0.65A at 12V, though the 12V rail is powered from the 5V part to support a wide input voltage range, so make 

sure to leave enough headroom when picking gear. If you need more power than that you have to power your 

equipment (e.g. VTx, camera, LEDs) separate from another power source (supply pads +/- on bottom frame 

and/or additional voltage regulators)! 

The frame includes a 50A current sensor which is connected directly to the CORE. If you are planning to fly with 

UHF, we made sure to cover the CORE with a tin shield to isolate the CORE nicely from the rest of the electronics 

on frame. Configuring the CORE is made easy via the readily available buttons on the top plate. This means that 

CORE is neatly tucked away and protected under the tin shield, while making changes can be done with a few 

button presses. 

Note: If you draw more current than provided, the DC-DC board will shut down due to overheat/ 

overcurrent protection! This might occur when powering a powerful video transmitter. When that happens, 

you will not damage your DCDC but be aware that the video link/gimbal will experience drop-outs during this

period. Test it on the ground for several minutes before you maiden your PRO with equipment other than 

TBS recommended gear. 

6
Frame layout 

The TBS DISCOVER PRO frame is designed to reduce wiring and clutter. With simplicity in mind, we put all the 

electronics for the CORE, brushless camera gimbal and camera switching nicely integrated onto the top and 

bottom plates. All connections for the brushless gimbal motors, gimbal IMU and GoPro feed is plug&play. 

Calibrating the gimbal and configuring the CORE is made easily accessible via 4 push-buttons. A plate-to-plate 

bottom link connector shares the required power and signals between the plates. There are also two blue LEDs 

to indicate the state of the CORE and gimbal controller. There is even a special EzUHF “OSD Link” connector for 

extended R/C uplink stats on the video display. 

With the advent of PPM compatible receivers and flight controllers, setting up a multirotor was made really easy; 

just plug in a single cable into the flight controller. PPM essentially stacks all the channels after another in a 

sequentially stream requiring only one hardware pin, while the traditional PWM channels all require its own 

dedicated hardware pin. 

The advantage of PPM really becomes apparent when paired up with additional controllers (e.g., gimbal.) By 

sharing the same PPM output, a controller can demux only the needed channels, for instance a flight controller 

can demux channel 1 to 4 for R/C control, while a gimbal controller can use channel 5 and 6 for tilt/roll. 

Compared to traditional PWM, this removes 5 servo-cables from the system and really simplifies the build 

process. 

7
Vibration free recordings 

The TBS DISCOVERY PRO is designed with a new vibration damping system where the gimbal rests on an array 

of 8+2 silicone mounts to form a push-pull compression system. This eliminates vibrations from propagating to 

the gimbal frame and HD camera. 

We provide 5 rounds of damping balls (soft, medium, hard, harder, extra hard)) which are interchangeable and 

mixable to support a wide range of setups and scenarios. A late addition to the damping system was a lever 

arm on the back of the roll motor to reduce slow oscillating jolts from showing on the HD footage. 

Think of the entire damping layout as accumulating hardness. The green damping balls are the softest, red the 

medium and orange the hardest. Vary between the colors and layouts, keeping the left and right half of the 

gimbal symmetrical to find the system that works for you. Top and bottom do not need to remain identical. 

TBS can only ensure proper operation with the TBS-approved setup: 900kV motors, 9x5 Graupner propellers, 

TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs. All other layouts are subject to optimization. Use the provided damping balls to 

experiment to find an optimal combination. With a bit it testing, you will be able to get the “jello”-effect out of 

any setup. 

The drivetrain should be balanced and tracking before trying to reconfigure the damping balls. The primary 

culprit for vibrations are unbalanced propellers, followed closely by unbalanced motors/shafts and bad 

bearings. Fortunately, balancing them is a relatively easy task. TBS is offering a Prop Balancer for this purpose 

and more details on how to perform the procedure, please see our support forum section at fpvlab.com. 

 

8
Long range photography 

Team BlackSheep are the undisputed kings of long range FPV. With the TBS DISCOVERY PRO you can make 

camera shots that rival those of real helicopters. You can chase BMX drivers down an entire slope. You can film 

boats and yachts from the shore. You can shoot breathtaking action scenes from the director's seat! Since 

you're piloting from the camera view, your skill is the limit. 

We offer 2 basic setups, each with their different flavors of ranges. The TBS 5.8GHz FPV system gives you 

ranges between 500m (25mW) to 3km (600mW). Please make sure your 2.4GHz R/C can match this distance! 

To fly further, we offer the EzUHF Tx & Rx long range control system and the Lawmate 2.4GHz long range video 

system. Compatible with all remote controls! With the 11dBi Yagi ranges of 10km or more are easily achieved. 

The battery life now is your limit. 

Frequency choice 

Frequency choice depends on the ranges you want to fly. Using 5.8GHz video is an ideal frequency if you do not 

plan on flying far away from yourself or behind objects. It is compatible with 2.4GHz remote controls. 

Using 2.4GHz video (TBS video frequency of choice) will give you nearly unlimited range and far superior link 

quality, but you can not use your 2.4GHz remote control on the same quad because of limited separation (it is no 

problem for our R/C buddies to fly with 2.4GHz remote controls next to you though!). You will need an EzUHF or 

any other UHF control system available on the market. 

1.2GHz works very well in urban environments where the 2.4GHz band is completely polluted. 

By using the same connector type across all transmission frequencies, the TBS eco-system allows quick and 

effortless switching between the frequencies. 

Typical ranges (based on customer feedback) with omnidirectional antennas: 

● Lawmate 2.4GHz 500mW - 4km 

● TBS 5.8GHz 25mW - 400m 

● TBS 5.8GHz 200mW - 1.4km 

● Boscam/Foxtech/HobbyKing 5.8GHz 500mW - do NOT buy, bad design! 

● Boscam/Foxtech/HobbyKing 5.8GHz 400mW - 2.5km 

● ImmersionRC 5.8GHz 600mW - 2.5km 

More range can be achieved by using higher gain (directional) antennas. With the 11dBi TBS Yagi on 500mW 

Lawmate 2.4GHz gear, 10km of range is no problem at all. The battery normally only lasts for 8km of flight (4km 

and return.) 

9
Video switching 

Another great feature of the TBS DISCOVERY PRO is the ability to switch the video feed between the live FPV 

pilot camera and the gimbal camera. Fly through the FPV camera to line yourself up for a shot and then switch to 

the GoPro footage to position the camera (2-axis). Depending on if it is a close flying area or wide open field, 

switch back to the FPV feed to maneuver the quadcopter. Pay attention when flying through the GoPro feed 

because the gimbal will make it hard to judge the quad’s attitude and flying direction. 

Switching the video feed is done through a dedicated R/C channel on the receiver. Similarly, one or two slider 

switches on your R/C transmitter allows control over the 2-axis gimbal. Connect a servo-cable from the R/C 

receiver to the designated connectors on the top plate of the frame. 

Electronics installation 

The electronics installation is split into two sections; one for the R/C equipment and the second for the FPV gear. 

We recommend finishing and dry-testing the R/C system before moving on to the FPV section to simplify 

troubleshooting. A detailed overview diagram of the electronics installation is available as an appendix to this 

document. 

Before adding the equipment to the frame it is a good idea to become familiar with the recommended 

positioning of the equipment, as shown in the image above. 

 

10
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 - + S

PPM Gimbal

Bottom link

IMU/GoPro

Roll

Pitch

VTX

CAM

5V 12V

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

Pwr

Gnd

Audio

Video

GP Out Sel

VTX2 Switch

Gnd

Vbat

Video

VTX2

Gnd

Vcc

Rx

Tx

UART

Gimbal

EzUHF RSSI Link

Gimal Roll

Gimbal Pitch

Gimbal PPM

Camera switch

Analog RSSI

Flight controller PPM

+ --

-- 

+ --

+ --

PPM

+ --

+ --

S + -

DISCOVERY PRO

Top Link

+

+Battery

50A

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Choosing the right setup 

If you are just getting into the hobby and you have absolutely nothing, consider the following components to 

buy. Use these suggested setups as a “shopping list” if you are just getting started. Any existing gear you 

already own (e.g. remote controls, chargers, batteries) can be used with the TBS DISCOVERY PRO. 

These setups, with the exception of the Camera Tripod and the Remote Control, are available from Team 

BlackSheep. Remote controls can be purchased at your local hobby shop, camera tripods are available from big 

electronics wholesalers or Ebay.

TBS DISCOVERY PRO setup for short range flights 

● Expected flight time: 10-12 min 

● Approximate cost: US$ 2’350 - US$ 2’750 

● Experience level: Beginner to Expert 

● Ideal for: Parks, R/C clubs, front lawns 

R/C transmitter/receiver: Graupner MX-12 2.4GHz radio with bundled receiver (GR-6) 

or Futaba 8FG / 7C 2.4GHz radio with included receiver (R6208SB / R617FS)

Quadrotor equipment: 4x DJI Flame Wheel F450 arms 

4x TBS BULLETPROOF 30A 5V SBEC speed controllers 

4x TBS 900kV2 brushless motors 

4x Graupner E-Prop 9x5-inch propellers 

1x DJI NAZA-M flight controller (optional GPS add-on) 

Battery: TBS 4S (14.8V) 3300mAh - 4500mAh 35C Lipo pack 

Battery charger: Graupner Ultramat 14S (premium) or TBS B6AC 80W (budget) 

FPV transmitter: TBS ROOKIE BOSCAM 5.8GHz 200mW video transmitter 

FPV receiver: TBS RC508 5.8GHz video receiver or Dominator 5.8GHz module 

FPV pilot camera: TBS 59 or TBS 69 FPV camera 

FPV goggles: FatShark Dominator video glasses 

HD camera: GoPro HD Hero 3 Black edition

Ground station 

accessories: 

TBS 3S 5000mAh Ground Station Lipo 

Camera Tripod to mount your gear (e.g. Cullmann Primax 150) 

 

11
TBS DISCOVERY PRO setup for long range flights 

● Expected flight time: 10-12 min 

● Cost range: US$ 2’500 - US$ 3’000 

● Experience level: Expert 

● Ideal for: Long, wide open fields, plains, coastlines and valleys or urban flying 

R/C transmitter/receiver: Futaba 8FG / 7C or Graupner MX-12 radio 

+ EzUHF 433MHz transmitter module and SRH-771 UHF antenna 

+ EzUHF Lite 8-channel 433MHz receiver 

Quadrotor electronics: 4x TBS BULLETPROOF 30A 5V SBEC speed controllers 

4x TBS 900kV2 brushless motors 

4x Graupner E-Prop 9x5-inch propellers 

1x DJI NAZA-M flight controller (optional GPS add-on) 

Battery: TBS 4S (14.8V) 3300mAh - 4500mAh 35C Lipo pack 

Battery charger: Graupner Ultramat 14S (premium) or TBS B6AC 80W (budget) 

FPV transmitter: Lawmate 2.4GHz 500mW Video Tx (stock or tuned) 

FPV receiver: Lawmate 2.4GHz Video Rx (stock or tuned) with 11dBi Yagi 

FPV pilot camera: TBS 59 or TBS 69 FPV camera 

FPV goggles: FatShark Dominator video glasses 

HD camera: GoPro HD Hero 3 Black edition

Ground station 

accessories: 

TBS 3S 5000mAh Ground Station Lipo 

Camera Tripod to mount your gear (e.g. Cullmann Primax 150) 

12
Camera gimbal assembly 

Start by assembling the brushless gimbal. There are a few steps which requires extra attention to detail in order 

to get the desired silky smooth operation of the gimbal. These are outlined in the following sections. 

Vibration damping system 

Start by inserting the damping balls on the mounting plate and frame brackets. This makes it easier to install the 

main mounting plate later on. 

● The kit includes 35 damping balls of varying elasticity. Play around with different combinations to find 

an optimal match which opposes/absorbs the vibrations from the frame. In general it is recommended 

to go as hard as possible up to the stage where vibrations/“jello” begin to propagate. 

● The harder you go on the front mounting brackets, the softer you can go on the back lever plate. 

● A list of suggested combinations are available below. 

○ Green - soft silicone (5) 

○ Red - medium silicone (10) 

○ Orange - hard silicone (10) 

○ Yellow - harder silicone (5) 

○ Black - extra hard silicone (5) 

13
● On the main mounting plate, the cable for the motor will exit on the top notch and the plate needs to be 

oriented accordingly. Four of the top damping balls will face forward (toward the gimbal) holding the 

mounting bracket to the top frame, while the bottom four damping balls will point the opposite 

direction (backward) and hold the bottom end of the mounting bracket. This creates the ideal push-pull 

compression state where the gimbal rests nicely on the damping balls and allows them to operate 

under ideal conditions. 

● Start out by using the recommended damping layouts shown below and experiment. 

GoPro HD Hero1 and GoPro HD Hero2 

Alternative #1 Alternative #2 

GoPro HD Hero3 and GoPro HD Hero3+

Alternative #1 Alternative #2 

 

14
● Use a short length of a servo-wire or a piece of string to more easily feed the damping balls through 

the 16 holes on the base mounting plate and frame mounting brackets. Wrap the wire or string inside 

the groove of the balls, one or two turns, feed both ends into the hole, and pull through using a plier. 

● The same applies for the lever arm, only this time it is best to start with lever then work on the plate. 

 

15
Gimbal assembly 

The gimbal screws use 1.5mm (M2), 2.0mm (M2.5) and 2.5mm (M3) hex screwdrivers. Keep the screws loose at 

the start and fully tighten them at the end of the assembly, this makes it easier to align all the parts. For a good 

secure fit, use a very small amount of light/medium strength threadlock on all metal-to-metal-screws. 

● Begin by putting on the gimbal motors on the gimbal arm and black plate. For the tilt/right motor, make 

sure to align the motor cable so it protrudes hidden behind the inner side of the mount. Mount it with 

4x M3x4mm hex screws. For the roll/rear motor, orient the motor so that shaft/cable is pointing away 

from the back mounting plate. Here, use 4x M2.5x6mm screws. Take note of the four adjustable 

mounting holes on the roll/rear motor, use these to balance the GoPro at the end of the build. 

● Connect the 5-pin Molex connector to the TBS IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) board and feed the 

cable through the hole on the top gimbal cage plate. Align it with the two holes and use 2x M2.5x6mm 

screws to secure it. 

● Attach the left side cage wall, bottom cage floor, and right side cage wall to the top cage plate using 8x 

M2.5x6mm screws. The axis shaft flange on both walls should face outwards and the notches for the 

cable zip-tie should be positioned up. This completes the central gimbal cage assembly. 

● Next, put the bearing into the housing the left gimbal arm and use the long M2x12mm screw to 

compress the gap until the bearing stays in place - do not overtighten, just clamp the bearing. 

16
rev. 01. 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs

Gimbal assembly diagram

(1) M3x4mm motor mount screws

(2) M2.5x6mm gimbal screws

(3) M2x12mm bearing clamp screw (4) M2x6mm grub screws

(2)

(2)

(2)

(2) (2)

(1)

(2)

(2)

(2)

Note: Parts with the same number

belong to the same group.

(5) M3x6mm lever-to-motor

 mount screws

(4) M2.5x5mm frame

 screws

(4)
● To minimize cable tension and friction, feed the 5-pin Molex connector through the bearing and slide 

the bearing over the flange on the left side of the gimbal cage (completed previously). 

● Align the shrink tube pieces in such a fashion that there is no shrink tube on the inside corner of the 

cage or in the bearing channel. Feed the remainder of the 5-pin cable length through the hole on the 

left gimbal arm. 

● Align and attach the roll/rear motor mounting plate to the left gimbal arm. Pass the 5-pin cable through 

the inner “U”-gap. Do the same for the right gimbal arm. 

● Use the small 2x M2x6mm grub screws to secure the tilt/right motor shaft to the gimbal cage. This 

requires a 0.9mm hex (Allen) key. Align the two notches on the motor shaft with the grub screw holes. 

Ensure that both screws are properly tightened, but do not overtighten as the screws could strip. 

● Strap down the cables using 4 zip-ties, use the designated holes around the inner bends of the gimbal 

arms and cage. The zip-tie on the cage for the IMU cable needs to be positioned with the zip-tie head 

facing backwards to avoid binding/hitting the left gimbal arm. 

17
● Continue by attaching the main damping mounting plate (completed previously) and back lever arm to 

the rear/roll motor. Align the cable with the notch in the mounting plate and secure it using 4x M3x6mm 

screws. Feed the remaining cables through the two oval holes on either side of the plate. Make sure the 

cables does not obstruct free movement or is under tension. Also check that the cage can move freely 

and there is no binding (rubbing) on either side. 

● Mount lever arm with the flat surface with the holes pointing down. The lever plate should have the 

protruding thread holes also pointing down. This completes the gimbal arm and cage assembly! 

18
Post frame assembly 

● Continue assembling the rest of the DISCOVERY PRO frame and at the end of the build, slide in the 

gimbal assembly, plug in the 3 cables for pitch, roll and IMU to the designated location and secure the 

gimbal using 6x M2.5x5mm frame (arm) screws. Double check that the right/tilt motor is connected to 

the “PITCH” connector and the back/roll motor to “ROLL”. The cables should move freely. 

● Adjust the gimbal so that it is parallel and true to the frame. The arms and motors should not be tilting 

at an angle, looking from the side. Use the sliding position holes on the bottom plate to make the final 

adjustment. 

● If the mounting brackets are slipping, add a washer to the screws to keep them in place. 

● If the lever arm touches the flight controller when installed, either move the controller slightly or 

19
remove the spacer and two screws (these are not absolutely necessary). 

● Finally, feed the GoPro gimbal velcro strap through the slots on the bottom cage mounting plate. 

Properly strapped down the GoPro before flying to reduce vibrations/jello on the footage. Adjust the 

balance on both the tilt and roll axis by moving the GoPro back/forth and adjusting the mounting 

screws on the motor behind the GoPro, respectively. With no power applied, the gimbal should stay 

perfectly still and not lean in either particular direction. 

Important: Avoid rotating the gimbal multiple full turns on the tilt-axis. This puts tension on the IMU cable 

which in turn introduces counter-forces and interferes with the normal operation of the gimbal. 

 

20
Frame assembly 

The following sections will show you the essential steps to assembling the base of the frame and connect the 

electronics to the frame. In addition to the following assembly instructions, we have produced a both a 

summarized “How To” video and a full length “How to” build video showing the assembly and electronics 

installation. A full resolution image of the frame assembly is available as an appendix to this manual.

Bottom plate 

Power distribution 

● Start by pre-tinning (add solder to) the battery pads, speed controller pads, auxiliary power pads (for 

flight controller power), speed controller power leads and the battery pigtail. If needed, desolder and 

change the XT60 connector to your preferred connector of choice (e.g. Deans, EC5.) 

● Cut the the battery pigtail to 14cm and pre-tin the ends. Solder the wires to the positive (red) and 

negative (black) pads located on the back-right side on the frame. 

● Pick one of the available auxiliary power pads (smaller squares) and solder the flight controller power 

unit and/or voltage regulator(s) to the frame. We recommend the pads on the middle-left side. 

 

21
1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

5

5

6

6

7

7

8

8

A A

B B

C C

D D

E E

F F

SHEET 1 OF 1 

DRAWN

CHECKED

QA

MFG

APPROVED

TBS Associates Inc 31.07.2013

DWG NO

tbs_disc_pro_frame_assy

TITLE

SIZE

A2

SCALE

REV

(2) M2.5x5mm frame arm and gimbal screws

(1) M3x6.5mm spacer screws

(7) Aluminium spacers

(3) Pin header

(6) Frame arm

(4) Top plate

(5) Bottom plate

(6)

(6)

(6)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(1)

(2)

(2) (1)

(2)

(3)

Parts with the same number

belong to the same type.
Spacers 

● Next, add the red spacers (posts) to the bottom frame plate using the supplied M3x6.5mm hex screws. 

Add a small drop of threadlock to help secure the frame. It is recommended to only apply on the 

bottom screws for easy repairs/maintenance. 

● There are three spacer positions in the battery compartment to make it easy to balance (CG) the frame. 

The rear spacer position is great for 4S 3300-3700mAh packs, while the most forward position is great 

for larger 4S 4000-4500mAh packs (shown in the image below.) 

Speed controllers 

● Position the ESC with the label facing up. Solder the positive and negative leads on the speed 

controllers to the corresponding square pads on the bottom frame. The pads are located next to the 

two frame arm screw holes. Heat the solder pad, hold the cable in a slight angle (so both cables will 

form a “V”), remove the solder iron and keep still until the solder has had time to cool down and settle 

nicely. 

● Calibrate the throttle range for each ESC individually (except for DJI and TBS BULLETPROOF ESCs) by 

connecting the ESC directly to the throttle channel on the receiver and setting the throttle stick high 

(Wide Open Throttle - WOT) on power-on and then low until a confirmation beep is heard (motors 

attached). The ESC has to be connected directly to the R/C receiver for this procedure to work. TBS is 

offering a handy calibration cable for this purpose. If you are using EzUHF, set WOT as failsafe to avoid 

start-up timing issues. 

22
● One important note for ESCs that do not carry the “OPTO” label or are not TBS BULLETPROOF designs, 

is that only one of the four ESCs should provide 5V BEC power to the flight controller. The middle red 

wire on the end connector should be disconnected on three of the ESCs. If the flight controller is 

providing power (e.g. NAZA-M PMU/V-SEN-unit), all ESC BECs should be disconnected. The reason for 

this is to avoid voltage oscillations caused by erroneous voltage-regulator feedback. 

 

23
Flight controller 

● Decide whether you want to use traditional PWM or PPM/S.BUS control signal mode. The frame is laid 

out to work with both types of setups. As of writing, TBS suggests the DJI NAZA-M flight controller in 

PPM/S.BUS mode (together with a compatible receiver) and an optional GPS add-on (for 

return-to-home capability) for a clean wiring layout and great out-of-the-box experience. 

● Plug in all the R/C and ESC servo-cables to the flight controller according to the flight controller 

instructions. Mount the unit on the bottom plate in the centre of the white rectangle. Use a self-adhesive 

foam pad (normally included) to mount the controller. Be sure to double check the orientation of the 

flight controller for proper operation. 

● When using PPM/S.BUS, there is a handy easy-to-reach PPM header output located on the bottom 

frame. Also be sure the radio and receiver is properly mapping the channels in the PPM stream. 

● For setup and tuning parameters of the flight controller, refer to the manufacturer manual or guides on 

fpvlab.com. See the table below for initial TBS recommended NAZA-M gains. 

● (DJI NAZA only) Open NAZA Assistant and disable the “Voltage Monitor Protection”. This prevents the 

DISCOVERY PRO from prematurely descending on low battery. Use the CORE OSD to watch the battery 

condition instead. Never let the voltage go past 3.5V x cell count (i.e. 3S 10.5V, 4S 14.0V) or deplete the 

battery past 20% (e.g. max. 3600mA discharged on a 4500mAh battery pack.) 

24
● (DJI NAZA only) To save weight and space, the PMU (V2) can be disconnected and removed after the 

final configuration has been made. Although, 5V power still has to be provided from at least one of the 

ESCs. 

Start out using the following suggested gains for NAZA-M Autopilot and tune accordingly. 

Setup Gain Pitch Roll Yaw Vertical

TBS 900kV2 9x5 4S4500mAh 30A Basic/manual 135% 129% 133% 176% 

NAZA-M Lite Attitude 130% 130% 

TBS 900kV2 9x5 4S4500mAh 30A Basic/manual 130% 100% 120% 120% 

NAZA-M V2 Attitude 150% 150% 

Other drivetrains (general starting point) Basic/manual 130% 120% 110% 130%

NAZA-M V1/V2/Lite Attitude 130% 130% 

Note: The pitch axis gain will in most cases be greater than the roll axis gain because of the inherent 

asymmetric design and weight distribution on the frame. 

Frame arms 

● Install the frame arms on the four designated locations using the long-neck M2.5x5mm screws. Feed 

the speed controller wires through the gap between the frame arm and bottom plate. 

● With the speed controllers soldered (completed previously) and frame arms mounted, use the zip-ties 

to mount the speed controllers to the underside of the arms. Avoid putting tension or stress on the 

motor- or speed controller-cables. Use a self-adhesive pad to mount any BEC or control unit (e.g. NAZA 

PMU/LED/V-SEN-unit.) to the underside of the back-left speed controller. 

25
● Feed the battery straps through the two slots in the battery compartment. Only one strap is really 

necessary to provide adequate friction to keep the battery fastened. 

Optional: Use different colored frame arms for the front and back pair to make it easier to identify the 

orientation of the quadcopter in the air.

Motors 

● Mount the brushless motors to the frame arms using the supplied M3x6.5mm hex screws. There is no 

need to add an X-mount to the motors. Apply a small drop of medium threadlock to a secure the base. 

Feed the motor wires through the frame arm comb-pattern to minimize clutter. 

 

26
● Plug in the bullet-connectors to the speed controllers. Swap any two wires to change the direction of 

rotation if they do not rotate as shown below. See the image above for the most commonly used motor 

setup (e.g. NAZA-M.) 

 

27
Top plate 

R/C control signal headers 

● To get a clean R/C receiver-to-flight controller wiring, it is recommended to use the header on the top 

plate. There are 8 traces to support up to equally many PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) channels. When 

using a PPM (Pulse Position Modulation) compatible receiver and flight controller, only one trace 

(Channel 1) is used. 

● Solder the supplied pin header to the 8x3-pads and the single 1x3-header to the separate RSSI pad. 

Install the first header on the R/C receiver side (back-end) with the pins pointing up and, if you are using 

PWM control signals, solder the second header with the pins pointing down (towards the bottom 

plate/flight controller.) Use tape to keep the header in place while applying a reasonable amount of 

solder to all of the pins while applying heat. The flux in the solder will make the solder flow around the 

pins. 

● The layout of the header is as follows: 

○ channel 1 for PPM stream or channel 1 to 4 for PWM aileron/elevator/throttle/yaw control 

○ channel 5 for PWM gimbal horizontal roll control (rarely needing adjustments) 

○ channel 6 for PWM gimbal tilt pitch control 

○ channel 7 for PWM flight mode selection (i.e. attitude, manual, GPS assisted) 

○ channel 8 for PWM camera switch (i.e. fpv camera or GoPro feed) 

○ a dedicated RSSI_ANALOG header for CORE OSD signal strength read-out 

28
● The channels with a text label, i.e. PPM, GIMBAL_ROLL, GIMBAL_PITCH, CAM_SWITCH and 

RSSI_ANALOG, has the signal pin (∏) hardwired directly to their respective electronics section on the 

top frame (i.e. flight controller PPM break-out, gimbal controller roll/tilt, camera switcher, and CORE 

RSSI signal). No further wiring is needed to enable those systems. 

● Either gimbal channels and/or camera switch channel can be omitted if desired to free up channels (e.g. 

to use a 6/7 channel PWM receiver.) But you will of course lose direct control over those systems. 

● See the “FPV gear and gimbal” in the electronics installation section for further details. 

R/C receiver 

● Plug in the short servo extensions on the header on the top plate and connect them to the R/C receiver. 

Use a self-adhesive foam pad to mount the unit to the back-end of the top plate. Mount the antenna(s) 

in a vertical and/or “V”-formation using nylon antenna tube(s). 

● Channel 5, 6 and 8 pin headers can be used for other purposes (e.g., NAZA X1, X2) by disabling the 

gimbal R/C mapping via SimpleBGC (BaseCam) and/or camera switcher via CORE Menu. 

R/C receiver Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3 Ch. 4 Ch. 5 Ch. 6 Ch. 7 Ch. 8 

Flight 

controller 

Aileron/P

PM 

Elevator Throttle Rudder Gimbal 

Roll 

Gimbal 

Pitch 

Flight 

mode 

Camera 

switch 

● When using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication) signal from a compatible R/C receiver, use 

the header labeled RSSI_ANALOG to supply the signal directly to the CORE. Or, leave the header unused 

and connect the output to your OSD system of choice. 

29
CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the menu

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the menu

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the “CAM” menu

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

source in SimpleBGC

- CORE profile switching

only supports PWM

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the “CAM” menu

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the “CAM” menu

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the “CAM” menu

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link

- Enable “LINK” in the

 “RSSI” CORE menu

Flight controller

R/C pin header - Enable “PPM” in NAZA Assistant

R/C receiver

 - Configure “Muxed PPM” on CH1 and the camera

 switch (PPM 8) on CH8 in ImmersionRC Tools

PPM

CH8

CH7

CH6

CH5

CH4

CH3

CH2

CH1

EzUHF

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Flight mode

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron/PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link

- Enable “LINK” in the 

 “RSSI” CORE menu

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

source in SimpleBGC

Flight controller

R/C pin header - Enable “Traditional” in NAZA Assist.

R/C receiver

 - Reset the servo mapping to default

 in ImmersionRC Tools

CH8

CH7

CH6

CH5

CH4

CH3

CH2

CH1

EzUHF

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Flight mode

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron/PPM

RSSI not officially supported by Futaba/Hitec/Graupner

- Enable “ANALOG” in the “RSSI”

 CORE menu

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

 in SimpleBGC

Flight controller

R/C pin header - Enable “Traditional” in NAZA Assist.

R/C receiver

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Futaba/

Hitec

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Flight mode

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron/PPM

RSSI not officially supported by Spektrum/JR

- Enable “ANALOG” in the “RSSI”

 CORE menu

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

in SimpleBGC

Flight controller

R/C pin header - Enable “Traditional” in NAZA Assist.

R/C receiver (Tx set up as airplane)

AUX3

AUX2

AUX1

GEAR

RUD

ELE

AIL

THR

Spektrum

/JR

NAZA

X3

X2

X1

U

R

T

E

A

NAZA

X3

X2

X1

U

R

T

E

A

NAZA

X3

X2

X1

U

R

T

E

A

NAZA

X3

X2

X1

U

R

T

E

A

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link

- Enable “LINK” in 

 the “RSSI” CORE menu

Flight controller

- PPM: Use a jumper over the 

 elevator and aileron channels

R/C pin header

R/C receiver

 - Configure “Muxed PPM” on CH1 and the camera

 switch channel to output CH8 in IMRC Tools

PPM

CH8

CH7

CH6

CH5

CH4

CH3

CH2

CH1

EzUHF APM2

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Aux4

Aux3

Aux2

Aux1 F. mode

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Flight mode

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron/PPM

EzUHF RSSI Link

- Enable “LINK” in 

 the “RSSI” CORE menu

R/C pin header

R/C receiver

 - Reset the servo mapping to default

 in ImmersionRC Tools

CH8

CH7

CH6

CH5

CH4

CH3

CH2

CH1

EzUHF

Flight controller

- Secret trinket n/t

APM2

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Aux4

Aux3

Aux2

Aux1 F. mode

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

PPM

R/C pin header

R/C receiver

 - Ealier models use CH9 for PPM

 Configure CORE to use analog RSSI

PPM CH1

CH2

CH3

CH4

CH5

CH6

CH7

CH8

DragonLink RSSI

CH12

CH11

CH10

CH9

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

 in SimpleBGC

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the menu

RSSI analog

Camera switcher

Flight mode

Gimbal pitch

Gimbal roll

Rudder

Throttle

Elevator

Aileron/PPM

CORE (Camera switcher)

- Enable “SWITCH” 

in the menu

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

in SimpleBGC

Flight controller

R/C pin header - Secret trinket n/t

CH8

CH7

CH6

CH5

CH4

CH3

CH2

CH1

DragonLink

CH9

CH10

CH11

CH12

RSSI

R/C receiver

 - Configure CORE to use analog RSSI

EzUHF - NAZA - PPM - RSSI Link

EzUHF - NAZA - PWM - RSSI Link

Futaba/Hitec - NAZA - PWM - Analog RSSI

Spektrum/JR - NAZA - PWM - Analog RSSI

EzUHF - APM2 - PPM - RSSI Link

EzUHF - APM2 - PWM - RSSI Link

DragonLink - OpenPilot - PPM - Analog RSSI

DragonLink - OpenPilot - PWM - Analog RSSI

TBS DISCOVERY PRO - Common receiver and flight controller setups

OpenPilot

ReceiverPort Flight controller

- Secret trinket n/t

OpenPilot

ReceiverPort

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

source in SimpleBGC

- CORE profile switching

only supports PWM

Gimbal controller

 - Enable “PWM”

source in SimpleBGC

- CORE profile switching

only supports PWM
● (EzUHF Rx 8ch only) The CORE can decode the digital RSSI signal from the receiver via the separate 

“OSD Link” port and display RSSI on each of the two antennas and overall signal quality (including 

packet loss) of the R/C uplink. A 5-pin Molex cable is included which plugs into the EZUHF_RSSI_LINK 

connector on the top plate. For this feature to work the CORE’s RSSI setting needs to be set to “LINK”. 

There is no need to calibrate the RSSI in this scenario. 

Propellers 

● Before adding the propellers it is a good idea to be sure they are balanced, as mentioned later on. To 

avert any chance of injury, leave the propellers off until the flight controller configuration has been 

completed. 

● The only recommended propeller installation method is to use a precisely manufacturer prop adaptors 

(never prop-saver with o-ring.) The layering should be as follows; prop adaptor, optional reduction 

ring, propeller, washer and (lock) nut. You can skip any bell screw as it may add unnecessary vibrations. 

● The TBS 900kV motors have a 5mm prop shaft. This is compatible with Graupner 9x5-inch propellers. 

For Graupner 10x5-inch propellers you will need aluminium 8mm-to-5mm reduction spacers available 

separately. 

● Try to match the motor and propeller to suit your particular need. For extended flight time try to 

achieve optimal efficiency. For agile-flight look at a responsive combination. Our general 

recommendations are listed in the table below. 

● A thumb of rule would be that smaller props equals less flight time, and higher kV motors equals 

smaller props or lower battery cells count (than the reference below.) Note that 10-inch is the maximum 

propeller size that can fit on the DISCOVERY PRO. 

Motor type Propeller Flight characteristic

TBS 900kV brushless motor 9x5-inch Graupner type responsive, locked in

10x5-inch Graupner type long flight time

Bottom link 

30
● Attach the the 9-pin plate-to-plate bottom link cable to the designated connector on the bottom plate. 

It carries carries current sensor signal, Vbatt, ground, +V5, +V12 up and PPM down. When closing the 

frame, plug in the cable to the corresponding connector on the top plate. 

 

31
FPV and gimbal gear 

The FPV gear is designed to be installed on the front section of the frame to achieve as much separation 

between the R/C- and FPV-radio environment as possible. Keep in mind that the former is listening while the 

latter is broadcasting. The quieter the receiving conditions are, the better range and system reliability will be. 

CORE power supply 

● To eliminate noise from causing problems on the FPV-side of the system, a properly filtered TBS CORE 

is integrated right into the frame. It is made to provide selectable 12V (0.65A max.) or 5V (2A max.) to 

the video transmitter and FPV camera via on-board solder pads. The CORE and R/C power rails are 

completely separated and is by design not dependent on either system in order to function properly. 

Interference and noise from the driver train is isolated nicely from the rest of the electronics on the 

frame. 

● Configure the required voltage for your FPV gear by soldering a dab to the pads labeled VTX and CAM 

on the top plate (as shown in the pictures above.) The frame already comes pre-configured for 5V 

video transmitters and 12V FPV cameras. Adjust the output voltage by soldering the middle pad and 

either side pad for 12V or 5V. Do not solder all three pads (short-circuit.) 

● When you first power up the CORE, it will ask you to cycle through the buttons “DWN”, “ENTR” and “UP” 

accordingly to verify that they work properly. This is also a good time to get familiar with the CORE 

menu layout. 

32
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Button Enter

use up
XT60

TBS CORE PNP PRO installation diagram for TBS DISCOVERY PRO

VTX

Bottom link

IMU/GoPro

Roll

Pitch

VTX

CAM

5V 12V

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

Pwr

Gnd

Audio

Video

GP Out Sel

VTX2 Switch

Gnd

Vbat

Video

VTX2

Pilot camera

TBS CORE

PNP PRO

CAM

BST

RSSI

BST

VTX

LINK

B-PWR

USB

UP ENTER DN

Current sensor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

S + -

RSSI_ANALOG

CAM_SWITCH

GIMBAL_PITCH

GIMBAL_ROLL

PPM

DISCOVERY

XT60

XT60

PWR

IN

BST

PWR

OUT

V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr Vbat

Gnd

VTX2

RY

Bottom plate

Top plate

From battery

TBS CORE PNP PRO unit

Note: no power or audio lead

(available separately)

Caution: do not use the normal CAM-cable to 

connect the CORE PRO to the DISCOVERY PRO

(two voltage sources conflict)

XT60

Note: mount unit in center of the bottom

plate, on top of the flight controller (NAZA),

or on the left side on the bottom plate

June 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs

Note 1: disable the on-board DISCOVERY PRO

OSD in the CORE menu using the buttons on

the top plate - else the OSDs will overlap.

CH1

CH2

CH3

CH4

CH5

CH6

CH7

CH8

EzUHF receiver (if used)

GPS module (optional)

Note 2: the pilot camera and GoPro HD camera

switching is still performed by the on-board

TBS DISCOVERY PRO CORE.

Note 3: since there are now essentially two 

COREs, you can solder the jumper on the GoPro

adapter board to enable charging at 1A rate.

Note 4: to save weight and bulk, consider

removing the plastic case for the current 

sensor and connectors on one or both sides.

Left side
● The solder pads next to the sockets can be used to connect your gear, but try to connect your FPV 

camera and video transmitter via the Molex connectors on the board. With that, you will not risk ripping 

off the pads from the frame when pulling too heavy on a cable. Modify our cable harness when using 

other than TBS suggested gear. 

● A pre-installed tin shield makes the DC-to-DC switching voltage conversion part of the CORE isolated 

from the rest of the electronics on frame. 

● A full menu layout of the CORE menu system is available as an appendix to this manual. 

Pilot camera 

● Use the supplied camera plate to mount the pilot camera. The mounting pattern is designed to be 

compatible with most standard 32x32 mm board cameras. You might need to break-away excessive 

board support. Either use two small zip-ties, rubber bands or four M2x15mm screws and nuts (not 

supplied) to mount the camera (use threadlock.) 

● Plug in the cable connector for the camera and insert the tabs on the top and bottom of the camera 

frame in the corresponding routed gaps on the frame. For a secure mount, you can add solder to the 

three exposed solder spots, or leave it for easy hot swapping in the field. 

33
● Decide whether you can use the supplied wires and connector socket on the top frame or connect the 

camera and video transmitter via the round solder pads. The supplied picoblade Molex cable “5V VTx” 

are designed to work with the TBS GREENHORN, TBS ROOKIE, Lawmate video transmitters, and the 

supplied “12V CAM” cable with the TBS59/TBS69 cameras respectively. You can of course modify and 

solder the wires to suit your specific need. The connector wire color and signal arrangement is shown 

in the picture previously, where yellow is video, white is audio, red is power and black is ground. 

 

34
Video transmitter 

● Put the video transmitter close to the front on the top plate. Use zip-ties and/or self-adhesive foam 

pads to fit the transmitter. TBS offers a custom made mounting bracket for easy vertical install over the 

front-right frame arm. To avoid possible video interference, be sure to use a foam or gel pad between 

the frame and VTx unit to reduce exposure to vibration. 

● The kit includes a small JST cable which is compatible with Lawmate 500mW VTx as well as our TBS 

GREENHORN and TBS ROOKIE. For FatShark VTx you need to cut the cable and solder your FatShark 

cable onto it. The connector wire color and signal arrangement is shown in the picture above. 

● Powerful video transmitters, such as the ImmersionRC 5.8GHz 600mW or more powerful VTx, must be 

powered directly from the bottom frame (small +/- pads) to avoid overdriving the CORE. Test this a few 

minutes on the ground and verify that the CORE does not reboot which indicates a thermal protection 

shutdown/overcurrent. 

35
Note: Connecting a video transmitter directly to a shared battery source

may induce interference on the video image. Consider adding a filter 

between the solder pad and video transmitter.

TBS DISCOVERY / DISCOVERY PRO - Video transmitter (VTx) setups

+ --

Boscam VTx

FatShark/ImmersionRC VTx

TBS/Lawmate VTx

Racewood VTx

 · 2.4G 500mW

 · 5.8G 200mW, 400mW, 500mW

 · 5.8G 25mW, 250mW · 5.8G 600mW

GND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - Grey VID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red

 · 1.2G 500mW

 · 2.4G 100mW, 200mW, 500mW

 · 5.8G 25mW (TBS Greenhorn), 200mW (TBS Rookie), 500mW (TBS Boss)

 · 1.2G 1000mW

 · 2.4G 1000mW

 · 1.3G 500mW

5.8GHz

600mW

A/V Tx

VTX

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

GND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - Grey VID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red

FatShark

5.8GHz

250mW

BATT - RedGND - BlackAUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - Black

FatShark

5.8GHz

250mW

+ --

VTX

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

5V - Red

GND - Black

AUD - White

VID - Yellow

GND - Black

AUD - White

12V - Red

VID - Yellow

VID - Yellow

AUD - White

GND - Black

5V - Red

GND - Black

AUD - White

12V - Red

VID - Yellow

Supply voltage: 12-14V (3S)

Supply voltage: 7-17V (2S-4S) Supply voltage: 6-25V (2S-6S)

Supply voltage: 5.0-5.5V (all)

Supply voltage: 12V Supply voltage: 9.5-12.5V (3S)

+ --

VTX

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

+ --

VTX

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

+ --

VTX

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

+ --

VTX

5V 12V

Audio

Video

Gnd

Pwr

GND - BlackBATT - RedAUDR - GreenAUDL - Grey VID - YellowGND - Black5V Out - Red

Supply voltage: 6-16V (2S-4S) 5.8GHz

25mW

A/V Tx

VID - Yellow

AUD - White

GND - Black

5V - Red

TBS 5G

VTX

BATT - RedGND - BlackAUDR - GreenAUDL - WhiteVID - YellowBATTOUT - RedGND - Black

Supply voltage: 12-14V (3S)

!

!

Battery voltage

Battery voltage

Battery voltage

Battery voltage

Battery voltage

Battery voltage

12V

5V

Connect directly 

ŽŶůLJŽŶϯ^ďĂƩĞƌLJΎ !

* On 4S+ setups where 12V is not available, consider using a dedicated 

TBS CORE PNP to supply power to the video transmitter.

Connect directly 

ŽŶůLJŽŶϯ^ďĂƩĞƌLJΎ !

Connect directly 

ŽŶůLJŽŶϯ^ďĂƩĞƌLJΎ !

rev. Feb 2014 - by ivc.no/tbs
Brushless gimbal controller 

● Plug in the 3 Molex cables for the pitch- and roll-motors, as well as the IMU board, into the connectors 

labeled “PITCH”, “ROLL”, and “IMU” located near the front on the top plate. 

● The controller comes pre-configured with PID gains which are fine-tuned for use with a GoPro HD 

Hero3 and no additional accessories (lens protection or housing.) Tuning may be necessary (PID, 

power) when using an older GoPro model or different add-ons. Also make sure to balance both axis by 

moving the GoPro back or forth until it stays still independent of how you rotate/leave it. 

● Additional configuration can be done using the SimpleBGC software package via the micro USB 

connector on the right-side of the top frame. The CORE uses dual profile switching (described later in 

the manual) which means that all essential flight tuning should be done in both profiles. 

● The gimbal controller has two dedicated channels (RC_PITCH, RC_ROLL) brought out on the top plate 

R/C header (channel 5 and 6) which can be used to position the GoPro image. This means that you can 

assign a knob or slider on the radio to control pitch and roll of the gimbal. 

36
● If the camera gimbal is not level at start-up, move the gimbal and quad to a perfectly level position 

(use a bubble leveler) and press the “GIMBAL CAL.” button on the top plate for 3-5 seconds until the 

gimbal motors release. Wait for the blue LED to stop blinking and motors to lock again. Ensure that the 

gimbal is perfectly still and straight during this calibration process. 

● If the gimbal still drifts, recalibrate the sensors by turning any UHF or video transmitters, plugging in 

power, connecting the frame to SimpleBGC, then propping up the gimbal so it stays level and still. Then 

click “CALIB. ACC”, wait for it to finish, click “WRITE”, and then click “CALIB. GYRO” and “WRITE”. 

● To further fine-tune the accelerometer, perform the 4 position calibration by setting both POWER to 0 

and clicking “CALIB. ACC” after each time you position the gimbal face forward, face down, face up and 

face backwards. And only at the very end re-enable the POWER settings and commit the calibration data 

by clicking “WRITE”. See the SimpleBGC manual for further details. 

● Gyro calibration is very sensitive. If you are in a skyscraper, considering going to the ground floor for 

this calibration. Do not use unstable surfaces, such as lightweight tables or wooden floors for 

calibration. You only need to do this once in a while or when moving to an entirely new geographical 

location. The calibration directly influences how well the gimbal performs. 

● The gimbal controller is PPM compatible (no S.BUS support) and the channel 1 trace on the top plate is 

integrated directly to the controller chip. To enable PPM gimbal, you need to close the solder pads 

labeled “PPM GIMBAL” on the top plate, enable “PPM-Sum” and assign the right channels via the 

SimpleBCG software. Remember to remove any servo-cables between the receiver and the header 

channel 5 and 6, as any PWM signal would cause conflict. 

● Note that in PPM mode, the CORE can not switch profiles because it relies on the gimbal controller to be 

PWM configured. We suggest that you use a channel on your radio to switch profiles. 

Camera switcher 

● Switching video downlink feed is now possible via a dedicated R/C channel on the radio, e.g., a 

2-position toggle switch. Connect a servo-cable from the receiver to the R/C header (channel 8). The 

video switcher will change input when the PWM-period passes the 1520μs center point (50%). No 

further sub-trim should be necessary. The failsafe setting depends on your receiver configuration. 

● To enable the camera switcher functionality (off by default), press the “ENTR” button on the top plate 

for 4-5 seconds and toggle to the “CAMERA TYPE" menu and select "SWITCH". 

● When using PPM for R/C and/or gimbal control, the camera switching still has to be hooked up to PWM. 

Fortunately, most receivers still output PWM on the remaining receiver pins when in PPM mode. It only 

requires one additional servo-cable to CAM_SWITCH (ch8) to enable switching. 

● Set the GoPro recording mode to match your FPV camera; 25p/50p equals PAL, 30p/60p equals NTSC. 

This allows for faster transitions and no garbled screen because the viewing device (display, goggles) 

does not need to switch video format. 

● The GoPro jumper selector called “GP OUT SEL” is by default set to camera switcher and no further 

soldering is necessary. For more information, refer to dual-pilot support later (advanced.) 

37
GoPro link 

● With video switching now possible on the DISCOVERY PRO, the kit includes a small adaptor which plugs 

into the GoPro 30-pin bus connector to provide video output and the possibility to charge the GoPro 

while in flight. The charging is disabled by default and it is only recommended to enable the 

“500mA/1A” solder bridge if you are certain the CORE will not be overloaded. 

● After assembling the camera gimbal frame, plug in the 3-pin molex connector from the GoPro adaptor 

to the gimbal IMU board. The IMU board just passes the video signal straight through to the 

CORE/video switcher input, in an uncluttered fashion. 

● (Advanced users only) There is even a component you can add on the board to be able to change the 

charging rate from 1A to 0.5A continuous. To reduce the charging rate, order the IC part 

NCP380HSN05AAT1G from Mouser or Digi-Key and solder the IC to the unoccupied pads on the 

adaptor board (adequate soldering skills needed.) 

OSD (On Screen Display) 

● You can use the integrated OSD to get live readout on screen about the battery voltage (V), current 

draw (A), total current consumption (mAh), receiver signal strength (%) and flight time 

(minutes:seconds). This gives an essential overview of the system vitals while in flight. 

 

38
● The OSD is enabled by default, to disable it completely hook up video and press the “ENTR” button on 

the top plate for 4-5 seconds, toggle to the “OSD" menu and select "OSD OFF". 

● In the picture above the video feed is switched to the GoPro camera. Notice how the OSD adapts to the 

GoPro margins. The EzUHF RSSI Link was used here, allowing additional details to be displayed 

(diversity signal strength, link quality, packet loss.) 

● As a side note, as soon as the RSSI figures get towards -90 or the link quality drops below 80%, it is a 

good time to turn around (whichever comes first.) 

● To read the R/C receiver signal strength (RSSI), connect a servo-cable between the receiver and the 

designated RSSI_ANALOG header on the top plate. All major FPV R/C system vendors support either 

analog or digital (PWM) RSSI output. For EzUHF owners, the CORE also supports “OSD Link”. Enter the 

CORE menu to select the right RSSI type for your receiver and calibrate the max. (radio on) and min. 

(radio off) value. 

● The bottom plate includes an on-board current sensor in-line with the battery supply. Configure the 

CORE to use the 50A current sensor. The sensor can also be tuned (in % increments) to more accurately 

display current consumption (mAh), i.e. at the end of a flight if it was 1% too high, adjust it down 1%. 

The same kind of adjustments can be made for the battery voltage (in 0.1V increments.) The current 

sensor output is compatible with similar OSD systems. (Advanced users only) Limited instructions on 

how to install the TBS EzOSD on the PRO can be found later in this manual. 

● Coupling current sensor and RSSI input directly on-board makes for a clutter-free OSD setup and clean 

build. A full menu layout of the CORE is available as an appendix to the manual. 

● Lastly, when all the R/C and FPV gear is installed connect the 9-pin top-bottom link cable and close the 

frame. Use the remaining spacer and frame arm screws to secure the frame. 

Note: Digital RSSI and Camera switch share the source pin with each other. If you use the Camera switch you

can only use analog RSSI or the link input from EzUHF receiver. 

39
Brushless gimbal stabilization 

Integrated gimbal controller 

Setting up a gimbal the right way can be a daunting task, fortunately we licensed the SimpleBGC firmware 

(AlexMos) and the SimpleBGC hardware layout from Viacopter. The controller has all the parameters pre-set 

and gains tuned by TBS for a great out-of-the-box experience. 

The gimbal controller is fully embedded into the frame (a

world's first), no soldering or software configuration 

required. Just plug in the motors and IMU, and you are 

good to go. The on-board USB port connects to your PC 

for future firmware upgrades and custom configuration. 

If you want to apply updates and make adjustments to 

the gimbal, download the SimpleBGC and SiLabs CP210x 

driver package (www.simplebgc.com), plug in battery 

power, and connect the DISCOVERY PRO to a Windows 

computer via a micro USB cable (e.g., from the NAZA-M 

or a mobile phone.) Extensive details of the brushless 

controller is available in the SimpleBGC manual. 

DISCOVERY PRO utilizes two profiles, one silent profile (Profile 1), to keep the gimbal quiet while on ground and 

one noisy profile (Profile 2). The CORE MCU will detect when main motor starts (current consumption >3A) and 

switch from the silent to noisy profile automatically. If you change something in SimpleBGC you have to do the 

change on both profiles. If you want to change your in-flight values you have to do this on Profile 2. 

The following table shows the suggested PID and power controller gains for a GoPro HD Hero3&3+ mounted 

on the gimbal. Download the factory settings from bit.ly/tbsprosettings. 

Axis P I D Power Poles Inverted FC Gain 

Roll 12 0.1 9 175 14 Yes 0 

Pitch 14 0.1 9 173 14 No 0 

Other essential settings: Axis TOP to -Z, RIGHT to Y, skip gyro calibration at startup CHECK, gyro trust 100, 

and PWM frequency to HIGH (silent) for Profile 1 and LOW for Profile 2, ROLL to RC_ROLL, PITCH to RC_PITCH, 

CMD to EXT_ROLL, RC control ROLL to -30/30/CHECK/3/UNCHECK/10/0% and PITCH to 

-90/90/CHECK/3/UNCHECK/10/0%. 

40
HD camera 

The GoPro HD Hero camera is the most commonly used HD recording camera (as of writing) for sport 

purposes, thanks to its wonderful high-quality picture and compact size. The TBS DISCOVERY PRO was 

designed around the GoPro to take advantage of its great features. 

Consider using the GoPro settings in the tables below for “no-prop-in-view” footage. Adding a ND filter to the 

front of the GoPro will also help slowing down the shutter speed and reduce “jello”. 

GoPro HD Hero1: 

Video format: NTSC (or PAL to match pilot camera) to get 30fps 

Video resolution: 1080p 30fps (medium angle) for 10x5-inch props 

720p 30fps (wide angle) for 9x5-inch props 

GoPro HD Hero2: 

Video format: NTSC (or PAL to match pilot camera) to get 30fps

Video resolution: 1080p 30fps high quality video

Video angle: Medium (127 degrees) for 10x5-inch props

Wide (170 degrees) for 9x5-inch props

GoPro HD Hero3/3+: 

Video format: NTSC (or PAL to match pilot camera) to get 30/60fps

Video resolution: 1080p 60fps (or 30fps) less chance of “jello”

Video angle: Medium (127 degrees) for 10x5-inch props

Wide (170 degrees) for 9x5-inch props

 

41
Center of Gravity optimization 

● A properly balanced multirotor will distributing the weight (mass) equally over the four motors. The 

mark on the bottom plate is the Center of Thrust (CT, CoT) mark and the Center of Gravity (CG, CoG) 

spot is 15mm forward of this mark. When holding the frame in the air at the CG spot it should ideally be 

level and not dip to either side. 

● After completing the build and loading up the frame, adjust the CG over the lateral (pitch) axis by 

primarily moving the battery pack forward or backward. You might need to move the middle two frame 

spacers to accommodate the battery. The CG over the longitudinal (roll) axis should be in the center of 

the frame front-to-back and should only need slight adjustments. 

● When the frame is out of balance some motors are going to have to work harder than others and you 

will have less authority in a given axis due to the fact that one or more motors are already working 

more than normally required. Small balance variations are countered very well by the flight controller 

and should not cause any problems. 

● If the quadcopter is too nose heavy it will bob up and down in forward flight and if it is too tail heavy it 

will get very twitchy and hard to fly. 

● As a side note, the flight controller does not need to be over the CG spot. It should be mounted in the 

center of the white rectangular lines on bottom plate. 

42
Median

Median

Center of Gravity

Center of Thrust

rev. 08. 2013 - by ivc.no/tbs

Center of Gravity diagram
Dual-pilot support (ADVANCED USERS ONLY!) 

Split dual-pilot support is possible in situations where a separate operator for piloting the quad and camera is 

preferred. Extra equipment is needed for the extra video link and R/C control uplink (2-axis gimbal and yaw 

adjustments.) Installation of the video transmitter and R/C receiver follows the same basic setup principles 

described previously. 

Connect the second video transmitter to location labeled VTX2 (GND, VBatt!!, Video.) The GoPro output selector 

jumper works like this; the middle and right pads are connected by default from the factory, transferring the 

Gopro image to the camera switcher. To use a second transmitter, cut the trace in between the two pads. This 

can be done with a sharp knife. Use a multimeter to verify that the two pads are entirely separated. Now 

connect the left and middle pad with a dab of solder, this diverts the GoPro image to the Video pad. 

● Single operator - For reference, the following diagram shows the normal “all-in-one” setup where 

one operator maneuvers quad and controls video positioning.

 

43
● Dual operator - Introducing a separate video operator for the gimbal roll and tilt control requires 

one additional video transmitter and R/C receiver. Disable the video switcher, cut the trace between the 

two “GP OUT SEL” jumper pads and solder the left pad to the middle. 

● Dual operator with yaw authority - To give the video operator the ultimate freedom over framing 

and picture positioning, swap the responsibility for yaw control over to the the video operator. This 

requires good piloting skills and continuous communications back and forth to practice safe 

maneuvering and flight. 

 

44
TBS EzOSD installation (ADVANCED USERS ONLY!) 

The TBS EzOSD/IMRC EzOSD is not officially supported, but it can be installed by users understanding who 

understand the risks and void of warranty. 

● Following these instructions will give you EzOSD on-screen while viewing the FPV camera and a clear 

uncluttered picture when switching to the GoPro camera. 

● First, enter the CORE menu via the buttons and set CAM TYPE to SWITCH and OSD to OSD OFF. 

● Connect the GoPro as normal to the top plate. Connect the FPV camera to the IN port of the EzOSD 

(PWR, GND, VID, AUDR - if you want audio) and connect the OUT port to the CAM connector (PWR, GND, 

VID, AUDR) on the DISCO PRO frame. 

● Then, you need to connect the video transmitter (VTx) to DISCO PRO VTX port (PWR, GND VID, AUD) as 

you normally would. If the VTx is high power and has an on-board regulator, power it from the 

unregulated points on the bottom plate (+/- pads), otherwise use the regulated CORE 5V/12V directly 

from the VTX frame connector. 

● For the EzOSD current sensor you need to add an extension from the current sensor's "BAT" input to 

the battery. You will not be able to use the standard pigtail as that will be too short. From the “ESC” (+) 

output you will need to solder to the “BATTERY” (+) input on the PRO. From the “ESC” (-) output you can 

go to the “BATTERY” (-) input (bottom side of the frame) or solder directly to one of the ESC's (-) pads 

on the PRO. This essentially keeps the battery pigtail nicely in place, puts the current sensor (positive 

lead) in-line with the battery and the powers the 5V regulator (negative lead) for the EzOSD and 

unregulated TX power out of the current sensor. 

● Install the OSD Link 4-pin EzBUS5 cable between the EzOSD and EzOSD Current Sensor, and optionally 

to the EzUHF OSD Link port via a split Y-cable (no ground connected.) 

● Removing the shunt practically disables the CORE automatic gimbal profile switching (no CORE current 

sensing available) and all gimbal tuning should be done on Profile 1 from now on. 

45
Flight 

First flight 

Check that the flight battery and transmitter battery is fully charged. Make sure all the screws on the frame and 

the propellers are spinning the correct direction and secured, and that the battery strapped down. Balance the 

quadcopter around the Center of Gravity (CG) spot by repositioning the battery. Make sure the gimbal is 

positioned perfectly level and flat against the frame. It has to be calibrated at least once to get good level 

reference. 

Find an wide open location free from obstacles, dust and distractions (e.g., garden or park.) The flight 

conditions should be calm with only a light breeze. Flip the flight mode switch to “Attitude” mode and execute 

the stick combination to arm the flight controller (e.g., for NAZA left stick to bottom-left and right stick to 

bottom-right.) Slowly raise the throttle stick and when the propellers start to spin, make sure they rotate in the 

right direction and the propeller type is correct (right-hand or left-hand turn.) 

Takeoff 

With all the essentials checked, stand behind the quadcopter with the gimbal facing away from you. Raise the 

throttle to about 50% where the quadcopter should start to lift-off and hover. Control the hover by primarily 

using the aileron and elevator sticks. Remember, only small stick movements. If the stick works in the opposite 

direction than expected, invert the channel and watch the flight controller monitor to confirm. 

Let go of the sticks and observe if it drifts in either direction. Compensate by adding 2 or 3 clicks of trim on the 

radio in the opposite direction (only in Attitude mode). If the quadcopter still drifts, land, put the frame on a 

level surface, balance the frame and cycle the power to the flight controller to re-initialize the gyro calibration. 

Perform at least 5 flights in low altitude and easy pace to allow any hardware defects to manifest itself. 

FPV 

After the quadcopter has been tweaked to stay still in a hover and fly true, turn on the FPV equipment and do a 

range test to verify that the video link is reliable. Visual inspect the area to pick out noteworthy landmarks and 

use these to orient yourself once your are in the air. Get a friend or assistant to be your spotter during the entire 

session. 

While still flying line of sight (LOS), takeoff and hover the quadcopter as normal, attain reasonable altitude, and 

with the video goggles ready on your head, put them on (or turn to the display) to engage in FPV flight. If the 

picture gradually weakens (noise blends in) or video suddenly drops, increase altitude and return to home, as 

this normally indicates that you fly at the edge of the video range or behind obstacles, respectively. 

 

46
Good practices 

We have compiled a list of all of the things that have been tried and tested in countless environments and 

situations by TBS crew and other experienced FPV pilots. 

Follow these simple rules, even if rumors on the internet suggest otherwise, and you will have success in FPV. 

● Start with the bare essentials and add equipment one step at a time, after each new equipment was 

added to proper range- and stress tests. 

● Do not fly with a video system that is capable of outperforming your R/C system in terms of range. 

● Do not fly with a R/C frequency higher than the video frequency (e.g. 2.4GHz R/C, 900MHz video). 

● Monitor the vitals of your plane (R/C link and battery). Flying with a digital R/C link without RSSI is 

dangerous. 

● Do not use 2.4GHz R/C unless you fly well within its range limits, in noise-free environments and always 

within LOS. Since this is most likely never the case, it is recommended to not use 2.4GHz R/C systems for 

longer range FPV. 

● Do not fly at the limits of video, if you see noise in your picture, turn around and buy a higher-gain 

receiver antenna before going out further. 

● Shielded wires or twisted cables only, anything else picks up RF noise and can cause problems. 

● When using powerful R/C transmitters, make sure your ground station equipment is properly shielded. 

● Adding Return-To-Home (RTH) to an unreliable system does not increase the chances of getting your 

plane back. Work on making your system reliable without RTH first, then add RTH as an additional safety 

measure if you must. 

● Avoid powering the VTx directly from battery, step-up or step-down the voltage and provide a 

constant level of power to your VTx. Make sure your VTx runs until your battery dies. 

● Do not power your camera directly unless it works along the complete voltage range of your battery. 

Step-up or step-down the voltage and provide a constant level of power to your camera. Make sure 

your camera runs until your battery dies. 

● A single battery system is safer than using two dedicated batteries for R/C and FPV. Two batteries in 

parallel even further mitigate sources of failure. 

● For maximum video range and “law compatibility”, use 2.4GHz video with high-gain antennas. 

● When flying with R/C buddies that fly on 2.4GHz, or when flying in cities, it is perfectly possible to use 

2.4GHz video provided you stick to the channels that do not lie in their band (CH5 to CH8 for Lawmate 

systems, available from TBS). 

● Do not use diversity video receivers as a replacement for pointing your antennas, diversity should be 

used to mitigate polarization issues. 

● Improving the antenna gain on the receiver end is better than increasing the output power (except in 

RF-noisy areas). More tx power causes more issues with RF on your plane. 500mW is plenty of power! 

47
● Try to achieve as much separation of the VTx and R/C receiver as possible to lower the RF noise floor 

and EMI interference. 

● Do not buy the cheapest equipment unless it is proven to work reliably (e.g. parts falling off, multitudes 

of bug fix firmware updates, community hacks and mods are a good indicator of poor quality and 

something you do NOT want to buy for a safe system). Do due diligence and some research before 

sending your aircraft skyward.

 

48
Troubleshooting 

● Issue: Horizontal lines in pilot video downlink 

Solution: If there are lines in the video during flight that disappear as soon as you land, your video 

transmitter is exposed to too much vibrations. Memory foam in conjunction with the Flame Wheel VTx 

mount will take out the vibrations in an instant and give you crystal-clear video. 

● Issue: Motor(s) doesn’t start 

Solution: It is probably a lazy start syndrome, some information on that is available here: 

bit.ly/15wNLk4. You should calibrate your ESC throttle endpoints, details on how to perform this: 

bit.ly/110deyX. We have a calibration cable available which speeds up the process. Please remember to 

remove the props before doing that. 

● Issue: Can the TBS EzOSD be installed on the DISCOVERY PRO?

Solution: It requires taking the VTx output and feeding it to the EzOSD and removing the shunt resistor. 

For instructions, look at this post: bit.ly/1a2r6xg. 

● Issue: Can the GoPro camera be charged from the frame? 

Solution: If you don't use the internal power supply from the TBS CORE for your VTx (e.g. a VTx with an 

included power supply) there is enough 5V power available to charge the GoPro. In this case TBS has 

conveniently located a soldering pad to activate the charging feature. 

● Issue: After switching video from GoPro to pilot camera, video is rolling and desynced

Solution: Set the GoPro recording mode to match your FPV camera. 25p if you are using PAL, 30p if you 

are using NTSC. This allows faster transitions between the two cameras because the viewing device 

does not need to switch between PAL and NTSC. 

● Issue: I can't connect to the Gimbal using the SimpleBGC software 

Solution: Ensure that the SiLabs CP210x drivers are installed, download them from bit.ly/bi3or4. 

● Issue: The gimbal motor does not feel securely tightened or spins freely without any 

movement on the gimbal (tilt axis) 

Solution: Pull off the bell and roughen the motor shaft with a low grit sand paper or a file to cause a 

rough surface. Add a drop of Loctite or CA glue to the shaft and slide the motor bell back on. Let the 

glue dry. 

49
● Issue: Gimbal controller displays a blue light and motors not engaging 

Solution: Try to connect your PRO to the SimpleBGC UI software and check what message you get 

there. There is possibly a bad connection between the top plate and the gimbal IMU. Check the 

connection by verifying the voltage at the IMU when everything is plugged in: 

● Issue: The gimbal drifts or doesn't center properly

Solution: Install the SimpleBGC Software (www.simplebgc.com), level the gimbal on a heavy and sturdy 

table and fix it using a thin book or similar. Turn off any UHF transmitters and disconnect any video 

transmission devices. Ensure there are no vibrations on the table. Remove the camera and strap from 

the Gimbal, as it simplifies levelling the gimbal. Connect the battery. The gimbal will try to "fight" - do 

not worry about this it will not overheat the motors unless being kept running for extended periods of 

time. Connect the micro USB to the top plate, and select "Connect" in the software. Now select "Acc. 

Calibration" and wait for the motors to regain power. Then select "Gyro calibration". If these steps 

have been done correctly, the gimbal will now lock dead center. You can remove whatever you used to 

support the Gimbal and it will hold its position. 

● Issue: The gimbal stutters or moves in jerky motion

Solution 1: Has the USB port been plugged in while the battery was disconnected? Unplug the USB, then 

plug in the battery, and subsequently connect the USB plug again. 

Solution 2: The IMU may be under tension, which prevents the gimbal from rotating freely. Loosen the 

zip-ties of the IMU cable and give them some “play”, especially around the ball-bearing area. 

● Issue: Video signal resets every few seconds

Solution: Too much current is being drawn from the CORE causing it to go into shutdown mode. The 

video transmitter should be powered from a separate power source. Use a 5V or 12V BEC and connect 

it to the + and - pads on the bottom plate. 

 

50
Recommended parts 

Below is a list of compatible R/C and FPV gear for the TBS DISCOVERY PRO quadrotor. This will hopefully make 

it easier to pick up spare parts and upgrades. 

Power sets 

TBS 900kV2 Motor / ESC Combo 

For the more sophisticated, agile-flight loving pilot or for 

those requiring super-vibration-resistant and high quality 

motors. 

● 4x TBS BULLETPROOF 30A ESC (flashed with 

SimonK Firmware) 

● 4x TBS 900kV2 Motor with M5 prop mount hubs 

Individual parts 

Motors 

● TBS 900KV2 or Tiger Motors MT2216-10/11 900KV brushless motor (5mm shaft) 

● DJI 2212 920KV brushless motor (8mm shaft) 

● Sunnysky 2216-12 800KV brushless motor 

Speed controllers 

● TBS 30A Multicopter SimonK firmware speed controller 

● DJI OPTO 30A no-BEC speed controller 

● Tiger Motors 18A BEC speed controller 

● HobbyKing F-20A or F-30A BEC programmable ESC with SimonK firmware 

Flight controller 

● DJI NAZA-M V1/V2/Lite with optional GPS 

● OpenPilot CopterControl 3D 

● APM2 Arduino-based autopilot controller 

R/C Transmitter/Receiver 

● Futaba 8FG / 7C with included receiver R6208SB / R617FS 

● Graupner MX-12 radio with included GR-6 receiver 

● ImmersionRC EzUHF 8ch Diversity receiver 

● ImmersionRC EzUHF 8ch Lite receiver 

51
Propellers 

● Graupner E-Prop 9x5-inch propellers 

● Graupner E-Prop 10x5-inch propellers 

● GemFan E-Propeller 10x5 Carbon Fiber propellers 

● RCTimer Carbon Fiber 9x5-inch propellers 

● RCTimer Carbon Fiber 10x5-inch propellers 

Battery 

● TBS 4S 3300mAh 30C or KyPOM KT4500/35-4S Lipo pack

● TBS 4S 4500mAh 30C or KyPOM KT3300/35-4S Lipo pack

● Gens Ace 4S 3300mAh 25C Lipo pack

● Zippy Compact 4S 4000mAh 25C Lipo pack 

● Zippy Compact 4S 5000mAh 25C Lipo Pack 

● Turnigy nano-tech 4S 3300mAh 35C Lipo pack 

FPV transmitter 

● Lawmate TM-240500-LM 2.4GHz 500mW transmitter 

● TBS ROOKIE 5.8GHz 200mW transmitter 

● TBS GREENHORN 5.8GHz 25mW transmitter 

● BosCam TS-353 5.8GHz 400mW transmitter 

FPV camera 

● TBS69 or TBS59 FPV camera 

● TBS ChipChip FPV camera 

● Security Camera 2000 PZ0420 or CMQ1993X (IR blocked) 600TVL camera 

 

52
Spare parts 

You can either get spare parts directly from us (team-blacksheep.com) or from one of our distributors and 

retailers near you. 

Our ever-growing list of retailers is published on the left at team-blacksheep.com/shop. 

 

53
Appendix 

● Frame assembly diagram 

● Gimbal assembly diagram 

● Electronics installation diagram 

● Common R/C receiver setups 

● Video transmitter installation diagram 

● CORE menu layout 

● Center of Gravity diagram 

Manual written and designed by ivc.no in cooperation with TBS.

54
 1

Install and Setup the ArduPilot Mega 2 in a Quadcopter 

Guide to Installation and Setup of the ArduPilot Mega 2 (APM2) controller in a Quadcopter. 

A. For an assembled Quad with motors and ESC’s but no control or power board begin here. 

1. You need: Quad power distribution board, appropriate battery for your Quad, battery retention 

strap, 12 gauge wire, battery connector, four 1⁄2” nylon standoffs and necessary hardware. 

2. Solder The ESC power leads to the Power distribution board. 

3. Solder 12 gauge positive and negative battery wire leads to the power distribution board. 

4. Solder a battery connector correctly to the leads from the power distribution board. 

5. Mount the power distribution board on standoffs over the top center of the Quad. 

6. Attach the battery retention strap to the bottom of the Quad and install the battery. 

B. For an assembled Quad with control and power distribution boards begin here 

1. You need: APM2 flight control board and USB cable, 5+ channel receiver to use with your 

2.4GHz transmitter, Five 3 wire servo leads with female connectors to connect your receiver to 

your APM2, an oversize plastic or fiberglass APM2 mounting plate with aluminum tape on the 

bottom, four 1.5” nylon standoffs and Velcro or double sided foam tape. 

2. Disconnect and remove any existing flight control board. 

3. Drill and mount the plastic mounting plate for the APM2 board in the center of the Quad over the 

power distribution board on 4 standoffs and aligned with the front of the Quad in your choice of X 

or + configuration. (X configuration has the front between 2 motors and + has a motor in front.) 

4. Using double sided shock absorbing tape or Velcro mount the APM2 board on to the fiberglass 

mounting plate aligned in the direction of travel (GPS to the back, SDI card toward the front). 

5. Retention can be improved by attaching a rubber band over the APM2 board. 

6. A clear (not black) plastic bowl cover over the APM2 board can reduce damage in a crash. 

7. Install your receiver onto the Quad with Velcro tape and with the antenna exposed externally. 

8. Install channels 1 – 5 servo leads to the receiver. 

EXHIBIT 2
 2

9. Install channels 1 – 5 servo leads to the front connector on the APM2 board, Channel 1 is next 

to the white GPS connector. The white or yellow signal wire goes towards the center of the 

board. (Red and black wires on all but one connector can be clipped but this is generally not 

necessary since power and ground are common bussed at both the receiver and APM2 board.) 

10. Install The 4 ESC control leads on the connector at the back of the APM2 board with the white 

or yellow signal lead towards the center of the board. 

11. For X Quad frame configuration: 

a. The Front Right motor goes to the right most (first) connector position next to the LEDs. 

b. The Left Rear motor goes to the second connector position. 

c. The Front Left motor goes to the third connector position. 

d. The Rear Right motor goes to the fourth connector position. 

12. For + Quad frame configuration: 

a. The Right motor goes to the right most (first) connector position next to the LEDs. 

b. The Left motor goes to the second connector position. 

c. The Front motor goes to the third connector position. 

d. The Rear motor goes to the fourth connector position. 

13. The BEC plus (red) and ground (black) wires can be cut on all but one of the ESC control leads. 

C. Install the Mission Planner program and Arducopter firmware and Set initial parameters. 

1. Your RC transmitter should initially be set up for a Quad as follows: 

a. Four primary channels are Aileron (roll), Elevator (pitch), Rudder (yaw) and Throttle. 

b. Channel 5 is set to a 3 position switch for in flight mode changing. 

c. All channels are set to plus and minus 100 percent servo travel range. 

d. Set the throttle, roll, pitch and yaw trims to zero. (May need to trim throttle down to arm). 

e. Some minus expo (-40%) is a good idea on the pitch and roll channels to start. 

2. Go to the ArduPilot website at http://code.google.com/p/ardupilot-mega/downloads/list and 

download the most recent “Mission Planner” and install it on your computer. 

3. Ensuring that the battery is NOT connected, start the “Mission Planner” and hook up your USB 

cable between your PC and the APM2 board. 

4. If you get a message indicating “New hardware found” select install driver when asked. If you 

are told “No driver found” you will need to load the driver from the Arducopter web site. Go to the 

Arducopter web site and in the search projects page search for “apm2code”. At the top of the list 

select the “APM2Code” item and then load the USB driver as instructed. You should get a 

confirming message indicating that the USB driver is installed. 

5. In the Mission Planner, ensure that on the top right of the screen that 115200 is selected for 

baud rate and the new driver Com? (But not Com1, TCP or UDP) is selected. Fix if necessary. 

6. In the Mission Planner click on the Firmware tab then click on the Connect Icon at the top right 

of the Mission Planner screen to open the MavLink connection. 

7. It is possible you may still get an error indicating that your serial rate is too low. If you do you will 

need to open your PC’s Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager -> Hardware and set the 

2650 Com device to 115200 baud. (Windows 7 has a different method for setting up the port.) 

8. Once connected; select the Firmware tab and Click on the bottom center “APM Setup” button. 

9. Turn on your transmitter with your Quad set up selected. (Mode 2 is shown, adapt for Mode 1). 

10. In the “Radio Calibration” menu, select “Calibrate Radio” and move the control sticks to all limits. 

a. Right stick Left (Roll Left) should equal low PWM. If not reverse the transmitter channel. 

b. Right stick Up (Pitch Forward) should equal low PWM. If not reverse transmitter channel. 

c. Left stick Down (Throttle Low) should equal low PWM. If not reverse transmitter channel. 

d. Left stick Left (Yaw Left) should equal low PWM. If not reverse the transmitter channel. 
 3

11. Move the three position mode select switch to all 3 positions to calibrate it too. 

12. When you are done calibrating, select the “Finished” button at the bottom right of the screen. 

13. Select “Flight Modes” on the left side of the Mission Planner screen and set all 6 of the Flight 

Modes to “Stabilize”, uncheck all the “simple” mode boxes and click the “Save Modes” box. 

14. Now select “Hardware Options” and click on “Enable Compass”.

15. Select the “Go to the Declination Web Site” box and retrieve your locations magnetic declination. 

16. Enter your home declination in the Declination window as described and hit the tab key to exit. 

17. Select “Arducopter Level” on the Mission planner left edge. With your Quad sitting very level, 

click on the “Level Arducopter” item then select the X or + Quad to set your frame orientation. 

D. ESC calibration sets the ESC endpoints to be equal and is essential for correct operation. 

1. There are 2 modes for adjusting ESC endpoints. Automatic adjusts ESCs all at once and is 

easiest. Manual individually adjusts each ESC. Try Automatic mode first then Manual if that fails. 

2. Automatic Setup (all ESCs at once) (Remove the Props and disconnect the USB cable). 

a. Turn on your transmitter and put the throttle full on then connect the Quads battery. 

b. When the APM2 boots the LEDs will cycle continuously. 

c. Disconnect the battery and then reconnect it initiating ESC calibration. 

d. Drop the throttle stick to the lowest position. There should be 1 or 2 confirming beeps and 

when you move the throttle up the motors should start and turn in sync. 

e. Disconnect the battery. The ESCs should now be calibrated. 

3. Manual ESC Calibrate (Each ESC calibrated individually). (Remove props and disconnect USB). 

a. With the battery not connected, plug the 3 wire plug of the ESC you wish to calibrate into 

the throttle channel of your RC receiver. 

b. Turn on your transmitter and put the throttle full on. 

c. Connect the battery and after you hear 2 beeps drop the throttle to full down, you should 

now hear 3 beeps and then a longer beep indicating the ESC is calibrated. 

d. Disconnect the battery then repeat the above for each ESC. 

4. Even after Manual calibration occasionally the ESCs will not initialize (continuous loud beeping). 

If this is the case try one additional automatic calibration. 

5. Normally if the ESCs are properly calibrated, when you power up the Quad and APM2 by 

plugging in the battery, there should be a slow ticking and the motors may “twitch” just a bit. 

6. Once you have the slow twitch / motor tick on battery connection, arm the motors by holding all 

the way down and to the right on the throttle for at least 4 seconds. The red LED should come 

on solid and the motors should respond to throttle and turn on at the same time in sync. 

7. Disarm by holding the throttle down and to the left for 4 seconds. 

8. If the APM2 board failed to arm set the throttle trim a few clicks lower and try again. The bottom 

throttle setting must be below zero to permit arming. 

9. Once armed, the motors should start at the same time and run at the same speed with only the 

throttle being moved. If not, you need to go through ESC calibration again. 

E. Setting Prop Direction and checking the sensors for correct operation. 

1. A Quadcopter has two props turning clockwise and two turning counter clockwise which keeps it 

from inadvertently turning on its own axis, but permits it to turn (Yaw) when it is commanded to. 

2. You need 2 matched clockwise propellers usually marked R or P and 2 counter clockwise ones. 

3. The 2 clockwise propellers are opposite each other as are the 2 counter clockwise propellers. 

4. Without propellers installed, turn on your transmitter, plug in the battery and verify and correct 

each motor so it is turning in the direction as indicated below then install the propellers. Reverse 

any 2 of the ESCs 3 motor lead connections to reverse the direction of the motor. 
 4

5. Disconnect the battery before installing propellers. The clockwise (usually marked R or P) or 

counter clockwise propeller should be installed on each motor with the printing on the front (top). 

6. For X configuration: (Check and correct motor directions before installing propellers) 

a. On Front Right and Back Left motors install counter clockwise propellers. 

b. On Front Left and Back Right motors install clockwise (R or P mark) propellers. 

7. For + configuration: (Check and correct motor directions before installing propellers) 

a. On Right and Left motors install counter clockwise (R or P mark) propellers. 

b. On Front and Back motors install clockwise propellers. 

8. With battery unplugged, connect a USB cable, start Mission Planner and select “Connect”. 

a. The heads up the flight display on the left will show the current attitude of your Quad. 

b. The compass display at the top will show the direction your Quad is facing. (If it is near 

metal objects or electronic devices it may cause a significant deviation). 

c. Unless you are outside with GPS lock it will NOT show your current GPS position. 

d. Tilt your Quad to various positions to see if the Heads up display follows your 

expectations also rotate about the center axis to make sure the compass display follows. 

e. When the Quad is tilted forward the green horizon should rise 

f. When the Quad is tilted to the left the green horizon should angle down to the left. 

g. This only verifies that the sensors are functioning properly, if the motors and propellors 

are hooked up properly, the Quad should be capable of flight, if they are not it will crash. 

9. Make sure that transmitter control directions match expected results. There are various methods 

that can be used to do this, but the one I have found to be most reasonable and successful is: 

a. On a calm day set the Quad outside facing away from you on a flat level spot with at least 

20 feet of flat clear space in every direction. 

b. Turn on the transmitter and then plug in the Quad’s battery. 

c. Stand at least 10 feet behind the Quad and arm the APM2 by holding the throttle down 

and to the right for at least 4 seconds. (GPS lock is not important at this time). 

d. Slowly turn the throttle up until the motors just turn on (should all start simultaneously). 

e. Now advance the throttle till the Quad is not quite taking off or moving. 

f. Use the rudder (Yaw) stick to yaw left and right in place. If working correctly proceed. 

g. Now move the Elevator (Pitch) stick to pitch slightly forward and back. When the stick is 

moved forward (up) the Quad should try and tilt forward and try and move away from you. 

When the stick is moved down it should try and tilt and move towards you. 

h. Move the Aileron (Roll) stick to roll slightly right and left. When the stick is moved to the 

right the Quad should try and tilt and move to the right. When the stick is moved to the left 

it should try and tilt and move to the left. Fix any problems before proceeding. 

F. First Flights. (Stabilize is the basic and startup mode and is necessary for arming). 

1. Try a short flight in Stabilize mode. Arm the APM2 by holding the throttle down and to the right 

for at least 4 seconds (Red LED solid). (GPS lock is not needed at this time). 

2. Advance the throttle till the Quad takes off. Hold altitude to 4 to 8 feet above the ground with the 

Throttle. Compensate for drift with the Pitch stick. Reduce throttle and land. 

3. If the Quad is very twitchy or has too much power: Disconnect the battery and connect the USB 

cable between the APM2 and your computer then start the Mission Planner and select 

Connect then select the Configuration tab and then the PID List item in the left column. Reduce 

the Pitch Angle "P" value. 

4. Repeat several times adding rotation correction with the Yaw stick and making short excursions. 

5. Gain considerable flight experience in “Stabilize” before undertaking the more advanced modes. 
2.6

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APM

2.6

MULTIPLATFORM AUTOPILOTARDUPILOT.COM

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GPS port

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Micro USB cable

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3DR GPS uBlox with Compass

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6-position cable

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©2013 Taranis World Publications and Digital Media Products, a not for profit entity. FrSKY TARANIS is a trademark of FrSky 

Electronics Co., Ltd and www.frsky-rc.com. FrSKY logo used with permission of FrSKY Electronics Co., Ltd. 

Quick Start Guide 

Dec. 8, 2013 

Understanding the Controls, Display Screens and 

Setup Menus 

 “Welcome to Taranis.” You’ve likely already powered up your Taranis and probably are a little bit 

overwhelmed by all the screens and programming features. This quick start guide is meant to provide 

new users of the Taranis, like yourself, with an introduction to the display screen views and methods for 

navigating them using the menu buttons. 

For each display screen graphic presented, this guide provides a brief description of the view’s features 

and function. Also associated with each graphic is a menu button key which describes the button 

presses required to access the screens and to change parameter settings for radio and model setups. 

To supplement the brief screen descriptions, a glossary of terms, functions, and parameter labels is 

provided. There’s also a flow chart that maps out how to navigate between the various screens. 

Finally, as a foundation for model programming, a few flowcharts are provide to show programmatically 

how inputs like gimbal sticks, switches, weights and limits are applied to functions and mixes, and in 

which order, to compute the receiver channel outputs. Let’s get started! 

EXIBIT 3
©2013 Taranis World Publications and Digital Media Products, a not for profit entity. FrSKY TARANIS is a trademark of FrSky 

Electronics Co., Ltd and www.frsky-rc.com. FrSKY logo used with permission of FrSKY Electronics Co., Ltd. 

Credits: 

I want to offer profound appreciation to all that volunteered to bring this project to fruition

Despite the best efforts the people that have reviewed the document there are certainly errors and 

ambiguities,. Please send corrections to Pages.Flying.Circus@gmail.com for incorporation in future 

editions. 

Appreciation to Alofthobbies.com for hosting this document on their server. 
3 

Introduction 

This document provides a broad overview of Taranis’s control hardware and firmware features. 

Background information on the transmitters controls, battery charging, and receiver binding is 

discussed. More detailed information may be provided in the Taranis X9D Manual by FrSKY or by the 

openTx web page for Taranis. 

One especially nice feature of Taranis is its USB port and the ability to connect to a PC for firmware 

updates, transferring data files, and model programming. A mini-B USB cable and the openTx open 

source software Companion9x provide this capability. However, Companion9x is not necessary for 

model setup and programming. For some, model programming will be easier when done directly on 

the Taranis, while for others not. Regardless, in the field, it may not be practical make adjustments by a 

PC, so learning the screens and menus directly from Taranis is essential. This document does not 

discuss setting up or using Companion9x on a PC. 

This document is based on the latest firmware at the time of the writing, so screens presented may be 

slightly different on your radio due to the firmware version installed. The intent is to update this guide 

periodically or when reasonable. The user should also update their own firmware as the releases 

become available to take advantage of the new features and firmware fixes. 

Familiarity with the Transmitter Layout and Controls 

There are eight programmable toggle switches and four potentiometers. Toggle switches are either 

three-position, two-position, or momentary. The momentary switch feature is either two-way or just 

one-way. The H switch is a one way momentary switch; however the gimbal sticks each have a pair of 

two-way momentary switches used as centering trims. Two of the potentiometers are called sliders and 

have limited degree of movement, while the other two knobs rotate almost full circle. 

Switches, Sliders, & Potentiometers 

Identifier/Label Type Number of Positions Input Value by Position 

S1, S2, RS, LS Knob/Slider 

(potentiometer) 

Proportional -100% thru +100% 

SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, 

SG 

Toggle 3 -100%, 0%, +100% 

SF Toggle 2 -100%, +100% 

SH Toggle(momentary) 2 -100%, +100%(momentary) 

TrmR, TrmE, TrmT, 

TrmA 

Trimmer (momentary) 3 Incremental between 

-100% and +100% 

Power Switch Slider (ON-OFF) 2 None 
4 

The power switch is also a slider switch, but not programmable. All other switches, sliders and knobs 

are fully programmable and can be used for a variety of tasks. A typical use of switches is for changing 

flight modes which alter the model’s control surfaces for a variety of performance characteristics, such 

as for taking off, cruising, or landing. Switches can also be used to start and stop timers, trigger 

playback of audio recordings, and to announce telemetry values sent back as data from the model’s 

sensors. 

Each switch is labeled at its base with a unique identifier that’s used in programming. These identifiers 

must be used when setting up any functionality in the radio setup and model programming menus. The 

photo below shows the typical labeling of identifiers for each switch, knob, and slider. 

On the sides of the LCD screen are six display control buttons which are used to navigate information 

screens, menu settings, and to adjust radio and model setup parameters. The MENU and EXIT buttons 

are used to access or return from radio and model setup menus, while the PAGE button is used to 

switch between various menus and information screens. The other three buttons (ENT, +, - ) are for 

editing parameter settings or resetting timers. ENT is an abbreviation for Enter. Once the radio and 

model are setup, these buttons are rarely used, except for making model selections, pre-flight, or postflight fine adjustments. 
5 

Charging the Battery for the First Time 

Taranis is supplied with an external wall adapter for 6-cell NiMH battery charging. The adapter only 

supplies DC power, so a charging circuit internal to the transmitter regulates the battery charging profile 

and automatic cutoff to prevent overcharging. When the adapter is first plugged in, the green LED 

charge status light will blink for a few seconds (or longer depending on the state of charge) and then 

turn steady green to indicate fast charging is initiated. 

Depending on the batteries state of charge, charging may take up to 2 1⁄2 hours for the 6-cell NiMH 

800mAh capacity battery (6 hours for the 6-cell NiMH 2000mAh). Upon fast charge completion, the 

green LED will turn off and the charger circuit switches to pulsed trickle charging. Pulse trickle charging 

simply maintains the full charge level indefinitely without any risk of overcharging. 

The RADIO SETUP menu provides for setting a low battery alarm warning. For the 6-cell NiMH battery, 

the alarm level should not be set lower than 7.0v, as at that level, the battery charge is almost fully 

depleted. 

Continuous run times on a full charge are typically up to 3 hours for the 800mAh battery (7 hours with 

the 2000mAH battery). 

Basic Setup and Receiver Binding 

Before binding the transmitter with the model’s receiver, the transmitter’s Internal RF mode must be set 

in accordance with the receiver’s protocol specification (modes D8, D16, or LR12). The RF mode is set 

for the preselected model, using the transmitter’s MODEL SETUP menu. 
6 

RF Mode Compatible Receiver Series Channel Range Telemetry 

D8 D, V8-II, X 1-8 9

D16 X 1-8 or 9-16 9

1-16 

LR12 L 1-12 

After setting the transmitter for the receiver’s RF mode, binding is accomplished by placing both the 

transmitter and receiver in binding mode. Consult with the receiver’s manual to learn how to place it in 

binding mode. Usually, this requires (1) pressing and holding the receiver’s F/S button while it is being 

powered up, then (2) releasing the F/S button when the LED status light flashes to indicate bind mode. 

As long as receiver power is maintained, the receiver’s LED status light will flash indicating it’s ready for 

binding. 

The transmitter is placed in binding mode using the MODEL SETUP menu where you’ll find the [Bind]

function parameter shown next to the Receiver No. identifier. With the cursor moved to the [Bind]

function so it becomes highlighted, pressing the ENT (enter) button causes the [Bind] selection to flash, 

indicating the transmitter is in bind mode. 

Binding should be almost immediate and will typically be confirmed with the receiver’s status LED, but 

the receiver’s servos will not track with the transmitter in bind mode. After the successful bind, disable 

the transmitter from bind mode and repower the receiver to test servo action from the transmitter 

controls.

Display Screen Views and Menus Mapping Structure 

Navigating the menus is easy once you learn how they’ve been laid out and which buttons are used to 

access them. When powering up the transmitter, the first screen to be displayed is the splash screen. 

You’ll also hear the welcome greeting. This screen is followed by any warning screens for throttle or 

switch position that requires user action to correct before the main view screen is displayed. After this, 

it’s necessary to use the display control buttons to navigate and access all other screens. 

The following illustration shows the screen mapping arrangement. 
7 

The most basic button presses are listed here. More detailed button functions are listed later for 

specific screens. 

Basic Button functions: 

x [Short-Press (+) or (-) - to move up or down between editable fields or lines] 

x [Long-Press (+) or (-) - to scroll up or down between editable fields or lines] 

x [Short-Press PAGE - to flip down to next page or view] 

x [Long-Press PAGE - to flip up to previous page or view] 

x [Long-Press MENU - from any main views to flip to RADIO SETUP menu] 

x [Long-Press MENU - from any MODEL SELECTION & SETUP menu view to flip to CHANNEL

MONITOR view] 

x [Short-Press EXIT - from CHANNEL MONITOR view to jump back to previous MODEL

SELECTION & SETUP menu page] 
8 

Two-key combination Shortcuts: 

x [(+) + (-) - to invert value (from 30 to -30)] 

x [(-) + ENT - to set value to 100] 

x [PAGE + EXIT - to set a value to -100] 

x [PAGE + MENU - to set a value to 0] 

Toggle Switch/Knob/Slider Parameter Selection Shortcut: 

x Physically move the desired toggle switch, knob, or slider instead of selecting it from any 

menu switch pick list. 

Display Screens Overview 

The following table provides brief descriptions of the various information screens and setup menus by 

topic. The description for each screen tries to explain the most cryptic parts, but not every parameter is 

discussed. Immediately following this table, you’ll find a glossary of terms, functions and parameters 

that may explain details not mentioned. 

Startup Screens 

When turning on the power switch, Taranis only takes a few seconds to start up. While 

starting up, the radio system displays a brief splash screen and checks the throttle and toggle 

switch positions. If no out-of-position warnings are needed, the transmitter will then be ready 

to use. 

Splash Screen –this is the 

first screen displayed 

when Taranis is powered 

on. The screen can be 

disabled from the RADIO 

SETUP menu or even 

replaced with a user’s 

preferred substitute 

graphic image file

(212x64 pixel, 4 bit, bmp 

format); replacement 

must be done using the 

Companion9x PC 

software. 
9 

Startup Warnings – when enabled and triggered, warning screens successively appear immediately 

prompting user action and must be cleared by taking action or skipped by the press of any menu 

function key.

THROTTLE WARNING - 

this is a safety warning of 

high throttle condition on 

power up. Warning can

skipped by taking 

appropriate action or 

pressing any button. 

These warnings can be

disabled in the MODEL 

SETUP menu. 

SWITCH WARNING - this 

warning is for one or 

more toggle switches not 

in an assigned position. 

The default assigned 

position is ↑ but may be 

changed in Companion9x. 

Warning only concerns 

toggle switches labeled A

through G. Warning can 

be globally disabled in 

the MODEL SETUP menu, 

but not individually. 

Main Views 

After the startup completes, the screen displays the selected model name and FrSKY logo 

graphic or model’s graphic (if configured). This screen is the first of four main view screen 

pages used when operating the radio with a RC model. 

The four main view screens consist of three basic information screen pages, and one receiver 

channel monitoring screen page. In common with the first three views are the selected model’s 

names, the title bar along the top, and the current slider, knob and stick trimmer relative 

positions. 

Title bar displays vital data which may include: transmitter battery voltage (w/graphic), graphic 

receiver signal strength and operating voltage, SD-card present icon, USB connected icon, audio 

volume icon (w/graphic tick marks indicating volume level), and time of day. 
10 

Main View #1, Physical 

States and Timers – this 

screen shows the physical 

states for toggle 

switches. Stick trims are 

show graphically along 

the sides and bottom. 

Knob and slider positions 

are depicted graphically 

along both side outer 

edges. When enabled by 

MODEL SETUP menu, 

clock timer(s) and 

associated value(s) are 

also displayed. 

x [Short-Press PAGE button - to page forward through the 4 Main 

Views] 

x [Long-Press PAGE button - to page back through the 4 Main 

Views] 

Main View #2, Gimbal 

and Switch Positions – 

these screens both show 

physical position of 

gimbal sticks and toggle 

switches. 

Main View #3, Physical 

and Custom Switches - 

these screens show 

physical positions of 

Toggle Switches (left

center) and Custom 

Switches (right center). 

Custom Switches are 

logic switches, and if 

evaluated logically as 

TRUE, are shown 

highlighted here. 

Main View #4, Channel 

Monitor - shows receiver 

channel outputs for all 32 

channels and reflects any 

signal modifiers, 

including mixes, expos, 

and limits. The Monitor 

is useful for testing 

programmed 

functionality and for 

diagnostic purposes. If 

x [Short-Press MINUS ( -) or PLUS (+) buttons - to page down or up 

between CH1-CH16 and CH17-CH32 channel lineups] 
11 

channel numbers are 

named (e.g., Thr, Ail, Ele) 

in the model’s SERVOS

menu, those names will 

be shown here. Virtual 

channels assigned in 

mixes will appear as well. 

Main Views, Popup 

Menu – shows a popup 

menu to reset values or 

display information timer 

statistics or OpenTx 

developer information.

x [Long-Press ENT button – from any main view page, to bring up a 

popup menu of reset options or to display information] 

Telemetry Views 

When selected from the main views screens, the telemetry screens show the most recent 

receiver telemetry data with up to three configurable screens. Configuration is setup in the 

model’s TELEMETRY menu and may include value display of power, variometer altitude, GPS data, 

motor RPM, or temperature. 

x [Long-Press PAGE button - to display Telemetry Views from any Main View screen] 

x [Short-Press PAGE button - within any Telemetry View screen, to cycle through other Telemetry 

View screens]

x Short-Press EXIT button - to leave Telemetry Views and return to Main View screen] 

Telemetry Views, 

Page #1 - shows GPS 

position coordinates and 

minimum RSSI value. 

Telemetry Views, 

Page #2 - shows A1 and 

A2 values and alarm 

criteria settings.
12 

Telemetry Views, 

Pages #3 through 5 - 

shows three possible 

customized telemetry 

data screens table and 

graphical bar formats. 

Customized Pages are 

optional, so only appear 

on screen if configured 

for the selected model.

x [Long-Press ENT button – from any Telemetry Views page, to bring 

up a popup menu of useful Telemetry reset options] 

 
13 

Radio Settings 

The radio setup menu allows configuring the radio system’s hardware, regardless of which model 

is selected. The RADIO SETUP menu is accessed using the Menu button. 

x [Long-Press MENU button – from any Main View screen, to display RADIO SETUP 1/7 screen] 

RADIO SETUP 1/7 - this 

page shows a long list of 

the transmitter’s radio 

configuration settings. 

Screen shows only the 

first seven rows of 

configuration settings, so 

viewing the complete list 

requires scrolling the 

down the page. x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) buttons - to scroll up or down 

the list of transmitter configuration settings] 

x [Short-Press PAGE button - to page down view screens from any of 

RADIO SETUP 1/7 screens] 

x [Long-Press PAGE button - to page up view screens from any of the 

RADIO SETUP 1/7 screens] 

RADIO SETUP 1/7 – 

shows configuration 

settings, rows 8 through 

14. Bg refers to 

background music 

playback.

RADIO SETUP 1/7 – 

shows configuration 

settings, rows 15 through 

21. 
14 

RADIO SETUP 1/7 – 

shows configuration 

settings, rows 22 through 

28. 

RADIO SETUP 1/7 – 

shows configuration 

settings, rows 26 through 

32. 

Enabling FAI Mode

disables all telemetry 

displays other than RSSI 

and voltage to comply 

with FAI regulations.

SD CARD 2/7 

View #1 – shows the SD 

CARD file/folder browser. 

x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) buttons - to scroll highlighted 

selection item up or down the list of file/folders] 

x [Short-Press ENT button - to select highlighted Folder/File] 

x [Long-Press ENT button - to display DELETE function popup] 

x [Long-Press MENU button - to display SD-Card FORMAT function 

popup] 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #2 – shows a Delete

popup menu for MODELS

folder. 

x [Long-Press ENT – brings up a popup menu to Delete models from 

the MODELS folder] 

x [Short-Press ENT – after bringing up popup menu, to Delete and 

receive brief confirmation dialog] 
15 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #3 – shows folder 

listing bit mapped image 

files (BMP). Image of any 

highlighted file name is 

shown on right side of 

screen.

SD CARD 2/7 

View #4 – shows popup 

menu functions to Assign 

Bitmap or Delete bitmap 

assignment from the 

current selected model. 

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting bmp file, to bring up popup 

menu function to Assign Bitmap to, or Delete from, the current 

selected model] 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #5 – shows 

contents of the LOGS

folder where telemetry 

data logs are stored in csv 

file format, with file 

naming using model 

name and date. 

Telemetry data logging 

feature is enabled with 

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS

menu, using the Start 

Logs function. 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #6 – shows LOGS

folder Delete file function 

popup menu.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting selected file name, to Delete

log file from SD-card and receive brief confirmation dialog] 
16 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #7 – shows 

MODELS folder binary 

model backup files that 

have been archived with 

the MODEL SELECTION

menu, using its Backup 

Model function. 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #8 – shows Delete

popup menu in MODELS

folder. 

x [Short-Press ENT - after highlighting file name, to bring up Delete

popup menu] 

x [Short-Press ENT – after Delete popup menu presented, to Delete

model binary file and receive brief confirmation dialog] 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #9 – shows 

SOUNDS’ folder contents, 

which is the English (en) 

language recordings subfolder.

Language options: 

x English – en 

x French - fr 

x Italian - it 

x German - de 

x Swedish - se 

x Czech - cz 

x Slovak - sk 

x Portuguese - pt 

x Spanish -es 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #10 – shows 

\SOUNDS\en folder 

Waveform Audio File 

Format (wav) file 

contents.
17 

SD CARD 2/7 

View #11 – shows 

\SOUNDS\en folder 

popup menu to playback 

(Play) or Delete a wav file 

sound recording.

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting a named wav file, to present 

popup menu to Play or Delete the file] 

TRAINER 3/7 – shows 

Trainer mode settings for 

Master. Trainer Mode is 

only active when in 

MODEL SETUP menu, 

Trainer Mode is set to 

Master. 

VERSION 4/7 – shows 

source code Subversion 

Number, release date 

and time, and the 

firmware version number 

stored in the 

transmitter’s EEPROM 

memory. This 

information should be 

included with any Open 

Source (OpenTx) 

firmware bug reporting 

and feature requests. 

SWITCH TEST 5/7 – 

shows a menu button 

and stick trimmer 

interactive testing 

feature. After button 

names, a ‘1’ is displayed 

for each switch when 

pressed down (closed 

circuit), and ‘0’ when not 

being pressed (open 

circuit). Similar with 

stick trimmers, which are 

momentary two-way 

switches. 
18 

ANALOG INPUTS 6/7 - 

shows raw data from 

pots in gimbals, knobs, 

and sliders. Current 

battery voltage is 

displayed as a parameter 

and parameter may be 

set (calibrated) here 

using multi-meter (VoltOhm Meter). x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) buttons - to increase or decrease 

Battery Calib voltage parameter] 

CALIBRATION 7/7, Views 

#1- shows the gimbal 

sticks calibration

procedure START

prompt.

x [Short-Press ENT button – to start gimbal sticks calibration 

procedure] 

CALIBRATION 7/7 

Views #2- shows 

transmitter gimbal stick

positions and prompts to 

center sticks and sliders. 

x [Short-Press ENT button – after centering both transmitter gimbal

sticks, to proceed with calibration procedure] 

CALIBRATION 7/7 

Views #3 – shows prompt 

to move transmitter 

gimbal sticks and knob 

potentiometers.

x [Short-Press ENT button – after moving transmitter gimbal sticks 

and knobs fully in both x and y axis] 

 
19 

Model Selection and Setup 

The Model Selection menu shows a pick list of up to 60 user created models available in the EEPROM 

memory. In the MODEL SETUP menu the user can load or save models from the SD-card memory, thus 

allowing virtually infinite models. View allows changing the active model. New models are also be 

created and named in this view.

x [Short-Press MENU button – from any Mains View, to see MODEL SELECTION menu] 

MODEL SELECTION 1/13 

Views #1 – shows pick list 

of up to 60 available user 

defined models. The 

selected model will be 

marked with an asterisk 

(*). This is also where 

new models are created. 

x [Long-Press ENT button – with highlight on listing number , brings 

up popup menu with options as appropriate, to Select Model, 

Backup Model, Copy Model, Move Model, Create Model, Restore 

Model, or Delete Model] 

x [Short-Press ENT button – to Select a highlighted model number for 

a move to another model number position] 

x [Double-Short-Press ENT button – a selected model to Copy model, 

to another model number position] 

x [Long-Press ENT button – to bring up popup menu to Backup, Copy, 

or Move selected model] 

MODEL SELECTION 1/13 

Views #2 – shows popup 

function to Select, 

Backup, Copy, Move, or 

Delete a model. 

Backup Model function 

can be used to archive 

models for possible 

restoration at a later 

date. x [Short-Press PLUS (+) or MINUS (-) Buttons - to scroll highlighted 

selection item up or down the list] 

x [Short-Press ENT button – after highlighting selected model 

number, to bring up a popup menu for Select Model, Backup 

Model, Copy Model, Move Model, and Delete Model functions] 
20 

MODEL SETUP 2/13 

– shows configuration 

settings, rows 1-6. 

MODEL SETUP 2/13 

– shows configuration 

settings, rows 7-13. 

MODEL SETUP 2/13 

– shows configuration 

settings, rows 14-20. 

MODEL SETUP 2/13 

– shows configuration 

settings, rows 21-27. 

Failsafe assigns 

predetermined channel 

settings in the event of 

signal loss. Failsafe mode 

allows choosing between 

simple holding last 

received positions (Hold), 

turning off pulses (No 

pulses) , or moving 

servos to predefined 

positions (Custom). 

 
21 

MODEL SETUP 2/13 

Failsafe Settings – shows 

the FAILSAFE SETTINGS

screen used for setting 

individual channels in 

Custom Failsafe Mode

(RF Modes D16/ LR12 

only). Not all receivers 

support this custom 

failsafe setup. Consult 

the receiver’s manual to 

see which failsafe modes 

are supported.

x [Long-Press ENT button – from the custom FAILSAFE SETTINGS

screen, to save channel values] 

HELI SETUP 3/13 

 – shows helicopter CCPM 

head mixer page. 

Normal inputs are Ail and 

Ele sticks, plus virtual 

channel selected in 

Collective source and 

added to the MIXER

menu page. Outputs of 

this head mixer page are 

CYC1, CYC2, and CYC3

which need to be 

assigned to receiver 

servo channels on the 

MIXER menu page. 

Note: Setting up this screen page is not to be used for multirotor or 

flybarless heli models with onboard computers/mixers.
22 

FLIGHT MODES 4/13 

– shows Flight Modes 

FM0-FM6. Must scroll 

down to see FM7 setup. 

Each flight mode can be 

named, assigned an 

activation switch (except 

FM0), track stick trim 

positions unique to each 

flight mode (RETA), and 

assign up and down 

speed parameters for 

smooth transitions 

between flight modes. 

RETA stick trims can also 

be individually assigned 

to other flight modes. 

STICKS 5/13 

Sticks View represents 

the input from the 

gimbals. The order is 

fixed and independent of 

the output channel order. 

View #1 – shows a preconfiguration profile 

settings for both gimbal 

stick X and Y axes. 

STICKS 5/13 

View #2 – shows a 

configured sticks 

weighting profiles. 

Configuration options 

includes weighting/gains 

in %, curve option

(exponential weighting in 

%, Custom Curve, or 

Curve Pattern Criteria), 

Switch Assignments, 

Flight Mode options, and 

profile name. 

Note: These settings are 

usually referred to as 

Dual Rates/Exponential 

programmable radios; 

Taranis however, 

provides enhanced 

capability.

x [Long-Press ENT – after scrolling to appropriate stick name or 

Weight, select edit from popup to view weighting profile 

configuration menu] 
23 

STICKS 5/13 

View #3

 – shows Rud weighting

profile configuration 

settings. Modes refers to 

flight modes 0-8, where 

profile is only enabled for 

highlighted numbers. 

Side refers to which side 

of the x-axis, the 

modified curve profile is 

enabled. 

MIXER 6/13 

Mixer represents the 

channel order output to 

the receiver. Each 

channels can be set to 

any control function.

– shows MIXER

configuration settings 

with configured sticks 

weighting profile. Not 

shown are optional multiline channel mixes. 

MIXER 6/13 

– shows MIXER function 

popup menu.

x [Long-Press ENT – after scrolling to appropriate stick Weight or 

Channel, select edit from popup to view EDIT MIX menu] 

MIXER 6/13 

– shows channel 01 EDIT 

MIX configuration 

settings. Modes refers to 

which flight modes for 

which the mix is 

activated. 

Multpx refers to multiline channel mix 

multiplexing, or how the 

lines interact from top to 

bottom. Multpx options: 

Add, Multiply, Replace. 
24 

SERVOS 7/13 

View #1 – shows servo 

absolute limits 

configuration settings for 

Channels 1-7. Shows 

highlighted channel’s 

current pulse width in 

micro-seconds. For each 

channel, settings are 

available for Subtrim or 

neutral offset, Min Max

channel limits (-100 to 

100) in percentages, 

normal or inverse travel 

Direction, servo pulse 

width center position in 

micro-seconds, and 

Subtrim mode symmetry 

with zero point. Servo 

mode options: ^ -

symmetrical, = - 

asymmetrical (no 

clipping). 

SERVOS 7/13 

View #2 – shows servo 

limits configuration 

settings for Channels 27-

32. 

CURVES 8/13 

View #1 – shows CURVES

configuration settings for 

curves CV1 through CV7. 

Curves can be used in 

gimbal stick profiles in 

the STICKS menu and for 

channel mixing with the 

MIXER menu. 

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting curve to edit, to bring up curve 

editing menu] 
25 

CURVES 8/13 

View #2 – shows CURVE1

configuration settings for 

CV1 only. 

GLOBAL VARIABLES 9/13 

– shows GLOBAL 

VARIABLES configuration 

settings for initializing 

variables GV1-GV5 values 

by flight mode. Global 

variable values can be set 

as constant integer 

values. Their flight mode 

initial values can be 

modified with CUSTOM 

FUNCTIONS. GLOBAL

VARIABLES can be used 

as replacements for

constant values in 

weights, offsets, 

differentials, and

exponential settings in 

STICKS, MIXER, and 

CUSTOM SWITCHES

menus. 

CUSTOM SWITCHES 

10/13

View #1

– shows preconfiguration setup for 

custom switches CS1

through CS7 (Scroll down 

to see custom switches 

CS8 through CSW). 

Custom Switches 

evaluate to TRUE or 

FALSE by comparing two 

values, and can optionally 

combine conditions with 

the AND Boolean logic 

operator. They are used 

as logic inputs in STICKS, 

MIXER, and CUSTOM 

FUNCTIONS menus. 

x [Long-Press ENT – after highlighting Custom Switch label, for popup 

menu, to Copy or Delete configuration settings] 
26 

Duration and Delay

parameters are provided 

to add time dependent 

logic results. A timer 

function (TIM) can be 

used to provide timed 

cycling pulse logic. More 

complex logic function 

can be configured by 

linking one or more 

custom switches.

CUSTOM SWITCHES 

10/13

View #2

- shows a configured 

screen with several 

custom switches.

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 

11/13

View #1

– shows preconfiguration setup of 

custom functions CF1

through CF7 (scroll down 

to see custom functions 

CF8 through CF32). 

Custom Functions are 

used to assign global 

variables, toggle 

switches, sliders, knobs, 

and custom switches to 

transmitter hardware 

features (like starting or 

stopping a timer, a sound 

track, or adjust speaker 

volume). Custom 

Functions can also be 

used to adjust global 

variables.

x [Long-Press ENT – when editing switch selection column, to 

enable/disable toggle mode] 

x [Long-Press ENT – on a highlighted label for a configured custom 

function, brings up a popup menu to Copy/Paste/Delete] 

 
27 

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 

11/13

View #2 – shows a configured 

screen of custom 

functions.

TELEMETRY 12/13 

View #1 – shows telemetry 

configuration settings, 

lines 1 through 7. Critical 

Alarm’s trigger audible 

warnings when measured 

value drops below setting 

value. RSSI refers to 

telemetry receiver’s 

measured transmitter 

signal strength. Blades

count parameter is used 

to scale RPM sensor 

count. 

TELEMETRY 12/13 

View #2 – shows telemetry 

configuration settings, 

lines 8 through 14. A1 

channel and A2 channel

refers to telemetry 

receivers which provide 

analog inputs.

TELEMETRY 12/13 

View #3 – shows telemetry 

configuration settings, 

lines 15 through 21. 

Screen 1 Nums refers to 

customization 

parameters for

Telemetry Views, Page 1. 

Scroll down to see Screen 2 and Screen 3 

customization 

parameters for 
28 

Telemetry Views Page #3

thru Telemetry Views 

page #5. Variometer 

Source refers to sensor 

type installed at the 

receiver. 

TEMPLATES 13/13 

– shows available model 

templates pick list. 

x [Short-Press ENT – after highlighting a listed template, a up popup 

menu allows replacing the current model’s mixer settings] 
29 

Glossary of Acronyms, Functions, and Parameter Labels 

RADIO SETUP 

Sound Mode specifies which sounds are activated. Choice of: All, NoKey (all except button press 

beeps), Alarm (alarm only), and Quiet (no sound). 

Bg Volume Background music Volume. 

Backlight Mode specifies LCD display backlighting wakeup activity. Choice of: OFF, Keys (detect button 

press), Controls (gimbal stick/slider/knob/switch), Both (Keys or Controls), or ON

(always on). 

Vario Volume Variometer beep volume used to judge changes in altitude. 

GPS Global Positioning System a satellite navigation system used to provide location and 

time information anywhere on earth. 

GPS Timezone specifies Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) Offset for local longitudinal time zone (-12 

through +12). 

GPS coordinate format specifies HMS or NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association). 

FAI disables all telemetry displays, other than RSSI and voltage, to comply with Federation 

Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) regulations for contests, championships, and record 

setting activities. 

SD Card 

SD Card flash memory card, SD micro format, typically 2GB capacity is included with Taranis. 

BMP Bitmap (BMP) image files in raster image file format (64x32 pixels, 4-bit grayscale) used 

to store bitmap digital images 

LOGS telemetry data log file(s) stored in comma separated values (csv) file format. 

MODELS binary model backup files that have been archived in MODEL SELECTION menu. 

SOUNDS mono sound track recordings sampled at up to 32kHz and saved as Waveform Audio File 

Format (wav) file format. 

TRAINER 

Multiplier a value used to align gimbal stick movements of the student’s transmitter (Slave) with 

that of the training instructor’s transmitter (Master). 

 
30 

VERSION 

SVN Subversion Number, a record keeping process for source code used in software 

development, to keep track of multiple code revisions over time. 

EEPR specifies the firmware version number stored in transmitter’s EEPROM non-volatile 

memory. 

MODEL SETUP 

Timer 1, 2

THs, TH%, THt timer functions with Throttle Source as trigger. s - timer runs when off idle, % - 

same as s except count rate is based on % throttle, t - starts timer with first 

throttle advance. 

Persistent allows timer count to be saved when power is switched OFF and resumed when 

powered back ON. 

Extended Limits increases servo absolute limits to 125% from the default of 100%. Actual limits will 

depend on servo internal mechanical design, servo linkage setup and control surface 

throws. 

Extended Trim increases gimbal stick trims to 100% of range instead of default of 25%. 

Throttle Trim restricts trim to idle portion of stick throw (Combustion Engine Mode). 

Minute call a timed voice enunciation of the timer count, broadcast over loud speaker or audio jack. 

RF Radio Frequency transmission circuit used to send signals over the air between 

transmitter and receiver. 

Failsafe mode allows options for setting servo positions should receiver lose transmitter’s transmission 

signal. 

PPM frame when RF module is PPM, allows setting the frame and pulse lengths and polarity in order 

to match the settings of the module. 

HELI SETUP 

Swash Type specifies the model’s swash-plate design configuration in degrees. Choice of: 90, 120, 

120X (same as 120, but w/swash plate turned 90 degrees), and 140. 

Collective source specifies the virtual channel to be used on MIXER page for pitch curve(s). 

Swash Ring specifies limits to swash ring travel. 

Long cyc. direction specifies the direction, Normal (---) or Inverse (INV). 

Lateral cyc. direction specifies the direction, Normal (---) or Inverse (INV). 

Coll. Pitch direction specifies the direction, Normal (---) or Inverse (INV). 
31 

FLIGHT MODES 

FM0 default flight mode can be named. Speed parameters are provided for smooth 

transitions to other flight modes. 

FM1-FM7 seven flight modes can be named and assigned to unique switch positions. Speed 

parameters are provided for smooth transitions. 

STICKS 

Rud, Ele, Thr, Ail the four gimbal stick axes which can independently be assigned: Weighting (gain/rate), 

Exponential (or Custom Curves), and flight modes. Ultimately, these are assigned to 

output channels in the Mixer menu. 

Weight assigns % gain weighting or rates used to compute amount of servo throw. 

Exponential assigns a mathematical exponential function to both sides of stick center position. A 

positive value lessens the of the stick sensitivity near its neutral position. 

Phases option to specify which flight modes stick assignment is active. 

Side option to specify restricting stick assignments to one side of stick center position. 

MIXES 

Source an input to be used in the mix line calculation. A pick list of possible inputs is provided. 

Weight the Source value multiplier, in %, that’s applied before calculating the mix line output 

value. 

Offset a value added to the Source value before calculating the mix line output value. 

Trim option to apply stick Trim values in line mix. Always OFF when Source is not assigned to 

stick. 

MAX a constant value equal to +100. 

Multpx Multiplexing specifies, if active by Flight Mode and/or switch position, a mathematical 

relationship with line above. Options are Add (e.g., 10% + 50% = 60%), Multiply (e.g., 

10% * 50% = 5%), or Replace. 

+=, *=, := shown on MIXES screen to denote Multpx parameter of Add, Multiply, or Replace with 

line above. 

Curve option to apply conditional logic or a custom curve (CURVE) with the Source in 

computing the mix line output value. 

Modes option to disable mix line in specific flight modes. 

Delay time in seconds the mix line output should be delayed. 
32 

Slow specifies a transition speed, using a time parameter in seconds the mix line output takes 

to cover range -100 to +100. Not a duration setting, so transitioning of values is at 

speed set, regardless of how far traveled. 

CYC1, CYC2, CYC3 Heli mixer outputs 

PPM1, PPM2, ..... , PPM7, PPM8 trainer port input channels 

SERVOS 

Subtrim specifies how far off the gimbal stick neutral position to move the servo travel center 

point. 

Min, Max specifies the Low and High absolute travel limits in % to avoid overdriving servos. 

Direction choice of servo travel direction. Options: Normal (---) or Inverse (INV). 

PPM Center servo’s Neutral or Center position set by servo manufacturer, expressed as a Pulse 

Position Modulation (PPM) signal or Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal, rate 

measured in units of microseconds. 

Subtrim mode specifies whether curve is symmetrical or asymmetrical about the servo travel neutral 

point. Options: ^ - symmetrical, = - asymmetrical (no clipping). 

CURVES 

Type sixteen multi-point plot curve type options available. Select from: 3pt, 5pt, 9pt, 17pt

(fixed X, user defined Y points) or 3pt’, 5pt’, 9pt’, 17pt’ (user defined both X and Y

points). 

GLOBAL VARIABLES 

GV1, GV2, GV3, GV4, GV5 flight mode specific variable values optionally assigned to any weight, 

offset, differential, or exponential setting used in STICKS, CUSTOM

FUNCTIONS, CUSTOM SWITCHES, and MIXES menus. 

CUSTOM SWITCHES 

CS1 – CSW 32 logic switches, programmable to compare values as true or false, active when true, 

inactive when false. 

TIM a timed pulse trigger function which takes two time parameters (active, inactive) in 

seconds. 

Comparison Functions: 

a~x, a>x, a<x, |a|>x, |a|<x, AND, OR, XOR, a=b, a!=b, a>b, a<b, a>=b, a<=b, d>=x, 

|d|>=x, TIM. 
33 

Function Variables: a, b, and d use: assignable to control hardware. 

Function Constants: x use: decimal or integer parameter values. 

Comparison Operators: 

 Arithmetic 

 ~ approximately equal to (means value is within plus or minus 1) 

> greater than 

< less than 

>= greater than or equal to 

<= less than or equal to 

| | absolute value of 

= equal to 

!= not equal to 

Boolean Logic 

AND both true 

OR either one is true 

XOR either one is true, but not both 

Assignable as Variables: 

Stick Inputs: Rud, Ele, Thr, Ail

Knobs: S1, S2

Sliders: LS, RS

Stick Trimmers: TrmR, TrmE, TrmT, TrmA

MAX special case variable, always has value +100 

Toggle switches: SA – SH

Custom Switches: CS1 – CSW

Timers: Timer 1, Timer 2

 Telemetry: Batt, SWR, RSSI, A1, A2, Alt, Rpm Fuel, 

T1, Speed, Dist, GPS Alt, Cell, Cells, 

Vfas, Curr, Cnsp, Powr, AccX, AccY, AccZ

 Global Variables: GV1 – GV5
34 

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 

CFN1 – CFN32 32 functions that may be programmed to trigger by toggle switches or CUSTOM

SWITCHES. 

Triggers: 

One trigger one-time with power-on startup or with selecting new model 

 ON triggering always active 

OFF triggering always inactive 

Toggle Switches: 

SA↓, SA-, SA↑, SB↓, SB-, SB↑, .... SG↓, SG-, SG↑, SH↓, SH↑ denotes switch in 

up(↑), down(↓), 

or middle( - ) 

SH↓s momentary Short-Press 

SH↓l momentary Long-Press 

CUSTOM SWITCHES: 

CS1, CS2, CS3, ...., CS8, CS9, CSA, CSB, CSC,.... , CSV, CSW 

 

 Inverse Triggers: ( “!” prefix denotes “not”, e.g., triggered when not the case) 

!One not triggered initially with power-on startup or with selecting new model, but triggers 

subsequently. 

Toggle Switches: 

!SA↓, !SA-, !SA↑, !SB↓, !SB-, !SB↑, .... !SG↓, !SG-, !SG↑, !SH↓, !SH↑

CUSTOM SWITCHES: 

!CS1, !CS2, !CS3, ...., !CS8, !CS9, !CSA, !CSB, !CSC,....!CSV, !CSW, 

Toggle mode Triggers: ( t Suffix, stays triggered until re-trigger, cycles with every other trigger) 

Toggle Switches: 

SA↓t, SA-t, SA↑t, SB↓t, SB-t, SB↑t, .... SG↓t, SG-t, SG↑t, SH↓t, SH↑t 

!SA↓t, !SA-t, !SA↑t, !SB↓t, !SB-t, !SB↑t, .... !SG↓t, !SG-t, !SG↑t, !SH↓t, !SH↑t 

CUSTOM SWITCHES: 

!CS1t, !CS2t, !CS3t, ...., !CS8t, !CS9t, !CSAt, !CSBt, !CSCt,....!CSVt, !CSWt, 
35 

Functions 

Channel Safety: (forces specific channel output to a specified value) 

Safety CH01, Safety CH02,... Safety CH15, Safety CH16

Trainer enables Trainer Mode for RUD, ELE, THR, and AIL globally. 

Trainer RUD, Trainer ELE, Trainer THR, Trainer AIL enables Trainer Mode individually. 

Instant Trim adds current stick positions to respective stick trims. 

Play Sound plays a tone from available list. 

Reset resets the selected item. Options: Timer 1, Timer 2, Telemetry, All (Both Timers 

& Telemetry). 

Vario turns on variometer sounds to speaker or audio jack. 

Play Track plays a sound recording file located on the micro SD card. 

Play Value speaks the current selected value over the speaker or audio jack. 

Start Logs starts recording Telemetry data to micro SD card. 

Volume adjusts audio volume using selected source parameter. 

Backlight enables LCD backlight lighting. 

BgMusic, BgMusic || enables and pauses background music playback. 

Adjust GV1, Adjust GV2, ....., Adjust GV5 sets value of specified global variable to a fixed 

value, source value, increments value, or to that of 

another global variable. 

TELEMETRY 

Tmr1,Tmr2 two timers with functions set in MODEL SETUP menu. 

A1, A2 analog input channels on compatible telemetry receivers. 

Batt displays the transmitter’s operating voltage. 

SWR measure of transmitter antenna quality. Reading below 51 is normal. 

RSSI Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) value used to monitor acceptable signal 

strength or distance. 

Alt variometer altitude reading above ground level. 

Rpm RPM reading. 

Fuel fuel level. 
36 

T1, T2 temperature sensor readings. 

Spd, Dist GPS ground velocity, GPS distance from starting point. 

GPS Alt, HDG GPS altitude above sea level and GPS heading. 

Cell, Cells lowest cell reading, sum of all cell readings. 

Vfas, Curr, Cnsp, Powr pack voltage, current, mAh, and watts measurements. 

AccX, AccY, AccZ acceleration values in G’s for axis X,Y, and Z 

 
37 

Screen Mapping Diagram 

This chart shows a detailed layout of the various information screens and menus. 

Splash Screen

Throttle Warning 

Switch Warning

Switch & Gimbal 

Positions

Physical & Custom 

Switch Positions

Telemetry

GPS Position and Min 

RSSI

Telemetry

A1 A2 Alarms

Telemetry

Values Bars/Nums 

Custom Screens (3)

RADIO SETUP 1/7

SD CARD 2/7

TRAINER 3/7

VERSION 4/7

SWITCH TEST 5/7

ANALOG INPUTS 6/7

CALIBRATION 7/7

MODEL SELECTION 1/13

MODEL SETUP 2/13

HELI SETUP 3/13

FLIGHT MODES 4/13

STICKS 5/13 EDIT STICK PROFILE

MIXER 6/13 EDIT MIX 

SERVOS 7/13

CURVES 8/13 EDIT CURVE PROFILE

GLOBAL VARIABLES 9/13

CUSTOM SWITCHES 10/13

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS 11/13

TELEMETRY 12/13

TEMPLATES 13/13

Channel Monitor

General Radio Settings Model Selection & Setup

Main Views

Telemetry Views

Power On 

Startup

Display Screens Navigation 

Mapping

CUSTOM FAILSAFE SETUP
38 

Programmatic Flowcharts 

The following flowcharts show the path of the various inputs, functions, and outputs. 

Stick 

Calibration

Mixer &

Channel Assignments

FrSKY Taranis X9D

Programmatic Flowchart

Calibrated 

Sliders

Calibrated

Knobs

Trimmers

Servo Limits/

Invert

Safety Switches

Custom Functions

Custom Switches

Heli Mixer

Channel Outputs

Flight Modes

Curves

Timers 1, 2

Audio Processor

SD Card

Audio

Amplifier/Speaker

Telemetry Recorder

FailSafe Override 

Setup

Sticks Weighting 

Profiles

Timer Throttle 

Assignment

LCD Controller LCD Display & 

Backlighting

Thr Rud Ele Ail

Stick Assignments

Trimmer Settings

PPM Trainer

Output/Input Port

Trainer Mode/

PPM Decoder 

Telemetry Data

Global Variables 

Current Value

PPM1-PPM8

Sticks

Slider 

Calibration

Knob 

Calibration

Sliders Knobs

Calibrated 

Sticks

Startup

Throttle & Switch

Warnings

Switches
39 

This is a simplified version of the previous chart. Advanced functions are removed to reduce complexity. 

Stick 

Calibration

Mixer &

Channel Assignments

FrSKY Taranis X9D

Programmatic Flowchart

Calibrated 

Sliders

Calibrated

Knobs

Trimmers

Servo Limits/

Invert

Safety Switches

Custom Functions

Custom Switches

Channel Outputs

Flight Modes

Curves

FailSafe Override 

Setup

Sticks Weighting 

Profiles

Thr Rud Ele Ail

Stick Assignments

Trimmer Settings

PPM Trainer

Output/Input Port

Trainer Mode/

PPM Decoder 

Global Variables 

Current Value

PPM1-PPM8

Sticks

Slider 

Calibration

Knob 

Calibration

Sliders Knobs

Calibrated 

Sticks Switches

Basic – Less Heli Mixer, Timers, Warnings, Telemetry, Audio, LCD Display, & SD Card
40 

The following chart is a flow path for the multi-line mixer. Upper lines are calculated first using the 

input sources, then mixed with line immediately below according to the Multpx parameter (Add, 

Multiply, or Replace) from the lower line. Finally, the mix result is assigned to a channel delivered as 

channel output. 

The Mixer Line 1 Multpx parameter has no computational value but should be left at default (Add). 

Care should be taken when using the Multiply parameter and then moving the line to a position where 

lines above are inactive, in order to avoid multiplying with a null value ( e.g., 0% * mix value % = 0%). 

Individual mixer lines are Flight Mode and switch position dependent, so depending on if those 

conditions exist, individual lines may be bypassed instead of being combined with the line per the user 

specified Multpx function. 

Channel 

Assignment

 Mixer Line 2

Add, Multiply,

Replace, or Bypass

Programmatic Flowchart of

Single Channel Multi-Line Mixer

(Three Line Example, Active Line Beep Warning Option not shown)

Add, Multiply,

Replace, or Bypass

Input 

Source

Input 

Source

Input 

Source

Weighting

/Offset

Delay/

Speed

Curve/

Differential

Flight

 Modes Trim Switch

 Mixer Line 1 Weighting

/Offset

Delay/

Speed

Curve/

Differential

Flight

 Modes Trim Switch

 Mixer Line 3 Weighting

/Offset

Delay/

Speed

Curve/

Differential

Flight

 Modes Trim Switch

Channel 

Output

Add,Multiply,

Replace, or Bypass

Null Value = 0%

Multipx

Multipx

Multipx

 
41 

Receiver Compatibility Chart 

This chart shows compatibility, features, and requirements of current and planned FrSky receivers. Series Bind Mode Model # of Channels Servo (PWM) outputs Telemetry CPPM S.Bus RSSI RSSI for OSD Hub Data Port Smart Port 

Notes

V8 V8 V8R7-SP 8 7 X 1 

V8-II D8 VD5M 5 5 2 

V8R4-II 4 4 3 

V8R7-II 8 8 

V8FR-II 8 8 

Delta-8 8 8 X X 4 

D D8 D4R-II 8 4 X X X X X 5 

D6FR 6 6 X X 6 

D8R-II plus 8 8 X X X 

D8R-XP 8 8 X X X X X 

X D8 or D16 X8R 16 8 X X X X X 7 

X6R 16 6 X X X X X 8 

X4R 16 4 X X X X X 8 

LR LR12 LR12 12 8 X X 8 

Notes

1. Requires the use of a DJT module in V8 mode plugged into the external port of the Taranis. Consult DJT 

manual for details. 

2. Micro receiver with micro connectors. Intended for indoor use. Lacks failsafe functions. 

3. The FrSky park flyer receiver is best suited for small foamy planes. Small and affordable. 

4. The Delta-8 also supports Hitec A-FHSS, Futaba S-FHSS & Futaba FHSS protocols. Note, binding may take over a 

minute as the Delta attempts all to bind to the different protocols it supports. 

5. You will need to use CPPM if you require more than 4 channels. CPPM carries all 8 channels in a single servo 

output on channel 1. 

6. Telemetry is limited to RSSI feedback and A1 and A2 voltages. Do not connect anything but the FBVS external 

voltage sensor to the A2 port. No other sensors are supported. This is the park flyer of telemetry receivers, 

compact and affordable. 

7. X series receivers can be bound in D8 or D16 mode. You will have better performance when bound in D16 

mode and full Smart Port support. Smart Port is FrSky's new hub less sensor serial port. An older style hub can 

be added with the use of the FrSky vario, this will allow the use of many of the older sensors. See vario 

instructions for more details. To use all 16 channels you will need to use S.Bus. S.Bus is similar to CPPM, but it 

carries all 16 channels in a digital format. S.Bus to CPPM converters and S.Bus decoders are available from 

FrSky. FrSky will also have S.Bus servos very soon. Another option is to bind 2 X8R receivers to the Taranis at 

the same time. One will support channels 1-8, and the other will support 9-16. Consult instructions on how to 

do this properly as the telemetry must be turned off on one of the receivers. 

8. The LR12 is a long range receiver capable of operating at extended range. It’s not released at time of 

publication, however specifications listed should be correct once in production. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 1 

EzUHF R/C Control System 

Overview & Operating Instructions 

Nov 2010, for Firmware v1.18 

 

EXHIBIT 4
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 2 

Table of Contents 

Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 

Features/Specifications ............................................................................................................................. 3 

Security ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 

Radio Licensing .......................................................................................................................................... 4 

EzUHF Transmitter ........................................................................................................................................ 4 

Powering the transmitter.......................................................................................................................... 4 

Binding ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 

Failsafe ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 

Power Level control .................................................................................................................................. 6 

Range Testing ............................................................................................................................................ 6 

Transmitter Compatibility ......................................................................................................................... 7 

S-Video pin-out: .................................................................................................................................... 7 

PPM Input & Head-Tracker input pin-out: ............................................................................................ 7 

Futaba (square) to EzUHF cable: ............................................................................................................... 8 

Multiplex (DIN) to EzUHF (Mini-DIN) cable: .............................................................................................. 9 

Cabling the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter: ..................................................................................... 10 

EzUHF Receivers .......................................................................................................................................... 11 

EzUHF Receiver, 8 channel version, Connections ................................................................................... 12 

Powering the Rx when using high-powered servos ............................................................................ 12 

Receiver antenna configuration .............................................................................................................. 13 

Driver/Software Installation on a PC .......................................................................................................... 13 

EzUHF -> EzOSD link ................................................................................................................................ 13 

Antenna Selection ....................................................................................................................................... 15 

Diamond SRH771 .................................................................................................................................... 15 

Active Robots 433MHz Straight .............................................................................................................. 16 

Active Robots 433MHz R/A ..................................................................................................................... 16 

Antenna extension cables ....................................................................................................................... 16 

IMPORTANT: Known Sources of Interference ........................................................................................ 18 

Appendix A: Binding multiple transmitters to a single receiver ................................................................. 19 

Appendix B: Diagnostics .............................................................................................................................. 20 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 3 

Overview 

The EzUHF R/C control system is a reliable R/C control uplink for FPV and UAV pilots who desire a robust 

control system for safe control at longer distances. 

It was designed with the FPV/UAV pilot in mind, the only such system with a dedicated head-tracker 

port, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of radios. 

An ‘Aux Ctrl’ port is available to connect to a ‘control board’, for in-flight UAV configuration without 

sacrificing valuable control channels. 

Features/Specifications 

x Reliable FHSS Link (Frequency Hopping, Spread Spectrum) 

x 433MHz/70cm Ham band operation 

x Options for 431-433MHz, 433-435MHz, 435-437MHz. 

x Spectrally clean GFSK modulation 

x 600mW (~28dBm) output power, with 200mW low-power mode 

x Direct head-tracker input, adding head-tracker compatibility to most radios 

x Power switch, boost power when at long range (optionally drive from unused control on the R/C Tx) 

x Standard SMA antenna connector, compatibility with 433MHz/70cm Ham-band antennas 

x Flexible buffered, AC-coupled, PPM input, ensures compatibility with 3.3v thru 9.6v PPM levels 

x Standard USB port (Mini-A) for firmware upgrades, and system configuration 

x Single pushbutton learning of failsafe positions 

x Binding function, which allows binding Single Tx->Rx, Multi Tx->Rx, and Single Tx->Multi Rx 

x Mates with 8 channel, and 4 channel EzUHF receivers 

x Spectrum analyzer built into EzUHF receivers, to aid in debugging RF interference 

x Power sourced directly from the R/C Tx (Futaba), or optional DC power jack 

x Built in receiver, for future expansion 

x Custom extruded brushed aluminum enclosure 

x Dimensions 85 x 74 x 23mm 118g 

x Power Requirements: 9-12v DC 250 mA @ 12v, in 600mW mode, 85mA @ 12v, in 200mW mode
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 4 

Security 

The ImmersionRC team does not promote reckless long-range flight, where property and/or lives are put 

at risk. 

This R/C control system was brought to the market for use by responsible end-users, who are aware of, 

and comply with, local legislation regarding FPV/UAV flight. 

ImmersionRC accepts no responsibility for property damage, parts damage, model damage, or personal 

injury due to the misuse of the EzUHF, or any other ImmersionRC product. 

Radio Licensing 

The EzUHF R/C control system transmits on radio frequencies which may require a license for use. 

The specific band of frequencies is firmware-dependent, and in some cases may be tailored to meet a 

retailer/distributor’s requirements. 

The default band used is 433-435MHz, which falls in the 70cm Amateur Radio band. 

Because of this, this product requires an Amateur radio (or similar) license to use in most parts of the 

world. 

 Please check your local legislation before using this product! 

EzUHF Transmitter 

Powering the transmitter 

The EzUHF transmitter has two flexible power options. Both of which may be used for additional 

redundancy: 

1) Power supplied via the 4-pin mini-din connector. 

In the case where the transmitter is connected to a futaba radio, with 9.6v, or 3s Lipo power 

source, this is the preferred method of powering the transmitter. 

2) Power supplied via the DC power jack. 

In cases where the R/C transmitter either doesn’t provide power via its trainer connector, or 

when a lower voltage is available (2s radios for example), it is preferred to power the EzUHF via 

the DC power jack. 

The power jack is center-pin positive, 2mm internal pin, 5.5mm outer diameter. 

A suitable plug is Mouser #502-S760BK

NOTE: The EzUHF transmitter may safely be powered via both connectors simultaneously, even if two 

different voltages are presented. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 5 

As an example: Take the case of a R/C transmitter which uses a 2s LiPo pack. The EzUHF will emit slightly 

less power than specified (approx. 25dBm on 8v, vs. around 29dBm on 11.1v) when powered this way. 

In most cases this power difference is insignificant, for buzzing around the local flying field, this is a very 

reasonable power level. 

If full power is desired in this case, a 3s LiPo pack (or equivalent) can safely be connected to the DC 

Power jack, providing both higher power, and redundancy (no power will be consumed from the R/C 

transmitter’s battery until the external pack is either drained, or removed). 

Binding 

Each EzUHF Transmitter and receiver must be ‘bound’ together, before they may be used, as is the case 

with just about all of the 2.4GHz systems on the market today. 

The binding process teaches the receiver several pieces of information: 

1) The transmitter’s unique ID, and therefore its pseudo random hopping sequence

2) The precise frequency difference between the transmitter and receiver (caused by crystal 

tolerance) 

3) The precise frame-rate emitted by the R/C Tx 

Note that point 3 does mean that rebinding is required if the EzUHF transmitter is switched between 

different R/C transmitters, especially those with different frame rates. 

For more advanced binding, see Appendix A: Binding multiple transmitters to a single receiver. 

The binding procedure is as follows: 

1) Connect suitable antennas to both the EzUHF Tx, and Rx and place them within 1m of each 

other 

2) Connect the EzUHF Tx to the R/C Transmitter, switch to low power mode, hold down the 

pushbutton, and turn on the radio. 

3) As soon as a periodic beeping starts, let go of the button. 

4) Apply power to the receiver, and within 10 seconds, hold down the binding button on the 

receiver. After < 1 second the LED should extinguish, and shortly after, it should flash 3 times, 

indicating binding success. 

If instead, the LED flashes 6, or 10 times, quite quickly, then binding failed, and must be reattempted. 

NOTE!: The Bind switch on the 8 channel ‘dual board’ receiver is accessed between the two 

boards, from the hole beside the servo connectors (it is not hidden under the ‘BIND’ text on the 

label).

5) Power down the Tx, and Rx. Binding is complete. 

NOTE: The 10 second limit on the receiver ensures that the receiver can never enter binding mode 

accidentally during flight, if its button is accidentally pressed. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 6 

See the advanced section, on how to bind multiple transmitters to a single receiver. 

Failsafe 

If, for any reason, the UHF link is broken, the receiver will wait for approximately 1 second for the link to 

be restored, and then will enter failsafe mode. 

The failsafe servo positions are programmed using the button on the transmitter. 

To set this up, two phases are recommended. 

1) With the plane on the ground, and servo positions neutral, throttle cut, hold down the 

transmitter’s bind/failsafe button until the transmitter beeps. This will set a reasonable default 

failsafe ready for the first flight 

2) With the plane in flight, set the controls in a suitable position for the failsafe, and re-program 

the failsafe. In most cases, ‘suitable position’ means throttle cut, and a gentle turn radius, to let 

the plane circle gently until it lands, but of course every application is a little different. 

Power Level control 

The toggle-switch on the top of the EzUHF Tx is used to switch between high and low power modes. 

Even if full feedback of uplink status is available on the EzOSD display, it is highly recommended to fly in 

low-power mode most of the time, switching to high-power mode if required. 

The difference in power levels between the two modes is approximately 6dB, which corresponds to a 

factor of 2 in range, ensuring plenty of margin. 

Range Testing 

Before any flight it is highly recommended to perform a range test on the ground. For this, use at 

minimum the low-power mode, or more ideally, attenuate the transmitter output using an SMA 

attenuator for the range test (NOTE: Do not forget to remove the attenuators before the flight!!!!). 

A 20dB SMA attenuator, easily sourced on Ebay, is a good choice for this. 

The transmitter does include a range-test feature, which drops power to approx. 13dBm (20mW). 

To access this mode, switch from High to Low power mode with the bind pushbutton pressed. 

WARNING: Do not forget to cycle Tx power before flying to leave range-testing mode. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 7 

Transmitter Compatibility 

The PPM input circuit of the EzUHF Tx is designed to support a large range of transmitters, with PPM 

input voltages ranging from 3.3v, all the way to 9.6v or more. 

Most of the in-flight testing was performed using Futaba systems, which is used by the system's 

designers. This is therefore the preferred radio for use with the EzUHF link. 

Support for other radios will be added as further testing is done. 

The EzUHF uses standard 4-pin Mini-DIN connectors, for the R/C transmitter link (PPM-In), and the link 

to the Headtracker (see below: Cabling the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter). 

These connectors are the same as those used on the TrackR2 headtracker, with the same pinout. 

These connectors are also the same as those used by the popular S-Video standard, which makes finding 

pre-molded connectors and cables quite easy. The S-Video cables have Chroma/Gnd, and Y-Luma/Gnd 

as two twisted pairs, these correspond to Pwr/Gnd, and PPM In/N/C, which won't cause any problems. 

Note that the S-Video extension cables (Male -> Female) may be used as extension cables, but cannot 

be used to connect the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter (see below) 

S-Video pin-out: 

PPM Input & Head-Tracker input pin-out: 

As viewed looking at the female connector on the UHF Tx. 

 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 8 

To remove any confusion, the pin-out is marked directly on a photo of the transmitter below: 

Futaba (square) to EzUHF cable: 

A Futaba to EzUHF cable is supplied with the EzUHF. The wiring diagram of this cable is shown below for 

reference. 

Not Used 

Gnd 

VBatt 

PPM In 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 9 

Multiplex (DIN) to EzUHF (Mini-DIN) cable: 

Multiplex radios, with the standard DIN connector may be used with the EzUHF. 

A 5-pin, 180 degree DIN connector is required (even though more recent radios have a few extra pins). 

 

Pin MPX Function EzUHF pin 

1 +V battery 

2 +V battery, Switched VBatt 

3 Ground Gnd 

4 Out/In PPM In 

5 Disable HF 

NOTES: 

- Bridge pins 3 + 5 to disable the HF module in all MPX radios. 

- Do not enable the trainer port as input, or the output will be disabled. Multiplex only has one pin for 

PPM input, and output, unlike Futaba, who have a dedicated pin for each. 

- In the first published version of the UHF firmware very short PPM frames, such as those produced by 

the Multiplex radios in 6, or 7 channel modes, are not supported. 9 channel PPM is the preferred mode 

for EzUHF compatibility. 

 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 10 

Cabling the TrackR2 to the EzUHF Transmitter: 

To cable the TrackR2 to the EzUHF transmitter a 4-pin Mini-DIN to 4-pin Mini-DIN cable is required. 

This cable will be available late November 2010 from ImmersionRC resellers. A standard S-Video cable 

cannot be used due to the necessity to cross over the PPM In/out connections. 

Note that both connectors are viewed from the back of the male connector, where the solder 

connections are to be made. 

Note that the switch on the TrackR2 must be in the ‘Normal’ position, and not ‘Low-End’ when 

connecting it to the EzUHF. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 11 

EzUHF Receivers 

The EzUHF receiver should be treated much like its 35/40/72MHz cousins. It requires 4.8->6v power to 

be applied through one of the servo connections, generally supplied from the ESC, or BEC in most 

models used for FPV. 

The two receivers currently shipping include: 

1) 8 channel, bi-directional, with Antenna Diversity 

This is our high-end receiver, which has the hardware support for a bi-directional link (NOTE: 

Firmware support for this will be added during the Summer of 2010)

A diversity switch ensures that antenna input with the highest signal strength is used at all 

times. 

The OSD Link allows link quality metrics to be queried by the EzOSD. 

2) 4 channel, uni-directional, with single antenna connector. 

This is a featherweight receiver, ideal for smaller models who only require a maximum of 4 

servo outputs, and don’t need the antenna diversity/OSDLink/Bi-directional features of the 8 

channel version. 

Note that the range of this receiver is as good as, or even slightly better than the 8 channel 

version, don’t let its size fool you!

Note that both of these receivers include a 7-pole ceramic filter on all antenna inputs, providing a good 

degree of immunity from nearby A/V transmitter sources. Even with this, it is highly recommended to 

separate the A/V Tx, and UHF Rx antennas physically as much as possible. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 12 

EzUHF Receiver, 8 channel version, Connections 

Servo connectors on the 8 channel receiver have the pin-out shown below. 

Note that the binding button is not hidden under the padded label, it is located between the 

two stacked PCBs, and needs to be pressed using a non-conductive stylus, or similar. 

Powering the Rx when using high-powered servos 

It is very important to take care with powering the Rx, especially when high torque digital servos are 

used. 

If a BEC is used, ensure that it can deliver the current required by the servos. Digital servos can create 

huge current pulses on the power line, and if the impedance of the supply is too high, these will cause 

the receiver to malfunction. 

The use of a high-performance BEC, such as the Turnigy 5-7.5A UBEC (HobbyKing) is recommended 

instead of the BEC built into the ESC. 

Alternatively, for installations on larger planes, with many servos, a PowerBox should be considered. 

Gnd 

+5/6v 

Signal 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 13 

Receiver antenna configuration 

The 8 channel diversity receiver has, as its name might suggest, two antenna inputs. 

The receiver does expect antennas to be connected to both of these antenna connectors, unless 

configured otherwise. It is not advisable to leave the receiver configured in diversity mode, and connect 

just one antenna. 

The ImmersionRCTools application, available from the ImmersionRC website, can be used to configure 

the receiver antenna configuration for cases where only a single antenna is used. 

Driver/Software Installation on a PC 

The Windows software to support the EzUHF may be downloaded from the EzUHF website here: 

http://www.immersionrc.com/EzUHF.htm

EzUHF -> EzOSD link 

Linking the EzUHF receiver to the EzOSD can create a very powerful combination. 

The EzUHF receiver (8 channel version) will periodically inform the EzOSD of the following 

measurements: 

1. The RSSI (received signal strength) on each of the two antennas 

2. The overall signal quality (which includes packet loss information) 

3. Frequency error measurement (difference between Tx and Rx frequencies) 

4. Error rates per frequency bin 

These measurements are in turn downlinked via the telemetry stream, and may be shown on the 

antenna tracker LCD display, displayed in the ImmersionPlayer, or shown live using the iPad/iPhone 

iTelemetryFPV application. 

The on-screen data provides direct feedback to the pilot of any problems with the uplink in real time. 

The recorded telemetry stream may be used to diagnose problems after a flight, and can be a powerful 

tool for comparing antenna performance, antenna position, etc. 

The connector used for this link is the Molex connector named ‘OSD Link’, shown below:
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 14 

For DIY cables, the following Farnell parts may be used: 

5-POS Molex ‘PicoBlade’ Housing 615109 

Flying lead, 300mm 1125274 

The EzUHF Rx end of the cable uses a 5-pin Molex connector, as used for the GPS connection to the 

EzOSD PCB (the OSD end, not the GPS end). 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 15 

On the EzOSD end, the wires should be connected as follows: 

Note: These can be simply spliced into the cable which connects the EzOSD to the current sensor. 

Red: +5v 

Black: Gnd 

Yellow: i2c SCL 

White: i2c SDA

Note that when using the direct link between the EzOSD and the EzUHF, the RSSI calibration in the 

EzOSD is not required. This calibration feature applies only to the connection of an analog RSSI signal to 

the EzOSD. 

Antenna Selection 

In the FPV hobby today, far too little attention is paid to antennas. A good choice of Tx and Rx antennas, 

for the video link, can make a huge difference in range. 

For the uplink side, using a UHF link, this is also critical. 

Retailers and distributors of the EzUHF system are asked to carry a selection of suitable antennas which 

may be used for various types of model, and flight style. 

The following commonly-available antennas have been use successfully by the ImmersionRC design and 

test teams during many months of testing. 

Diamond SRH771 

This is a higher-gain whip, semi-flexible, which has been shown to give excellent. This antenna 

is easy to find on E-Bay, and costs around $20. 

It is most suitable at the Tx end, on the ground, but when placed on a model also, vertically, it 

has been shown to provide an extremely solid, long range link. 

Note that this antenna does have some gain, and therefore has ‘flattened doughnut’ radiation 

pattern. If the antenna, used on the Tx side, is pointed directly at the model, there will be a 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 16 

significant amount of attenuation (something that should be very familiar to users of standard 

R/C radios). Turn 90 degrees to the model to avoid this. 

The antenna manufacturer Nagoya also sells a version of this (possibly made in the same 

factory), called the NA-771. This is generally a bit cheaper, and appears to perform as well. 

Active Robots 433MHz Straight 

http://www.active-robots.co.uk/433mhz-antenna-straight-p-544.html 

Model #: ANT-433MS 

This antenna works well when antennas are placed remotely from the receiver using extension 

cables (see below), terminated in bulkhead SMA connectors. These connectors can be 

embedded in a wing, or fuselage, pointing straight up (or down). 

Active Robots 433MHz R/A 

http://www.active-robots.co.uk/433mhz-antenna-rightangled-p-545.html 

Model #: ANT-433MR 

Two of these antennas, angled at approx. 45 degrees from each other, connected directly to the 

two 8 channel Rx antenna inputs, work very nicely, and protect against huge losses due to 

cross-polarization. 

Antenna extension cables 

Since the EzUHF uses standard SMA connectors for all antenna connections, it is very easy to 

find, or construct, extension cables. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 17 

Even though the ImmersionRC receivers contain ceramic filters on the input stages, which 

attenuate higher-frequency RF emissions, it is highly recommended to separate the A/V Tx from 

the UHF Rx, and UHF antenna. 

Two configurations have been shown to work very well during hundreds of hours of flight 

testing. 

 1) A/V Tx out on a wingtip, with the EzUHF Rx antenna on the opposite wingtip 

 2) A/V Tx out on a wingtip, with the EzUHF Rx in the nose, and EzUHF antenna just in 

front of the vertical tail fin. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 18 

IMPORTANT: Known Sources of Interference 

There are several cameras which have been shown to emit broadband noise which can greatly 

limit the range of any UHF R/C system (FHSS or not). The use of these cameras should be 

avoided on any plane controlled by a UHF link. 

This list will be extended as more cameras are tested. 

KT&C ‘VSN505’ a.k.a KX550 Emits broadband noise in the ~310MHz to ~610MHz band 

 Ground test range reduced to 30% of range without it. 

Up to date information on other cameras can also be found by googling the name of the camera 

along with the keyword ‘UHF’.

Note that the popular GoPro cameras do have a relatively powerful noise emission at around 

432MHz. These don’t seem to affect the EzUHF much in practice, but it is a good idea to 

separate the GoPro from the UHF Rx/Antenna as much as possible. 

As a rule of thumb, if the RSSIs for an EzUHF system look good (-60, -80dBm range), and the 

link quality indicator is often dipping below 100%, suspect an interfering source on the plane. 

Cameras (SD and HD), and poorly designed switching power supplies (especially 5v->12v stepups) should be the first thing to look at. 

To assist in debugging RF interference problems, the ImmersionRC tools, v1.12 or greater, 

along with a version of the EzUHF Rx firmware v1.14 or greater, can replace a spectrum 

analyzer worth thousands of dollars. The plot below shows a GoPro HD camera radiating 

around 432MHz (the EzUHF, in its standard configuration, occupies the 433 -> 435MHz band, 

so the GoPro in this case doesn’t affect range much).
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 19 

Appendix A: Binding multiple transmitters to a single receiver 

This mode is useful in a couple of scenarios: 

1) When redundancy is required, for safety reasons. One transmitter may be switched off, and 

another on, to recover the model. 

2) To increase security during long range flights, or when a plane, once leaving line-of-sight for a 

first pilot, is passed to a second. 

This appendix will be completed once the feature is fully supported in the firmware. 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 20 

Appendix B: Diagnostics 

Problem: Rx LED doesn’t light

 Check BEC voltage and polarity. Power the Rx via USB temporarily, if this causes the LED to light, and 

‘beat’ when the Tx is powered on, then the BEC/Rx pack should be tested.

Problem: No response from the Transmitter 

The transmitter should beep three times when the R/C transmitter is powered on. 

If it doesn’t, try powering the transmitter via USB, if the beeps are heard when powering this way, the 

cable between the R/C Tx, and the EzUHF Tx, should be investigated. 

Problem: Tx and Rx are correctly powered, but servos don’t move. 

1. Ensure that the R/C transmitter is not in PCM mode, this is a common mistake. The transmitter 

must be in PPM mode in order for the EzUHF Tx to successfully decode the servo positions. 

2. Ensure that the UHF Tx and Rx have been correctly bound together. See the section ‘Binding’ 

earlier in this document. 

Problem: Tx beeps continuously, even when not in Bind mode

Beep codes can identify the source of the problem. Combinations of long, and short beeps will be 

emitted, and can be identified using the following table. 

_ . Transmitter internal error, return for service (Xtal) 

_ . . Transmitter internal error, return for service (TxOvfl) 

_ . . . Detected PCM as opposed to PPM, change R/C Tx Mode to PPM 

_ . . . . PPM not detected at power-up (Tx connected to HT input?) 

. . . PPM Timeout, connection problem between R/C Tx and EzUHF 

Common problems are _ . . . which indicates that the R/C Tx is in PCM mode, instead of PPM. The 

EzUHF (and all other equivalent systems) require PPM as input, and not PCM. 

Anoter common problem is _ . . . . which indicates that a PPM signal was not sensed, generally 

indicating that the R/C Tx is connected to the wrong connector. 

 
ImmersionRC | EzUHF R/C Control System 21 

Problem: RSSI values are good, but the link quality indicator is often below 100%. 

This is (in almost all cases) an interfering RF source located on the plane. Look for cameras which radiate 

unintentionally in the UHF band, or noisy switching regulators, especially those used to switch up from 

5v to 12v to run a 12v camera. 
3DR RADIOV2

QUICK START GUIDE

PARTS

GETTING STARTED

3DR Radios provide an air-to-ground data link between the autopilot and your ground station laptop or 

tablet. Follow this guide to install the radios on your plane, copter, or rover. 3DR Radios arrive ready to 

use. Just mount and connect to view real-time data from your drone.

Android adapter cable

6-wire Pixhawk connector cable

Micro-USB cable

Two 3DR Radios in 915 or 433 mHz

Attach the antennas, and use either radio as an air or ground module.

6-to-5-position APM and PX4 connector cable

Two 3DR Radios

Attach the anten

A

EXHIBIT 5
MOUNT

CONNECT TO AUTOPILOT

Connect to the APM 2.5 or 2.6 telemetry port using 

2.6 the 6-to-5-position cable.

Connect to the PX4 I/O telemetry 

port using the 6-to-5-position cable.

Connect to the Pixhawk telemetry 

port using the 6-wire cable.

Mount the air module securely to your vehicle keeping the antenna clear of any propellers or moving 

components. Ensure that the antenna is oriented vertically for maximum range.

CONNECT TO MISSION PLANNER

Use the micro-USB cable to connect the ground module to your laptop. In Mission Planner and APM 

Planner ground station applications, select the communication option that shows COM, set the rate 

to 57600, and select Connect. The radio will not connect unless the vehicle is powered. Use the Flight 

Data screen to view your vehicle’s status and control missions in flight.

LEARN MORE 

about installing a mission planner application for your laptop or tablet and interacting with the 

autopilot using 3DR Radios (including retrieving flight data logs) at planner.ardupilot.com.

Mission Planner
TIPS

Orient the ground radio 

antenna vertically for 

maximum range.

CONNECT TO TABLET

Connect the ground module to your tablet using the Android adapter cable. Connect the colored end 

to the tablet and the black end to the radio. In DroidPlanner or Andropilot, select Connect.

DroidPlanner Flight Data screen

View the strength of the radio signal in the 

mission planner’s flight data screen.

SETTINGS

To change the radio settings in the mission planner, connect the radio to your computer, but do not 

select Connect. Radios can only be configured while unconnected to MAVLink. Select Initial Setup, 

3DR Radio, and Load Settings to configure the radios.

All settings should be the same for both modules. Ensure that the Net ID setting is identical on each 

radio to enable pairing. Select Save Settings to apply settings. For flying with friends, make sure your 

Net IDs do not conflict.

Use the configuration options on this screen to apply the correct airspace regulation requirements 

for your area. You are responsible for complying with all airspace regulations in your area, including 

frequency restrictions, power levels, and licenses. For more information on configuring 3DR Radios to 

comply with local regulations, visit the online documentation at goo.gl/Tsrksf.
SPECIFICATIONS

3DR Radio Guide V1 © 3D Robotics, Inc. 28 October 2013

SUPPORT

For more information about mission planner applications and APM firmware, visit ardupilot.com. For 

online documentation of 3DR Radios, visit goo.gl/Tsrksf. 

For customer support, contact us at help@3drobotics.com or call our support line at +1 (858) 225-1414.

Processing

100 mW maximum output power (adjustable)

-117 dBm receive sensitivity

Based on HopeRF’s HM-TRP module

RP-SMA connector

2-way full-duplex communication through adaptive TDM

UART interface

Transparent serial link

MAVLink protocol framing

Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)

Configurable duty cycle

Error correction corrects up to 25% of bit errors

Open-source SIK firmware

Configurable through Mission Planner & APM Planner

Features

Interchangeable air and ground modules

915 or 433 mHz

Micro-USB port

6-position DF13 connector

Power

Supply voltage: 3.7-6 VDC (from USB or DF13)

Transmit current: 100 mA at 30 dBm

Receive current: 25 mA

Serial interface: 3.3 V UART

Dimensions

26.7 cm x 55.5 cm x 13.3 cm 

(without antenna)

3

4

5

1 Micro-USB port

2 6-wire cable connector

3 Antenna

4 Frequency

5 LED indicator

1

2

RADIO DESCRIPTION

LED MEANINGS

Solid green

Link established with paired radio

Blinking green

Searching for paired radio

Blinking red

Transmitting data

Solid red

Firmware update mode
EXHIBIT 6