X8

Unfold arms and legs

travel position

Rotate the legs into place and secure through the 

inner hole with the provided bolt and nut.

remove

secure with 

bolt

flight position

rear arms 

(black)

front arms 

(blue)

slide arm 

into position

travel position flight position

Remove the bolt and thumb nut outside the folded arm. Rotate the 

arm into position, insert the bolt through the plate and the arm, and 

secure the arm in place with the thumb nut.
+

–

Attach propellers

Remove the rings from the propeller 

packages. Select the ring with the 

smaller internal diameter, and insert 

it into the back of the propeller hub.

Remove the nuts and washers from 

the motors. Add SFP propellers to the 

the front-left and back-right motors 

and SF propellers to the front-right and 

back-left motors with the writing on the 

propellers facing towards the sky.

Charge battery

Place the washer over the propeller, and 

secure the nut tightly on top. Always 

ensure that the propellers are fastened 

tightly to the motors before flying.

LiPo 3A

Connect the charger to the power 

adapter cable and a wall outlet. 

Connect the red cable to the + port 

and the black cable to the - port.

Set the charger to LiPo and 3A.

red

black

SF

SFP

SF

SFP

SF

SFP

SF

SFP
4S

Charging Complete

Connect the white connector to 

the 4S port. Join the two yellow 

connectors together. 

Secure battery inside the guard 

bag while charging. Charge until 

the status indicator displays green.

red green

guard bag

Protect battery from extreme heat, extreme cold, puncturing, 

and flammable surfaces. Always transport, charge, and store 

battery in the guard bag.

Charge battery using a designated LiPo balance charger only. 

Always monitor battery while charging.

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

unusable. Always discontinue use when you receive a low 

battery notification, and always fly with a fully charged battery.

Inspect battery for damage before takeoff and after landing. 

If you observe any swelling of the package or battery ceases 

to function, locate your local battery recycling center to dispose 

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

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

! Battery safety
Flight modes

If you did not order an 

RC transmitter with your 

copter, visit 3dr.com/learn 

for instructions.

X

GPS

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

On 3DR transmitters, use the two-position switch and the 

three-position switch shown below to select a flight mode.

Stabilize mode

Stabilize allows full manual control of 

altitude, position, and orientation without 

autopilot assistance. Use stabilize for 

acrobatic flying and to recover your copter.

Loiter mode

With automatic autopilot control of

altitude, position, and orientation, loiter is the 

easiest way to fly. Just release the sticks and the 

copter will hover in place.

position of switch: 

forward/forward

forward/back

no GPS lock required

position of switch: 

center/forward

GPS lock required 

before takeoff GPS

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

three-position mode switch

forward

(away from you)

back

(towards you)

center

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

two-position mode switch

Spektrum mode switches

forward

(away from you)

back

(towards you)

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

In this manual, the position of the three-position switch is specified 

first and the position of the two-position switch is specified second. 

For example, “center/back” requires the three-position switch set to 

center and the two-position switch set to back.

two-position switch

marked GEAR/MIX

three-position switch

marked FLAP/GYRO

FlySky mode switches

two-position switch

marked AIL D/R

three-position switch

marked F MODE

Both switches must be set to the correct position to 

select a mode. The three-position switch can be set 

forward (away from you), center, and back (towards 

you). The two-position switch can be set forward and 

back.
Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

X

GPS

position of switch: 

center/back

no GPS lock required

Altitude hold mode

Set the left stick to center, and the copter will 

automatically hover at the current altitude. 

Adjust altitude and orientation with the left 

stick, and navigate with the right stick.

Your copter has powerful motors and high-speed propellers. Never place your hands near propellers 

while the motors are armed or the safety button displays solid red. Always press and hold the safety 

button until it displays blinking red before handling. 

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

space. Do not fly over people, near airports, or in any situation that could pose a hazard to those around 

you. Always fly within your line of sight and in compliance with local regulations. Your copter will not 

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

flying. Always follow the preflight and postflight steps in the order described in this manual and the 

flight checklist, and remain attentive at all times while flying.

Environmental factors, such as wind and GPS irregularities, can cause instability in flight. Your copter will 

attempt to compensate for these factors by automatically landing if it detects an unsafe flying condition 

due to loss of RC signal, loss of GPS signal, or low battery. To avoid potential hazards due to 

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

manually by switching into stabilize mode if it moves outside your designated flying area. If you observe 

any inconsistent behavior, land, and consult the troubleshooting guide at 3dr.com/learn.

Always use an RC transmitter as a primary or backup control system when flying. Ensure that the 

transmitter is turned on any time the copter is powered. If contact with the transmitter is lost during 

flight, the copter will land and display a blinking yellow light. If the copter is more than 2 meters (6.5 

feet) from the launch point, it will return to launch (RTL) before landing.

Autopilot-positioned flight modes (loiter, autonomous, and return-to-launch) require an active GPS 

signal. If GPS signal is lost during flight, the copter will land and display a blinking blue and yellow light 

with a high-high-high-low tone. Always choose an unobstructed flying area to improve signal strength.

When the battery reaches 25% of its remaining charge, the copter will land and display a blinking yellow 

light with a quick repeating tone. If the copter reaches the low battery limit during a mission, it will return 

to the launch point before landing.

! Flight safety

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

Stabalize

Altitude Hold

Loiter

Full Autonomy

Return to Launch

Autonomous mode

Fly a fully autonomous mission using a 

computer or Android device as a ground 

station. For instructions on planning and 

flying missions, visit 3dr.com/learn.

Return to launch (RTL)

Command the copter to achieve a minimum 

altitude of 15 meters, return to the launch 

point, hover for five seconds, and land. Use 

RTL to end your flight automatically.

position of switch: 

back/back

GPS lock required 

before takeoff GPS

position of switch: 

forward/back

GPS lock required 

before takeoff

GPS
Flying

Select an open area for flying, away from people 

and buildings, and remember to bring the flight 

checklist and a fully charged battery. Follow these 

steps every time you fly.

Attach the battery to the underside of the 

copter using the velcro straps, and join the 

yellow connectors.

Determine the boundaries of your flying area 

before takeoff, and select a level, unobstructed 

space as a launch point. Place the copter at the 

launch point with the blue arms facing away 

from you, and stand back.

1 Turn on the transmitter. Set the left stick fully 

down, and select a flight mode. Check that 

the propellers are tight, the antennas are 

vertical, the GPS mast is vertical, and all the 

components are secure.

2

3

Check Pixhawk’s LED. If you plan to fly 

only in stabilize or altitude-hold modes, 

wait to see the blinking blue light. 

If you plan to use loiter, autonomous, 

return-to-launch, or other GPS-required 

modes during your flight, wait to see the 

blinking green light, indicating GPS lock, 

before arming.

4

Flight Checklist

Pixhawk LED

Inactive, safe to handle

Safety Button

Active, press and hold button before handling

Low battery, automatic landing

Loss of GPS signal, automatic landing

Initializing, please wait

System error, see troubleshooting guide

Autopilot ready, no GPS

Loss of RC signal, automatic landing

Autopilot ready, GPS locked

Armed, ready to fly

Preflight

Connect battery. 2

Place copter at 

launch point 

with the blue 

arms facing 

away from you. 

3

4 5

» Antennas vertical

» Propellers tight

» Transmitter on

» Throttle down

» Mode set

» Components secure

1 Perform checks.

6

Press safety button 

until solid red.

Check Pixhawk 

LED for blinking 

blue (no GPS) or 

blinking green 

(GPS lock). Hold throttle 

down/right 

until motors 

spin. GPS

GPS X

LED
To arm the motors, hold the left stick 

down/right until the motors spin.

6

Control your copter in flight using the 

transmitter’s left and right sticks. Use the 

left stick to control throttle (power) and 

yaw (rotation); use the right stick to 

control roll (left and right movement) and 

pitch (forward and backward movement). 

Navigate by orienting the copter with the 

blue arms facing forward.

7

After landing, disarm the motors by 

holding the left stick down/left until 

the motors stop.

8

Once the motors are disarmed, disconnect the 

battery. Once the copter is powered off, turn off 

the transmitter. 

10

Press the safety button until it displays blinking 

red to make the copter safe to handle.

9

roll

pitch

yaw

throttle

5 The safety button indicates when the 

copter is safe to handle. When you’re 

ready to fly, press and hold the safety 

button until it displays solid red. This 

indicates that the copter is now active.

safety button
Happy flying!

X8 Operation Manual V2 | ©3D Robotics, Inc. | 10 March 2014

Learning more

To learn more about the APM:Copter platform, 

including adding new flight modes and flying 

autonomous missions, visit copter.ardupilot.com.

Resources

Visit 3dr.com/learn for more instructions on 

flying, configuring, and using a ground station 

with your copter.

Support

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

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

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