BLACK MESA AVIATION CO. 

d r o n e s e r v i c e s

AIRCRAFT TRAINING MANUAL

September 2015
This guide will train you how to fly a multirotor, step-by-step.

Everyone goes through different struggles when piloting a multirotor for the first time. UAV 

flying definitely has a learning curve. So if you’re having trouble flying your aircraft, you’re just 

getting started, or you’re looking to hone your skills — This manual will train you to become an 

efficient sUAS pilot.

No matter your multirotor model, this guide will help you prepare for your first flight, stay safe, 

get airborne, and learn some basic and advanced multirotor flying techniques.

Our goal is to give you a training manual that will take out all of the guess work – from going

through a pre-flight checklist, learning the controls, controlling your multirotor’s flight pattern, 

and even some advanced techniques. The following pages will train you how to fly a multirotor 

with confidence.

Table of Contents

1. Definitions

2. Multirotor controls

3. Getting to know your remote control/transmitter

4. Overview of the main multirotor parts

5. The pre-flight checklist

6. Choosing a place to Train

7. Important safety precautions

8. Takeoff

9. Hover and Landing

10. Piloting multirotor left/right and forwards/backwards

11. Piloting multirotor in a square pattern
12. Piloting multirotor in a circle

13. Rotate (yaw) multirotor

14. Piloting multirotor continuously

15. Different milestones to pass

16. Beginner’s Multirotor Flying Techniques

17. Advanced Multirotor Flying Techniques

18. Next steps

1.Definitions

General terms:

Line of site – The pilot can see their multirotor during flight.

FPV (First Person View) — The pilot can see where they’re flying through the UAV’s camera.

Parts:

Transmitter/Remote Control – The hand-held device that allows you to maneuver the 

multirotor and adjust its settings.

Propellers – They spin according to the manual controls of the pilot. The intensity of the spin 

correlates to the intensity of the multirotor’s movement.

Camera – Many multirotors either come with a camera or allow the pilot to attach a camera to 

them. This is how pilots practice aerial videography and photography. (A camera came in 

second place when we interviewed UAV experts about their favorite drone accessory.)

Controls:

(Note: This manual assumes that the left stick controls yaw and throttle, and the right stick 

controls roll and pitch (MODE 2). Some transmitters allow the pilot to switch these controls 

based on what’s most comfortable.)

Roll – Done by pushing the right stick to the left or right. Literally rolls the multirotor, which 

maneuvers the multirotor left or right.

Pitch – Done by pushing the right stick forwards or backwards. Tilts the multirotor, which 

maneuvers the multirotor forwards or backwards.

Yaw – Done by pushing the left stick to the left or to the right. Rotates the multirotor left or 

right. Points the front of the aircraft different directions and helps with changing directions 

while flying.

Throttle – Engaged by pushing the left stick forwards. Disengaged by pulling the left stick 

backwards. This adjusts the altitude, or height, of the multirotor.
Trim – Buttons on the remote control that help you adjust roll, pitch, yaw, and throttle if they 

are off balance.

Rudder – You might hear this term thrown around, but it’s the same as the left stick. However, 

it relates directly to controlling yaw (as opposed to the throttle).

Aileron – Same as the right stick. However, it relates directly to controlling roll (left and right 

movement).

Elevator – Same as the right stick. However, it relates directly to controlling pitch (forwards and 

backwards movement).

Maneuvering:

Bank turn – A consistent circular turn in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

Hovering – Staying in the same position while airborne. Done by controlling the throttle.

Figure 8 – Flying in a “figure 8” pattern.

Flight modes:

(Flight modes can be adjusted with certain buttons on your remote control/transmitter.)

Manual – Similar to flying a heli-aircraft. Once you tilt the multirotor (roll) it will not auto-level 

itself back to its original position. Even if you let go of the stick and it returns to the middle, the 

multirotor will stay tilted.

Attitude (Auto-level) – Once the sticks are centered, the aircraft will level itself out.

GPS Hold – Returns the multirotor’s position once the sticks have been centered. The same as 

attitude mode (auto-level) but using a GPS.
2. Multirotor Controls

When learning how to fly a multirotor, the controls will become your main concern. They can

become second nature once you know how they act individually and how they interact 

together to form a complete flying experience.

With any of these controls, the harder you push the stick, the stronger your multirotor will 

move in either direction. When you first start out, push the sticks very gently so the multirotor 

performs slight movements. As you get more comfortable, you can make sharper movements.

There are four main multirotor controls:

-Roll

-Pitch

-Yaw

-Throttle

-Simple sketch of roll, pitch, yaw, and throttle on a transmitter (left image) and multirotor (right 

image).

Descriptions of each Control.

Roll

Roll moves your multirotor left or right. It’s done by pushing the right stick on your transmitter 

to the left or to the right. It’s called “roll” because it literally rolls the multirotor.

For example, as you push the right stick to the right, the multirotor will angle diagonally 

downwards to the right.
Example of a multirotor rolling left and right. Notice the tilt of the multirotor and the angle of 

the propellers.

Here, the bottom of the propellers will be facing to the left. This pushes air to the left, forcing 

the multirotor to fly to the right. The same thing happens when you push the stick to the left, 

except now the propellers will be pushing air to the right, forcing the aircraft to fly to the left.

Pitch

Pitch is done by pushing the right stick on your transmitter forwards or backwards. This will tilt 

the multirotor, resulting in forwards or backwards movement.

Example of a multirotor pitching forwards and backwards. Note that this view is from the left 

side.
Yaw

Yaw can be confusing at first. Essentially, it rotates the multirotor clockwise or 

counterclockwise. Think of placing the multirotor on a Lazy Susan.

This is done by pushing the left stick to the left or to the right.

Yaw is typically used at the same time as throttle during continuous flight. This allows the pilot 

to make circles and patterns. It also allows videographers and photographers to follow objects 

that might be changing directions.

Throttle

Throttle gives the propellers on your multirotor enough power to get airborne. When flying, 

you will have the throttle engaged constantly.

To engage the throttle, push the left stick forwards. To disengage, pull it backwards.

Make sure not to disengage completely until you’re a couple inches away from the ground. 

Otherwise, you might damage the multirotor, and your training will be cut short.

Important note:

When the multirotor is facing you (instead of facing away from you) the controls are all 

switched.

This makes intuitive sense...

Pushing the right stick to the right moves the multirotor to the right (roll)

Pushing the right stick forward moves the multirotor forward (pitch)

Pushing the right stick backward moves the multirotor backward (pitch)

And so on.

So pay attention as you start changing directions. Always be thinking in terms of how the 

multirotor will move, rather than how the aircraft is oriented towards you.
3. Getting to Know Your Remote Control/Transmitter

A transmitter is a hand-held controller that lets you pilot your multirotor and control its flight 

pattern. When you make an adjustment with the sticks, it sends a signal to your aircraft telling 

it what to do next.

Transmitters come in different shapes and sizes. They also have different features. But there 

are certain parts that are universal for every transmitter.

Right Stick

The right stick controls roll and pitch. In other words, it moves your multirotor left/right and 

backwards/forwards.

Left Stick

The left stick controls yaw and throttle. In other words, it rotates your multirotor clockwise or 

counterclockwise, and it adjusts the height at which you are flying.
Trim Buttons

Each control has its own trim button, as you can see from the image below.

When you first push your throttle to get your multirotor off the ground, you may notice that 

the UAV automatically tilts and flies to one direction (or multiple). This happens when the 

controls are unbalanced. To balance them out, certain controls need to be trimmed.

If this happens, you can use the corresponding trim button to adjust the control’s natural 

intensity. This will stabilize the aircraft when pushing the throttle.

4. An Overview of the Main Multirotor Parts

When learning how to fly a multirotor, it’s important to understand the machine you’re 

commanding. If something goes wrong, you want to be able to diagnose and fix the issue. You 

also want to understand the capabilities of each part and how they play into flying a multirotor.

Here are the main parts of a multirotor:

-The Frame

-Motors

-Electronic Speed Control (ESC)

-Flight Control Board

-Radio Transmitter and Receiver

-Propellers

-Battery and Charger
The frame connects all of the other components. For a multirotor, it’s shaped in either an X or a 

+ shape. If you’re building your own multirotor, you want to consider the size and weight of the 

frame and how it will affect your flying experience.

The motors spin the propellers. A multirotor needs four motors, because one motor powers a 

single propeller. Motors are rated in kilovolts, so the higher the kV, the faster the motor will 

spin.

Electric Speed Controls (ESCs) are wired components that connect the motors and the battery. 

They relay a signal to the motors that tells them how fast to spin. At any one time, each of your 

motors could be spinning at different speeds. This is what lets you maneuver and change 

direction. It’s all conducted by the Electronic Speed Controls, so they’re very important.

The Flight Control Board is the “commander of operations”. It controls the accelerometer and 

gyroscopes, which control how fast each motor spins.

The radio transmitter is your remote control, and the receiver is the antenna on the aircraft

that talks to the remote control. When you make an adjustment on the transmitter, the 

receiver is what understands that adjustment and sends it to the rest of the multirotor system.

A multirotor has 4 propellers, and each one helps determine which direction the multirotor flies 

or whether it hovers in place.

The battery is the power source for the whole multirotor. This needs to be charged and 

recharged, because without a battery, you cannot fly your multirotor.

The charger charges your battery so you can take multiple flights.
5. The Pre-Flight Checklist (At no time is this ever to be bypassed)

Going through a pre-flight checklist will keep you and your aircraft safe. It will also make sure 

you don’t waste time fixing components and getting things ready, when you could be 

completing missions.

Pre Flight Checklist:

-If using a camera, check that you have your micro SD card inserted.

-Make sure the transmitter battery is charged.

-Make sure the multirotor battery is charged.

-Insert the battery.

-Make sure the battery is inserted securely.

-Make sure each propeller is secure.

-Check that there are no loose parts on the multirotor.

-Check for missing or loose screws.

-If your aircraft needs to calibrate and get satellite lock, wait until it finishes.

-Make sure there is enough room for launch and flight.

-Make sure the throttle (left stick) is all the way down.

-Turn on the transmitter.

-Back away 3 or 4 steps (or to a safe distance).

-Keep facing the multirotor the entire time.

-Keep a direct line of site at all times when flying, so you can always see your multirotor. 

You want to keep a direct line of site so you know when you’re about to crash. Also, sometimes, 

multirotors can fly out of the range of the transmitter’s signal, which can cause your aircraft to 

fly off on its own. Keep the transmitter’s range in mind, and don’t let your multirotor fly out of 

that range.

6. Choosing a Place to Train

Any UAV pilot will tell you that learning to pilot a multirotor in an enclosed space is asking for 

something to go wrong – either with you, your belongings, or the drone itself. As you get more 

experienced, and your control becomes natural, flying in tight spaces will be more comfortable.

But as a beginner, choose a place that will minimize the impact any mistakes might have. We 

suggest starting out in a large, open space, such as a park or a field. Many people prefer to 

learn on grassy ground, so if the multirotor needs to make a crash landing, it will at least have 

some sort of cushion.

Always stay away from people or animals. Any crashes could cause serious injury.

And finally, wind can be your worst enemy when learning the nuances of flying. To reduce the 

chance of flying in the wind, try to fly in the morning.
7. Important Safety Precautions

Multirotors are basically flying lawnmowers. They can be dangerous if not operated carefully.

Here are some multirotor safety precautions to keep in mind:

If you’re about to crash into something, turn the throttle down to zero, so you don’t potentially 

destroy your multirotor, injure somebody, or injure yourself.

Keep your fingers away from the propellers when they’re moving.

Unplug/take out the battery of the aircraft before doing any work on it. If it turns on 

accidentally and the propellers start spinning, you might have a tough time doing future flights 

with missing fingers.

If you’re a beginner learning to fly indoors, tie the multirotor down or surround it by a cage.
8. Takeoff

Now that you understand the controls and you’ve taken all of the right safety precautions, 

you’re ready to fly. To get your multirotor in the air, the only control you need is the throttle.

Push the throttle (left stick) up very slowly, just to get the propellers going. Then stop.

Repeat this multiple times and until you’re comfortable with the throttle’s sensitivity.

Slowly push the throttle further than before, until the aircraft lifts off the ground. Then pull the 

throttle back down to zero and let the multirotor land. 

Repeat this 3-5 times. Notice whether the aircraft is trying to rotate left or right (yaw), move 

left or right (roll), or move backwards or forwards (pitch). If you notice any movements 

happening without you making them happen, use the corresponding trim button to balance

them out.

For example, if you notice the aircraft moving to the left when you push the throttle, adjust the 

“roll” trim button next to the right stick. Keep adjusting the trims until you get a relatively 

stable hover off the ground by only using the throttle.

9. Hover and Land

To hover, you will use the throttle to get airborne. You will then use small adjustments of the 

right stick to keep the multirotor hovering in place.

You may also need to adjust the left stick (yaw) slightly, to keep it from turning.

Use the throttle to get the aircraft about a foot to a foot-and-a-half off the ground.

Make tiny adjustments with the right stick (and the left, if necessary) to keep the aircraft

hovering in position.

When you’re ready to land, cut back the throttle slowly. When the multirotor is an inch or two 

off the ground, continue to slowly cut back on the throttle until a soft landing is achieved.

Repeat this until you get comfortable hovering off the ground and landing gently.
10. Flying Left/Right and Forwards/Backwards

To fly a multirotor left, right, forwards, and backwards, you will need to hold the throttle at a 

steady rate to keep it airborne. You will then use the right stick to maneuver the multirotor in 

the direction you want it to go.

First, bring your aircraft to a hover.

Push the right stick forward to fly it a couple feet forward.

Pull the right stick back to bring it back to its original position. Now, move it further backwards 

a couple feet, and return it to its original position.

Push the right stick to the left to move your aircraft a couple feet to the left.

Move it back to its original position, then fly it a couple feet to the right.

If it starts to rotate (yaw), adjust the left stick to the left or right to keep the aircraft facing the 

same direction.

(When you move in either direction, you will probably notice the multirotor dropping in 

altitude. To keep the aircraft at the same altitude, push the throttle and give it more power 

whenever you turn or move.)

11. Piloting Multirotor in a Square Pattern

To fly in a square pattern, keep the multirotor facing away from you the entire time.

Push the right stick forward (pitch) and fly forward a couple feet. Then, return the right stick to 

the middle and hover in place.

Then push the right stick to the right (roll) and fly to the right a couple feet. Then, hover in place 

for a few seconds.

Pull the right stick backwards and fly backwards a couple feet. Then, hover in place for a few 

seconds, and push the right stick to the left and return the multirotor to its original position.

Repeat this until you get comfortable with it.
12. Piloting Multirotor in a Circle

This is where you will hone your simultaneous control skills. To fly a multirotor in a circle, you 

will use pitch, roll, and throttle at the same time.

Use the throttle to get airborne. Then, decide whether you want to fly clockwise or 

counterclockwise. For this example, we’ll assume you’re flying clockwise (to the right).

Keep the multirotor facing away from you, and push the right stick diagonally up and to the 

right. This will engage both pitch and roll at the same time, and start flying the multirotor in a 

circle to the right.

After a couple feet, start rotating the right stick more to the right, so you engage more roll. This 

will start maneuvering your multirotor to the right.

After a few more feet, start rotating the right stick diagonally to the bottom right, and continue 

to circle the right stick around until the aircraft returns to its original position.

Try changing directions, and slowly rotating the right stick to fly in a circle. If you notice the 

multirotor starting to rotate and face different directions, adjust the multirotor’s yaw by 

pushing the left stick to the left or right.

13. Rotate (Yaw) Multirotor

To rotate your multirotor, use the throttle to get airborne. Once at a comfortable hover, push 

the left stick in either direction. This will rotate the multirotor in place.

Rotate it 360 degrees. Then push the left stick in the opposite direction and rotate 

it 360 degrees the other way. Keep doing this until you’re comfortable with it.
14. Flying a Multirotor Continuously

Flying a multirotor continuously requires you to rotate and change directions simultaneously.

This will take some getting used to, because the multirotor will be facing different angles in 

relation to how you’re facing, so you will need to pay close attention to how each movement of 

the sticks will affect the multirotor’s flight.

First, take off and hover.

Rotate (yaw) your aircraft to a slight angle.

Use the right stick to fly it left/right and forwards/backwards. Get comfortable flying the 

multirotor while it faces a different direction.

Rotate it to another angle, and use the right stick to maneuver it again. Keep doing this until 

you’re comfortable flying at different angles.

To fly continuously, slowly push the right stick forward. As you’re pushing the right stick 

forward, push the right stick slightly to the left or to the right at the same time.

Fly in different directions by pushing the right stick forward (pitch) and adjusting it left and 

right, and using the left stick (yaw) to change the direction the aircraft is facing.

Try adjusting the multirotor’s height by moving the left stick forward and backward (throttle).

Now you know how to fly a multirotor with continuous movement. Keep practicing until you 

can direct your multirotor at will. Then, move on to the next section, where we’ll discuss 

different milestones for you to shoot for.
15. Different Milestones to Pass

Use these milestones to keep you organized during the training process. They will help you 

gauge where you’re at and what you should be going for next.

-Learn how the four main multirotor controls – roll, pitch, yaw, and throttle – affect a 

multirotor’s movement.

-Understand the parts of your multirotor and what each of them does.

-Prepare a pre-flight checklist and go through it before each take off.

-Understand the safety precautions.

-Use the throttle to get airborne, and make any necessary adjustments using the trim buttons.

-Get comfortable hovering in mid-air and gently landing your multirotor.

-Take off to an altitude of 3 feet and land in the same position.

-Take off to an altitude of 3 feet and spin the UAV around 180 degrees.

-Get comfortable flying your multirotor left/right and forwards/backwards.

-Learn how to fly a multirotor in a square pattern.

-Learn how to fly a multirotor in a circle.

-Learn how to rotate (yaw) a multirotor.

-Learn how to fly a multirotor continuously.

-Repeat all of the above, at an altitude of 25 feet.

16. Beginner’s Multirotor Flying Techniques

Here are some beginner flying techniques for you to master:

-Hover in place.

-Hover and rotate the multirotor.

-Rotate the multirotor to different angles, and fly it left/right and forwards/backwards until 

you’re comfortable flying a multirotor without it facing the same direction as you.

-Fly your multirotor in a square pattern.

-Fly your multirotor in a circle.

-Fly at different heights.

-Pick two targets on the ground, and repeatedly land, fly, and land on each one.
17. Advanced Multirotor Flying Techniques

Here are some advanced flying techniques for you to master:

-Fly in a “figure 8” pattern. This will require you to fly the multirotor with the front facing 

forwards the entire time.

-Bank turns. Keep a little forward pitch for forward movement. Apply throttle, and roll the 

multirotor in the direction of the turn (left or right).

18.Next Steps

After completion of this Aircraft Training Manual, your education will continue to develop. With 

the completion and testing on this manual and its described procedures, more advanced 

operations will be taught. We encourage you to take every opportunity to train on these 

methods and become as comfortable as possible with the aircraft. We know that in no time, 

you will be acting as Pilot in Command for Black Mesa Aviation!

Good Luck and Godspeed,

Ryon Atwood

CEO

Black Mesa Aviation Co.