HHC USER MANUAL

Handheld Controller

Version 2.0
Operator Notice

The responsibility to operate in a safe manner, prevent injury to persons or damage to 

property, and to take no unnecessary risks falls upon the owner and those whom the 

owner authorizes to pilot and operate the Draganflyer helicopter. 

Furthermore the onus is upon each owner/authorizer/pilot to comply with all regulations 

pertinent to the use of the Draganflyer helicopter and associated components at the 

location of operation with regards to the use of airspace as well as radio 

communications.

Draganfly Innovations Inc. does not accept any responsibility for damages or financial 

compensations which may arise as the result of an owner/authorizer/pilot failing to 

comply with any regulations which would lead to a claim against the user.

Page 1
Warning

The Draganflyer aircraft is a precision machine that is vulnerable to misuse and can 

prove to be dangerous if not properly maintained or used in an inappropriate manor.

Helicopters by their nature are not positively stable. Although the Draganflyer can 

maintain an attitude and a position relative to wind movement without constant control 

input; operators should always be aware of its position and be able to take immediate 

control of the helicopter to recover from an unwanted position and avoid any mishaps. 

Please completely read and understand all Draganflyer aircraft instructional information 

before attempting to fly the Draganflyer system. 

To provide optimum performance, a Lithium Polymer battery powers your Draganflyer 

aircraft and controllers. The same properties that make these batteries extremely 

powerful and lightweight also make them dangerous if handled incorrectly. Please read 

and understand all information pertaining to the battery before attempting to use or 

charge it.

IF MISUSED THIS AIRCRAFT IS CAPABLE OF CAUSING SERIOUS BODILY HARM 

TO THE OPERATOR AND SPECTATORS AS WELL AS PROPERTY DAMAGE. ANY 

DAMAGE OR INJURY OCCURRING DUE TO MISUSE OF THIS PRODUCT IS 

SOLELY THE OPERATOR’S RESPONSIBILITY. 

Page 2

Special notice:

Throughout this manual, look for and pay special attention to these information 

boxes for tips, tricks, safety information, or serious warnings and risks, 

associated with this product.
DO NOT PLACE YOUR HANDS OR ARMS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE ROTORS 

OR ATTEMPT TO STOP SPINNING ROTORS WITH YOUR HANDS AS SERIOUS 

INJURY COULD RESULT FROM CONTACT.

THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS CHEMICALS WHICH ARE KNOWN BY THE STATE OF 

CALIFORNIA TO CAUSE CANCER, BIRTH DEFECTS AND/OR OTHER 

REPRODUCTIVE HARM.

Many common materials such as metals, plastics, glues, lubricants and other coatings 

contain chemicals in varying amount and concentrations which will cause harm if 

introduced into the human body. For further information on toxic or dangerous 

chemicals please refer to California’s Health and Safety Codes Sections 25249.5-13

Page 3

Special notice:

We are always shocked, and you might also find it hard to believe, that 

upon getting their new helicopter system many people want to take it apart 

to see how it works.

Often to their dismay, all they learn is the helicopter and controller are as 

beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside but more times than not, 

they mix-up the motors or break something so our advice is please, just 

enjoy the helicopter, the amazing HHC, and let your imagination soar with 

this incredible aerial tool.

- Understand there is no need to lubricate the motors and often people 

that don’t listen to us and do it anyway, end up damaging them.

- Please also understand that each motor is coded to a specific position on 

the aircraft so don’t get the wild idea to move a motor from the back up to 

the front. If you are experiencing a problem with the aircraft please just call 

our support line at 1-800-979-9794 or drop us an e-mail to 

support@draganfly.com.
Safety Precautions

As the pilot in command you are responsible for the safety of yourself and others 

whether it be in the immediate takeoff and landing area, or the general flight path area. 

Please take safety very seriously.

• Always wear protective eyewear.

• Do not use batteries other than those specifically designed for the Draganflyer 

aircraft; doing so may cause erratic flight performance and void warranty.

• Do not fly the Draganflyer aircraft in excessive winds.

• Do not fly the aircraft system in rain.

• Do not fly near people on the ground or objects in the air.

• Do not fly near pets or other animals.

• Do not fly near high-tension lines, electrical substations, high structures or 

communication facilities.

• Be careful where you place the controller and aircraft during flight 

preparations, be sure that they will not be dropped or suffer a fall as this may 

cause serious damage.

• Never fly this aircraft where damage to property or injury to persons may 

result if loss of control occurs. 

• Never leave the Draganflyer system unattended with the battery connected. 

Make it a habit to always disconnect the battery when not flying.

• When possible fly with a spotter or observer

Page 4
Meet your Draganflyer HHC

This is the original Draganfly Handheld Controller with special attention paid to the 

ergonomic layout of switches, controls, the feel, and overall balance of the controller. 

The rubber grip and feel reinforces control of the aircraft while the direct sunlight 

viewable OLED display, provides easy to read, real-time, aircraft telemetry.

Below you see/learn more about the HHC layout and controls.

Page 5

Pitch/Roll

Pitch/Roll trim

Power on/off

Yaw trim

Motor engage and 

disengage switch

Throttle/Yaw

Camera zoom

Camera tilt

Camera shutter Flight mode 

control

SD flight log 

memory
Along the backside of the controller within easy reach is the spring loaded trainer switch 

and the battery charger connections. As the name implies the trainer switch is used in 

conjunction with another handheld controller connected using a wireless link between 

instructor and student. When the instructor depresses the switch, it instantly passes the 

instructor designated controls over to the student. Letting go of the switch immediately 

resumes instructor control.

The HHC battery is a 3 cell LiPo that is easily charged using the balance port and main 

power charge plugs. Later in this manual charging is discussed in more detail.

Below you see the backside components and connectors.

Page 6

LiPo balance 

connector

Main LiPo battery 

charge plug

Spring loaded 

trainer switch

Datalink 

antenna
The HHC can be used as a standalone controller or it can be fitted with a Nexus digital 

display. The display can be used as a handheld device by your observer, client, or if you 

prefer having the display attached it quickly locks into the HHC using two 1/4 turn spring 

loaded pins.

The Nexus display is used in conjunction with Draganfly digital video downlink payloads, 

digital base station, and comes pre-configured with the DraganView Lite APP.

The APP and network are set-up and configured at the factory so all you need to 

remember is that when you’re out flying, you always turn-on the base station first to 

establish a network, then power-on the helicopter, controller and Nexus. For more 

detailed set-up instructions for the digital video downlink network, refer to the “Digital 

Video Downlink” manual. 

Page 7

Display is attached using 1/4 turn 

spring loaded plungers or it can be 

used as a handheld display by 

your observer or client.

Nexus digital 

video display
Contents

Chapter 1: Understanding the HHC

This is one of the more interesting and important chapters 

because we’ll go over each and every screen that makes up 

the handheld controller. It’s technical, in-depth, and we’ll do 

our best to make it fun too.

Chapter 2: Battery Safety and Charging

The HHC is powered by a Lithium Polymer battery so please 

take time to read this chapter. Lithium Polymer (LiPo) battery 

technology has improved greatly over the years; but if not 

cared for properly, the batteries can be very dangerous.

Chapter 3: Ready for flight

At this point you know where all the switches are, what they 

do, and you’re more than ready to get out flying so wait no 

more; in this chapter we’ll run through preparation for your 

first flight and a typical mission scenario.

Chapter 4: HHC technical data

Here you’ll find the specifications and technical data 

required to answer many of the questions asked by your 

agency responsible for the National Air Space (NAS) or 

neighbor down the street.

Page 8
Chapter 1

Page 9
Understanding the HHC

The standard handheld controller (HHC) might not look as fancy or as sophisticated as 

the Draganfly GCS, but there is no question that over the years, it has proven to be an 

excellent, simple, and reliable flight controller. 

The sunlight viewable OLED screen is easy to read, features touch screen navigation 

and provides real-time, easy to read, aircraft and system telemetry data. The user 

interface is simple and the controller provides fine, precise control over the aircraft and 

payload system.

And although the HHC looks different 

than the GCS, the HHC is capable of 

flying all the Draganfly series aircraft 

and wirelessly pairing to work in 

conjunction with the GCS. The HHC is 

often paired with the GCS or another 

HHC for flight training or combined 

mission work when an observer or 

dedicated camera operator is required.

Keep in mind the HHC operates on a 

three cell LiPo battery so make sure to 

set your charger correctly. Also keep in 

mind that when powering off the 

system, you need to hold the HHC 

power button for “four” seconds to 

power off the controller.

To get started, please power-up the 

HHC by pressing the red “power” 

button.

Page 10

To power on, momentarily 

press power switch until 

you hear the HHC beep 

and let go.

When the HHC boots-up 

youʼll here it beep and youʼll 

be presented with either the 

Start Screen as seen here or 

the HHC “Home Screen”.

Acquire New

Config

SN 0x7ACFG436790B1C

TX

Battery

Looking for

Draganflyer
Screen navigation and hierarchy:

To get things started we’ll take you through the screens and functionality of the standard 

handheld controller (HHC). As we step through the screens we request that you remove 

all the props from your helicopter and power-on the aircraft.

On power-up the aircraft is looking to make a connection with the last controller it was 

connected to. So for example, if your GCS or another HHC had been connected earlier 

to the aircraft, the aircraft is busy looking for the same GCS or HHC. To get connected 

you’ll have to force the aircraft to “acquire a new” controller.

In this example when the new HHC is powered on, it won’t automatically connect to the 

aircraft because another controller had been flying the 

helicopter. When you tap the screen with your finger to 

select “Acquire New”, a screen will pop-up to 

acknowledge the new connection and you’ll be taken 

to the controller config screen. From there tap “Views” 

to be presented with the HHC home screen.

And let’s say that for the next week you’ll be flying the 

helicopter with the same HHC. When the system is 

powered on, you’ll briefly see this screen for about 10 

seconds and then be automatically connected with the 

aircraft.

The only time you’ll really have to use this screen when 

the aircraft is powered off or has been flown using 

another controller.

Page 11

Acquire New

Config

SN 0x7ACFG436790B1C

TX

Battery

Looking for

Draganflyer

Special notice:

For safety reasons, please remove all props from the aircraft now. 
Home Screen

The vast majority of your time flying the aircraft will be using the primary HHC home 

screen. 

This screen provides essential real-time graphical aircraft and system status. And 

although the HHC will provide audio alerts to status changes and critical warnings, it’s 

always a good idea to develop the habit of visually scanning the screen on a regular 

basis during flight.

Page 12

00.0

TX

Battery

Basic Inertia GPS

Heli

Battery

Data

Link

GPS

SVs

GPS

PDOP

Altitude m Climb Rate m/s Speed m/s

0.0 0.0

+000 +000

N N

12.2

V

0

V N/A 0 99.9

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00

Heading Bearing

Views Config

Always takes you 

back to the HHC 

“Home Screen”

Navigate to the 

HHC configuration 

screen

This section of the screen 

contains real-time aircraft 

performance information

Detailed aircraft 

flight data

Detailed aircraft 

sensor information

Aircraft heading 

and bearing 

symbol Aircraft telemetry and 

HHC information

Detailed aircraft 

GPS data
Let’s take a few minutes to describe screen navigation, the information being displayed 

and how it’s used.

Starting at the top of the screen we have two navigation buttons that when touched, will 

take you to the Configuration set-up and control screens or return you to the main 

“View” or more commonly called the HHC Home Screen.

On the home screen we see:

Time: GMT received by the helicopter. To have the time reflect the proper time in your 

area, under the Configuration section you need to enter the proper GMT offset in hours 

difference.

Flight: What you see displayed is the actual flight time of the aircraft. The flight timer 

starts when the aircraft executes an automated takeoff and stops when the aircraft lands 

and the motors are disengaged. The time value is actually stored on the aircraft so what 

this means, is the time value will not be reset to zero until the helicopter is powered off.

And this is a good thing because for example, you pop-up for a quick flight and let’s say 

you log 4 minutes flight time taking still photos. You come back into land, disengage 

motors and quickly switch the camera to shoot video. To takeoff again you engage 

motors and execute an automated takeoff, starting the flight timer again. The time on the 

timer indicates time the aircraft is in the air.

Heading and Bearing: This is a multi-function display that can be very useful with digital 

readouts on either side. A helicopter has the ability to be pointed one direction, but fly a 

completely different direction. For example, the aircraft can be pointed north, but fly 

sideways in an easterly direction. Unlike an airplane, the heading and bearing can be 

wildly different.

The center aircraft canopy symbol indicates the heading of the aircraft in relationship to 

true North. A directional arrow will become visible when the aircraft is moving to indicate 

the bearing, or direction the aircraft is actually moving. Using the same example from 

above, if the aircraft is pointed north and flying sideways east, a small arrow will be 

visible pointing east on the dial.

Page 13
Altitude, Climb rate and Speed: The readouts are real-time and are a good size so they 

are easy to read. More times than not you’ll develop a trained eye to quickly scan and 

check the aircraft altitude and because you’re operating a direct line-of-sight aircraft, 

most often you’ll have a good sense of climb rate and speed by just watching the 

aircraft.

Live telemetry data: We found that is was very easy and effective to simply view a color 

bargraph and get a good idea of aircraft performance. The colors range from Green 

(good) to Red (bad) complimented by a digital readout value of the item being measured.

Develop good habits from the start and regularly “scan” this screen to check the health 

of the aircraft during a flight and unless you have a very good reason, please don’t 

“push” the boundaries. For example, some people will drive around in their car even 

when the fuel tank indicates empty. In a car running out of fuel simply means the car will 

stop driving but in an aircraft, it means the aircraft is coming down.

Please always scan your telemetry console, watch your controller battery, helicopter 

battery, datalink and when it’s time to change a battery, or stop to charge your controller 

please take the time to do it.

Different views: Almost 100% of the time you’ll be watching the Basic Home Screen but 

if you need to see real-time aircraft sensor, or GPS information, this is where you find it. 

Below you see the three “views”.

Page 14

00.0

TX

Battery

Basic Inertia GPS

Heli

Battery

Data

Link

GPS

SVs

GPS

PDOP

Altitude m Climb Rate m/s Speed m/s

0.0 0.0

+000 +000 N N

12.2

V

0

V N/A 0 99.9

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00

Heading Bearing

Views Config

0.0

Heli 0.0V TX 12.2V Link N/A

Basic Inertia GPS

Attitude

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00 Views Config

0.0

0.0 0.0

0.0 0.0

Magnetometer Velocity m/s

0

0

0 0

0

Temperature Throttle

Roll Right North

Pitch Forward East

Yaw Down Down

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00 Views Config

0.0

Lattitude GPS Altitude

0.0

GPS Accuracy Position Errors

Vertical:

---

Heli 0.0V TX 12.2V Link N/A

Basic Inertia GPS

Longitude Barometric Altitude

Horizontal: North:

East:

Down: GPS Quality

Satellites:

PDOP:

0.0 0.0

--- ---

---

---

---

---
Configuration Screen

The configuration screen provides access to a series of six other screens used to set-up 

the system. 

Please note that helicopter calibration functions have since been automated to set 

aircraft magnetometer declination and inclination. As a result, the adjustment and 

customer calibration is no longer required.

Most of the screens are very intuitive and will be described in more detail on the 

following pages.

Page 15

Basic flight timer to sound 

an alarm at the preset 

time.

Used to connect 

the HHC with a 

new helicopter

Defines the HHC trainer 

mode similar to the GCS 

setting up the primary or 

secondary controller

Another layer of six setup 

screens to adjust LED 

brightness, time zone, camera 

tilt, display units, transmitter 

setup and altitude limit. More 

detail is provided in the 

following pages.

If the HHC is configured with a 

video receiver, this screen sets 

the “receive” channel. To receive 

analog video, make sure both 

the video Tx and receiver Rx are 

set to the same channel

Views Config

Basic

Config

Flight

Timer

Find New

Helicopter

Helicopter

Calibration

Trainer

Setup

Video

Setup

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00

Transmitter Firmware Version 0.9.8e

No longer required 

for use in the field

Always takes you 

back to the HHC 

“Home Screen”

Navigate to the 

HHC configuration 

screen
Page 16

Views Config

Heli LED

Brightness

Time Zone

Setup

Camera Tilt

Setup

Altitude

Limit

Transmitter

Setup

Display

Units

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00

Basic Configuration

You’ll find that there are settings 

you change once and leave them 

alone, and there are others that 

you change on a regular basis.

For example, unless you’re doing 

a lot of traveling, Time Zone is 

typically set once while depending 

on the project, you might change 

the Helicopter LED Brightness, 

Camera Tilt and Altitude Limit 

much more often.

During daylight hours we 

recommend that you have 

navigation LED brightness set at 

100%. If you’re flying near sunset 

or later in the evening they might 

be too bright. For late night flying 

try a 10% or 20% setting.

Set Done

Acquire New

Searching for Draganflyer

Draganflyer

Vehicle

Make sure your vehicle is

turned on.

There are two different ways to get 

connected with a helicopter. Most 

often you’re making a connection 

at initial system power-up and you 

will be prompted at that time to 

establish a connection as 

described earlier on page 10.

If for some reason you skipped 

over the initial start-up screen and 

still need to get connected with 

the helicopter, you can either 

navigate to this screen to make 

the connection or power off the 

HHC and start over.

Set

Done

Flight Timer

20.00

The transmitter will issue

a warning after this many

minutes of flight.

Sets a flight timer alarm value. The 

timer starts when the aircraft takes 

off and sounds an alarm when 

time expires.

Some people will use this timer to 

alert them when a predetermined 

time has passed. For example, 

alert me when 10 minutes has 

expired or in the case illustrated 

above 20 minutes.
Page 17

Auto

Done

Always On Always Off

Video Mode Setup

Receiver Channel

1 234567

Audio Settings

Power Settings

If your HHC is equipped with a 

dual diversity analog video receiver 

this screen is used to set the video 

receive channel, video audio, and 

Rx power management.

And it’s kind’a tricky because on 

the Tx we start from “0” so on the 

Tx CH 0-6 corresponds to Rx CH 

1-7.

The video transmitter and receiver 

must be set to the same channel 

number to receive a signal and the 

audio setting is either on or off.

The default power setting is “Auto” 

unless you have a specific reason 

to change it, we recommend that 

you keep it at this setting. 

In the auto setting, the receiver is 

only powered-on when a video 

output device is connected to the 

controller such as video glasses, 

video recorder or external display.

Done

Off Master Slave

Trainer Mode Setup

A more detailed explanation of the 

trainer mode setup is provided 

later in the manual but it’s this 

screen that is used to setup the 

relationship between the 

controllers.

Over the years terminology has 

changed where in the newer GCS 

the terms Primary and Secondary 

controller are used because they 

more appropriately describe the 

relationship.

The dual controllers can be used 

for flight training and they are very 

commonly used to enable a 

separate camera operator. By 

splitting the functionality the pilot 

can focus on flying the aircraft 

while the camera operator focuses 

their attention to getting the 

photos or video required.

OK Cancel

You must read and understand the 

calibration section of the manual 

before proceeding. Incorrect 

calibration may adversely affect 

flight performance.

WARNING

Any screen that starts out with a 

warning will always get your 

attention. And as it turns out over 

the years the team at Draganfly 

have eliminated these tricky 

adjustments, and that’s a good 

thing.

You can disregard the need to try 

and make these adjustments 

because based on the current 

GPS position of the aircraft, the 

autopilot is automatically 

calibrating the helicopter, 

magnetometer declination and 

inclination for you.

If you really want to see what’s 

behind this screen contact 

Draganfly for more information to 

gain access.
Basic Configuration Screen

The basic configuration screen provides access to a series of six other screens used to 

set-up the system. 

Please note that with camera tilt, if you are using a payload gimbal with gyro stabilization 

the lower and upper tilt range values must be set at 511 with rate control disabled for 

the payload to function properly.

Most of the screens are very intuitive and will be described in more detail on the 

following pages.

Page 18

From this screen you 

enter your GMT offset 

time value

Sets camera tilt 

limits and rate of 

speed

Learn the different 

sounds and tones 

used by the controller

Used to adjust navigation 

LED brightness from 0 to 

100% illumination

Sets your preference for 

either Metric or Imperial 

measurements used for all 

readouts.

Views Config

Heli LED

Brightness

Time Zone

Setup

Camera Tilt

Setup

Altitude

Limit

Transmitter

Setup

Display

Units

Time: 00:00

Flight: 00:00

Basic Configuration

Sets a hard 

ceiling for the 

aircraft

Always takes you 

back to the HHC 

“Home Screen”

Navigate to the 

HHC configuration 

screen
Page 19

Set

Done

Helicopter LED

Brightness

85%

The screen itself and others are 

very simple and intuitive. It’s 

always a good idea to make setting 

changes while the helicopter is on 

the ground because when the 

helicopter is in the air, your 

attention should be focused on 

flying.

Experiment with different settings 

because everyone has a different 

preference. Typically in daylight 

hours 100% is the standard setting 

but flying indoors or later in the 

evening or night, the LEDs may be 

distracting, blinding and lower 

brightness settings might be more 

appropriate.

Set

Done

Time Zone

-6.0

This is the GMT offset of

your local time zone

The system gets it’s time from the 

GPS onboard the helicopter as 

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

For example, during daylight 

savings time the offset for 

California, in the United States is a 

value of -7. A standard time offset 

for this same area is a value of -8.

If your area doesn’t observe 

daylights saving time, you set this 

value once otherwise if you want 

the time to be correct you will need 

to change this value during 

standard and daylight time zone 

changes.

Done

Tilt Setup

-511

Lower Limit

Upper Limit

356

Reverse Disable Rate

Control

-

-

+

+

If you are flying a gyro stabilized 

payload both the upper and lower 

limits must be set at 511 for the 

payload to work properly with rate 

control disabled.

If you are flying a standard payload 

you can control the end point limits 

of travel and by enabling rate 

control, set the speed the camera 

tilts between the two end points.

For example, you’re shooting video 

and you want the camera to rotate 

slowly from looking down to up 30 

degrees. You can set the speed 

and limits before the flight and 

then while flying through the 

scene, simply “spin” the camera 

tilt knob from one extreme to 

another and let the camera slowly 

pan up as you focus on flying.
Page 20

Done

Metric Imperial

Units

This is typically a screen you use 

once after receiving your 

equipment to setup your preferred 

units of measure. 

Setting the system to either Metric 

or Imperial will affect every unit of 

measure used throughout the 

system.

Done

Use these buttons to learn the

sounds made by the transmitter

Transmitter Sounds

Trim

Adjust

Vehical

Acquired

Vehical

Armed

Low

Battery

GPS

Okay

Trim

Centered

Vehicle

Found

Low TX

Signal

Alarm /

Warning

GPS

Loss

From this screen you can sample 

the different warning sounds the 

controller will make when it 

encounters a status change or 

serious warning.

Keep in mind that most warnings 

are accompanied by a warning 

screen. The warning screens 

essentially “take-over” the screen 

and must be dismissed by 

touching the screen.

The warning screen will only 

appear once, but the warning 

sound will be repeated until the 

situation is resolved. 

For example, a low battery will 

sound an alarm and bring up a 

warning screen. You dismiss the 

warning screen, but the alarm will 

continue to sound at a regular 

interval until you land.

A warning will be issued if the

vehicle reaches this altitude (AGL).

Set this to your provided altitude

limit or 0 to disable.

Altitude Limit

Set

OK Cancel

70

The altitude limit sets an altitude 

ceiling limit above ground.

This feature can come in handy 

when flying indoors to help 

prevent flying too close to the 

ceiling in the room or when out 

flying a project under a structure 

such as a bridge or overhang.
Primary and Secondary controller setup

The Draganfly system architecture operates over a well defined network and as a result, 

we can “invite” other devices to “join” into the network. In this example we powered on 

the helicopter and the primary controller. The two have connected and we’ll allow 

another controller into the network. Even better, we can define what controls will be 

active on the master controller, and when the training switch is depressed, what controls 

will be passed over to the secondary controller.

This is an ideal setup for flight 

training because as you see 

in this example to the right, 

we are “passing over” control 

of the roll, pitch, yaw and 

position hold flight controls 

along with camera controls 

for shutter, zoom, and tilt.

The controls are “passed 

over” when the “training 

switch” located on the top left 

of the HHC is depressed.

Once the master or primary 

controller has been setup, 

please turn on the other controller. We want to get the secondary controller connected to 

the primary controller so select the “config” button and then select “trainer setup”.

When the Trainer Mode Setup screen is displayed select, “Slave” and then select 

“Acquire” connecting the secondary controller to the master controller.

At this point three devices have been connected. The helicopter to the master controller, 

and the secondary controller is connected through the network to the master controller.

Page 21

Off Master

Trainer Mode Setup

Slave

CH 1-4 CH 5-8 Done

Throttle

Roll

Pitch

Yaw

Off Master

Trainer Mode Setup

Slave

CH 1-4 CH 5-8 Done

Shutter

Ascent

Zoom

Tilt

Hold
With everything connected it’s all very easy to use. Unless the trainer switch is 

depressed the primary (master) controller has full control of the aircraft. It’s only when 

the trainer button is depressed, that selected controls will be passed over to the 

secondary controller.

During flight training the instructor can pass one control over at-a-time until eventually 

the student has pitch, roll, yaw and throttle in their control. If at anytime the instructor 

needs to resume control, the instructor simply “lets go” of the trainer switch and full 

control is instantly restored to the primary controller.

Please note: If for some reason the secondary controller is powered off or gets 

disconnected for some reason from the network, the master controller will sound an 

alarm tone and all control will be restored to the master controller.

Page 22
Chapter 2

Page 23

SEL

MODE

ENT/

STOP

+

-

INC

DEC

LiPo Charge[sel] LiPo Charge[sel]

4sPACK C=3.00A 4sPACK C=3.00A
Battery Charging System

Please fully read and understand the Lithium battery safety instructions and 

warnings section at the end of this chapter before using or charging your batteries. 

The operator assumes full responsibility for all risks associated with the use of this 

product.

Page 24

SEL

MODE

ENT/

STOP

+

-

INC

DEC

LiPo Charge[sel]

4sPACK C=3.00A

AC power 

cord

DC power 

cord

Main battery charge plug

Balance plug
Your Draganflyer system comes equipped with a complete charging kit for the helicopter 

and controller batteries used with the aircraft system. The charging system has been 

designed for ease of use, portability, safety, and convenience, to keep your systems 

charged and flying. 

Included with the Draganflyer aircraft charging system is:

1 – TP610ACDC single port battery charger (users manual included)

1 – 6 wire balancer cable

1 – 2 wire charging cable

1 – Fire retardant battery charging pouch

Setup and Operation

Your charger can be powered from a 110-240 volt AC wall outlet or an 11-18 volt DC 

power source such as a car battery. If using an AC wall outlet, remove the cable from the 

case, connect it to the power input of the charger, and plug the cable into an AC outlet.

If you are using a 12V battery (car battery), connect the DC cable provided to the 

charger. After connecting the cable to the charger first, then connect the alligator clips to 

the terminals of your 12V battery (red clip to positive, black clip to negative). When 

power is applied, the charger will automatically turn on.

When the charger is powered on, the + and – buttons allow you to scroll up/down 

through menus before and during battery charging/discharging. These buttons also 

allow you to change values/settings for options after they have been selected (typically 

when flashing after pressing the ENTER button).

 

The SEL/MODE button functions only when you’re not charging or discharging a 

battery. Pressing the MODE button will allow you to scroll between the three available 

modes:

Page 25
• Charge/Discharge/Cycle/Storage Modes

• Setting Data Mode

• Data View Mode

The ENT/STOP button allows you to select and validate values/settings for options that 

can be changed (using the +/– buttons to change) before and during charging/

discharging. Pressing and holding the ENTER button also allows you to start and stop 

charging/discharging.

After powering on the charger by default it’s set to ‘Charge Mode’ as illustrated above. 

Before shipping your system, your charger was preset by our team for charging the 

helicopter flight battery pack, with a setting of 4 cell charging at 3 amps. 

Charging the Handheld Controller batteries

Included with your system is the handheld Ground Control System (GCS) and a standard 

handheld controller. The GCS is powered by a smaller capacity 4 Cell LiPo battery and 

the standard handheld controller (HHC) is powered by a 3 Cell LiPo battery.

Page 26

SEL

MODE

ENT/

STOP

+

-

INC

DEC

LiPo Charge[sel]

4sPACK C=3.00A
Charging these batteries is just as simple as charging your helicopter battery. The 

connections are the same using the balancer cable and main power charge plug but you 

always need to remember that when charging the standard controller, you need to 

change the charger cell count from 4 to 3, and reduce your charge current.

Charging the GCS

The GCS is a 4 cell battery and compared to a 

helicopter flight pack, charges at a lower current 

setting of 1.70Amps.

Connect the balance port connector and the 

main battery charge cable to the GCS. The 

charge connectors are located and clearly 

labeled on the bottom of the GCS. 

With the cables connected and the charger powered on, briefly press the ENT button to 

step through the display until you select the current setting. When you stop there, the 

current setting will be flashing, meaning the charger, charge current value is ready to be 

changed.

Press the “-” or (dec) button repeatedly until you step (each time button is pressed the 

value will change) the current setting down to 1.70Amps. When you see 1.70 Amps 

press the ENT button and the 1.70A value will stop blinking.

The charger should now read 4sPack C=1.70A. If this is correct, “press and hold” the 

ENT button and once charging begins let go. The battery is now charging and you will 

be notified when charging is complete.

Page 27

SEL

MODE

ENT/

STOP

+

-

INC

DEC

LiPo Charge[sel]

4sPACK C=1.70A
Charging the HHC

The standard handheld controller uses a smaller 

battery pack with a lower cell count so to charge 

this controller you will need to change both the 

cell count values as well as the charge current 

values.

Connect the balance port connector and the 

main battery charge cable to the GCS. The 

charge connectors are located on the backside of the HHC. 

With the cables connected and the charger powered on, briefly press the ENT button to 

step through the display until you select the cell PACK setting. When you stop there, the 

cell PACK setting will be flashing, meaning the charger, cell count value is ready to be 

changed.

Press the “-” or (dec) button once and the reading will change from 4sPack to 3sPACK. 

When you see 3sPACK press the ENT button until you step over to the current setting to 

confirm the value is 1.70A. If not, when the value is flashing adjust either the “+” INC or 

“-” DEC buttons to create the 1.70A setting.

The charger should now read 3sPack C=1.70A. If this is correct, “press and hold” the 

ENT button and once charging begins let go. The battery is now charging and you will 

be notified when charging is complete.

Page 28

SEL

MODE

ENT/

STOP

+

-

INC

DEC

LiPo Charge[sel]

3sPACK C=1.70A
Summary:

The battery charger provided has been preset at the factory to charge the helicopter 

LiPo battery pack. The charger connects to the batteries or controllers using two cables. 

One cable is a cell balancer cable, and the other is the main charge cable.

When charging the GCS you need a lower charge current setting and with the standard 

HHC, both the cell count and the charge current must be adjusted.

Standard and maximum charger settings:

• Helicopter battery pack = 4sPACK C=3.00A - maximum current C=5.45A

• Handheld GCS = 4sPACK C=1.70A - maximum current C=2.70A

• Handheld HHC - 3sPACK C=1.70A - maximum current C=2.10A

For additional instructions on your battery charger please refer to the TP610ACDC 

battery charger operator’s manual included in your package

Page 29

Handheld Ground Control System (GCS)

Charger setting = 4sPACK @1.7 Amps

Standard Handheld Controller (HHC)

Charger setting = 3sPACK @1.7 Amps
Things you need to know

Page 30

Special notice:

You might think that we’re exaggerating the issue but no, LiPo battery safety 

is something to be taken seriously. If you want to see examples of what can 

go wrong just search YouTube for LiPo fire examples. It’s common to think 

“this will never happen to me” but that’s why they call them accidents, so 

please take battery safety very seriously and here are some tips to consider:

1. When charging your controllers, they won’t fit in a fire proof LiPo bag so 

place them on a fireproof surface and monitor them during charging.

2. After charging is complete, always remove/disconnect both cables from 

the controller.

3. Keep your controllers out of direct sunlight or high heat conditions. For 

example don’t set them on the dashboard of your car. You want to keep the 

controllers protected, cool and safe.

4. Some people think “more is better” but no, not with a LiPo battery. 

Please only charge the controllers at the prescribed cell count and current 

ratings. Trying to “over fill” a battery will result in damage.

5. If you suspect a battery issue with your controller DO NOT disassemble 

the controller. Contact Draganfly to get instructions for further testing, 

evaluation and/or return to have the battery replaced at the factory.
Lithium Battery Safety Instructions and 

Warnings

Please read and fully understand all of the instructions and warnings below before using 

or charging your lithium polymer batteries. Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries are 

volatile; improper use or failure to follow these instructions and warnings may 

result in fire, personal injury and/or damaged property. Draganfly Innovations and its 

affiliates assume no liability for the improper use of this battery, or failure to comply with 

these instructions and warnings.

General Guidelines and Warnings

Page 31

• Your batteries are not fully charged 

upon receiving them, the batteries 

must be charged before use.

• Never leave charging batteries 

unattended. When charging LiPo 

batteries you must constantly 

monitor the charging process and 

be there to react to any undesired 

results.

• Before charging, press the battery 

test button on your flight battery to 

check the status and voltage level. 

One or more of the status LED’s 

should turn on and remain on while 

the button is held. Any other 

flashing pattern on the status LED’s 

may indicate damage to the 

battery; please contact Draganfly 

Innovations Technical support.

• When selecting the cell count or 

voltage for charging, ensure to 

select the cell count and/or voltage 

that appears on the controller 

battery label. Selecting an incorrect 

cell count or voltage may result in a 

fire.

• Do not exceed the maximum 

charge rate current listed on the 

controller battery label.
Page 32

• Always connect the balance cable 

between the controller and charger 

while charging or discharging.

• Only use a good quality charger 

rated for LiPo batteries, such as 

the charger including in your 

Draganflyer system. A low quality 

charger may damage the controller 

battery and result in fire.

 Storage & Transport:

• Never ship or transport a damaged 

LiPo battery.

• Store controllers at room 

temperature between 4.5 degrees 

C (40 F) and 21 degrees C (70 F).

• Do not store controllers in a vehicle 

even if in a flame retardant 

container.

• Do not store or expose controllers 

to direct sunlight for extended 

periods of time.

• Do not store controllers near a 

source of heat.

• Exposing either the GCS or HHC to 

temperatures in excess of 65 

degrees C (150 F) may cause 

permanent damage and premature 

deterioration of the battery internal 

to the controller.

• Do not expose controllers to 

temperatures in excess of 76 

degrees C (170 F). Exposure for 

longer than 2 hours may cause fire.

• Before travelling with LiPo powered 

devices always check with your 

airline for their policies and 

regulations regarding 

transportation of LiPo batteries.

• If shipping the controllers, always 

discuss safe packaging and 

shipping procedures with the 

courier.
Disposal:

If you believe there is a problem with the battery in the GCS or HHC controllers contact 

Draganfly to get more information. Do not attempt to disassemble the controller to 

remove the battery.

Page 33

Special notice:

Never disassemble the handheld controllers to remove the battery, inspect 

battery or dispose of the battery. If you suspect a problem contact Draganfly 

Innovations.
Chapter 3

Page 34
Ready for flight

In the helicopter manual we describe flying a photo shoot and focus more on the flying 

than the actual mechanics of using the HHC to launch and control the aircraft. In this 

manual we will cover HHC specific information to:

Get in the air:

• get connected with the aircraft

• arming motors

• engage motors

• initiate an automatic takeoff

What to do when you’re up there:

• GPS position hold

• shooting photos

Landing and shutdown:

• landing

• disengage motors

• disarm motors

• disconnect from the aircraft

Post flight data:

• archive mission log

• archive photos and video

Page 35
Get in the air:

Earlier in this manual we had you remove your props and if for some reason they’re back 

on the aircraft, please take a minute to remove them. Whenever you’re trying something 

new, doing some experiments, or just want the system powered on to check some 

settings, it’s a good idea to remove the props to prevent any possible accidents.

With the props removed we’ll quickly run through the connecting, arming and engage 

motor sequence. The idea is to get you comfortable with the routine and most 

importantly comfortable with turning the motors off once you’re on the ground. There is 

nothing worse than making a perfect landing only to make a mistake later and flip it over 

or do some damage.

Throttle:

Before we actually start the motors it’s important to understand the throttle has a dual 

purpose. As illustrated below when the motors are not powered on, the throttle is used 

to arm and disarm the motors. Once the motors are running it takes on a new 

Page 36

Special notice: Please remove all the props from the aircraft now. Only run 

motors for very short periods without props or they will overheat.

Lower-right corner 

arms motors

Execute auto take-off 

and increase altitude

Yaw right

Decrease altitude

Motors not running Motors powered on

Lower-left corner 

disarms motors

Yaw left
personality used to initiate an automatic takeoff and once the aircraft is up in the air, it 

behaves just as you might imagine. So basically the throttle control has three different 

personalities:

1. arm and disarm the motors

2. initiate an automatic take off and control altitude and yaw

3. control altitude and yaw only

Get connected:

For this exercise make sure the props have been removed from the helicopter, install a 

battery and power-up the aircraft.

Power-up the HHC and after booting, if the HHC had been connected with the the 

helicopter it will simply “reconnect”. If not, acquire the helicopter to get connected. 

Once connected the HHC will update the on-screen aircraft telemetry data and 

we’re ready to arm and engage the motors.

Arming the motors:

With the props removed for this test, move the throttle 

down and to the lower right corner of travel. Hold it 

there until you hear the HHC series of tones indicating 

the motors are armed and also notice, the helicopter 

navigation LEDs stopped blinking. When you see 

the aircraft with navigation lights on steady it 

means - stay away - because the motors are 

armed and ready to start spinning at anytime.

With the motors armed make sure to keep your 

hands, children and pets away from the motors. 

The next step is to engage the motors.

Page 37

Lower-right corner arms 

motors
Engage the motors:

When you engage the motors it just gets them spinning at a moderate speed. The thrust 

is low enough where you don’t have to worry about the aircraft taking off but it’s very 

important at this step of the process to make sure that all of the motors are running. As 

part of your pre-flight, before initiating an auto-takeoff you must always check to make 

sure all aircraft motors are running.

So lets engage motors. Because we have the 

props removed when we initiate an auto-takeoff 

the helicopter will get frustrated because the 

altitude isn’t increasing but not to worry. 

The helicopter will try to achieve an 

approximate 1 meter (3.2 feet) altitude 

but without props you’ll just hear the 

motors trying their best to achieve the 

desired height.

To engage motors press the front, 

upper left, switch “up” and hold for 

approximately one second then release. 

The motors will start and always, check 

to make sure they are all running.

Initiate an auto-takeoff:

To initiate the auto-takeoff you will move the throttle 

straight up and hold for approximately one second, then lower the 

throttle to the center position. Do not “let go” of the stick as you return it to 

center. Please get into the habit of raising the throttle, holding for one second, and 

returning it back to the center position in one fluid motion. Once the throttle is back to 

center you will hear the motors increase speed as the aircraft attempts to reach the 

desired takeoff altitude. Please only let the motors run for a brief period because without 

props installed they will overheat.

Page 38

Engage motors
Disengage motors:

In a real flight situation you would be flying the aircraft now and when it was time to land 

you would bring the aircraft back, make your descent, and once the aircraft is on the 

ground, execute the following procedure.

With the aircraft on the ground you’ll bring the throttle straight back and hold it in this 

position for at least one second. After one second keep the throttle in the full back 

position, and simultaneously push the motor disengage switch “down”. The motor 

disengage switch is located on the front, upper left position.

When depressed the motors will stop.

If you accidentally hit the motor disengage switch too quickly, and the motors don’t 

stop, let go of the disengage switch and keep the throttle all the 

way back for at least one second before pushing the disengage 

switch again. So the trick is to first bring the throttle straight 

back, hold for one second, then depress the motor 

disengage switch.

Disarm motors:

When the motors have stopped, return the throttle to 

the center position. Then move the throttle to the 

lower left position and hold it there until the HHC 

confirms the motors have been disarmed. When 

disarmed the helicopter navigation LEDs will start 

blinking and it’s safe to be near the aircraft.

Summary:

We had you remove the props for this exercise to 

reduce risk and build confidence with the essential 

skill of starting and stopping the aircraft motors. Before installing the 

props, please take time to practice this routine over and over again to 

become very familiar with the process. There is nothing worse than making a great 

Page 39

Lower-left corner 

disarms motors
landing and then having trouble powering off the motors or even worse damaging the 

aircraft. To quickly review the process:

Takeoff:

• arm motors

• engage motors

• check that all aircraft motors are spinning

• initiate an automated takeoff

Landing:

• land the aircraft

• when helicopter is on the ground, disengage motors

• disarm motors

When you are very comfortable with the process, power off the aircraft and install the 

props so we can do some real flying.

Get in the air: (we’ll really fly this time)

After running through the previous exercise you’re now experienced at starting and 

stopping the motors and familiar with getting the aircraft into the air, so it’s time to get 

flying. The information you find here compliments and in some cases is replicated from 

the “Helicopter Flight” information you find in the helicopter manual.

The “Get in the air” info provided in this manual is geared more towards the unique 

aspects of the HHC and how you get the most out of the system. To get a good 

understanding of flying the system we recommend that you read and use both manuals.

Before any flight, you want to preflight the helicopter and the HHC system so as a quick 

review, the preflight graphic for the helicopter is provided along with a preflight for the 

GCS system.

Page 40
HHC preflight frontside

In addition to conducting a preflight on the aircraft it’s just as important to preflight the 

HHC before powering up the system and getting up in the air.

You want to look over the HHC for any physical damage, check the battery voltage, 

make sure the joy sticks are operating smoothly, double check all the settings, set the 

antennas to the proper position, and make sure switches are in the right place before 

lift-off.

Page 41

Check that Yaw 

trim is centered

Flight mode switch 

should be in the 

center position

Check to make sure 

the throttle/yaw 

gimbal operates 

smoothly

Check to make sure 

the Pitch/Roll gimbal 

operates smoothly

Adjust camera 

rotation to the full “up” 

position before takeoff

Clean display if needed and ensure 

touch screen is working properly

Check to make sure both the 

Pitch and Roll trims are centered

Data log SD 

memory card 

installed
Helicopter preflight

Just like a real aircraft it is very important to pre-flight the Draganfly helicopter to make 

sure it’s airworthy. We recommend a static on-the-ground pre-flight as illustrated below, 

and once you have taken off, we suggest a second flight check in a hover to make sure 

the aircraft and system are behaving properly. If you have any doubt, or suspect a 

problem, either cancel the mission or abort the flight until the problem is corrected.

Page 42

Check you props to make sure 

they are locked securely in 

place and double check props 

for nicks or cracks

Double check and make sure 

landing gear is firmly locked in 

place

Double check to ensure the 

canopy is secured tightly

If you are flying with a 

payload, make sure 

attachment screws are 

securely fastened and 

camera is properly 

secured to the camera 

mount

Spin all motors by hand 

to make sure they spin 

smoothly

Ensure booms are 

locked firmly in place

Draganflyer X4-ES System Pre-flight Check
The mission:

In the flight scenario described in the helicopter manual we were focused on explaining 

information about the aircraft itself versus the HHC during a typical photo shoot but in 

this scenario, we’re more focused on the HHC while flying a mission at a train 

derailment. We strongly encourage that you read and understand both scenarios to get 

a well rounded understanding of the system.

In this scenario the task for our flight team is to provide HAZMAT personnel with critical 

tanker car information, understand the extent of damage and shoot aerial images 

documenting the crash scene.

Our flight crew consists of three people and the team has staged personnel and their 

equipment at a safe distance from the accident. In the crew we have the pilot, camera 

operator, and a spotter, to monitor the airspace and general flight area.

Page 43
Pre-planning:

Safety is always a priority so before flying, the flight team designates a primary takeoff 

and landing area along with two safety zones. The safety zones are designated areas to 

be kept clear of personnel and equipment in the event the aircraft needs to come down 

quickly. Keeping the zones clear protects team personnel and it protects the aircraft 

from accidentally hitting something in the event of an emergency landing.

Page 44

H

CRASH SITE

Safety Area 1

Clear of people 

and equipment

Safety Area 2

Clear of people 

and equipment

STAGING AREA

Helicopter takeoff 

and landing area

Dirt Road

Train tracks

Trees

Trees
Get the data:

This first flight is to get up in the air to determine the extent of damage, check for leaking 

fluids and read markings on the tanker cars. The second flight will be flown to gather 

more data and we estimate a third or fourth flight to document the scene and the work 

of response personnel.

With both the GCS preflight and aircraft preflight completed we’re ready to get into the 

air. The helicopter system is brought over to the designated takeoff and landing area and 

we then:

• power on the helicopter and HHC

• remove lens cap and power on the camera

• connect to the aircraft

• connect to the secondary controller being used by the camera operator

• verbally announce to personnel, the aircraft will be lifting off

• check video down-link

• check video and camera controls

• check the immediate airspace for other aircraft and obstacles

• arm the helicopter

• check helicopter GPS accuracy and ensure you have enough satellites

• verbally announce helicopter is lifting off

• engage motors

• check to make sure all aircraft motors are spinning

• initiate an automatic takeoff

• during the preliminary hover, conduct a second preflight to ensure helicopter and 

system are behaving properly

• double check airspace

• ascend and fly forward at a nice climb rate to get above trees enroute to your first 

target

As the helicopter climbs out and you fly towards the crash site the camera operator will 

provide you with directions and working together, as a team, you will work the crash site 

to gather the data and photos needed. During the flight the spotter will monitor the 

Page 45
airspace, keep the safety zones clear of people, vehicles, and also keep an eye on the 

aircraft.

What to do when you’re up there:

As you slowly fly over the crash site the camera operator will suggest the best spot to 

“park” the helicopter in a GPS position hold to get the photos needed. When you switch 

into GPS position hold using the mode switch on the front of the HHC, it’s always a 

good idea to slow the aircraft to a hover, then initiate the GPS position hold.

Relax, keep an eye on the aircraft, the 

wind, and work as a team with your 

camera operator to get the photos 

needed. When you’re in a GPS position 

hold often the camera operator will 

request that you yaw or rotate the 

aircraft. And because the autopilot is 

holding a stationary hover, it’s all pretty 

easy.

During the flight it’s always a good idea 

to visually “scan” your telemetry data to 

keep an eye on your altitude, datalink 

signal strength, GPS position accuracy, 

and battery health. When your aircraft 

battery gets down around the 14.4vdc 

value you know that within a few minutes 

you’ll get your first battery warning and need to start thinking about returning to land.

When you need to move off to a new location it’s always a good idea to bring the aircraft 

back into the “safety position” before releasing the GPS position hold. The safety 

position is something you learned during flight training and it was discussed in the 

helicopter manual. The idea is very simple. Yaw the aircraft into a position where you see 

the two white navigation lights. This means the rear of the aircraft is pointed towards 

you, bringing you in line with the aircraft, making it easier to fly.

Page 46
Release the GPS position hold and fly to the next location to shoot more photos. As you 

approach the next GPS position hold spot, slow the aircraft into a steady hover and 

engage the GPS position hold.

Always remember that you’re the pilot in command of the 

flight. If the winds get too gusty, you see some rain 

moving into the area or you’re not comfortable 

with the conditions you can either abort the 

flight or not even execute the mission. The 

safety of the crew and anyone in the area 

is your responsibility so take this all very 

seriously.

When you receive the first battery 

warning it’s always a good idea to start 

heading back to the takeoff and landing 

area. A battery change is a quick affair so 

why take any risks, and unless it’s an 

emergency why push the battery to it’s limit.

If you are an experienced pilot and comfortable flying the aircraft in any orientation, 

release the GPS position hold and head back. If you’re more comfortable starting out 

from the safety position, yaw the helicopter into position before releasing the GPS 

position hold.

Landing and shutdown:

As you return to the takeoff and landing area clearly announce to everyone the aircraft 

will be landing. As you make your approach do not fly over people and if possible make 

as direct an approach as possible.

As you get closer make sure the camera operator rotates the camera “up” as far as 

possible to help keep the lens clean during landing. Clearly announce one more time the 

aircraft is landing and bring the helicopter in.

Page 47

SUNEX 61985
When you get the helicopter on the ground you will:

• aircraft touches down, disengage motors

• disarm motors

• power off the camera

• power off helicopter

• power off the HHC

Post flight data:

After flying the mission it’s a good idea to create a folder on either a laptop out in the 

field or when you get back to your office on your desktop system to archive the flight 

data and photos.

Create a folder with the case number, project number or name for the project. Remove 

the micro SD memory card from the HHC and copy the flight logs into the folder. In the 

above scenario we flew four flights, so you’ll need to copy the last four log files from the 

HHC.

Also create a folder for the flight photos and video. Remove the memory card from the 

camera and copy the mission photos and video into the appropriate folders.

Summary:

In this chapter we covered quite a bit of information ranging from the basics of arming 

and engaging the aircraft motors, running though a mission scenario and combined with 

flight information in the helicopter manual you should have a good grasp on the basics 

of flying and operating the aircraft.

The Draganflyer helicopter system and the handheld controller (HHC) are an effective 

combination. We have gone to great lengths to make it “simple” and at the same time, 

provide you with some amazing capability.

Enjoy your flying and if you have additional questions or need additional support please 

contact us by e-mail or give us a call.

Page 48
Chapter 4

Page 49
Troubleshooting

Problem: How do I get the best range with the system

Possible cause: 

• Antenna orientation

Solution: Please keep in mind this is a “line-of-sight” vehicle and is not intended to be 

flown as an FPV aircraft. To get the best rage for data and video, it’s important to know 

the “weakest” signal condition is when the tip of the antennas is pointed towards the 

aircraft.

The ideal antenna orientation is to have the “long side” of the antenna facing the aircraft 

so you will see people accomplish this in different ways. Some people prefer to have the 

antennas pointed back towards themselves, while others prefer to have them pointed off 

to the sides.

When talking about video range remember that with the analog video downlink system 

you have a foldout patch antenna on the backside. In addition to the proper orientation 

of the omni antenna on top of the controller, unfold and orient the patch antenna so the 

flat side is pointed towards the aircraft.

With the digital video downlink system you must power-on the base station first and 

place it in a central area clear of obstacles. 

If you continue having problems contact Draganfly for more information. 

Problem: There is no live video displayed (analog system)

Possible cause: 

• Camera powered off

• Payload is not plugged into helicopter

• Video glasses not powered on

Page 50
• Wrong video channel selected

Solution: After checking the simple things first like camera power, lens cap, video 

glasses power and making sure the payload is plugged into the aircraft double check the 

video transmitter channel number. By default everything is shipped with CH1 as the 

default. Double check the video Tx is set to channel number one.

On the HHC power-up the controller and go to Config, Video Setup, and select CH1 as 

the receive channel. By default the Power Setting is set “Auto” so double check to make 

sure it’s set properly and press “done”.

With everything powered on, check video. 

If you continue having problems contact Draganfly for more information.

Problem: There is no live video displayed (digital video system)

Possible cause: 

• Base station must be powered on first

• Helicopter must be powered on

• Payload is not plugged into helicopter

• Nexus is the last device to be powered on

• Must launch the DraganView App to display video and select the “play” button

• When first connected, it might take up to 30 seconds to start receiving video

Solution: The digital downlink network system might sound complicated but it’s 

actually very simple. The only danger is that possibly people are tempted to make 

configuration changes to the Nexus so please resist the urge. However, if you did make 

changes and call the support line for assistance - please tell them immediately that you 

made changes because it will speed the trouble shooting process.

Keep in mind the base station gets powered-up first to establish a network. When the 

helicopter payload is powered-up, it’s looking for this network and will auto-connect. 

When the Nexus is powered on, it’s looking for the network and will auto-connect.

Page 51
Problem: I power on the HHC but I can never connect to the aircraft or pull up my 

basic view screen.

Possible cause: 

• The number of log files on the SD memory card exceeds 256

Solution: If this happens out in the field simply power off the HHC and remove the SD 

memory card, then power back on and you’ll get connected. When you get back to the 

office or to a computer archive the log files and either reformat the SD memory card or 

simply delete the log files from the memory card. 

Reinstall the memory card and everything should be working fine but if not, contact 

Draganfly for more information.

Problem: I’m trying to change the camera tilt but it isn’t working.

Possible cause: 

• Payload not plugged in

• Camera tilt knob not turned all the way at takeoff

• Camera tilt limit not set properly

Solution: Before takeoff the camera tilt control needs to be rotated to move the 

camera all the way “up”. After liftoff the camera tilt will work properly.

So for example lets say the camera knob was set in the middle of it’s rotational range 

and you takeoff. As you’re flying you try to adjust camera tilt but it doesn’t work.

If you rotate the knob all the way in the direction to rotate the camera “up”, then the 

camera will tilt will start operating.

If that still doesn’t work, make sure the camera tilt setup indicates a range limit of 511 

and -512 with rate control disabled.

Still have a problem - contact the team at Draganfly for further assistance.

Page 52
Technical Specifications

Handheld Controller (HHC):

• Width: 22cm (8.7”)

• Height: 12cm (4.7”)

• Depth: 8cm (3.1”)

• Weight: 895g (1.97 lbs)

Data Link RF Communications:

• Link Type: 2.4GHz two way

• Helicopter Antenna: Wired Whip Antenna

• Controller Antenna: Omni Directional Whip

• Transmission Power: North America: 50mW (+18dBm) International: 

10mW (+10dBM)

• Transmission Technique: DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum)

• Frequency Band: 2.400 – 2.4835 GHz

• Certification: CE, FCC, IC, ETSI

• Data Link Channel Selection: Automatic (13 channels)

Optional analog video Link RF Communications:

• Model: Dragan Eye Pro 

• Dual diversity

• Link type: helicopter to ground (one-way)

• Receive antennas: flat patch and omni

• NTSC and PAL compatible

Optional external interfaces:

• Two composite video outputs

Page 53
Contact Information

Page 54

This product and manual are copyrighted by Draganfly Innovations Inc. with all rights 

reserved. No part of this product or start-up guide shall be reproduced in any form 

without the prior written consent or authorization of Draganfly Innovations Inc. No patent 

liability is assumed with respect to the use of the product or information contained herein.

Document Revision Level: v2.0

Draganfly Innovations Inc.

Sales information:

Phone: 1-800-979-9794

International: 1-306-955-9907

Online: www.draganfly.com

e-mail: sales@draganfly.com

https://www.draganfly.com

Product support:

Phone: 1-800-979-9794

International: 1-306-955-9907

e-mail: support@draganfly.com

Mailing address:

Draganfly Innovations Inc.

2108 St. George Avenue

Saskatoon, SK S7M0K7

Canada