What you'll learn

Improve the features of your FlySky radio controller so that you can take full advantage of the hardware.
Set up radio telemetry between your computer and the drone so that you can track and control your drone from your computer in real time.
Configure fail-safes to prevent avoidable injuries and damage to your drone.
Record high-definition flight video and transmit first-person video to a monitor on the ground.
Setup and configure flight modes.
Design simple and more complicated missions that your drone can execute on its own.
Dow to use the radio telemetry module with the Matek F405TE flight controller
How to setup geofencing inclusion and exclusion zones
How to set up flight modes with the Matek F405TE
How to use the Mission Planner flight simulator
How to test geofencing in the simulator
How to setup the battery monitoring capability in the Matek F405TE

Course content

9 sections • 56 lectures • 5h 16m total length

2000 - About this course4:53
Upgrade your open source drone by expanding the Sky FS six controller to ten channels and enabling autonomous missions with Mission Planner and radio telemetry.
Parts and Tools0:03

2030 - Flysky FS-i6 firmware upgrade Introduction2:06
2040 - Upgrade objectives and tools5:06
2050 - Download firmware installer and upgrade process8:21
2065 - How to unbrick your controller7:34
Learn how to recover a bricked drone controller by using firmware upgrades, battery checks, and a secret key combo to enter firmware update mode, then reprogram and test channels.
2067 - Re-bind transmitter and receiver4:23
2070a - Transmitter calibration12:20
2070b - Transmitter calibration11:34
2080 - Subtrim calibration4:13

2100 - Radio Telemetry introduction2:05
Are you using the Matek F405TE?0:17
2105a - Setup the radio telemetry hardware6:25
2105b - Configure the radio telemetry net ID6:53
2110 - Setup channels using a serial monitor8:42
2120a - Connect and test radio telemetry4:27
2120b - Using APM Planner on Mac OS2:05
Learn how to run apm planner on mac os, enable telemetry, and evaluate failsafe features to keep the drone safe during flight.
2130 - Radio telemetry test flight2:05
3000 - Setup the radio telemetry hardware on the Matek F405TE4:16
3001 - Test the radio telemetry hardware on the Matek F405TE2:50

2150 - Failsafes Introduction1:54
2160 - Radio failsafe (transmitter loss of connection)9:07
2170 - Geofencing4:27
2180 - Battery failsafe7:08
Configure a battery failsafe on Pixhawk by calibrating the power module’s voltage reading, then set a voltage threshold (around 9–10 volts for a 3s pack) to auto land.
2195 - Test flight: geofencing4:10
3040 - Geofencing inclusion and exclusion8:42
3050 - Failsafe and Geofencing recommended Options3:20

2210 - Introduction to drone cameras3:13
Explore drone photography and real-time video using a 4K Firefly Q6 camera and an embedded transmitter miniature camera, with ground monitors or goggles, while noting line-of-sight rules in Australia.
2220 - Setup the HD recording camera Firefly Q69:24
2250 - Test footage of the HD recording camera8:52
2240 - Test footage of the HD recording camera2:03
Review test footage from the HD recording camera on an open source drone, highlighting real-world video capture and the fun of building open source drone projects.
2260 - Setup of the FPV monitor7:15

2300 - Introduction to flight modes1:18
Integrate telemetry, fail safes, and onboard cameras; set up flight modes on fly sky controller, assign them to two knobs on the control arm, and test in the field.
2310 - Basic flight modes10:50
2320a - Setup flight modes on RC switches5:14
2320b - Super Simple Mode and Simple Mode4:01
2325 - How to change flight mode parameters10:47
2330 - Test flight- flight modes8:26
Explore test flight procedures and flight modes for an open source drone, including stabilize, altitude hold, loiter, circle, and return-to-launch, with real-time battery failsafe and panic controls.
3020 - Setup flight modes on the Matek F405TE13:16
Configure flight modes by combining two switches to control channel five PWM in Mission Planner, then extend options with auxiliary channels and parameter tweaks for auto RTL and other modes.

2410 - Introduction to mission planning0:49
2420a - Simple Mission design10:53
2420b - Simple Mission simulation5:37
2420c - Simple Mission upload to drone2:12
2420d - Simple Mission refetch a map segment1:26
2430 - Create a more advanced Mission5:22
Design an advanced drone mission with multiple waypoints and a region of interest aligned to the front camera, including loiter times, then save, load, and map it.
2440 - Agricultural-type mission7:04
Use mission planner's auto grid function to generate drone flight paths inside a polygon, producing lawn mower patterns for agricultural field mapping with adjustable altitude and takeoff and land waypoints.
2450 - Polygon fencing3:38
Upload the polygon to the drone, enable polygon-based geofence as a fail-safe, and use altitude and circle constraints to trigger return to launch or land.
2455 - Test flight- Mission8:38
Operate an automatic mission mode by arming the drone, executing a waypoint-based path, and returning to land while monitoring telemetry and camera footage within a fence.
3010 - The Mission Planner Simulator7:42
simulate a flight path using mission planner’s simulator, create and test a flight plan with waypoints, altitude, and GPS, then arm and start a mission in a software-in-the-loop setup.
3030 - Geofencing in the simulator6:18

2470 - Introduction to Power0:55
Add a secondary power source to the flight controller to keep the drone operating if the power module fails. Use a battery tester to quickly assess the battery state.
2480 - Pixhawk ESC secondary power8:15
2500 - TOP - Battery tester6:37
learn how an inexpensive battery tester provides real-time per-cell and total voltage readings, audible alerts, and a failsafe for drone batteries up to eight cells.
3060 - Voltage and current monitor on the Matek F405TE15:40

Requirements

Ideally, you will have completed the course "Make an Open Source Drone".
The required parts as listed in the Parts and Tools lecture in section 1 (free access).
A Windows computer with the Mission Planner software.
A Mac OS computer with the APM software (this includes most functions found in Mission Planner).

Description

Latest updates

In mid-2023, I updated 'Make an Open Source Drone' course to offer detailed instructions on constructing a custom quadcopter with the MATEK F405TE flight controller, in addition to the Crius and the Pixhwak 4. See detailed content for Make an Open Source Drone below.

In early 2025, I updated 'Make an Open Source Drone More Fun' course with new lectures to teach you how to use the radio telemetry module with the Matek F405TE flight controller, how to setup geofencing inclusion and exclusion zones, how to set up flight modes with the Matek F405TE, how to use the Mission Planner flight simulator and testing geofencing in the simulator, and how to setup the battery monitoringcapability in the Matek F405TE.

Course description

In my first drone course “Make an Open Source Drone”, you learned how to build a quadcopter based on open source software and hardware.

You now have a modern programmable aircraft and a good understanding of the principles of drone flight and of the skills needed to enjoy being a drone pilot.

In this course, you’ll take your knowledge and skill to the next level. You’ll go past the basics and explore some of the most exciting features and capabilities of your drone.

Your drone, from simply reacting to your radio instructions, will look as if it has a mind of its own, and fly itself.

I promise, the first time you experience your drone flawlessly execute a mission, you will feel proud and thrilled.

By the end of this course, you’ll learn:

how to improve the features of your FlySky radio controller so that you can take full advantage of the hardware,
how to use the radio telemetry module with the Matek F405TE flight controller,
how to setup geofencing inclusion and exclusion zones,
How to set up radio telemetry between your computer and the drone so that you can track and control your drone from your computer in real time,
How to configure fail-safes to prevent avoidable injuries and damage to your drone,
How to record high-definition flight video and transmit first-person video to a monitor on the ground,
How to setup and configure flight modes,
how to set up flight modes with the Matek F405TE,
how to use the Mission Planner flight simulator,
how to test geofencing in the simulator,
how to setup the battery monitoring capability in the Matek F405TE.
And most important, how to design simple and more complicated missions that your drone can execute on its own.

I invite you to review the free lectures in the first section of this course to find out more details about it.

If you are excited about learning how to to make your open source drone even more fun, join many other Makers and me in "Make an Open Source Drone: More fun"!

Who this course is for:

Drone pilots who have a basic understanding of their aircraft and are ready to learn more.
Graduates of Tech Explorations Make an Open Source Drone.
Anyone interested in learning about the Ardupilot firmware and the Pixhawk flight controller.

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction2 lectures • 5min

Flysky FS-i6 firmware upgrade8 lectures • 56min

Radio Telemetry10 lectures • 40min

Failsafes7 lectures • 39min

Cameras5 lectures • 31min

Flight modes7 lectures • 54min

Mission planning11 lectures • 1hr

Power4 lectures • 31min

Conclusion and Bonus Lecture2 lectures • 2min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: