Betaflight 4.6 is shaping as much as be probably the most feature-rich updates in latest reminiscence. Though it’s nonetheless in pre-release on the time of writing, lots of the new options and enhancements have already confirmed to work effectively for early adopters. Let’s break down the foremost updates you’ll be able to anticipate on this model—and whether or not it’s value upgrading now.
New Options in Betaflight 4.6
Altitude Maintain, Place Maintain & Auto-Touchdown
Probably the most thrilling addition for me needs to be the brand new GPS-assisted flight modes, together with Place Maintain, Altitude Maintain, and Auto-Touchdown. Now, your freestyle FPV drone can hover in place with minimal drifting—just like how a DJI Mavic behaves.
This places Betaflight nearer to what iNav affords by way of GPS-assisted options, making it particularly interesting for long-range and cinematic pilots.
- Altitude Maintain & Place Maintain (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13975): Works with or with out a magnetometer, although it’s endorsed for higher accuracy.
- Auto-Touchdown: A brand new function that helps with hands-free landings.
- GPS Rescue Enhancements: Higher altitude management and return conduct.
Ought to I write a tutorial on find out how to set this up? Let me know within the remark if there’s curiosity.
Chirp Sign Generator for Tuning
The Chirp Sign Generator is a model new tuning device that helps you tune your quad’s PID and filtering higher.
You possibly can assign this tuning mode to a change, and when activated, it sends stepped enter alerts (oscillations) to 1 axis at a time, first roll, then pitch, then yaw—when you can nonetheless fly usually. It begins sluggish and step by step hurries up, letting Betaflight see how your drone reacts at completely different speeds.
It will generate constant Blackbox knowledge for evaluation, and can provide help to measure how the drone responds to allow them to make PID tuning extra correct.
For you as a newbie: You wouldn’t use this for on a regular basis flying—it’s extra of a diagnostic device to enhance tune high quality. Nevertheless it’s cool to know your firmware can do automated “in-flight testing” now as a substitute of solely handbook stick waggling.
Turtle Mode Enhancements
This replace makes turtle mode (flip-over-after-crash) smarter and safer—particularly for highly effective quads that are inclined to over-flip or slam into the bottom when making an attempt to show upright.
- Controls the flip velocity so that you don’t over-rotate.
- Stops the motors robotically as quickly as you’ve flipped upright, saving your ESCs and motors from harm.
- Permits you to immediately resume flying after a profitable flip with out doing a full disarm/re-arm, helps you get well sooner in races.
LED Enhancements
Two new LED upgrades:
- Adjustable LED brightness (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13776) – Now you can management LED strip brightness utilizing an AUX change or slider in your radio (setup in Adjustment tab within the configurator).
- New LED show modes (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13404) – Your LED strip can now:
- Present the variety of GPS satellites as a bar, once you get GPS lock it adjustments from pink to inexperienced.
- Exhibits the battery proportion in a loading bar fashion. Goes from inexperienced to pink relying on the battery stage.
- Change coloration primarily based on barometer altitude.
Racing-Particular Enhancements
- Superior Feedforward Algorithm (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/13576): A brand new rise/decay management makes quads extra responsive with out including oscillations—particularly helpful for racing.
- Launch Timer Mode (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14332): Mechanically begins a timer when launch mode is activated—good for time-based racing.
Cinematic & Lengthy Vary Enhancements
- Higher Filtering: Extra exact RPM and dynamic notch filter placement plus improved filter initialization. That is particularly useful for heavy builds like CineLifters that want additional filtering to take care of noise. https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14150
- Rangefinder & Optical Movement Assist: Betaflight will assist rangefinders and optical movement sensors, enabling correct altitude maintain near the bottom—perfect for exact indoor or low-level out of doors flying.
Enhanced Fastened-Wing Assist
There are a bunch of recent options added for wings, which makes Betaflight an actual contender for high-performance wing plane. I gained’t go into all the main points, however a few of the new options embrace:
- S-Time period and Management Floor Compensation (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14010): A brand new management enter for dealing with servo throw primarily based on airspeed.
- TPA Primarily based on Airspeed: As a substitute of throttle enter, TPA (Throttle PID Attenuation) can now scale PID features primarily based on precise GPS-derived velocity. Nice for dealing with gusty winds at excessive speeds.
- Stage-Flight and Pitch Offset Changes
Different Enhancements
Betaflight 4.6 consists of over 500 new options, enhancements, and bug fixes—we’ve solely scratched the floor right here. For the complete record, try the official GitHub milestone web page:
https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pulls?q=ispercent3Apr+milestonepercent3A4.6
Is there something you’re enthusiastic about that I haven’t talked about? Drop it within the feedback—I’d love to listen to your ideas.
Ought to You Improve to Betaflight 4.6?
On the time of writing, Betaflight 4.6 continues to be in pre-release. Which means:
- There should be bugs.
- Some deliberate options and enhancements won’t be absolutely carried out.
- You’ll must arrange your flight controller from scratch—it’s not advisable to revive your 4.5 settings on account of potential incompatibilities.
If you happen to get pleasure from experimenting with the most recent options and don’t thoughts troubleshooting, you’ll be able to check 4.6 now—make sure that to again up your current configuration first.
If you happen to’re proud of how 4.5 performs or wish to be protected, it’s finest to attend for the official launch.
How one can Replace to Betaflight 4.6
Entry Newest Configurator
Each new Betaflight launch requires an up to date Configurator. You should use the latest model for Betaflight 4.6—older variations might trigger compatibility points.
As a substitute of downloading and putting in, the best choice is to make use of the net configurator, which is already up to date to model 11.0: https://app.betaflight.com/
Be aware: Betaflight 4.6 continues to be in pre-release. There could also be bugs, so proceed at your individual danger.
Backup Settings
Again up your flight controller utilizing the Presets tab earlier than updating to Betaflight 4.6. If something goes incorrect, you’ll be able to at all times revert to your earlier state (i.e., flash the earlier firmware then restore the preset).
Another backup methodology is utilizing STM32CubeProg, which backs up your current firmware and configuration in a single file: https://oscarliang.com/backup-fc-stm32cubeprogrammer/
Flashing BF4.6
As a result of BF4.6 continues to be not formally launched but, comply with these further steps:
- Go to the firmware flasher tab.
- Allow the “Present Launch Candidates” choice, and choose “Improvement”.
- Auto-detect your flight controller goal or manually choose the proper one.
- Choose the most recent firmware model, on this case “4.6.0”.
- Beneath Construct Configuration, choose the options and protocols you wish to embrace in your construct. The default ought to work high quality for a quad that makes use of ExpressLRS/Crossfire. If you wish to study extra concerning the means of flashing, see this detailed tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/flash-update-betaflight/. If you happen to intent to make use of Magnetometer (compass) make sure that to pick out it within the choices in any other case it gained’t work.
If you happen to encounter any points whereas flashing, check with my FC driver troubleshooting. One widespread downside with new flight controllers is failing to enter DFU mode: https://oscarliang.com/fc-driver-issues-flash-firmware/
Last Ideas
Betaflight 4.6 delivers enhancements for each sort of pilot—whether or not you race, fly cinematic FPV, go long-range, freestyle, or fly mounted wings. Whereas it could not transform flight efficiency, the GPS options and utility upgrades stand out as essentially the most thrilling. I can’t wait to check Betaflight 4.6 on my quads!
