QACRO mode pitch rate

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ACRO_RP_RATE.

Please refer to the ACRO_RP_RATE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QACRO mode roll rate

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ACRO_RP_RATE.

Please refer to the ACRO_RP_RATE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QACRO mode yaw rate

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ACRO_Y_RATE.

Please refer to the ACRO_Y_RATE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Maximum Tilt Angle (Q_ANGLE_MAX)

Description

Q_ANGLE_MAX sets the "Lean Limit" of your QuadPlane while it is in a hover mode.

If you push the stick all the way to the side, the drone will tilt over until it hits this limit and then stop. This prevents the drone from flipping over or losing too much vertical thrust.

The Engineer's View

Defined in quadplane.cpp.
This parameter is used by the AC_AttitudeControl library specifically for VTOL modes. It is separate from the fixed-wing LIM_PITCH_MAX/MIN and LIM_ROLL_CD parameters.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 3000 (30 degrees).
• Recommendation: Set to 30-45 degrees.
• High Performance: If you need to move fast in QLOITER or buck high winds, increase this to 4500 (45 degrees).

QuadPlane Approach Distance (Q_APPROACH_DIST)

Description

Q_APPROACH_DIST sets the "Braking Zone" for autonomous VTOL landings.

As the plane flies towards the landing spot at cruise speed, it needs to slow down and start the VTOL motors. This parameter tells the plane how far out it should start that process.

• 0 (Default): The plane uses a calculated distance based on its current speed and Q_TRANSITION_MS.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Recommendation: Set to 50-100m if you want consistent, repeatable landing paths.

QuadPlane Assist Altitude (Q_ASSIST_ALT)

Description

Q_ASSIST_ALT is a safety net for landing.

If the plane drops below this altitude (e.g., 30 meters), the VTOL motors will "wake up" and assist if the airspeed drops too low. This prevents the plane from stalling near the ground during a fixed-wing approach.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 30m to 50m if you are flying manual approaches and want a safety backup.

QuadPlane Assist Angle (Q_ASSIST_ANGLE)

Description

Q_ASSIST_ANGLE is an emergency "Uprighting" mechanism.

If the plane tilts past this angle (e.g., 60 degrees) while in a fixed-wing mode, the VTOL motors will immediately engage to level the aircraft. This is useful for recovering from a stall or a pilot mistake.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 60 for large, slow-rolling planes. Set to 0 for aerobatic planes that are intended to fly at extreme angles.
• Safety: This can save an airframe during a high-speed stall where the control surfaces have lost authority.

QuadPlane Assist Delay (Q_ASSIST_DELAY)

Description

Q_ASSIST_DELAY filters out momentary noise.

If the airspeed drops below Q_ASSIST_SPEED for just a split second (e.g., due to a sensor glitch or a gust of wind), we don't want the loud VTOL motors to scream to life immediately. This parameter ensures the low speed condition is real.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.5 seconds.
• Recommendation: Leave at 0.5.

QuadPlane Assist Options (Q_ASSIST_OPTIONS)

Description

Q_ASSIST_OPTIONS toggles advanced behaviors for the VTOL safety net.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Bit 0: Disable assistance during fixed-wing takeoff.
• Bit 1: Disable assistance during fixed-wing landing.
• Bit 2: Enable assistance even in Manual/Stabilize modes (Standard is only for assisted modes like FBWA).

QuadPlane Assist Speed (Q_ASSIST_SPEED)

Description

Q_ASSIST_SPEED is the primary stall prevention mechanism for QuadPlanes.

If the airspeed drops below this value while in a fixed-wing mode (like FBWA or AUTO), the VTOL motors will spin up to provide lift and thrust, preventing a stall.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 1-2 m/s above your stall speed.
• Example: If your plane stalls at 10 m/s, set Q_ASSIST_SPEED to 12.

QuadPlane Autotune Aggressiveness (Q_AUTOTUNE_AGGR)

Description

Q_AUTOTUNE_AGGR tells the autotuner how "twitchy" you want the final tune to be.

• 0.05 (Soft): Very smooth, slow response. Good for aerial photography and large, flexible frames.
• 0.1 (Medium): Good all-around performance.
• 0.15 (Sharp): Very aggressive. Good for small, rigid frames. Risk of oscillation if the frame isn't stiff enough.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.1
• Recommendation: Start at 0.075 or 0.1.

QuadPlane Autotune Axes (Q_AUTOTUNE_AXES)

Description

Q_AUTOTUNE_AXES selects which parts of the drone the Autotuner will wiggle and measure.

• Bit 0 (1): Roll
• Bit 1 (2): Pitch
• Bit 2 (4): Yaw

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 7 (All Axes).
• Recommendation: If you have a fragile airframe or limited battery, tune one axis at a time.
  • Set to 1 (Roll only), fly, land, save.
  • Set to 2 (Pitch only), fly, land, save.
  • Set to 4 (Yaw only), fly, land, save.

QuadPlane Autotune Minimum D (Q_AUTOTUNE_MIN_D)

Description

Q_AUTOTUNE_MIN_D prevents the autotuner from creating a sloppy, undamped tune.

Sometimes, a noisy frame tricks the autotuner into thinking the D-gain (Damping) is causing vibration, so it reduces D to near zero. This results in a drone that wobbles uncontrollably. This parameter sets a "floor" that the D-gain cannot drop below.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.001
• Recommendation: Leave at default unless you have extremely noisy motors.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ACCEL_P_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_ACCEL_P_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ACCEL_R_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_ACCEL_R_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ACCEL_Y_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_ACCEL_Y_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Angle Boost

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ANGLE_BOOST.

Please refer to the ATC_ANGLE_BOOST documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Angle Limit (to maintain altitude) Time Constant

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ANG_LIM_TC.

Please refer to the ATC_ANG_LIM_TC documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ANG_PIT_P.

Please refer to the ATC_ANG_PIT_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ANG_RLL_P.

Please refer to the ATC_ANG_RLL_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_ANG_YAW_P.

Please refer to the ATC_ANG_YAW_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Attitude control input time constant

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_INPUT_TC.

Please refer to the ATC_INPUT_TC documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Landed pitch gain multiplier

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_LAND_P_MULT.

Please refer to the ATC_LAND_P_MULT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Landed roll gain multiplier

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_LAND_R_MULT.

Please refer to the ATC_LAND_R_MULT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Landed yaw gain multiplier

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_LAND_Y_MULT.

Please refer to the ATC_LAND_Y_MULT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Rate Feedforward Enable

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RATE_FF_ENAB.

Please refer to the ATC_RATE_FF_ENAB documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RATE_P_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RATE_P_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RATE_R_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RATE_R_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RATE_Y_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RATE_Y_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_D.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_D_FF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_D_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_FF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID D term filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_FLTD.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_FLTD documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_FLTE.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_FLTE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_FLTT.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_FLTT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_I.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_I documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_IMAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_IMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_NEF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_NEF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_NTF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_NTF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_P.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PD sum maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_PDMX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_PDMX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Pitch Axis Rate Slew Rate Limit (Q_A_RAT_PIT_SMAX)

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_PIT_SMAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_PIT_SMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_D.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_D_FF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_D_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_FF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID D term filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_FLTD.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_FLTD documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_FLTE.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_FLTE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_FLTT.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_FLTT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_I.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_I documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_IMAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_IMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_NEF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_NEF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_NTF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_NTF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_P.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PD sum maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_PDMX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_PDMX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Roll Axis Rate Slew Rate Limit (Q_A_RAT_RLL_SMAX)

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_RLL_SMAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_RLL_SMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_D.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_D_FF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_D_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_FF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID D term filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_FLTD.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_FLTD documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_FLTE.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_FLTE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_FLTT.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_FLTT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_I.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_I documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_IMAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_IMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_NEF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_NEF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_NTF.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_NTF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_P.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PD sum maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_PDMX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_PDMX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Yaw Axis Rate Slew Rate Limit (Q_A_RAT_YAW_SMAX)

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_RAT_YAW_SMAX.

Please refer to the ATC_RAT_YAW_SMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Yaw target slew rate

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_SLEW_YAW.

Please refer to the ATC_SLEW_YAW documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Throttle-gain boost

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_THR_G_BOOST.

Please refer to the ATC_THR_G_BOOST documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Throttle Mix Manual

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_THR_MIX_MAN.

Please refer to the ATC_THR_MIX_MAN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_THR_MIX_MAX.

Please refer to the ATC_THR_MIX_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Throttle Mix Minimum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter ATC_THR_MIX_MIN.

Please refer to the ATC_THR_MIX_MIN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Back Transition Time (Q_BACKTRANS_MS)

Description

Q_BACKTRANS_MS sets how long the drone spends decelerating and mixing controls when switching from Plane mode to Copter mode (e.g., when you switch to QHOVER while flying fast).

A smoother transition gives the VTOL motors time to spin up before the wing loses lift.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 3000 ms (3 seconds).
• Recommendation: Set to 3000-5000 for smooth stops.

Back Transition Pitch Limit (Q_BCK_PIT_LIM)

Description

Q_BCK_PIT_LIM prevents the drone from pointing its nose too high into the air while trying to slow down.

When you transition from a "Plane" to a "Copter," the autopilot pitches up to use the wings as airbrakes. This parameter ensures the pitch isn't so extreme that the drone stalls violently or flips.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 30 degrees.
• Recommendation: Leave at 30. If your plane decelerates too slowly, you can increase this to 45.

Enable QuadPlane (Q_ENABLE)

Description

Q_ENABLE transforms a standard ArduPlane installation into a QuadPlane.

When enabled, the autopilot allocates memory for the multicopter flight controllers (Attitude, Position, Motors) and mixes the output of vertical lift motors with the forward flight control surfaces.

• 0: Disable. The aircraft flies as a standard fixed-wing plane.
• 1: Enable. QuadPlane features are active. You can switch between VTOL modes (QLoiter, QHover) and Fixed-Wing modes (FBWA, Auto).
• 2: Enable VTOL AUTO. Same as 1, but forces AUTO missions to default to VTOL behavior unless specified otherwise.

The Engineer's View

Defined in ArduPlane/quadplane.cpp.
Changing this parameter triggers a massive reallocation of internal objects (Motors, PID controllers, WPNav) during the next boot.
Reboot Required: You MUST reboot the flight controller after changing this parameter for the VTOL motors to function.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled)
• Recommendation: Set to 1 for any hybrid VTOL aircraft.
• Safety: Ensure your frame configuration (Q_FRAME_CLASS, Q_FRAME_TYPE) is set correctly before plugging in the battery after enabling this.

QuadPlane ESC Calibration (Q_ESC_CAL)

Description

Q_ESC_CAL allows you to calibrate the vertical lift motors without affecting the forward pusher motor.

Tuning & Behavior

• 0 (Disabled): Normal operation.
• 1 (Enabled): On next boot, the VTOL motors will pass-through the throttle stick for calibration (High/Low endpoint setting). The forward motor will remain safe.

QuadPlane Frame Class (Q_FRAME_CLASS)

Description

Q_FRAME_CLASS tells the autopilot how many vertical lift motors you have and how they are arranged. This corresponds exactly to the FRAME_CLASS used in ArduCopter.

• 1: Quad. 4 Motors in a square/rectangle. (Standard QuadPlane).
• 2: Hexa. 6 Motors.
• 3: Octa. 8 Motors.
• 7: Tri. 3 Motors (Tricopter layout).
• 10: Tailsitter. (Duo/Quad). The entire plane sits vertically on its tail for takeoff.

The Engineer's View

Used to initialize the AP_Motors matrix.
For Tilt-Rotors (like the V-22 Osprey or Convergence), you typically select the class that matches the number of rotors (e.g., Tri for a Convergence), and then use Q_TILT_MASK to define which ones can tilt.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 1 (Quad)
• Reboot Required: Yes.
• Safety: If set incorrectly (e.g., Hexa on a Quad), the motor mixing will be wrong, likely causing an immediate flip on takeoff.

QuadPlane Frame Type (Q_FRAME_TYPE)

Description

Q_FRAME_TYPE specifies the geometry of the frame class selected in Q_FRAME_CLASS.

• 1: X (Default). Motors are at 45 degrees to the nose. (Standard for almost all QuadPlanes).
• 0: Plus (+). Motors are at 0/90/180/270 degrees.
• 2: V.
• 3: H. H-frame quad.

The Engineer's View

Used by AP_MotorsMatrix to populate the roll/pitch/yaw factors for each motor output.
Most QuadPlanes use an X configuration because it keeps the propellers out of the camera view and allows the fuselage to pass between the rotors.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 1 (X)
• Recommendation: Leave at 1 for standard builds.
• Reboot Required: Yes.

Pilot Manual Forward Throttle (Q_FWD_MANTHR_MAX)

Description

Q_FWD_MANTHR_MAX allows the pilot to "Gas it" while hovering.

If you have a dedicated slider or knob on your transmitter mapped to the forward motor, this parameter sets the maximum power that slider can command while the drone is in a VTOL mode.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 100% if you want full manual authority over the pusher motor for repositioning the drone quickly in QHOVER.

QuadPlane Forward Pitch Limit (Q_FWD_PIT_LIM)

Description

Q_FWD_PIT_LIM restricts how much the nose can dip when Q_FWD_THR_USE is active.

Since the forward motor is doing the work of fighting the wind, the drone doesn't need to tilt much. Keeping the fuselage level (near 0 pitch) reduces drag and makes the drone more stable.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 5 degrees.
• Recommendation: Keep small (3-8 degrees).

QuadPlane Forward Throttle Gain (Q_FWD_THR_GAIN)

Description

Q_FWD_THR_GAIN determines how aggressively the forward motor spins up when the drone tilts forward in QLOITER.

If Q_FWD_THR_USE is enabled, this parameter translates the "tilt demand" (e.g., 5 degrees nose down) into a throttle percentage for the pusher prop.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.5
• Recommendation: Increase until the drone holds position in wind without needing to pitch down excessively.

QuadPlane Forward Throttle Use (Q_FWD_THR_USE)

Description

Q_FWD_THR_USE allows the forward pusher motor to help the drone hold position against strong winds while in a hover mode.

• 0 (Disabled): The forward motor is off in VTOL modes.
• 1 (Position Hold): The forward motor is used to fight headwind in QLOITER/QLAND.
• 2 (Distance): Used for position hold and to speed up travel to waypoints in VTOL modes.

The Engineer's View

If enabled, the position controller calculates a pitch demand. If the pitch demand is "nose down" (fight wind or move forward), the mixer allocates some of that demand to the forward motor instead of just pitching the quadcopter rotors. This keeps the fuselage level and efficient.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 1 if you fly in windy conditions. It significantly improves position holding capability.

QuadPlane Fixed-Wing Landing Approach Radius (Q_FW_LND_APR_RAD)

Description

Q_FW_LND_APR_RAD defines the tightness of the turn when lining up for a runway landing.

If set to 0, it uses WP_LOITER_RAD.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

Enable VTOL in GUIDED mode (Q_GUIDED_MODE)

Description

Q_GUIDED_MODE determines how the QuadPlane behaves when receiving "Fly To" commands from a Ground Control Station (GCS) or companion computer.

• 0: Disabled (Fixed Wing). The plane flies to the guided waypoint as a fixed-wing aircraft and circles (loiters) around it. It does not use the vertical lift motors.
• 1: Enabled (VTOL). The plane flies to the guided waypoint. Once it arrives, it transitions to VTOL mode and hovers stationary at the target coordinates.

The Engineer's View

Used in ModeGuided::update().
If enabled, the vehicle will execute a DO_VTOL_TRANSITION automatically upon reaching the target radius. This is essential for "Drone-in-a-box" applications where the vehicle must precisely hover over a landing pad or delivery point.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0
• Recommendation:
  • Mapping/Surveillance: Keep at 0 to save battery (circling is much more efficient than hovering).
  • Delivery/Precision Inspection: Set to 1 to allow precise hovering at the target.

QuadPlane Land Altitude Change (Q_LAND_ALTCHG)

Description

Q_LAND_ALTCHG allows the drone to descend while it is traveling horizontally toward the landing spot.

• 0 (Default): The drone flies at Q_RTL_ALT to above the home point, stops, then descends vertically. Safe but slow.
• 1 (Enabled): The drone descends on a diagonal path. Faster, but requires clear airspace.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

Q_LAND_FINAL_ALT: QuadPlane Land Final Altitude

Description

The altitude (in meters) where the QuadPlane switches to its final descent speed.

Description

Q_LAND_FINAL_ALT is the VTOL equivalent of LAND_ALT_LOW.

When the QuadPlane descends to this height, it slows down to Q_LAND_FINAL_SPD to ensure a soft touchdown.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 6 meters.
• Recommendation: Increase to 10-15m for heavy aircraft to give the vertical velocity controller more time to stabilize before contact.

QuadPlane Land Final Speed (Q_LAND_FINAL_SPD)

Description

Q_LAND_FINAL_SPD is the "Touchdown Velocity."

• 0.5 (Default): 0.5 m/s. Safe for most skids and wheels.
• 0.3: Very gentle.
• 1.0: Firm landing.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.5 m/s.
• Recommendation: If you land on uneven ground, keep this low. If you land on a moving boat, you might need it higher to "stick" the landing.

QuadPlane Land ICE Cut (Q_LAND_ICE_CUT)

Description

Q_LAND_ICE_CUT automatically kills the gas engine during the final stage of a vertical landing.

This prevents the propeller from striking the ground if the plane tips over, and stops the engine from idling on the ground.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 2 meters to cut the engine just before touchdown.

QuadPlane Loiter Horizontal Acceleration (Q_LOIT_ACCEL)

Description

Q_LOIT_ACCEL controls how quickly the QuadPlane speeds up and slows down in QLOITER mode.

• Higher values make the drone feel "snappy" and responsive to stick inputs.
• Lower values make the movement feel smooth and cinematic.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 250 cm/s/s.
• Recommendation: Set between 200 and 500.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter LOIT_ACC_MAX.

Please refer to the LOIT_ACC_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter LOIT_ANG_MAX.

Please refer to the LOIT_ANG_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Loiter braking acceleration

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter LOIT_BRK_ACCEL.

Please refer to the LOIT_BRK_ACCEL documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Loiter brake start delay (in seconds)

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter LOIT_BRK_DELAY.

Please refer to the LOIT_BRK_DELAY documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Loiter braking jerk

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter LOIT_BRK_JERK.

Please refer to the LOIT_BRK_JERK documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QLoiter mode options (Q_LOIT_OPTIONS)

Description

Q_LOIT_OPTIONS modifies the behavior of the QuadPlane QLOITER (VTOL Loiter) flight mode.

• Bit 0 (1): Allow QLoiter to hold position without GPS (using Optical Flow or other non-GPS sources).

The Mathematics

$$ \text{Behavior} = \sum 2^i \cdot b\_i $$

The Engineer's View

Used in QuadPlane::mode_qloiter logic.
If Bit 0 is set, the strict check for a 3D GPS lock is relaxed, allowing the vehicle to enter and maintain QLOITER using alternative position sources like Optical Flow or Visual Odometry.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Require GPS)
• Recommendation:
  • GPS Flight: Leave at 0.
  • Indoor/Non-GPS Flight: Set to 1 if you have a valid Optical Flow or VIO setup and want to loiter.

QuadPlane Loiter Horizontal Speed (Q_LOIT_SPEED)

Description

Q_LOIT_SPEED determines how fast the QuadPlane can move sideways or forwards while in QLOITER mode.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 1250 cm/s (12.5 m/s).
• Recommendation: Set based on your desired cruise speed in hover.

MAVLink type identifier (Q_MAV_TYPE)

Description

Q_MAV_TYPE tells your Ground Control Station (GCS) what icon to display for your vehicle.

• 0: AUTO (Default). ArduPilot decides based on the frame class (usually reports as "FIXED_WING").
• 20: VTOL_QUADROTOR. Reports as a VTOL QuadPlane.
• 21: VTOL_TILTROTOR. Reports as a Tiltrotor.

The Engineer's View

Some GCS software (like QGroundControl) changes its available flight modes or UI layout based on the reported MAV_TYPE. For example, if reported as "FIXED_WING", QGC might hide the "Takeoff" button slider that is normally present for Copters.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0
• Recommendation: Leave at 0 unless your GCS is not displaying the correct vehicle icon or options.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_BAT_CURR_MAX.

Please refer to the MOT_BAT_CURR_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Motor Current Max Time Constant

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_BAT_CURR_TC.

Please refer to the MOT_BAT_CURR_TC documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Battery compensation index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_BAT_IDX.

Please refer to the MOT_BAT_IDX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_BAT_VOLT_MAX.

Please refer to the MOT_BAT_VOLT_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Battery voltage compensation minimum voltage

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_BAT_VOLT_MIN.

Please refer to the MOT_BAT_VOLT_MIN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Compass1 scale factor

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_BOOST_SCALE.

Please refer to the MOT_BOOST_SCALE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Learn compass offsets automatically

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_HOVER_LEARN.

Please refer to the MOT_HOVER_LEARN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

quadplane options

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_OPTIONS.

Please refer to the MOT_OPTIONS documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_PWM_MAX.

Please refer to the MOT_PWM_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PWM output minimum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_PWM_MIN.

Please refer to the MOT_PWM_MIN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor type

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_PWM_TYPE.

Please refer to the MOT_PWM_TYPE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Motor PWM output disabled when disarmed

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SAFE_DISARM.

Please refer to the MOT_SAFE_DISARM documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Time taken to disable and enable the motor PWM output when disarmed and armed.

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SAFE_TIME.

Please refer to the MOT_SAFE_TIME documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Output slew time for decreasing throttle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SLEW_DN_TIME.

Please refer to the MOT_SLEW_DN_TIME documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Output slew time for increasing throttle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SLEW_UP_TIME.

Please refer to the MOT_SLEW_UP_TIME documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Motor Spin armed

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SPIN_ARM.

Please refer to the MOT_SPIN_ARM documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tiltrotor maximum VTOL angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SPIN_MAX.

Please refer to the MOT_SPIN_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Motor Spin minimum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SPIN_MIN.

Please refer to the MOT_SPIN_MIN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Spool up time

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SPOOL_TIME.

Please refer to the MOT_SPOOL_TIME documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Pressure error coefficient in negative Z direction (down)

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_SPOOL_TIM_DN.

Please refer to the MOT_SPOOL_TIM_DN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Controlled Expo

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_THST_EXPO.

Please refer to the MOT_THST_EXPO documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Thrust Hover Value

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_THST_HOVER.

Please refer to the MOT_THST_HOVER documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Matrix Yaw Min

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_YAW_HEADROOM.

Please refer to the MOT_YAW_HEADROOM documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Tailsitter fixed wing transition angle

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter MOT_YAW_SV_ANGLE.

Please refer to the MOT_YAW_SV_ANGLE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Minimum Navigation Altitude (Q_NAVALT_MIN)

Description

Q_NAVALT_MIN prevents the drone from leaning over to fly to a waypoint while it is still on the ground or taking off.

The drone must climb vertically to this height before it starts moving horizontally toward the first waypoint.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 3 or 5 meters to ensure the drone clears obstacles/grass before tilting.

QuadPlane Options (Q_OPTIONS)

Description

Q_OPTIONS enables specialized behaviors for VTOL flight.

• Bit 0 (1): Level Transitions. Keep wings level during transition (default is to bank).
• Bit 1 (2): Allow taking off in fixed-wing modes (auto-transition).
• Bit 3 (8): Disarm motors in QuadPlane modes on crash detection.
• Bit 5 (32): Thrusters always active in Q modes (for tailsitters).

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Recommendation: Set Bit 16 (65536) to suppress "QuadPlane warnings" if you know what you are doing.

Pilot Vertical Acceleration (Q_PILOT_ACCEL_Z)

Description

Q_PILOT_ACCEL_Z determines how "Snappy" the altitude control feels when you move the throttle stick in VTOL modes (like QHOVER or QLOITER).

It sets the maximum rate at which the vertical velocity can change. A higher value makes the drone react instantly to stick movements, while a lower value makes the climb/descent feel more gradual and "heavy."

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 250 cm/s/s (0.25g).
• High Value (500): Very aggressive, jumpy altitude control.
• Low Value (100): Very smooth, slow transitions between climbing and descending.
• Recommendation: Keep at 250 for a balanced feel.

Pilot Maximum Descent Rate (Q_PILOT_SPD_DN)

Description

Q_PILOT_SPD_DN sets the "Speed Limit" for going down in VTOL modes.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Uses PILOT_SPEED_DN or Q_PILOT_SPD_UP if 0).
• Recommendation: Set to 150-200 cm/s for safe landings. Descending too fast can cause the drone to wobble in its own rotor wash (Vortex Ring State).

Pilot Maximum Climb Rate (Q_PILOT_SPD_UP)

Description

Q_PILOT_SPD_UP sets the "Speed Limit" for going up in VTOL modes.

When you push the throttle stick to the maximum, the drone will climb at exactly this rate. This ensures predictable behavior and prevents the pilot from over-working the lift motors.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 250 cm/s (2.5 m/s).
• Recommendation: Match this to your airframe's power-to-weight ratio. High-power quads can handle 500 or 1000 cm/s.

Pilot Yaw Exponential (Q_PLT_Y_EXPO)

Description

Q_PLT_Y_EXPO makes the yaw stick less sensitive around the center point.

This allows for very fine heading corrections with small stick movements, while still providing full rotation speed at the stick edges.

Tuning & Behavior

• 0: Linear control (same sensitivity everywhere).
• 0.5: Moderate expo.
• Recommendation: Use 0.15 - 0.25 for a natural control feel.

Pilot Commanded Yaw Rate (Q_PLT_Y_RATE)

Description

Q_PLT_Y_RATE sets how fast the drone spins when the pilot pushes the rudder stick.

• 0 (Default): Use Q_YAW_RATE_MAX.
• Value: Override with a specific rate for pilot input.

Pilot Yaw Rate Time Constant (Q_PLT_Y_RATE_TC)

Description

Q_PLT_Y_RATE_TC determines how quickly the drone reaches the commanded yaw speed.

It smooths out the "Start" and "Stop" of a rotation. A higher value makes the drone feel heavier and more graceful, while a lower value makes it feel more responsive and robotic.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.25 seconds.

Angle Max

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ANGLE_MAX.

Please refer to the PSC_ANGLE_MAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_D.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_D_FF.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_D_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_FF.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID D term filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_FLTD.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_FLTD documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_FLTE.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_FLTE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_FLTT.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_FLTT documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_I.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_I documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_IMAX.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_IMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_NEF.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_NEF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Target notch filter index

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_NTF.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_NTF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_P.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PD sum maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_PDMX.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_PDMX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Slew rate limit

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_ACCZ_SMAX.

Please refer to the PSC_ACCZ_SMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_POSZ_P.

Please refer to the PSC_POSZ_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_D.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_FF.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID D term filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_FLTD.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_FLTD documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_FLTE.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_FLTE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_I.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_I documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_IMAX.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_IMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELZ_P.

Please refer to the PSC_VELZ_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_JERK_D.

Please refer to the PSC_JERK_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_POSXY_P.

Please refer to the PSC_POSXY_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Derivative Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_D.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_D documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

FF FeedForward Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_FF.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_FF documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID D term filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_FLTD.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_FLTD documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Error filter frequency in Hz

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_FLTE.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_FLTE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_I.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_I documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Integral Maximum

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_IMAX.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_IMAX documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

PID Proportional Gain

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter PSC_VELXY_P.

Please refer to the PSC_VELXY_P documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

VTOL Motor Update Rate (Q_RC_SPEED)

Description

Q_RC_SPEED determines how fast the flight controller talks to your vertical lift motors.

A higher update rate allows the autopilot to make faster corrections, leading to a much more stable hover, especially in wind.

• 490 Hz: Standard for high-speed PWM ESCs.
• 50 Hz: Legacy analog servos/ESCs.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 490 Hz.
• Recommendation: Leave at 490 Hz for all modern brushless ESCs.
• DShot/CAN: If using DShot or CAN ESCs, this parameter is ignored, as those protocols have their own high-speed timing.

QuadPlane RTL Altitude (Q_RTL_ALT)

Description

Q_RTL_ALT sets the "Safe Height" for the final VTOL descent.

When the plane returns home, it will transition to VTOL mode and climb or descend to this altitude before starting the final vertical landing.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 15 meters.
• Recommendation: Set high enough to clear any trees or obstacles near your landing zone.

QuadPlane RTL Minimum Altitude (Q_RTL_ALT_MIN)

Description

Q_RTL_ALT_MIN ensures the plane doesn't descend too early.

If RTL_ALT (the cruise altitude) is very high, the plane might try to descend steeply to reach Q_RTL_ALT (the landing altitude). This parameter puts a floor on that descent so the plane stays safely above the ground until it is close to home.

Q_RTL_MODE: VTOL RTL mode

Description

Controls whether Return to Launch (RTL) behaves like a plane or a multicopter.

Description

Q_RTL_MODE decides how your QuadPlane comes home when you trigger an RTL (or when failsafe triggers it).

• 0: Disabled (Default). Standard Plane RTL. The aircraft circles the home point at RTL_ALTITUDE. It will NOT land. You must take manual control to land it.
• 1: Enabled (Hybrid). Plane RTL to home. Once within RTL_RADIUS, it switches to VTOL (QRTL) and lands vertically.
• 3: QRTL Always. Immediately switches to VTOL mode and flies home like a multicopter. (Very inefficient for long range!).

The Engineer's View

Option 1 (Hybrid) is the standard "Fire and Forget" safety mode. It uses the efficiency of the wing to get home, then the precision of the quad motors to land.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0
• Recommendation: Set to 1 for autonomous safety.
• Danger: If you set this to 3 and you are 5km away, the drone will try to fly 5km in hover mode. It will likely run out of battery and crash before it gets there.

Tailsitter Transition Angle (Q_TAILSIT_ANGLE)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_ANGLE sets the "Switching Point" during a transition.

As the tailsitter leans forward to gain speed, there is a moment where it stops being a "Drone" and starts being a "Plane." This parameter defines that halfway point.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 45 degrees.
• Recommendation: Set to 45 for most designs. If the plane has a very high stall speed, you might need a higher angle (e.g. 60) to keep the VTOL motors helping for longer.

Tailsitter VT Angle (Q_TAILSIT_ANG_VT)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_ANG_VT sets the "Nose Point" during the initial hover.

Standard tailsitters hover with the nose at 90 degrees (straight up). This parameter allows you to add an offset if your fuselage is naturally tilted or if you want the drone to hover with a slight forward lean.

Tailsitter Disk Loading (Q_TAILSIT_DSKLD)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_DSKLD provides a physical reference for the aerodynamic forces on the rotors.

Disk loading is the weight of the drone divided by the total area of the spinning props. High disk loading (small props on heavy drone) means high-speed propwash, which requires different control surface gains than low disk loading.

Tailsitter Enable (Q_TAILSIT_ENABLE)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_ENABLE activates the specialized physics and control models for Tailsitter aircraft.

A Tailsitter is a VTOL plane that sits on its tail for takeoff and landing. Unlike a standard QuadPlane (which stays horizontal), a Tailsitter must rotate its entire body by 90 degrees to transition between hover and forward flight.

Tuning & Behavior

• 0: Disabled. Standard QuadPlane/Fixed-Wing logic.
• 1: Enabled. Activates 90-degree frame rotation and tailsitter-specific mixing.
• Reboot Required: Yes.

Tailsitter Max Gain Scaling (Q_TAILSIT_GSCMAX)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_GSCMAX defines the upper limit of the gain multiplier. When the plane is hovering (0 airspeed), the surfaces move at their maximum possible deflection to maintain control.

Tailsitter Min Gain Scaling (Q_TAILSIT_GSCMIN)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_GSCMIN is the "Floor" for the gain multiplier. When the plane is flying fast, we reduce the surface movement (gain) to prevent vibration. This parameter ensures we don't reduce it so much that the drone becomes unresponsive.

Tailsitter Gain Scaling Mask (Q_TAILSIT_GSCMSK)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_GSCMSK protects against "Control Surface Flutter" during transitions.

In a hover, there is no airspeed, so the elevons/ailerons must move a lot to tilt the plane. As the plane speeds up, those same large movements would cause the plane to flip or vibrate violently. This parameter tells ArduPilot which surfaces need to be automatically "Dampened" as the plane gets faster.

• Bit 0 (1): Roll
• Bit 1 (2): Pitch
• Bit 2 (4): Yaw

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Recommendation: Usually set to 7 (Roll+Pitch+Yaw) for all tailsitters with control surfaces.

Tailsitter Input Type (Q_TAILSIT_INPUT)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_INPUT defines how the pilot's sticks behave when the plane is standing on its tail (vertical).

• 0 (Body Frame): The sticks follow the drone's perspective. If you push the "Roll" stick, the drone rotates around its own spine, which looks like a "Yaw" spin to someone standing on the ground.
• 1 (Earth Frame): The sticks follow the pilot's perspective. "Roll" always tilts the drone left/right relative to the horizon, regardless of how the drone is rotated.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Recommendation: Most pilots find 1 (Earth Frame) much more intuitive for hovering, as it makes the tailsitter feel like a standard multirotor.

Tailsitter Min VO Speed (Q_TAILSIT_MIN_VO)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_MIN_VO defines the "Blind Speed." Below this airspeed, the autopilot relies entirely on VTOL motors for stabilization because the control surfaces (ailerons/elevons) are not yet effective.

Tailsitter Motor Max Output (Q_TAILSIT_MOTMX)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_MOTMX caps how much work the motors do to keep the plane level, ensuring there is enough power left to keep the plane in the air.

Tailsitter FW Rate (Q_TAILSIT_RAT_FW)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_RAT_FW defines the "Snap" into forward flight.

Once the plane has leaned over enough to gain lift from the wings, this parameter sets how fast it performs the final rotation into the horizontal level position.

Tailsitter Transition Rate (Q_TAILSIT_RAT_VT)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_RAT_VT controls how "Fast" the plane tips over during a transition.

• Low Value (e.g., 20): Very slow, graceful tip-over. Safe but uses more battery.
• High Value (e.g., 60): Aggressive, fast transition. More efficient.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Uses Q_TRANSITION_MS calculation).

Tailsitter Max Roll Rate (Q_TAILSIT_RLL_MX)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_RLL_MX sets the "Sensitivity" of the yaw axis (which becomes body-roll in hover) for tailsitters.

Tailsitter Transition Throttle (Q_TAILSIT_THR_VT)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_THR_VT prevents the plane from trying to fly forward if the motors aren't spinning fast enough to provide lift.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

Tailsitter Vector Forward Gain (Q_TAILSIT_VFGAIN)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_VFGAIN defines how much "Forward Push" the VTOL motors provide while the plane is still mostly vertical.

Tailsitter Vector Handling Gain (Q_TAILSIT_VHGAIN)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_VHGAIN is the "Stiffness" of the hover control for tailsitters.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.5.
• Recommendation: Increase if the tailsitter feels "loose" or "mushy" when trying to stay vertical.

Tailsitter Vector Handling Power (Q_TAILSIT_VHPOW)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_VHPOW sets the "Authority" of the VTOL motors over the fuselage orientation.

Tailsitter VT Pitch P (Q_TAILSIT_VT_P_P)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_VT_P_P is the stiffness of the pitch axis during hover.

Tailsitter VT Roll P (Q_TAILSIT_VT_R_P)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_VT_R_P is the "Stiffness" of the roll axis during hover.

• 0 (Default): Use standard multicopter gains (Q_A_RAT_RLL_P).
• Non-Zero: Overrides the standard gains with this specific value for hover only.

Tailsitter VT Yaw P (Q_TAILSIT_VT_Y_P)

Description

Q_TAILSIT_VT_Y_P is the stiffness of the yaw axis during hover.

Pilot Throttle Exponential (Q_THROTTLE_EXPO)

Description

Q_THROTTLE_EXPO makes the throttle stick less sensitive around the middle (hover) position.

This helps the pilot maintain a steady hover by preventing small accidental stick movements from causing the drone to climb or descend.

Tuning & Behavior

• 0: Linear.
• Recommendation: Match your MOT_THST_EXPO if you want a consistent feel.

Tilt Rotor Enable (Q_TILT_ENABLE)

Description

Q_TILT_ENABLE activates the logic for VTOLs that rotate their motors.

Unlike a standard QuadPlane (which has separate lift and push motors), a Tilt Rotor uses servos to point the motors up for hover and forward for flight.

Tuning & Behavior

• 0: Disabled.
• 1: Enabled.
• Reboot Required: Yes.

Tilt Rotor Fixed Angle (Q_TILT_FIX_ANGLE)

Description

Q_TILT_FIX_ANGLE sets the "Park Position" for the motors.

When you disarm, do you want the motors pointing up (90) to keep props out of the grass, or forward (0) to look streamlined? This parameter controls that behavior.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

Tilt Rotor Fixed Gain (Q_TILT_FIX_GAIN)

Description

Q_TILT_FIX_GAIN is rarely used but allows for softer holding force when parked.

Q_TILT_MASK: Tilt Rotor Mask

Description

A bitmask selecting which motors can tilt to provide forward thrust.

Description

Q_TILT_MASK defines which of your vertical lift motors are capable of rotating forward to fly like a plane.

• 0: None (Standard QuadPlane). Separate lift motors and a separate forward pusher motor.
• Bitmask: Selects specific motors. For example, if Motors 1 and 2 (Front Left/Right) tilt, but the rear motor is fixed, you would select bits 0 and 1 (Value = 3).

The Mathematics

$ \text{Tilt Motors} = \sum 2^{i-1} $
Where $i$ is the motor number (1-based).

• Convergence (Tri): Front two motors tilt. Motor 1 and 2. Value = + 2 = \mathbf{3}$.
• V-22 Osprey (Bicopter): Both motors tilt. Motor 1 and 2. Value = 3.
• Quad Tilt: All 4 motors tilt. Value = 15.

The Engineer's View

Used in Tiltrotor::setup().
If a motor is in this mask, ArduPilot will actuate the corresponding tilt servo (assigned via SERVOx_FUNCTION = 41) to transition the motor from vertical to horizontal as airspeed increases.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0
• Recommendation: Set strictly according to your physical airframe.
• Vectored Yaw: If all lifting motors tilt, you can often use Q_TILT_TYPE to enable "Vectored Yaw," using the tilt servos to steer the plane in hover instead of differential torque.

Tilt Rotor Maximum Angle (Q_TILT_MAX)

Description

Q_TILT_MAX defines the "Up" position for the tilt mechanism.

Usually, this is 90 degrees (vertical) for hover. However, some airframes (like the E-Flite Convergence) might have a different geometry.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 45 degrees.
• Recommendation: Set to 90 for standard tilt-rotors.

Tilt Rotor Rate Down (Q_TILT_RATE_DN)

Description

Q_TILT_RATE_DN controls how fast the motors rotate forward.

This directly affects acceleration. A lower value gives a smoother, more gradual transition.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 10 $deg/s$.
• Recommendation: Keep lower than Q_TILT_RATE_UP to prevent altitude loss during transition.

Tilt Rotor Rate Up (Q_TILT_RATE_UP)

Description

Q_TILT_RATE_UP controls how fast the motors snap to vertical when you switch to QHOVER.

If this is too fast, the plane might balloon up (gain altitude rapidly). If too slow, the plane might stall before the motors can generate lift.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 40 $deg/s$.

Tilt Rotor Type (Q_TILT_TYPE)

Description

Q_TILT_TYPE tells ArduPilot how your tilting mechanism works.

• 0: Continuous. A standard servo that can move smoothly to any angle between 0 and 90.
• 1: Binary. A retract mechanism that only has two positions (Up/Down).
• 2: Vectored Yaw. The tilt servos are also used for yaw control in forward flight (like a V-22 Osprey).

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

Tilt Wing Flap (Q_TILT_WING_FLAP)

Description

Q_TILT_WING_FLAP is for Tilt-Wing aircraft (where the entire wing rotates, not just the motors).

As the wing tilts up, the ailerons become less effective for roll control. This parameter mixes in some "Flap" to increase lift and control authority during the transition.

Tilt Rotor Yaw Angle (Q_TILT_YAW_ANGLE)

Description

Q_TILT_YAW_ANGLE enables "Vectored Yaw" for tilt-rotors.

If your tilt servos are strong enough, you can differential-tilt them (left motor up, right motor down) to yaw the aircraft without using a rudder. This parameter limits how much they can move for this purpose.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 10-15 degrees if your airframe supports it (Requires Q_TILT_TYPE = 2).

QuadPlane Takeoff Airspeed Limit (Q_TKOFF_ARSP_LIM)

Description

Q_TKOFF_ARSP_LIM is a safety check for high-wind operations.

If you try to take off vertically in a hurricane, the wing will generate lift even though you are in Copter mode. This can confuse the controller. This parameter sets a limit: if the airspeed is higher than this value while taking off, the autopilot will restrict how far it leans back (to fight the wind) or abort the takeoff entirely to prevent a loss of control.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 15 m/s if you operate in gusty environments.

QuadPlane Takeoff Failure Scaler (Q_TKOFF_FAIL_SCL)

Description

Q_TKOFF_FAIL_SCL adjusts how long the drone tries to climb before giving up.

If the drone is at full throttle but not gaining altitude (e.g., battery is dead or payload is too heavy), the autopilot will disarm to save the motors. This parameter extends that timeout.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Standard timeout).
• High Value: Allows longer struggle before disarming.

QuadPlane Takeoff RPM Max (Q_TKOFF_RPM_MAX)

Description

Q_TKOFF_RPM_MAX caps the motor speed during launch.

This is useful for noise abatement or to protect fragile props from over-spinning during the high-power takeoff surge.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).

QuadPlane Takeoff RPM Min (Q_TKOFF_RPM_MIN)

Description

Q_TKOFF_RPM_MIN is a safety check for RPM-controlled motors.

The autopilot will not release the landing gear or start the mission until the VTOL motors report at least this speed.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).

Transition time (Q_TRANSITION_MS)

Description

Q_TRANSITION_MS is a safety buffer.

When your QuadPlane accelerates forward, it waits until it reaches ARSPD_FBW_MIN (Minimum Airspeed). Once it hits that speed, the wing should be flying. However, to be safe, the autopilot keeps the VTOL motors running for this extra amount of time to ensure the wing is fully generating lift before shutting them down.

• 5000ms (Default): The quad motors stay on for 5 seconds after reaching minimum airspeed.

The Engineer's View

Used in SLT_Transition::update().
During this phase (TRANSITION_TIMER), the quad motors' throttle is linearly ramped down from hover power to zero. This provides a smooth handoff from rotor-borne lift to wing-borne lift.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 5000 ms
• Recommendation:
  • New Airframes: Keep at 5000 or higher to be safe.
  • Tuned Aircraft: You can reduce this to 2000 or 3000 to save battery and reduce drag during transition.
  • Warning: Setting this too low (e.g., 0) can cause the plane to stall immediately after the transition if the airspeed sensor reading was momentarily noisy or if the wing wasn't truly ready.

QuadPlane Transition Deceleration (Q_TRANS_DECEL)

Description

Q_TRANS_DECEL determines how hard the drone "Brakes" when stopping.

When you switch from FBWA to QHOVER, the plane pitches up to slow down. This parameter sets how aggressively it pitches up.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 2.0 $m/s^2$.
• Higher Value: Faster stop, but the nose will pitch up sharply (Cobra maneuver).
• Lower Value: Smoother, gradual stop, but takes more distance.

QuadPlane Transition Failure Time (Q_TRANS_FAIL)

Description

Q_TRANS_FAIL is a safety timer.

If the plane tries to transition to forward flight but fails to reach the minimum airspeed (e.g. headwind too strong, motor failure), this timer triggers a failsafe action.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 10 seconds for safety.

QuadPlane Transition Failure Action (Q_TRANS_FAIL_ACT)

Description

Q_TRANS_FAIL_ACT decides what to do if Q_TRANS_FAIL triggers.

• 0: Warn only (Text message on GCS).
• 1: QLAND (Immediately land vertically).

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

QuadPlane Transition Pitch Max (Q_TRAN_PIT_MAX)

Description

Q_TRAN_PIT_MAX keeps the nose down during acceleration.

When the pusher motor starts, the plane naturally wants to pitch up. This parameter clamps the pitch angle to ensure the plane stays level and accelerates efficiently.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 3 degrees.
• Recommendation: Increase to 10-15 for faster acceleration if your airframe has plenty of power.

VTOL Pitch Trim (Q_TRIM_PITCH)

Description

Q_TRIM_PITCH defines the "Neutral" attitude in hover.

If your QuadPlane naturally drifts forward while hovering, you can set a small positive trim to tilt the nose up slightly and stay stationary.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 degrees.
• Recommendation: Use this to ensure the drone stays stationary in calm air with zero stick input.

QuadPlane Forward Motor Altitude (Q_VFWD_ALT)

Description

Q_VFWD_ALT prevents the forward pusher motor from spinning up while the drone is still taking off or low to the ground.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Active at all altitudes).
• Recommendation: Set to 3 or 5 meters to ensure the drone is clear of grass and ground personnel before the main propeller starts.

QuadPlane Forward Motor Gain (Q_VFWD_GAIN)

Description

Q_VFWD_GAIN allows the drone to use its "Plane Propeller" to help it stay still in the wind.

Normally, a drone stays still by tilting into the wind. If the wind is very strong, the drone must tilt significantly. This parameter allows the autopilot to spin up the forward-facing motor to push against the wind, allowing the drone to stay more level while hovering.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).
• Recommendation: Set to 0.05 - 0.1 to improve hover stability in high winds.
• Effect: Reduces the pitch angle required to hold position.

Waypoint Acceleration

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_ACCEL.

Please refer to the WPNAV_ACCEL documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Waypoint Cornering Acceleration

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_ACCEL_C.

Please refer to the WPNAV_ACCEL_C documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Waypoint Vertical Acceleration

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_ACCEL_Z.

Please refer to the WPNAV_ACCEL_Z documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Waypoint Jerk

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_JERK.

Please refer to the WPNAV_JERK documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Circular Fence Radius

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_RADIUS.

Please refer to the WPNAV_RADIUS documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Waypoint missions use rangefinder for terrain following

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_RFND_USE.

Please refer to the WPNAV_RFND_USE documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Loiter Horizontal Maximum Speed

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_SPEED.

Please refer to the WPNAV_SPEED documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Waypoint Descent Speed Target

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_SPEED_DN.

Please refer to the WPNAV_SPEED_DN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Waypoint Climb Speed Target

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_SPEED_UP.

Please refer to the WPNAV_SPEED_UP documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

Avoidance distance margin in GPS modes

QuadPlane Note: This parameter configures the VTOL motors/behavior. It functions identically to the standard Copter parameter WPNAV_TER_MARGIN.

Please refer to the WPNAV_TER_MARGIN documentation for detailed tuning instructions.

QuadPlane Weathervane Min Angle (Q_WVANE_ANG_MIN)

Description

Q_WVANE_ANG_MIN creates a "Deadband" for the weathervane logic.

If the wind is only 2 degrees off the nose, you probably don't want the motors to spin up to correct it. This parameter prevents "Hunting" in variable winds.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 1 degree.

QuadPlane Weathervaning Enable (Q_WVANE_ENABLE)

Description

Q_WVANE_ENABLE allows the drone to passively turn its nose into the wind while hovering.

Weathervaning reduces the workload on the roll/pitch motors. By pointing into the wind, the drone is more aerodynamic and uses less battery.

Tuning & Behavior

• 0: Disabled.
• 1: Nose into wind (Yaw only).
• 2: Nose or Tail into wind (Yaw only).
• 3: Nose into wind (Yaw + Roll).
• 4: Nose or Tail into wind (Yaw + Roll).

Recommendation

Use 1 for standard QuadPlanes. Use 0 if you need precise heading control for photography.

QuadPlane Weathervaning Gain (Q_WVANE_GAIN)

Description

Q_WVANE_GAIN determines how aggressively the drone turns to face the wind.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 1.
• High Value: Snappy response, but might oscillate if the wind is gusty.
• Low Value: Slow, gentle turn into the wind.

QuadPlane Weathervane Min Height (Q_WVANE_HGT_MIN)

Description

Q_WVANE_HGT_MIN keeps the heading locked during takeoff.

You generally want the drone to launch straight up without twisting. Once it clears the ground obstacles (e.g. 5 meters up), it is safe to turn into the wind.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Recommendation: Set to 2 or 3 meters.

QuadPlane Weathervane Land (Q_WVANE_LAND)

Description

Q_WVANE_LAND allows the drone to pivot into the wind while descending for a landing.

• 0: Disabled (Maintains approach heading).
• 1: Enabled (Turns into wind).

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.
• Recommendation: Enable this if you fly in strong winds, as landing sideways can tip the drone over.

QuadPlane Weathervane Options (Q_WVANE_OPTIONS)

Description

Q_WVANE_OPTIONS enables specialized behaviors.

• Bit 0: Pitch into wind. Instead of yawing, the drone will pitch its nose down into the wind. This is useful for tailsitters or tilt-rotors that generate lift from their wings even in hover.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

QuadPlane Weathervane Max Speed (Q_WVANE_SPD_MAX)

Description

Q_WVANE_SPD_MAX disables weathervaning if the drone is moving fast.

If you are repositioning the drone (e.g. loitering at 5 m/s), you want it to point in the direction of travel, not the direction of the wind. This parameter ensures the navigation controller has priority over the wind controller when moving.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled/Always Active).
• Recommendation: Set to 1 or 2 m/s.

QuadPlane Weathervane Takeoff (Q_WVANE_TAKEOFF)

Description

Q_WVANE_TAKEOFF allows the drone to yaw into the wind while it is climbing out.

• 0: Disabled (Heading locked until takeoff complete).
• 1: Enabled.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0.

QuadPlane Weathervane Max Vertical Speed (Q_WVANE_VELZ_MAX)

Description

Q_WVANE_VELZ_MAX prevents yawing during fast climbs or descents.

If you are rocketing up to altitude, you usually want to keep the heading locked. This parameter disables the wind-turning logic if the vertical speed exceeds the threshold.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 0 (Disabled).

Maximum Yaw Rate (Q_YAW_RATE_MAX)

Description

Q_YAW_RATE_MAX sets the "Spin Speed" limit.

It determines how fast the drone will rotate when you push the yaw stick to the full deflection.

Tuning & Behavior

• Default Value: 90 $deg/s$.
• High Value (180+): Very fast rotation. Good for agile maneuvers but can cause EKF issues if the compass cannot keep up.
• Low Value (45): Slow, scale-like rotation.
• Recommendation: 90 $deg/s$ is a safe and standard limit.