I’ve only recently started with FPV. I bought a mode 2 transmitter, a FlySky i6x.
However using it with a simulator in Angle/Stabilised mode I found it difficult to use. I read somewhere that Mode 3 was quite popular in the UK whereas Americans liked Mode 2. So I switched over the gimbals in the transmitter case to use Mode 3 and it’s been working just fine since.
Anyway, now I’ve been trying to learn to fly in Acro mode I’ve been finding it a little odd. Maybe because all the videos I’ve been watching have been using Mode 2, or maybe something else. I’m not sure. Anyway, I’m wondering whether I should switch back over to Mode 2.
In addition, just in case I ever use someone else’s drone, or someone else uses mine, then I guess I should learn to use the mode that is generally used in the UK. Was that note I found correct and people use Mode 3 this side of the Atlantic, or is Mode 2 more popular?
I also use mode 3 but I think I’m very much in the minority. I did toy with switching when I started FPV, but I already had a few months of muscle memory flying my DJI Mini in mode 3 (because it was very easy to switch), so I really struggled with mode 2.
I did have a quick go with one of @notveryprettyboy 's quads at the Big Meet and despite it being a mode 2 controller it wasn’t as dreadful as I was expecting, but ultimately mode 3 is now far too ingrained to try switching.
Mode 2 is by far the most common but like what @Earwig said its personal preference and what ever you feel more comfortable with. But you are correct in thinking it will limit you when it comes to flying other peoples quads or letting others fly yours for say fault finding purposes. I fly mode 2 myself.
I spent approximately the first 5 hours in LiftOff on the very edge of giving up, because it was stupidly difficult and I was clearly never going to get it. I should add that I started in full Acro. But persistence and a little more time and it suddenly came together.
Looking cool. I’m not there yet…
I have some control, but really struggle at low heights and velocities.
My real drone is a 2" tiny whoop I made myself (3D printed). I’m not sure what the characteristics really are. But it does fly. I just changed to some different props, from “4 blade Cyclone 2035” to “Azure 2035 Tri Blade” and that made one hell of a difference to the controllability. I did try “Hulkie 2040 3 blade” in between and they were awful!
I just flashed the firmware from BF 3.2.0 to 4.2.0 as well. That may make quite a difference. I’ve set the PID loop to 8kHz and ESC to DSHOT600 as suggested for the F405 it’s running.
My son is also learning to fly with the same drone. I’m not sure he’s that happy I’ve switched the mode over, but I’m sure he’ll thank me for it, lol.
I’m on the way to building a 3" drone as well. Again I’ll 3D print the lot. Thinking about configurations. I just need the ESC to arrive!
This sort of talk is still just noise to me. I really need to put some time into properly learning, especially as I am making heavy weather of getting my GEPRC Crocodile Baby in the air.
Being a computer and electronics geek, firmware, PID loops, etc, makes sense to me.
But there’s a hell of a lot of “noise” for me in the whole PID tuning parameters stuff.
Although I did do a whole course on control loops at Uni, the terminology used in betaflight is very complex indeed!
So… inverted mode. It makes sense in FPS because you’re using a mouse and you are directly controlling the absolute pitch angle (like angle mode in FPV).
However in ACRO mode you’re changing the Rate of Change of pitch (hence “rate” mode), like a normal aircraft so non-inverted makes far more sense.
Oh… and I probably would have stuck with Mode 2 if I’d been flying in Acro Trainer mode to learn rather than Angle mode. You have to use both sticks to do a co-ordinated turn…
And anyway why did nobody tell me about the genius of Acro Trainer?!!!
I really need to put some time into properly learning, especially as I am making heavy weather of getting my GEPRC Crocodile Baby in the air.