Betaflight 4.6 is shaping as much as be one of the crucial feature-rich updates in latest reminiscence. Though it’s nonetheless in pre-release on the time of writing, most of the new options and enhancements have already confirmed to work effectively for early adopters. Let’s break down the most important updates you may count on on this model—and whether or not it’s price 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—much like how a DJI Mavic behaves.
This places Betaflight nearer to what iNav provides when it comes to 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 is strongly recommended for higher accuracy.
- Auto-Touchdown: A brand new characteristic that helps with hands-free landings.
- GPS Rescue Enhancements: Higher altitude management and return conduct.
Ought to I write a tutorial on 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 indicators (oscillations) to at least one axis at a time, first roll, then pitch, then yaw—when you can nonetheless fly usually. It begins sluggish and steadily accelerates, letting Betaflight see how your drone reacts at completely different speeds.
It will generate constant Blackbox knowledge for evaluation, and can make it easier 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. However it’s cool to know your firmware can do automated “in-flight testing” now as an alternative of solely guide stick waggling.
Turtle Mode Enhancements
This replace makes turtle mode (flip-over-after-crash) smarter and safer—particularly for highly effective quads that are likely to over-flip or slam into the bottom when making an attempt to show upright.
- Controls the flip pace so that you don’t over-rotate.
- Stops the motors robotically as quickly as you’ve flipped upright, saving your ESCs and motors from injury.
- Permits you to immediately resume flying after a profitable flip with out doing a full disarm/re-arm, helps you get better 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 purple to inexperienced.
- Exhibits the battery proportion in a loading bar fashion. Goes from inexperienced to purple relying on the battery stage.
- Change shade based mostly 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): Routinely begins a timer when launch mode is activated—excellent 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 further filtering to take care of noise. https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14150
- Rangefinder & Optical Circulation Help: Betaflight will assist rangefinders and optical movement sensors, enabling correct altitude maintain near the bottom—splendid for exact indoor or low-level outside flying.
Enhanced Mounted-Wing Help
There are a bunch of latest options added for wings, which makes Betaflight an actual contender for high-performance wing plane. I received’t go into all the main points, however a few of the new options embody:
- S-Time period and Management Floor Compensation (https://github.com/betaflight/betaflight/pull/14010): A brand new management enter for dealing with servo throw based mostly on airspeed.
- TPA Primarily based on Airspeed: As a substitute of throttle enter, TPA (Throttle PID Attenuation) can now scale PID positive aspects based mostly on precise GPS-derived pace. Nice for dealing with gusty winds at excessive speeds.
- Degree-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 total checklist, 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 may not be totally applied.
- You’ll must arrange your flight controller from scratch—it’s not really helpful to revive your 4.5 settings as a consequence of doable incompatibilities.
In the event you take pleasure in experimenting with the newest options and don’t thoughts troubleshooting, you may check 4.6 now—make certain to again up your present configuration first.
In the event you’re proud of how 4.5 performs or wish to be secure, it’s finest to attend for the official launch.
Find out how to Replace to Betaflight 4.6
Entry Newest Configurator
Each new Betaflight launch requires an up to date Configurator. You need to use the most recent model for Betaflight 4.6—older variations might trigger compatibility points.
As a substitute of downloading and putting in, the simplest choice is to make use of the web 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 personal danger.
Backup Settings
Again up your flight controller utilizing the Presets tab earlier than updating to Betaflight 4.6. If something goes flawed, you may all the time revert to your earlier state (i.e., flash the earlier firmware then restore the preset).
Another backup technique is utilizing STM32CubeProg, which backs up your present 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, observe these extra 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 newest firmware model, on this case “4.6.0”.
- Beneath Construct Configuration, choose the options and protocols you wish to embody in your construct. The default ought to work effective for a quad that makes use of ExpressLRS/Crossfire. If you wish to study extra concerning the strategy of flashing, see this detailed tutorial: https://oscarliang.com/flash-update-betaflight/. In the event you intent to make use of Magnetometer (compass) make certain to pick out it within the choices in any other case it received’t work.
In the event you encounter any points whereas flashing, confer with my FC driver troubleshooting. One widespread drawback with new flight controllers is failing to enter DFU mode: https://oscarliang.com/fc-driver-issues-flash-firmware/
Closing Ideas
Betaflight 4.6 delivers enhancements for each kind of pilot—whether or not you race, fly cinematic FPV, go long-range, freestyle, or fly fastened wings. Whereas it might not seriously change flight efficiency, the GPS options and utility upgrades stand out as essentially the most thrilling. I can not wait to check Betaflight 4.6 on my quads!
