20
MARS
QUADCOPTER OPERATOR’S MANUAL
USiNG ThE GPS fLiGhT MODE
GPS fLiGhT MODE wARNiNGS
Please read and understand the warnings in this section prior to flying your quadcopter using the GPS Flight Mode.
Failure to follow these warnings can result in erratic performance or worse, a crash.
• When your LiPo battery is plugged in and the gyros and flight controller have been initialized, the quadcopter will
automatically attempt to acquire a GPS lock. Please observe the following:
• The quadcopter should have a clear view to the sky. There should be no trees, buildings or other obstructions
nearby that could affect the ability to receive a GPS signal.
• Cloud cover can affect the GPS signal. The GPS works best when the sky is clear.
• The quadcopter may need to be placed in a hover about 10 feet off the ground to help acquire a GPS lock.
• In some cases it can take up to two minutes or more to acquire a GPS lock.
• The GPS must be locked (LED Condition Indicator flashing all Green) for the GPS Flight Mode to function. The
GPS will not function if there is no GPS lock (LED Condition Indicator flashing Red and Green).
• The quadcopter is not an autonomous drone. You must pay careful attention and fly it at all times.
• When in the GPS Flight Mode, if at any time the quadcopter seems to be flying unusually or you feel there is a
problem, switch to the Manual Flight Mode and take over the flight controls.
• Do not use the GPS Flight Mode until you’ve manually flown the quadcopter to the desired altitude and position
and stabilized it in that spot. Only then should you switch to the GPS Flight Mode.
• When flying in the GPS Flight Mode, never pull the throttle control stick below the 10% throttle position or the
quadcopter can flip over and crash. For more information, see the notations in the GPS Flight Mode Flying Tips
section below and in the Flying Using the GPS Flight Mode section on the next page.
• Before switching to the GPS Flight Mode, you must manually fly the quadcopter (using the Manual Flight Mode)
to the desired altitude and position and place it in a stable hover. Only after the quadcopter is stable should you
switch to the GPS Flight Mode.
• When flying in the GPS Flight Mode, the throttle control stick must be at the 50% (half throttle) position to activate
the Altitude Hold function (Auto-Hover) and the right control stick must be centered to activate the Position Hold
function.
Remember, there will be no Position Hold if you’ve programmed Manual Set Altitude to the Flight Mode
Switch GPS Mode (2) Position. For more information, see the Autopilot Configuration Programming section
on pages 23 through 26.
• The GPS Flight Mode is designed to keep the quadcopter in the
same general position, but you can use the control sticks to move
the quadcopter to a different altitude or to a different position, even
with the Altitude Hold and Position Hold functions active.
• When in the GPS Flight Mode, control stick sensitivity will be
reduce by about half, ensuring smooth operation while taking
photos and video.
• If you want to move the quadcopter to a different location that is
far away, we recommend you switch to the Manual Flight Mode,
then switch back to the GPS Flight Mode once you position the
quadcopter in the new location.
GPS fLiGhT MODE fLyiNG TiPS
wHILE IN THE GPS FLIGHT MODE, YOU SHOULD NEVER PULL
THE THROTTLE CONTROL STICK BELOw THE 10% THROTTLE
POSITION OR THE QUADCOPTER CAN FLIP OVER AND CRASH.
100%
50%
10%
Throttle Control Stick
GPS Flight Mode
Control Range
Climb
Auto-Hover
Descend
Warning - Crash!
If the quadcopter loses its GPS lock while flying in the GPS Mode, it may start to drift, it may or it may even begin
to lose power and altitude. In extreme cases, the motors may shut off. Pay attention to the quadcopter at all
times! If at any time the quadcopter seems to be flying unusually or you feel there is a problem, switch to the
Manual Flight Mode and take over the flight controls.
