Manual flight modes give you direct or near-direct control of the vehicle with varying degrees of autopilot assistance. These modes require no GPS and work entirely from IMU data (and, for some modes, barometric altitude). Choosing between them comes down to how much stabilization you want the autopilot to provide and how precisely you want stick inputs to translate into vehicle motion. PX4 offers three distinct manual-class modes: Stabilized, which levels the vehicle when sticks are centered; Acro (rate mode), which controls rotation rates with no automatic leveling; and Manual (fixed-wing only), which passes stick inputs through with full attitude control handed to the pilot.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
How autopilot assistance differs by mode
| Mode | Vehicle | Roll/Pitch sticks control | Sticks centered → | Altitude held |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stabilized | Multicopter | Attitude angle | Vehicle levels itself | No |
| Stabilized | Fixed-wing | Attitude angle | Vehicle levels itself | No |
| Acro | Multicopter | Angular rotation rate | Vehicle stops rotating, holds orientation | No |
| Manual | Fixed-wing | Direct control surface deflection | Depends on trim | No |
None of these modes hold horizontal position or altitude automatically. Altitude and position hold require Altitude mode or Position mode respectively.
Stabilized mode
- Multicopter
- Fixed-wing
In Stabilized mode, your roll and pitch stick deflection commands an attitude angle — how far the vehicle tilts from level. The autopilot continuously drives the actual attitude toward the commanded angle, so the vehicle levels itself when you center the sticks.What the autopilot controls:
- Roll and pitch angles (closed-loop attitude control)
- Yaw rate (stabilized, not position-locked)
- Throttle — passed directly to the motors via
MPC_THR_HOVERscaling; you must set throttle to approximately the hover value (typically ~50%) to maintain altitude - Direction of travel — by tilting the vehicle with roll and pitch
- Roll/Pitch sticks centered → vehicle levels to horizontal
- Roll/Pitch sticks deflected → vehicle tilts proportionally; the further you push, the steeper the tilt and the faster horizontal motion
- Yaw stick → commands rotation rate around the vertical axis
- Throttle → directly scales motor output; no altitude hold
| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
MPC_THR_HOVER | Motor throttle output when the throttle stick is centered | ~35–50% (vehicle-specific) |
MPC_THR_CURVE | Whether throttle is rescaled around hover thrust (Rescale to hover thrust) or linear (No Rescale) | Rescale |
Acro mode (multicopter only)
Acro mode is designed for experienced pilots performing aerobatic maneuvers such as flips, rolls, and power loops. Your sticks command angular rotation rates, not angles. The autopilot stabilizes the rate (preventing uncontrolled spin-up), but does not return the vehicle to level when you center the sticks. What the autopilot controls:- Angular rate stabilization (gyro-based; prevents rate runaway)
- All rotational rates and direction
- Throttle (direct to motors)
- Recovery from any orientation — you must manually return the vehicle to level
- Roll/Pitch/Yaw sticks deflected → vehicle rotates at a rate proportional to stick deflection
- Sticks centered → vehicle stops rotating and holds whatever orientation it has reached (including inverted or sideways)
- Maximum rotation rates are set by
MC_ACRO_R_MAX,MC_ACRO_P_MAX,MC_ACRO_Y_MAX
MC_ACRO_EXPO, MC_ACRO_EXPO_Y) and SuperExpo (MC_ACRO_SUPEXPO, MC_ACRO_SUPEXPOY) parameters. These parameters reduce sensitivity near center stick and increase it toward full deflection, giving finer control for small corrections while enabling fast rates at full throw.
Recommended parameters for experienced pilots:
| Parameter | Beginner default | Experienced value |
|---|---|---|
MC_ACRO_R_MAX | 100 °/s | 720 °/s |
MC_ACRO_P_MAX | 100 °/s | 720 °/s |
MC_ACRO_Y_MAX | 100 °/s | 540 °/s |
MC_ACRO_EXPO | 0 | 0.69 |
MC_ACRO_SUPEXPO | 0 | 0.69 |
Manual mode (fixed-wing only)
Manual mode is the most direct control available on fixed-wing aircraft. Stick inputs are passed through to control surfaces with a direct mapping. The autopilot provides no attitude stabilization — the vehicle behaves like a classic RC aircraft with no fly-by-wire assistance. What the autopilot controls:- Nothing (no closed-loop attitude or rate stabilization in Manual mode)
- Yaw coordination may still be mixed in depending on aircraft type configuration
- All control surfaces directly via sticks
- Throttle directly to engine/motor
- Roll stick → aileron deflection proportional to stick position
- Pitch stick → elevator deflection proportional to stick position
- Yaw stick → rudder deflection proportional to stick position
- Throttle → direct to motor/engine
Switching between modes
Pilots switch flight modes using a dedicated switch (or multi-position switch) on their RC transmitter, configured via QGroundControl in Vehicle Setup → Flight Modes. You can assign up to six flight modes to a single 3-position switch combined with a second switch.Configure your transmitter switch
In QGroundControl, go to Vehicle Setup → Flight Modes. Assign Stabilized, Acro, and a third mode (such as Altitude or Position) to your switch positions.
Verify transitions on the bench
With the vehicle disarmed, toggle your switch and confirm the active mode indicator in QGroundControl changes correctly before flying.