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13. Flying in headless mode
The quadrocopter's direction of movement is always dependent on the direction in which the model is oriented with
respect to the pilot or the side from which the pilot is looking at the quadrocopter. Therefore, you will quickly find it very
difficult if you are not looking at the model from behind, and are instead looking at it from the side or the front. For this
reason, the quadrocopter has been equipped with headless mode.
However, to be able to use headless mode effectively, the quadrocopter must be oriented with the two front propellers
(the ones with the red LEDs) pointing in the desired forwards direction before the pitch joystick is moved backwards
and forwards (see white arrow in Figure 21, Diagram A).
As long as the model pilot is then directly behind the quadrocopter and looking in the desired forwards direction, the
quadrocopter will react, from the pilot's perspective, as the pilot commands it on the transmitter. When the command
is forwards, the quadrocopter flies forwards from the pilot’s perspective (see dark arrow in Figure 21, Diagram B).
If the quadrocopter has, e.g., turned 90° to the left in flight and its left side is now facing the pilot, it will fly left, from
the pilot's perspective, when the command from the transmitter is forwards (see dark arrow in Figure 21, Diagram C).
When the headless mode is activated, it does not matter which direction the front of the quadrocopter is facing. If
the command from the transmitter is forwards, the quadrocopter always flies in the direction that was established as
forwards when it switched on (see dark arrow in Figure 21, Diagram D).
Figure 21
