GPS, Attitude and Manual

If you have spent some time with your craft, you may have encountered the words GPS, Atti, and manual. But what are these, and how do they affect your craft?

Well, to put it simply, these are the different flight modes of UAV.

GPS

By default a DJI Phantom 2 when outside will always be set to GPS mode and attempt to gather satellite information, making your flying experience easy and straight forward.

Switching the Phantom 2 into Naza M mode, or if you have a UAV with Wookong M or A2, will unlock the features of switching to these different flight modes.

Atti

Switching the UAV to Atti will disengage your GPS module, causing the craft to drift in flight and not fight against the wind. This drifting will sometimes be mistaken for a flyaway, but do not worry—you still have control over the craft. Your craft will continue to hold altitude.

This mode is favoured by camera operators who want the smoothest footage possible, as GPS mode can cause the craft to twitch in flight.

Manual

Finally, Manual mode should only be attempted with great caution; this will disengage all flight assists, so you must manually take control of position and altitude and keep the craft level. Manual mode is used for two reasons.

1: To cancel a return to home command by flicking quickly between GPS then manual, then back to GPS

2: In the case of a malfunction with the flight controller, it is recommended that you switch to manual mode and get the craft to the ground as quickly as possible. As in GPS or Atti, your flight controller's malfunction will still affect the craft.