ArduPilot setup and ground station in your browser

Features

• Setup pages

  Frame type, accelerometer and compass calibration, radio calibration, ESC calibration, flight modes, failsafe, battery monitor, serial ports, servo outputs, motor test, geofence and initial tune.

• Parameters

  Search the full parameter list with descriptions, edit values with range checks and write only what changed.

• Flight data

  Attitude HUD, map, arming with the vehicle's pre-arm messages, flight mode changes and status messages.

• Missions

  Waypoints, geofence and rally points on a map, survey grids over a polygon, and import from KML, GPX or GeoJSON.

• Logs and files

  List, download and erase dataflash logs, and browse the vehicle's files over MAVFTP.

• MAVLink 2 signing

  Create a signing key from a passphrase, as Mission Planner and QGroundControl do, and send it to the vehicle.

A Mission Planner alternative for any computer

Mission Planner is the most complete ArduPilot ground station, and it is the tool the ArduPilot documentation follows. It is built for Windows, which leaves Mac and Chromebook users looking for another way to calibrate a compass or change a parameter. QGroundControl runs on more platforms but needs an install.

FlySpark covers the everyday setup and flight tasks in a browser tab. The page names follow Mission Planner's Data, Setup, Config and Plan structure, so the ArduPilot wiki still makes sense while you work. For deep log analysis or advanced tuning tools, keep Mission Planner close by; FlySpark and Mission Planner can be used on the same vehicle.

Connecting in the browser

Chrome and Edge reach USB serial ports through Web Serial and Bluetooth adapters through Web Bluetooth. A USB cable to the autopilot works for setup on the bench. For flying, a telemetry radio on its USB adapter gives you live data in the air. Wi-Fi and UDP telemetry, such as an ESP bridge or SITL on port 14550, need the FlySpark phone app, because a web page cannot open raw network sockets.

Missions, fences and rally points

The plan view edits waypoints, geofence polygons and rally points together, with the elevation under the route. Import a KML, GPX or GeoJSON file to turn a track into waypoints or a polygon into a survey grid, then upload. Read more on the drone mission planner page.

How to connect ArduPilot in the browser

1. Open ArduPilot. Open FlySpark in Chrome or Edge and choose ArduPilot.
2. Plug in. Connect the autopilot over USB, or plug in your telemetry radio and power the vehicle.
3. Allow the port. Pick the port when the browser asks. FlySpark waits for the heartbeat and reads the parameters.
4. Run setup. Work through frame, calibration, radio and flight modes in the Setup pages, then check pre-arm messages before flying.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run Mission Planner on a Mac?

Mission Planner is a Windows program. On a Mac you can use QGroundControl, or open FlySpark in Chrome or Edge for setup, parameters, missions and flight data without installing anything.

Which ArduPilot vehicles are supported?

Copter, Plane, Rover and Sub, through standard MAVLink. Setup pages adapt to the vehicle type the autopilot reports.

Can I use a SiK or RFD900 telemetry radio?

Yes. Plug the ground radio into USB and choose it as the port; it works like a USB cable to the autopilot.

Does it work over Wi-Fi?

Not in the browser. UDP and TCP telemetry need the FlySpark app on Android or iPhone.

Can I try it without a vehicle?

Yes. The demo opens a simulated ArduPilot vehicle with parameters and a sample mission already loaded.

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