FlySparkINAV setup guidesUpdated Throw to start
Launch is how a fixed wing gets into the air from a throw. The footer says to switch on NAV LAUNCH, arm, then throw. The motor starts once a throw is detected and the delay has passed. Keep hands clear of the propeller.
Throw detected above starts at 3.0 m/s. Motor start delay starts at 500 ms, and launch throttle starts at 1700 µs. The picture stays at the idle 1000 µs until the throw passes 3.0 m/s, waits that 500 ms, then shows 1700 µs and climbs at the demo's 18 degrees.
The card is on the Navigation tab when the platform is a plane, a boat, a rover or other, and also when the board does not report a platform list. A multirotor hides it.
Free. Hardware connections need Chrome or Edge on a computer; phones use the FlySpark app.
- Free
- Nothing to install
- Demo without hardware
In short
The Launch card is for a fixed wing. A throw of 3.0 m/s is the demo threshold, and the motor then waits 500 ms. Launch throttle starts at 1700 µs.
Key facts
- Launch is on the INAV Navigation tab for a plane, boat, rover or other. A multirotor hides the card.
- The footer says switch on NAV LAUNCH, arm, then throw, and keep hands clear of the propeller.
- Throw detected above starts at 3.0 m/s, from 1.0 to 100.0. The throw must last 40 ms, from 10 to 1000.
- Motor start delay starts at 500 ms. Launch throttle starts at 1700 µs, and idle before the throw starts at 1000 µs.
- Climb angle starts at 18 degrees. Launch ends after 5.0 s. Max altitude starts at 0, so only the timeout ends it.
- Manual throttle and wiggle to start idle start off. The Fixed-wing launch feature also starts off in the demo.
- Chrome or Edge uses USB or Bluetooth. iPhone has no USB host.
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Try it
Throw to start
The demo calls 3.0 m/s a throw, waits 500 ms, then runs the motor at 1700 µs.
Waiting
1000 µs
FlySpark
Features
- 01
3.0 m/s is a throw
Throw detected above starts at 3.0 m/s, from 1.0 to 100.0, in steps of 0.1. The throw must last 40 ms.
- 02
Then wait 500 ms
Motor start delay starts at 500 ms, from 0 to 5000, in steps of 50. The picture holds idle until that delay ends.
- 03
Then 1700 µs
Launch throttle starts at 1700 µs. Idle throttle before the throw starts at 1000 µs. Both step by 5.
- 04
Climb at 18 degrees
Climb angle starts at 18 degrees, from 5 to 45. The picture noses up by that amount only after the motor runs.
- 05
Five seconds, or a height
Launch ends after 5.0 s. Launch ends above starts at 0 m, and the hint says 0 means only the timeout ends it.
- 06
Hands stay clear
The footer says the motor starts after the throw and the delay. Keep hands clear of the propeller before you arm.
What counts as a throw
Throw detected above is in metres per second, from 1.0 to 100.0, in steps of 0.1. The demo is 3.0. Throw must last starts at 40 ms, from 10 to 1000, in steps of 10. Throw acceleration starts at 18.6 m/s², from 10.0 to 200.0, in steps of 0.5. Throw counts only below starts at 45 degrees, from 5 to 180. The hint says a bank or a pitch beyond that is not taken as a throw.
The picture uses the 3.0 m/s line and the 500 ms motor delay. It does not time the 40 ms the throw must last, and it does not apply the 18.6 m/s² acceleration or the 45 degree limit. Below 3.0 m/s the lamp says Waiting and the throttle stays at 1000 µs. At 3.0 m/s the lamp says Delay. If the slider drops back under 3.0 m/s during that wait, it returns to Waiting. After 500 ms still at or above 3.0 m/s, the lamp says Motor, the throttle shows 1700 µs, and the plane noses up 18 degrees.
Motor spin-up time starts at 100 ms, from 0 to 1000, in steps of 50. The hint says that is the ramp from idle to launch throttle. The picture steps straight to 1700 µs after the delay. It does not draw that 100 ms ramp. Idle starts after arming starts at 0 ms, so the idle throttle is not held back after you arm. Wiggle to start idle starts at Off. The other choices are One wiggle and Two wiggles, and the hint says you shake the plane to spin the motor up to idle.
How the launch ends
Launch ends after starts at 5.0 s, from 0 to 60.0, in steps of 0.5. Launch ends above starts at 0 m, from 0 to 600, in steps of 0.5. The hint says 0 means only the timeout ends it. Set a height when you want the launch to finish at an altitude instead of waiting out the whole timeout.
Sticks ignored for starts at 0 ms, from 0 to 60000, in steps of 100. The hint says stick input cannot end the launch earlier than that. Hand-over blend starts at 3000 ms, from 0 to 5000, in steps of 100. The hint says that is the time to blend from launch to normal flight.
Stick to abort launch or landing starts at 100, from 2 to 250. The hint says it is the roll or pitch stick points beyond which a launch or autoland is cancelled. The landing side of that stick is the autoland card, not this one. Manual throttle launch starts off. Its hint says you control the throttle, INAV only levels the wings and holds the climb pitch, and without GPS you throw right after raising the throttle.
Launch throttle and the idle throttle before the throw are kept with the active battery profile. Battery profiles is where that profile is chosen. Fixed wing pitch to throttle is a different field. It adds power as the nose rises in flight. It is not this launch throttle.
Where you set it
Open Navigation on INAV and find Launch. The footer says switch on NAV LAUNCH, arm, then throw. NAV LAUNCH is a mode. The Configuration tab also has a switch named Fixed-wing launch, and that switch starts off in the demo. Chrome or Edge connects over USB or Bluetooth. Android adds Wi-Fi. iPhone uses Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and has no USB host.
Read the throw speed, the motor delay and the launch throttle before the propeller can spin. The footer says to keep hands clear. A throw under 3.0 m/s does not start the motor in the picture, and a throw that does not last the 40 ms does not count on the board. Confirm NAV LAUNCH is the mode you armed with.
FlySpark
Set the throw and the motor delay
Open Launch
On INAV, open Navigation and find Launch. A multirotor hides the card. A plane, boat, rover or other shows it.
Read 3.0 m/s
Throw detected above starts at 3.0 m/s. Throw must last starts at 40 ms. Throw counts only below starts at 45 degrees.
Read the 500 ms
Motor start delay starts at 500 ms. Launch throttle starts at 1700 µs and idle starts at 1000 µs. Keep hands clear of the propeller.
Switch on NAV LAUNCH
The footer says switch on NAV LAUNCH, arm, then throw. The motor starts once the throw is detected and the delay has passed.
Troubleshooting
Common problems and fixes
Problem
The Launch card is missing
Fix
The platform is a multirotor. The card is shown for a plane, boat, rover or other, and when the board does not report a platform list.
Problem
A throw never starts the motor
Fix
The footer requires NAV LAUNCH, arm, then a throw. The demo threshold is 3.0 m/s, the throw must last 40 ms, and the motor then waits the 500 ms delay. A bank or pitch past 45 degrees is not taken as a throw.
Problem
The motor runs as soon as I arm
Fix
Idle throttle before the throw starts at 1000 µs, and idle starts after arming starts at 0 ms. Wiggle to start idle starts at Off. Launch throttle, 1700 µs, comes after the throw and the delay.
Problem
The launch will not finish at a height
Fix
Launch ends above starts at 0 m. The hint says 0 means only the timeout ends it. The timeout starts at 5.0 s.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is INAV launch?
A fixed-wing throw. The footer says switch on NAV LAUNCH, arm, then throw. The motor starts once the throw is detected and the delay has passed.
How fast is a throw in the demo?
3.0 m/s. The field runs from 1.0 to 100.0 m/s, in steps of 0.1. The throw must also last 40 ms, from 10 to 1000.
How long before the motor starts?
Motor start delay starts at 500 ms, from 0 to 5000, in steps of 50. Spin-up then ramps from idle to launch throttle over 100 ms. The picture does not draw that ramp.
What throttle does the launch use?
1700 µs. Idle before the throw is 1000 µs. Both run from 1000 to 2000 µs, in steps of 5, and both are stored with the active battery profile.
What pitch does it climb at?
18 degrees, from 5 to 45. The picture noses up by 18 degrees only after the motor is running.
When does the launch end?
After 5.0 s, unless Launch ends above is not 0. It starts at 0 m, and the hint says 0 means only the timeout ends it.
Can I fly the throttle myself?
Manual throttle launch starts off. The hint says you then control the throttle, and INAV levels the wings and holds the climb pitch.
What does the abort stick do?
It starts at 100, from 2 to 250. The hint says roll or pitch beyond that cancels a launch or an autoland.
Does a multirotor have this card?
No. It is hidden. A plane, boat, rover or other shows it, and so does a board that does not report a platform list.
Can I set this in Chrome?
Yes, on INAV. Chrome or Edge uses USB or Bluetooth. Android adds Wi-Fi. iPhone uses Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and has no USB host.
References
Sources
The official documentation behind the background facts on this page.
- INAV navigation notesINAV · github.com
- INAV settingsINAV · github.com
- INAV ConfiguratorINAV · github.com
