If you’re shopping for your first drone, the headless mode might sound like a confusing feature to add to the mix.
Don’t worry—it’s pretty simple and can make flying much more enjoyable!
Headless mode is a feature on some drones that allows you to fly the drone in any direction, regardless of which way its nose is pointing.
This can be particularly useful for beginners, who may find headless mode easier to learn than flying in standard mode.
To get more clarification on what is headless mode on a drone, please continue reading.
What is a Headless Mode on a Drone?
Headless mode is a setting on some drones where the drone operator doesn’t have to worry about which direction the drone is facing or what way it’s pointing.
While that might seem odd not to keep track of, for beginner fliers trying to master piloting their drone without hitting obstacles, it can be beneficial.
In headless mode, the directions that the pilot gives are about them instead of concerning the drone itself.
This means that if you want your drone to move closer to you from its current location, you tell it “forward” regardless of its nose pointing—the drone will move forward according to how it faces you.
You’ll still have plenty of control over where your drone flies. Still, instead of worrying about keeping track of multiple directions at once (some drones are notoriously tricky for beginners), you can focus solely on its movements while getting used to piloting it!
How Does Headless Mode Work?
The headless mode is a special mode that allows you to fly the drone without worrying about which direction it is facing.
Since we know what a headless mode on a drone is and how a headless mode works, The answer is provided below:
When you switch on this mode, the controller will ignore the rotational orientation of the drone and fly straight forward.
With headless mode enabled, if you press forward on your controller stick, your drone will move forward concerning itself rather than how it’s pointing at any given moment.
When flying with a traditional controller, we know that pushing left or right moves us around in our aircraft’s physical space because there are two sticks: one for roll (left/right) and one for pitch (up/down).
Headless mode removes this relationship between movement onscreen and physical movement; instead of rotating around its nose, a drone using headless mode only cares about where it’s pointing relative to its position at any given time—which can be helpful when learning how to navigate without having to worry about orienting yourself physically first.
How Do You Enable Headless Mode?
You must turn on the drone and remote control to enable headless mode on your drone.
After turning them on, push down the left stick on the remote control and release it.
The drone will beep and flash its lights to let you know it is now in headless mode.
Although it seems simple enough to get a drone into headless mode, some things could go wrong if you don’t follow these steps exactly as outlined above.
If your drone does not respond after these steps have been completed, try switching channels until one works for your model of the drone before contacting customer service for assistance or using our troubleshooting guide below:
Is Headless Mode a Good Idea?
Headless mode is helpful for beginner drones but is not a panacea. It’s not a substitute for learning how to fly; even if the drone is flying in headless mode, you still need to know what it’s doing and how to control it.
That being said, the headless mode can be an excellent way to get started with flying drones!
Once you have mastered basic flight skills and feel confident with your abilities, you can use headless mode on your drone while practicing maneuvers or performing trickier moves.
Should You Use It as a Beginner?
Headless mode is handy for beginners still trying to master the basics of flying a drone.
It allows you to fly without worrying about which direction your drone is facing, and it can be used as an easy way to get your drone back if it flies out of range.
However, the headless mode also has some limitations, making it less than ideal for more advanced pilots.
If you are an experienced drone pilot looking for something more advanced or customizable, the headless mode may not be worth using on your next flight.
Headless Mode is Helpful, but Like All Features, It Has Limitations.
There are many situations where headless mode is a godsend. If you’re trying to fly your drone in tight spaces, the headless mode can help keep the drone from drifting sideways or backward and bumping into something.
Headless mode also saves you time when learning how to fly. Instead of constantly adjusting your aircraft’s orientation, it will always automatically stay facing forward so that you can focus on other aspects of flight, such as adjusting speed and altitude.
This makes it ideal for beginners who don’t yet have much experience flying drones—or even intermediate fliers looking to get out of tight spots quickly!
Bottom Line
Headless mode can be very useful in some situations, but it’s not essential for every drone.
If you need to take control of your drone without worrying about orientation, headless mode will be a great help.
But if you’re looking for more fun with your drone, then it isn’t necessary.
It all comes down to what kind of experience you want from flying and whether or not you need headless mode to get that.
If you don’t have any specific uses for this feature, don’t worry too much about it – keep flying and having fun!
