What is Headless Mode on a Drone?
Headless mode places the drone into a mode in which regardless of the orientation of the drone, the control sticks will move the drone in the direction you press on the control stick. Normally the control sticks move the drone according to the direction the front of the drone is facing.
Do you have trouble flying your drone in different terrains and overcrowded places? Does the front and the back of your drone look the same to you? If the answers to these questions are yes, then you need to get a drone with a headless mode. But, what is headless mode on a drone?
This headless mode or CF (Care Free) mode, is basically an easy mode for new drone pilots.
For most new drone pilots, controlling these small gadgets can be a tricky affair. The challenges can be quite numerous from poor navigation, misalignment, crashing your drone and even losing it altogether. Thanks to technological advancements, the addition of the headless mode can fix all your navigation issues and make you fly like a pro.
Challenges experienced when flying a drone
For new pilots, learning how to fly a drone can be a daunting task. It can be difficult to control a drone using a joystick from the ground since they are quite small at high altitudes. For an amateur pilot, telling the front from the back of a drone can also be a challenge. This is because both sides of the drone look similar. It is also hard to see the drone clearly when it is mid-air.
Some may argue that the LED lights on the drone make it easier to spot but they might not help much especially during sunlight hours. This is because the sun will easily diminish the intensity of the small lights. This increases the chances of your drone crashing into a person or an object.
Changing the drones orientation while in the air can also be a challenge for an amateur pilot when flying regularly due to lack of proper experience. As a result, this might lead to accidents and injury or even damage your drone parts. This will force you to incur additional costs to repair and replace them.
Headless mode on a drone tries to help pilots
In the face of all these challenges, the headless feature is of great help. The headless mode is basically a computer connecting your drone system to your transmitter to allow easy control of your drone. The headless mode uses a magnetometer that is inbuilt into the drone to help direct it to the right direction.
If your drone begins to shift directions from the side you are facing, the computer will automatically correct this by aligning it to the right direction. The headless drone ensures that your drone faces the side you are facing meaning that if you shift direction, it also shifts simultaneously. Your right is the drone’s right and your left is the drone’s left. -->
Due to its amazing navigation capabilities, a headless mode drone with a great camera that has a high megapixel camera and excellent video resolution can give you amazing images and recordings. This is because you control the drone to the specific parts you need it to be with amazing focus and clarity on your point of interest.
Also referred to as head free or care free mode, it controls your drone and ensures it moves in the direction you want it to. The drone flies according to your perspective. This feature is great for novice pilots to help them fly optimally preventing nasty accidents. The headless mode eliminates the risk of losing and destroying your drone.
Pros
• Easy control of your drone to avoid crashing and losing it. This prevents accidents and injury all the while saving you money that could have otherwise be used repairing your drone and paying for damages!
• It makes it easy for kids and new pilots to fly a drone. The headless mode ensures accurate navigation, perfect videos and shots, and avoid those “oops” moments.
• It is less expensive to purchase drones with the headless mode since this feature is available on cheaper recreational drones.
Cons
• If the drone passes in areas with a high magnetic field, the magnetometer can run into some interference causing it to lose control.
• First Person View is not compatible with the headless function. FPV gives better navigation since you can see where the drone is headed compared to the headless function which is only for orientation
• The headless mode is not found on professional drones since it is mostly required by beginners.
• Too much use of this feature can lead to dependency causing you to be unable to fly your drone without this feature
Using headless mode
Headless mode is a great option when flying in crowded areas across long distances especially when you cannot tell the ends of the drone i.e. the front from the back. This mode was developed to solve the issue of orientation in most drones.
Good headless mode drones available can be found on several sites, including amazon. They are quite affordable and you can get a good drone between $50 and $100. In most cases, they are used as training drones for new pilots looking to learn how to fly or know how to control bigger drones.
In the end we recommend you take the training wheels off and use the drone in normal mode. This way you don't have unlearn or relearn how to fly your drone at a later point.
