I am a tricopter flyer and this last weekend I got to fly a friends higher end quad setup. I was scared out of my mind as it I worried about keeping track of the front. It had a white tailboom for orientation but what do you do when you can't see the white or it is flying in front of the sun and it's a shadow?

I remember reading somewhere here on these forums about a function for multirotors where not matter how the copter is turned it senses where the signal is coming from and pushing the elevator stick forward goes forward and backward brings it back and the same with the roll and yaw controls no matter where the actual "front" of the copter is.

Anyone know what this is called. I wanted to research it a little but I have no idea what to search for.

I know for higher end AP/AV work most flying has to be done with some FPV gear but I haven't conquered that yet and still like to see my machine in the air. When I get far away it's so easy to get mixed up even with a tricopter. I have no idea how you hex and octo flyers keep track of it when they are round.

Originally Posted by frogman1206

I remember reading somewhere here on these forums about a function for multirotors where not matter how the copter is turned it senses where the signal is coming from and pushing the elevator stick forward goes forward and backward brings it back and the same with the roll and yaw controls no matter where the actual "front" of the copter is.

Anyone know what this is called. I wanted to research it a little but I have no idea what to search for.

CareFree

may be other names ...

Checkout my HexaKong kit that comes with a Wookong-M-> http://www.rc-drones.com/hexakong-650-wookong.php
Right now we are offering a free DJI F450 ARF kit with every Wookong-M purchase OR $140 off.

Yes, orientation is a big issue - amazing how quickly it turns into a bunch of random sticks!Many say that LED's help, or that as long as it's stable you can reorient by seeing how it responds to a particular control input but that needs a cool head and if a breeze is blowing it rapidly away from you...

Or the GPS systems have a Return To Home feature; I have a Wookong M as Tony suggests but it's a bit spendy.

It's called carefree. It uses a onboard compass and knows its direction and maintains that direction as 'front' either with a switch being flipped, or from startup.

I found it easier to either tie something between the front two booms, or to use a spider frame in order to differentiate what is front a far distances.

I've found practice helps as well. If you know better what the quad should do it becomes an easier job determining what should be front based on previous inputs. You give your inputs based on what you know it will do, rather than constantly correcting based on it's current position and orientation. It kind of hard to explain, but keeping orientation is much easier with practice either by flying or by sim.