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An Android phone or tablet connects to a ground station like any other client: over the Wi-Fi access point or a USB tether. Chrome needs no install. The Android GCS app (Android 10 and later) adds native video and discovers agents on the network for you. See Android GCS and Install the Android GCS.

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Connect

1

Join the access point or plug in USB

Join ADOS-GS-<id> (read the passphrase as described in The AP passphrase; the LCD shows a join QR code), or connect a USB-C data cable on Android 11 and later.
2

Handle the no-internet prompt

See No internet on the access point.
3

Open the node

Chrome: open one of the addresses below. Android GCS app: the app finds agents on the local network, so you do not type an address.
Over the access point: Over USB tether, the host is 192.168.7.1 instead.

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Android GCS app or Chrome

Stick control from the app moves the aircraft. Read Safety before flying with a gamepad.

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No internet on the access point

During first-time setup, the ground station answers Android’s connectivity check with a redirect, so the sign-in sheet opens on the setup wizard. Once setup is complete it stops answering those checks, and Android marks the network “No internet”.
  1. Choose “Stay connected” on the notification.
  2. If Android keeps switching to mobile data, open the network’s settings and turn off automatic switching to mobile data (some phones call it “Smart network switch” or “Wi-Fi assistant”).
Over USB tether, Android does not run this check.

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Internet through the ground station

The access point is a local network by default; your phone cannot reach the internet through it. To change that, turn on uplink sharing (Mission Control node panel, Network, or PUT /api/v1/ground-station/network/share_uplink). Background app data then counts against a cellular data cap, if the node has a modem. See Uplink matrix.

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Bluetooth gamepads in Chrome

Chrome’s Gamepad API works in the on-box cockpit with a few conditions:
  • Use the full Chrome browser, not an in-app WebView.
  • Load the page from the ground station’s private address (http://192.168.x.x).
  • Press any button to register the controller.

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Phone as a receiver

The Android GCS app can also receive a drone’s radio link directly on the phone. The ground station issues and approves those phone-receiver invites through /api/v1/ground-station/wfb/invite. See Android GCS.

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Next steps

Android GCS

What the app does.

Wi-Fi access point

Network details and the passphrase.
Last modified on October 11, 2026