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Mission Control can flash firmware directly to your flight controller from the browser. No external tools needed. The firmware panel supports ArduPilot, PX4, and Betaflight with board auto-detection.
Firmware flashing interface with board detection and progress bar

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How It Works

Firmware flashing uses the WebSerial API to communicate with the flight controller’s bootloader. The process varies by firmware:
  • ArduPilot and PX4: The board enters DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) mode, and the firmware binary is written over the serial connection.
  • Betaflight: The board enters DFU mode via MSP command or manual boot button, and firmware is flashed via the STM32 bootloader protocol.
WebSerial is required for firmware flashing. This means Chrome 89+, Edge 89+, or another Chromium-based browser. Firefox and Safari do not support WebSerial.

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Flashing ArduPilot

1

Connect your FC

Plug in the flight controller via USB and connect in Mission Control.
2

Open the Firmware panel

Navigate to Configure > Firmware in the sidebar.
3

View board info

The panel shows the detected board name, current firmware version, and board ID. This information comes from the AUTOPILOT_VERSION MAVLink message.
4

Select firmware

Choose the ArduPilot vehicle type (Copter, Plane, Rover, Sub) and version. Stable, beta, and development builds are available.
5

Flash

Click “Flash Firmware.” The board reboots into bootloader mode. The progress bar shows the upload status. Do not disconnect during flashing.
6

Reconnect

After flashing, the board reboots with the new firmware. Reconnect and verify the version in the board info section.

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Flashing PX4

The PX4 section follows a similar flow:
  1. Connect the FC and open the Firmware panel.
  2. The PX4 section auto-detects PX4-compatible boards.
  3. Select the PX4 version (stable or development).
  4. Flash and wait for the progress bar to complete.
  5. Reconnect after reboot.

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Flashing Betaflight

Betaflight flashing has a few extra considerations:
  1. Enter DFU mode: Some boards require holding the boot button while plugging in USB. Others can enter DFU via an MSP command from the CLI panel.
  2. Select the Betaflight target that matches your board.
  3. Choose the firmware version.
  4. Flash the firmware binary.
  5. Reconnect after reboot.
Flashing the wrong firmware target can brick your flight controller. Always verify that the detected board matches the firmware target you select. If in doubt, check the board’s documentation for the correct target name.

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Board Detection

Mission Control auto-detects the connected board using multiple methods:
MethodDescription
MAVLink AUTOPILOT_VERSIONBoard ID, firmware version, capabilities
MSP BOARD_INFOBetaflight board identifier string
USB VID/PIDVendor and product IDs from the WebSerial device info
The detected board is matched against a built-in database of board profiles. Each profile maps a board ID to its physical output layout, timer groups, and default settings.

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Board Profiles

Mission Control includes profiles for popular flight controllers. A board profile contains:
  • Board name and ID for auto-detection
  • Output mapping: Which physical pins map to which motor/servo outputs
  • Timer groups: STM32 timer assignments that determine which outputs share timers (affects DShot vs PWM mixing)
  • Protocol support: Which output protocols each timer group supports (PWM, DShot, or both)
  • Notes: Special outputs like solder pads, LED pads, or dedicated servo headers
The Outputs panel uses the board profile to render a timer group diagram, showing which outputs can run DShot and which share timers.

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Backup and Restore

Before flashing, back up your current parameters:
1

Export parameters

Go to the Parameters panel and click “Export.” Save the .param file.
2

Flash new firmware

Follow the flashing steps above.
3

Restore parameters

After reconnecting with the new firmware, go to Parameters and click “Import.” Load your saved .param file. Review the diff and apply.
Some parameters change names or meaning between firmware versions. The import diff view highlights these conflicts so you can resolve them manually.

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DFU Mode

DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) mode is a low-level bootloader state used for flashing. Different boards enter DFU differently:
MethodWhen to use
Software reboot to bootloaderMost boards support this via MAVLink or MSP command. The firmware panel triggers it automatically.
Boot buttonHold the boot/DFU button on the FC while plugging in USB. Useful when firmware is corrupted and cannot respond to commands.
Boot padsSome boards have boot pads that must be shorted while powering on. Check your board’s documentation.

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Troubleshooting

Make sure the FC is powered and connected via USB. Try a different USB cable (data-capable, not charge-only). On Linux, check serial port permissions (dialout group).
Do not unplug the board. Try again. If the firmware is corrupted, enter DFU mode manually (boot button method) and reflash. The bootloader is separate from the main firmware and is not overwritten.
The auto-detection relies on board ID from the firmware. If you previously flashed the wrong target, the board ID may be incorrect. Use the manual board selection override to pick the correct target.
A major version upgrade (e.g., ArduPilot 4.4 to 4.5) may reset parameters. Always export your parameters before flashing. After flashing, import the backup and review the diff.