Powering on your Autel Drone and waiting for link
Powering On Your Drone
Pre-Flight Setup
- Check the battery - Ensure both the drone and controller batteries are fully charged
- Clear the area - Find an open space away from obstacles, people, and interference
- Unfold the drone - If it has foldable arms, extend them until they lock in place
Power-On Sequence
- Power on the controller first - Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds until you hear a beep sound
- Place the drone on level ground - Ensure it's on a flat, stable surface
- Power on the drone - Press and hold the drone's power button for 3 seconds until LED indicators illuminate
Establishing Connection
- Wait for initialization - The drone will perform a self-check (approximately 30 seconds)
- Watch the LED indicators:
- Front arm lights: Green blinking (1s on/1s off) = Normal status
- Rear arm lights: Yellow blinking rapidly (0.25s on/0.25s off) = Searching for connection
- Solid green lights = Connected and ready
- Check controller display - Look for the gimbal camera image transmission to appear on the screen
- Verify connection - Signal strength bars and battery indicators should be visible
Troubleshooting Connection Issues
- If no connection after 30 seconds, power cycle both devices
- Ensure you're using the correct frequency band (2.4GHz or 5.8GHz)
- The drone and controller are pre-matched at the factory - no pairing needed for initial use
- Move away from Wi-Fi routers or other interference sources
Final Checks Before Flight
- Confirm GPS/GNSS lock - indicated by specific LED patterns in the status notification bar
- Verify all systems show "Ready" on controller display
- Remove gimbal protective cover before powering on
- Perform a control stick check without taking off
The entire process typically takes 1-2 minutes from power-on to flight-ready status.