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Getting Started

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Ruben M edited this page Mar 18, 2026 · 4 revisions

Getting Started

Download

Platform Download
Windows Latest Release (.exe)
macOS (Apple Silicon) Latest Release (.dmg)
macOS (Intel) Latest Release (.dmg)
Linux Latest Release (.AppImage)

Platform Notes

  • Windows -- The app is unsigned. Windows Defender may show a SmartScreen warning on first launch. Click "More info" then "Run anyway".
  • macOS -- The app is unsigned. After downloading, remove the quarantine attribute by running xattr -cr /Applications/ArduDeck.app in Terminal, then open the app normally. Alternatively, right-click the .app and select "Open" to bypass Gatekeeper.
  • Linux -- AppImage requires libfuse2. Install with sudo apt install libfuse2 on Ubuntu/Debian. Make the AppImage executable with chmod +x ArduDeck-*.AppImage.

Connecting Your Flight Controller

ArduDeck supports three connection types: Serial (USB), TCP, and UDP.

Serial (USB)

This is the most common connection method for bench configuration.

  1. Plug your flight controller into USB
  2. Open the Connection panel (top-left)
  3. Your board's serial port should appear in the port dropdown
  4. Select the port and baud rate (115200 is the default for most boards)
  5. Click Connect

TCP

Used for SITL simulators and network connections.

  1. Switch to the TCP tab in the Connection panel
  2. Enter the host IP (default: 127.0.0.1 for local SITL)
  3. Enter the port (default: 5760)
  4. Click Connect

UDP

Used for telemetry radios and remote connections.

  1. Switch to the UDP tab in the Connection panel
  2. Choose a mode:
    • Listen (Server) -- ArduDeck listens for incoming packets on a local port (default: 14550)
    • Client (Connect) -- ArduDeck sends to a remote device at a specified IP and port
  3. Click Connect

What Happens on Connect

Once ArduDeck receives a heartbeat from your flight controller:

  1. Protocol detection -- ArduDeck identifies whether the board speaks MAVLink (ArduPilot) or MSP (Betaflight/iNav)
  2. Vehicle identification -- Vehicle type (Copter, Plane, Rover, etc.), firmware variant, and version are read
  3. Parameter fetch -- All parameters are downloaded from the flight controller
  4. UI routing -- The configuration interface switches to the correct view for your firmware:
    • ArduPilot boards get the MAVLink configuration tabs
    • Modern iNav/Betaflight boards get the MSP configuration tabs
    • Legacy boards (iNav < 2.1, Betaflight < 4.0) get the CLI-powered GUI

ArduDeck remembers your last connection settings (port, baud rate, host, etc.) and restores them on next launch.

Navigation

The left sidebar contains all major sections:

Icon Section Description
Dashboard Telemetry Real-time attitude, GPS, battery, and sensor data
Sliders Parameters Vehicle configuration and tuning (see Configuration)
Map Mission Planning Waypoint editing, geofence, rally points
Books Mission Library Browse and load saved missions
Gear Settings App preferences and vehicle profiles
Chip Firmware Flash firmware to your board (see Firmware Flash)
Screen OSD Simulator Preview MAX7456 OSD with bundled fonts
Grid Lua Graph Editor Visual Lua scripting (see Lua Graph Editor)

Additional items appear when connected:

  • Calibration -- Accelerometer and compass calibration wizards (any connection)
  • CLI Terminal -- Direct CLI access (MSP connections only)

ArduDeck welcome screen with navigation rail and connection panel

Home

Getting Started

Configuration

Firmware

Lua Graph Editor

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