The Failsafe is your flight controller’s safety feature in case the radio connection between your transmitter and receiver is lost. Without a correctly configured failsafe, your copter could fly uncontrolled or crash. In the Betaflight Configurator, you’ll find the failsafe settings under the Failsafe tab.

Basic Principle

If the receiver stops sending valid control signals to the FC (for example, due to distance, interference, or an empty transmitter battery), Betaflight detects this and executes a predefined action.

The process occurs in two stages:

Stage 1 – Delay

Betaflight waits briefly to see if the connection returns (default: 0.4 seconds). During this time, the copter remains in the last known control state or follows a defined behavior.

Stage 2 – Action

If no signal is received after the delay, the action selected in the Failsafe tab is executed—usually stopping the motors.

Failsafe Settings in the Failsafe Tab

Failsafe Delay (Stage 1 Delay):

• Time in seconds Betaflight waits before Stage 2 is triggered.
• A low value (e.g., 0.4s) is common for racers and freestyle pilots because immediate reaction is important.
• For long-range copters, a slightly longer delay can help avoid reacting to short signal interruptions.

Stage 2 Action:

• Drop: Motors stop immediately. Safest option for freestyle, racing, or flying in populated areas.
• Landing: Copter tries to descend gently (only useful with stable GPS RTH setups).
• GPS Rescue: If enabled and properly configured, the copter returns to the launch point when the signal is lost (requires working GPS and correct GPS Rescue setup in the Failsafe and GPS tabs).

Recommended Settings