How a drone flies
A hands-on look at the four controls that keep a quadcopter in the air — and what each one actually does when you move it.
Predict how a quadcopter responds when you adjust its four core controls: throttle, pitch, roll, and yaw.
Throttle
Slide throttle up. All four propellers speed up together and the drone climbs straight up. Ease it down to descend.
Pitch & roll
Pitch tilts the drone forward or back so it moves that way. Roll banks it left or right. The arrow shows where it's headed; watch which propellers glow harder as it leans.
Yaw
Yaw spins the drone to face a new direction without moving it anywhere — the ring shows which way it's rotating. Try combining it with the others.
Ready to check?
Two quick, hands-on questions coming up. Want more practice first? Head back anytime. Otherwise, let's go.
Match them up
Tap a control, then tap what it does. Match all four, then check.
Controls
What it does
That's a wrap
You can now read a quadcopter's moves from its controls — throttle lifts, pitch and roll move, yaw turns.