Download QGroundControl (Mac) – Download Free

Drones have rapidly evolved from children’s toys to hobbyist gear and professional equipment. As they become more advanced, the software used to control them must also keep up. Thankfully, the open source community offers a wealth of tools for both hobbyists and professionals.

Q ground control is an app designed specifically for planning flights and controlling drones that communicate using the MAVLink protocol. It supports PX4 and ArduPilot devices, among others, and is intended for beginners while providing extensive functionality for advanced users.

As mentioned, the software will allow flight control and mission planning for any drone that relies on MAVLink, as well as vehicle setup for drones powered by PX3 and ArduPilot. You can plan autonomous missions on the map and then send them to the vehicle. The flight can be monitored and controlled from the flight view, with the option to receive a video feed.

QGroundControl is completely open source and available for Mac, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS. Extensive documentation is available for users and developers. This can be helpful if you can’t figure something out, but the intuitive user interface should get you to the gist with ease.