16 September 2024

By Timothy Brazzel 

Can I be honest here, I was shocked when I recognized drone footage from drone operators who weather using a top pro-consumer drone or a mini drone, the footage was what many would call herky-jerky. You know that footage that never looks smooth or stable, but rather choppy or jumpy. This tells me that the pilot in command doesn’t understand how to adjust the control settings of the drone, and how to adjust them to be able to fly in a more controlled manner.

DJI drones are powerful tools that offer incredible capabilities for both professional videographers and hobbyists alike. One of the key aspects that can significantly enhance your drone flying experience and video quality is mastering the expo, gain, and yaw controls. In this guide, we'll delve into what these controls are, how to adjust them, where to find them, and the numerous benefits they bring to your aerial cinematography. Full control over drone settings empowers pilots to optimize flight performance, enhance safety, and capture high-quality footage. It is an essential aspect of responsible drone piloting, ensuring a smooth and controlled flying experience while minimizing the risk of accidents or loss of the drone. To many times I’ve seen drone operators either take off sporadically or aggressively, showing an unsteadiness when trying to maneuver the drone’s controls from the drone controller.

My primary goal is to assist fellow drone pilots in unlocking the full potential of their equipment by making the most of the various settings that their drones offer. Many drone enthusiasts may not be fully aware of the impact that fine-tuning settings like gain, expo, and yaw can have on the quality and precision of their flights. By gaining a deeper understanding of these controls, pilots can significantly improve their ability to maneuver their drones smoothly and efficiently.

By sharing my knowledge and experience, I aim to empower other drone pilots to fly with confidence, achieve better footage, and grow their skills as advanced drone operators. Whether for recreational flying, professional videography, or other specialized applications, understanding these settings can transform a good drone pilot into a great one.

What Is Expo?

• Expo, short for exponential, refers to the relationship between stick movement and the response of the drone. Adjusting expo controls can make your drone's movements smoother or more responsive.

• Increasing expo softens the initial stick movement, making the drone respond more gently to your inputs. This is beneficial for achieving cinematic and fluid shots.

• Decreasing expo increases stick sensitivity, providing quicker and more precise control for dynamic maneuvers.

• This determines how the drone responds to your control stick movements. A higher expo means the drone is less sensitive at the center of the control stick but becomes more sensitive as you push the stick further away from the center.

• This allows for smooth movements when making small adjustments, but quick responsiveness when needed.

What Is Gain?

• Gain settings regulate the sensitivity of your drone's stabilization system. Proper adjustment of gain ensures stability in various flight conditions.

 • High gain settings result in a stable but potentially sluggish drone. This is ideal for capturing smooth, cinematic footage.

 • Lowering gain increases responsiveness, allowing for more agile and dynamic flight. This is useful for capturing fast-paced action sequences.

What Is Yaw?

• Yaw controls determine how fast your drone rotates around its vertical axis. Proper yaw adjustment is crucial for achieving controlled and cinematic turns.

• Increasing yaw sensitivity allows for faster and more dynamic rotations, ideal for capturing sweeping panoramic views.

• Decreasing yaw sensitivity provides smoother and more controlled turns, suitable for precise framing and composition in tight spaces.

Adjusting Expo, Gain, and Yaw Controls

 As it pertains to your gain and expo settings, these settings affect your overall “Max Horizontal, Max Ascend, & Max Descend Speeds”. Yaw on the other hand, affects only your drone rotation smoothness and sensitivity. Now that we understand the significance of these controls, let's explore how to adjust them on your DJI drone through the DJI FLY APP:

To access the gain, expo, and yaw control settings inside the DJI Fly App, follow these steps:

[1] Open the DJI Fly App: Start by opening the DJI Fly app on your mobile device, RC controller with built in screen. Ensure that your drone is powered on and connected to the app.

[2] Enter the Camera View: Tap on the "Go Fly" button to enter the camera view, which is the main flight interface.

[3] Access the Settings Menu: In the top right corner of the screen, you'll see three dots (more settings icon). Tap on this icon to access the main settings menu.

[4] Go to Control Settings: From the settings menu, select the “Control” option. This will bring up various control settings for your drone.

[5] Adjust Gain & Expo Tuning: Under the Control settings, look for the “Gain & Expo Tuning” option and tap on it. Here, you’ll find options to adjust the sensitivity of the drone’s control sticks (expo settings) and the response rate of the drone (gain settings). You can adjust these settings for the Pitch, Roll, Yaw, and Throttle. Use the sliders to set your preferred sensitivity.

[6] Adjust Yaw: For yaw settings specifically, look for the yaw sensitivity or speed adjustment options under the same “Gain & Expo Tuning” section. Adjust the yaw settings to control how quickly the drone rotates around its vertical axis.

[7] Save Your Settings: After making your adjustments, make sure to save your settings. You can always reset to default if necessary.

[8] Test the Adjustments: Take a test flight to see how the new settings affect the drone’s responsiveness and control. Make further adjustments as needed for your flying style or specific project needs. These settings allow you to fine-tune how your drone responds to control inputs, providing a more customized flying experience, whether you're looking for smoother cinematic movements or more responsive controls for quick maneuvers.

Benefits of Adjusting Expo, Gain, and Yaw Controls

[1] Enhanced Cinematic Shots: Fine-tuning expo controls allow for smooth and controlled movements, perfect for cinematic storytelling. Adjusting expo, gain, and yaw controls contributes to achieving cinematic shots, ensuring that the drone's movements align with the desired artistic vision without compromising stability.

[2] Versatile Flight Dynamics: Adjusting gain settings provides versatility, allowing you to switch between stable filming and dynamic flying.

[3] Precision in Maneuvering: Optimizing yaw controls ensures precise and controlled turns, enabling you to frame your shots with accuracy.

[4] Adaptability to Shooting Conditions: The ability to adjust these controls on-the-fly allows you to adapt to different shooting environments and requirements.

[5] Stability and Safety: Properly adjusting settings like expo and gain ensures that the drone remains stable during flight. This stability is essential for preventing unexpected movements or sudden deviations, minimizing the risk of accidents.

[6] Responsive Maneuvering: Full control over settings allows the pilot to tailor the drone's responsiveness to their preferences. This is especially important when navigating through tight spaces or capturing fast-paced action, as it enables precise and responsive maneuvering.

[7] Adaptability to Environmental Conditions: Environmental factors such as wind and turbulence can impact a drone's flight stability. Having control over settings allows the pilot to make real-time adjustments to compensate for changing conditions, maintaining smooth and controlled flight.

[8] Avoiding Flyaways: In the absence of proper control, a drone might experience flyaways, where it drifts uncontrollably or moves away from the pilot's intended path. Being able to adjust settings helps mitigate the risk of flyaways, enhancing overall flight safety.

[9] Precision in Filming: For professional videographers, precise control is essential for framing and composition. Full control over settings enables you to execute complex shots with accuracy, capturing the intended visuals without unexpected deviations.

[10] Customization to Pilot Skill Level: Different pilots have varying skill levels and preferences. Having control over drone settings allows pilots to customize the drone's behavior to match their expertise, providing a more comfortable and enjoyable flying experience.

[11] Compliance with Regulations: Many regions have specific regulations governing drone flights, including altitude restrictions and no-fly zones. Having control over settings enables pilots to adhere to these regulations and maintain safe and legal operations.

[12] Emergency Situations: In the event of an emergency, such as a sudden loss of GPS signal or technical malfunction, being able to adjust settings can help regain control over the drone and navigate it safely back to the pilot.

Don't Miss Out on the Full Potential of Your DJI Drone

Mastering expo, gain, and yaw controls on your DJI drone is a key step towards unlocking its full potential as a cinematic tool. By understanding the impact of these settings and experimenting with different values, you can tailor your drone's behavior to suit your unique filming style and have full control over the drone settings which empowers pilots to optimize flight performance, enhance safety, and capture high-quality footage. It is an essential aspect of responsible drone piloting, ensuring a smooth and controlled flying experience while minimizing the risk of accidents or loss of the drone itself.

Now that you know how to fine-tune your drone's gain, expo, and yaw control settings, it’s time to put this knowledge into action. Get out there and experiment with these adjustments to see firsthand how much of a difference they can make. You'll be amazed at how these tweaks can elevate the quality of your footage, providing smoother, more cinematic shots that truly capture the essence of your vision. Embrace this newfound control and let it enhance your creativity, delivering results that will impress and inspire. Happy flying!

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