Can you run a flight controller WITHOUT an RC system?

ArduPlane Plane 4.4
1

Hello, Can you run, say a Matek wing board without an RC system? obvoiusly it would do only planned missions, and i assume you would need a radio link to your laptop and be running mission planner…
Can it be done?
Can you recommend a good radio link to use for such a thing?
Saw a cool video where a guy made a sub 250g wing for just such a thing but i dont know if he had an RC system installed.
Thanks for the feedback!

2

Yes

Current RFD868/900 depending on your local ISM band (it can also work as an RC link) if you don’t want to transmit digital video. If you want digital video look at Microhard’s radiolinks and LTE modems (they have AiO modules too).

For cheaper options you can take a look at SiK radios.

3

As @LupusTheCanine says. But, you will need an RC System to setup, configure and tune the vehicle 1st.

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4

You can use MavLink joystick protocol for that.

5

You can but I have found joysticks to be pretty terrible for that purpose.

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6

NEXT RELATED QUESTION…
if you lose the telemerty radio link does it still fly the mission or go into failsafe RTH?
I assume the latter.
Want to test with a cheap short range radio before committing to a long range radio system.

7

There are parameter settings for that. W/o RC you are relying on the GCS. As stated there are options for that. Read the FS Wiki.

8

Last one Dave, (and thank you).

I assume then that a mission is stored in the FC before a flight? in on-board memory? and not dependent on a constant telemetry link?

9

…

Yes, that’s right.

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