Everything you need to fly, plan, and understand your flights - in one open-source ground control station.
See exactly what your aircraft is doing with a primary flight display, live map tracking, and configurable telemetry tiles.
Build complex missions with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. From simple waypoint routes to automated area surveys.
Every flight is automatically saved into a queryable database. No manual log downloads, no conversion steps - just land and start analysing.
Connects to ArduPilot, PX4, iNav, and Betaflight over USB, Wi-Fi, or telemetry radio. No special adapters needed.
Set up a new airframe from end to end. A live 3D airframe model, driven by real-time attitude, shows you exactly how the aircraft is held and turns green when it reaches a target pose.
Review and edit the full flight controller parameter set, or focus on just what you have changed.
Stream video from your aircraft with flight data overlaid in real time. Record footage with synchronised telemetry.
Launch a full simulation with one click. Test missions, learn the interface, or practise emergency procedures before flying for real.
The open-source drone community has built incredible ground control station software over the years. Helios joins that tradition with a particular focus on flight data, modern design, and broad hardware support.
Every flight is automatically recorded into a columnar database you can query with SQL. A fresh approach to flight data that complements the traditional log file workflow.
Compare telemetry across flights and vehicles side by side. Spot trends, regressions, and anomalies across your entire flight history.
Designed for high-DPI displays with dark mode, smooth 60fps instruments, and a clean layout. No menus five levels deep.
No need to remember to start logging. Connect and fly - Helios captures everything from the moment you arm to the moment you land.
Works with ArduPilot, PX4, iNav, and Betaflight. Helios speaks both MAVLink and MSP, so you can use one ground control station across all your aircraft.
Aggregate data across your entire fleet. Track maintenance intervals, compare performance across airframes, and export to Parquet for use in your own data pipeline.
The open-source drone community has built incredible software over the past decade. Established ground control stations and the ArduPilot and PX4 firmware projects have made autonomous flight accessible to everyone. Helios wouldn't exist without that foundation.
We're not here to replace what came before - we're part of the same community. Helios focuses on the areas we think deserve a fresh approach: queryable flight data, a modern UI, and multi-protocol hardware support. If another ground control station works better for your workflow, use it. They're all open source, and that's what makes this ecosystem great.
The best tool is the one that fits your needs. Many pilots use multiple GCS applications for different tasks - and that's exactly how open source should work.
Free, open source, and ready to fly. Download for desktop or try it in your browser.