Quick Start | FPVGate AIO Setup Guide

1

Unboxing

Your FPVGate AIO is a fully assembled, ready-to-go lap timer. No soldering, no wiring, no assembly required.

In the Box

FPVGate AIO board (with SD card pre-installed)
Extra antenna (for Novacore radio - see note below)

About the Extra Antenna

The included extra antenna is designed for the Novacore radio module. For the vast majority of users this is not needed. It can provide marginal improvements in extremely noisy RF environments. If you're unsure, you don't need it.

That's it - you're ready to power it up.

2

Initial Setup

Power On

Confirm the SD card is inserted into the slot on the board. It should already be in place from the factory.
Connect the FPVGate AIO to any USB power source using a USB-C cable (power bank, wall adapter, laptop, etc).
Wait a few seconds for the board to boot. You'll see the LEDs light up when it's ready.

Connect to the FPVGate Network

On your phone or computer, open your WiFi settings and look for the network:

Network FPVGate

Password fpvgate1

Once connected, open a browser and go to:

http://fpvgate.local or http://192.168.4.1

Works on both mobile and desktop. If fpvgate.local doesn't resolve, use the IP address directly.

Or Connect Over the USB Cable

On firmware 1.8.0 and later, a FPVGate plugged into a computer appears as a network device. No WiFi to join, nothing to install:

http://192.168.7.1

Works on Windows and Linux. macOS is not supported — use WiFi on a Mac. The WiFi network stays available at the same time, so a phone can stay connected while you use the cable. If nothing appears, unplug the cable and plug it back in; after a firmware update the board waits in its bootloader until power has been removed.

Configure Your Profile

Head to the Configuration page from the main menu. Here you'll want to set up a few things:

Tap each item below to see a screenshot.

Pilot Name

Set your name so it appears in lap announcements and race history.

Voice Selection

Choose from 4 built-in voices for lap time announcements. Hit "Test Voice" to preview each one.

Configuration - Voice & Announcer Settings

LED Preset

Pick an LED color preset, or customize your own. These provide visual feedback during races.

Connect to Your Home WiFi (Optional)

If you're flying at home and want to access FPVGate from your regular network instead of switching WiFi every time:

Go to Configuration and then WiFi & Connection.
Under WiFi Station Mode, enter your home network name (SSID) and password.
Click Save. The device will reboot and connect to your home network.
You can then access the timer at http://fpvgate.local from any device on the same network.

Good to Know

When connected to your home network, the FPVGate access point is still available as a fallback. If the device can't reach your home WiFi (e.g. you take it to the field), it will automatically create its own network again.

3

Placement & Calibration

Place the Timer

Place the FPVGate AIO in the bottom left or right corner of your start/finish gate.

On the board you'll notice two sides: a smooth side and a circular side (where the antenna is). Point the circular side toward the gate opening so it faces the flight path.

Placement Tips

Corner position - The bottom corner of the gate keeps the board out of the flight path while still getting a strong signal as drones pass through.
Circular side facing inward - This is the antenna side. It needs to face toward the gate opening for the best signal reception.
Away from metal - Metal structures can reflect RF signals and cause false triggers. Keep some distance from large metal objects.
Stable surface - Make sure the board won't move or get blown around by prop wash.

Select Your Channel

You need to tell FPVGate which frequency your drone is transmitting on. From the main screen:

Find the frequency selection area.
Select your system (Analog, DJI, HDZero, or WalkSnail).
Choose the band (e.g. RaceBand, Fatshark, etc.).
Select the channel that matches your VTx.

Not Sure What Frequency You're On?

Check your drone's OSD or VTx settings. Common defaults are RaceBand channel 1 (R1 / 5658 MHz) for analog, or the default channel for your digital system. If in doubt, check your goggles - the channel you receive video on is the one to set.

Calibrate RSSI

Calibration teaches the timer what your drone's signal looks like when it passes through the gate. This is the most important step for accurate lap detection.

Make sure your drone is powered on and the VTx is transmitting.
Open the Calibration page from the main menu.
Walk your powered-on drone through the gate 3-5 times at roughly the height and speed you'll be flying.
Watch the RSSI graph on screen. You'll see clear peaks each time the drone passes through the gate.
Set the Enter threshold to roughly halfway up the peak. This is the signal level that triggers a crossing.
Set the Exit threshold to a value slightly below the enter threshold. This is the level the signal must drop to before a new crossing can register.

Set a Minimum Lap Time

To prevent false positives (e.g. signal reflections or flying near the gate without passing through), set a minimum lap time:

Go to Configuration and find the Lap & Announcer Settings section.
Set the Minimum Lap Time to a value that makes sense for your track. For most setups, 3-5 seconds is a good starting point.
Any crossing detected faster than this will be ignored, preventing double-triggers and false laps.

Calibration Tips

Walk the drone through at a realistic height - don't hold it right next to the board.
The peaks on the graph should be clear and distinct. If they're not, check your channel selection and make sure the VTx is on.
If you get false laps during a race, raise the enter threshold slightly or increase the minimum lap time.
If you change flying locations or move the gate, recalibrate.

4

Your First Race

Starting a Race

Go to the Race screen from the main menu.
Make sure your drone is armed and ready to fly.
Press Start Race. You'll hear a countdown beep sequence.
Fly through the gate - your lap times will appear in real time.
When you're done, press Stop Race.

Sound Not Working?

On mobile, your phone must not be on silent mode for the race countdown beep to play. On iOS, make sure the physical silent switch is off and media volume is up.

The Race Screen

During a race, the screen shows you everything in real time:

Lap times - Each lap is recorded as you fly through the gate.
Fastest lap - Your best lap is highlighted so you can see your target.
Gap time - Shows the difference between each lap and your fastest.
Voice announcements - Your lap times are announced aloud after each pass (using the voice you selected earlier).
LED feedback - The board LEDs flash when a crossing is detected, giving you visual confirmation even without looking at your phone.

After the Race

Once you stop the race, your session is automatically saved. You can:

View detailed statistics including average lap time and consistency.
See a lap-by-lap comparison chart.
Browse all your past sessions in Race History.

FPVGate AIO Quick Start