FAQ
Quick answers to common questions. For the full walkthroughs, see Running an Event, Round Formats, and Connecting a Timer.
Where is my event data stored?
If you run the native portable app, GridFPV keeps everything in a gridfpv-data/ folder right next to the executable — your pilots, classes, events, and the full record of every race. To back it up or move it to another machine, copy that folder. To start fresh, move or rename it and GridFPV will create a new empty one on next launch. See Getting Started.
If you run the hosted web app, the same data lives with the Director (server) process on the machine you started it on — not in your browser. Pointing a browser at it from another device does not copy anything; everyone is reading and writing the same data on that one machine.
Should I use the native app or the hosted web app?
They are the same application and use the same data, so pick by how you want to reach it.
- Use the native portable app when you want the simplest setup — one file, double-click, a window opens. Ideal for running an event on a single laptop at the field.
- Use the hosted web app when you want to reach the same event from a browser, including from other devices on your network (a second screen, or pilots checking standings on their phones).
See Getting Started for both.
Which timers are supported?
Today GridFPV ships with the built-in Mock timer (a simulator for learning and demos) and support for RotorHazard over its server URL. More timing sources are planned. See Connecting a Timer.
What's the difference between channels and nodes?
A timer's nodes are its physical receivers, and the node count caps how many pilots can fly in one heat. Channels are the frequencies the timer can tune to — and a timer can offer more channels than it has nodes, so you can choose which channels each heat uses. Per-pilot channels come from your event's primary timer. See channels vs nodes.
Why "Timed — Most Laps" instead of a fixed lap count?
Because it matches how real FPV racing usually works: everyone flies the same amount of time, and most laps wins. It is easy to call, easy for pilots to understand, and the grace window (default 30s) means a pilot's last lap still counts if they crossed the gate just after the buzzer. You can still use First to N Laps for a fixed-distance race — see Win conditions.
Do laps in Practice get saved?
No. Practice shows laps live on the per-channel practice board, but they are not recorded — it is free flying time with no scoring. Starting a new run clears the board. Use Time Trials when you want results that count. See Practice.
How do I run a quick test without any hardware?
Add the built-in Mock timer, create an event, and run a heat through Stage → Start → finish → Finalize. The Mock timer simulates realistic gate crossings, so you can rehearse the entire live-control flow on a single laptop. See the Mock timer.
Do pilots need to log in? Is there a cloud?
No cloud and no account. GridFPV is self-hosted and runs entirely on your own machine — at a field with no internet, it still runs your whole event.
- The race director's own machine is trusted automatically — there is nothing to log into to run a race locally.
- Reaching control from another device on the network may require a passphrase the director sets.
- A read-only view lets pilots and spectators check standings without being able to change anything.
How do I reset everything for a fresh test?
In the native portable app, quit GridFPV and move or rename the gridfpv-data/ folder next to the executable. On the next launch GridFPV creates a new empty one, giving you a clean slate. (Keep the old folder if you might want that data back.) See Where is my event data stored?
How do I export results?
On the Results stage, use Export JSON to download the visible standings and results for your own records or post-processing.
Can I run more than one track or event at once?
One event runs one track at a time through Race Control. You can keep multiple events in your library and open whichever one you are running; create and switch between them from the Events page on the home hub.
Why did a lap disappear on its own?
The round's minimum lap time caught it: a crossing that would close a lap shorter than the floor (default 5s) is auto-removed as a double-detection — a gate reflection registering twice. It's never silent: the crossing shows on the marshaling lap list as "under min lap, auto-removed" with a Restore button if it was real. See Marshaling.
What's the difference between Remove and Throw out?
Remove says the crossing never really happened (noise, a reflection) — the pass is deleted and the laps around it merge. Throw out says the lap happened but doesn't count (a course cut, a penalty) — it stays on the clock, excluded from scoring. Bad detection → Remove; rule violation → Throw out. See Marshaling.
What version am I running?
Bottom-right corner of the console — e.g. GridFPV v0.4.0-alpha.1. Quote it in any bug report.
What's still coming?
GridFPV is actively growing. A few areas are deliberately lighter today and will deepen over time:
- Tournament structures — bracket builders (single/double elimination), multi-main tiers, and round robin — are being rebuilt on top of the three round types and return in a future release. Until then, chain rounds by hand with From ranking seeding.
- Streaming & broadcast (overlays, announcer feeds) and the optional cloud tier are on the roadmap.
We would rather ship these well than overpromise — what's documented here is what works today.