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MicoAir WiFi Link — Multi-Drone Networking Tutorial

This tutorial takes the MicoAir WiFi Link from its out-of-the-box AP mode to a router-based STA-mode network where one ground station controls multiple aircraft at once — the standard architecture for drone-swarm work and light shows (including Skybrush-based workflows). The same steps, minus the extra aircraft, also apply if you just want STA mode for longer range.

1. STA mode and what to plan first​

1.1 How STA mode works​

In STA mode, each WiFi Link joins your router as a wireless client. The flight controller talks to its WiFi Link over serial; the ground-station PC joins the same router over WiFi or Ethernet. Once configured, the ground-station software connects to every flight controller on the LAN at the same time — one network, one GCS, many aircraft.

STA-mode communication link: flight controllers, WiFi Link modules, router and ground station on one LAN

New to this? What "STA mode" actually means

A WiFi radio can play one of two roles. In AP mode (Access Point), the WiFi Link is the network — it broadcasts its own hotspot and your PC or phone joins it, exactly like joining any WiFi network. In STA mode (Station), the module is a client instead: it joins an existing router the same way your phone joins your home WiFi. Nothing about the drone side changes — the flight controller still just talks serial to the module. What changes is where the network lives: on the module itself (AP), or on your router (STA).

Which mode should you use?

AP mode (default)STA mode
Network setupNone — power on and join the hotspotConfigure each module with AT commands once
Range~100 m (module ↔ PC/phone direct)Up to ~500 m through a high-power router
Aircraft per ground stationOneMany — this is the multi-drone architecture
Ground station connectionJoin the module's hotspotPC joins the router (WiFi or Ethernet)
Best forBench tuning, single-aircraft field workFleets, swarm shows, fixed sites, longer range

If you just want to tune one aircraft wirelessly, stay in AP mode and skip this tutorial — see the user manual. Come back here when you need more range or more aircraft.

1.2 Parameters to decide before configuring​

ParameterAT commandMeaning
Router WiFi nameAT+SSIDThe wireless network the WiFi Link should join
Router WiFi passwordAT+PWDPassword of that network
Module local IPAT+MIPThe WiFi Link's static IP on the LAN
Target IPAT+TIPThe ground-station PC's IPv4 address on the LAN
GatewayAT+GWThe router's gateway IP
UDP portAT+PORTThe port the ground station listens on, usually 14550
AT+TIP is the one people get wrong

AT+TIP must be the IPv4 address your ground-station PC actually has on this router — not a made-up address, and not yesterday's address if the router re-assigned it. When telemetry "mysteriously" stops arriving, check this first.

1.3 Find your PC's IPv4 address​

  1. Connect the PC to the router.
  2. Open the Windows Command Prompt.
  3. Run:
ipconfig
  1. Find the IPv4 Address of the active adapter.

Example output:

IPv4 Address . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.8.211
Default Gateway  . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.8.1

Finding the ground-station PC IPv4 address with ipconfig in Command Prompt

From that output you can plan the addresses:

ParameterExample value
Ground-station PC IP192.168.8.211
WiFi Link module IP192.168.8.213
Gateway IP192.168.8.1
UDP port14550

AT+MIP must be in the same subnet as the PC and gateway, and must not collide with any other device on the LAN.

Keep the PC connected to this router from here on. If the PC switches networks or the router hands it a new IP, re-check ipconfig and update AT+TIP on every module.

2. Hardware connections​

2.1 While configuring​

Configuration only needs the module and a computer:

  1. Connect the WiFi Link to the PC with a data-capable USB Type-C cable.
  2. Confirm a new COM port appears in Windows Device Manager.
  3. No COM port? Install the CH340 driver or swap in a Type-C cable that supports data.

2.2 In use, on the aircraft​

Wire the flight controller to the WiFi Link with the supplied cable. This tutorial assumes serial 1, i.e. Telem1:

  • GH1.25 4-pin end → WiFi Link
  • SH1.0 4-pin end → flight controller Telem1

WiFi Link wired to flight controller serial port 1 — TX/RX crossed, 5V and GND straight through

note

Always configure against the serial port you actually wired — check your flight controller's port mapping.

3.1 Test AT communication​

Any serial terminal works — you don't need a specific program. Four settings matter:

SettingValue
Portthe WiFi Link's COM port (from Device Manager)
Baud rate115200
Framing8 data bits · 1 stop bit · no parity (8N1, the usual default)
Line endingappend CR-LF (\r\n) to every command — the one setting people miss

Common choices on Windows: PuTTY, Tera Term, or the Arduino IDE Serial Monitor (set the line-ending dropdown to "Both NL & CR" and the baud to 115200). Any of them behaves identically for AT commands.

Open the port and send:

AT

You should get:

AT test — the module answers OK

No response? Check, in order: correct COM port, baud 115200, CR-LF enabled, data-capable Type-C cable.

3.2 Query the current configuration​

AT+ALL?

On a factory-fresh module you'll see the AP-mode defaults:

AT+ALL? on a factory-fresh module — AP mode defaults

This shows the module's current mode, WiFi name, baud rate, UDP port, local IP and target IP.

3.3 Set the STA network parameters​

Switching to STA mode is done over AT commands. (The web page can change some WiFi settings, but this tutorial configures everything through the serial terminal so first-time setups don't mix entry points.)

Example network used below — substitute your real values:

ParameterExample value
Router WiFi nameMicoAir_5G
Router WiFi password12345678
Ground-station PC IP192.168.8.211
WiFi Link module IP192.168.8.213
Gateway IP192.168.8.1
UDP port14550
AT+SSID=MicoAir_5G
AT+PWD=12345678
AT+MIP=192.168.8.213
AT+TIP=192.168.8.211
AT+GW=192.168.8.1
AT+PORT=14550
AT+BAUD=115200
AT+MODE=1

Setting the mode reboots the module automatically. After changing other parameters on their own, reboot manually:

AT+RST

3.4 Verify the configuration took effect​

After the reboot, reopen the serial port and send:

AT+ALL?

AT+ALL? after reboot — STA-mode parameters confirmed

Check each line:

  • MODE is STA
  • SSID is your router's WiFi name
  • BAUD matches the flight-controller serial baud
  • PORT is the ground-station listening port
  • MIP is this module's own IP
  • TIP is the ground-station PC's IP
  • GW is the router gateway

If the PC later joins another network or gets re-assigned an IP, re-run ipconfig and update AT+TIP.

4. Configure the flight controller​

The serial port wired to the WiFi Link must run MAVLink at the same baud rate as AT+BAUD.

4.1 ArduPilot​

MicoConfigurator is the recommended tool (download); Mission Planner's full-parameter list works the same way.

  1. Connect the flight controller to the PC (USB or otherwise).
  2. Open MicoConfigurator and connect.
  3. Go to Settings → Ports.
  4. Find the port the WiFi Link is wired to and set:
SERIAL1_PROTOCOL = MAVLink2
SERIAL1_BAUD = 115200

Setting SERIAL1 protocol and baud for the WiFi Link in MicoConfigurator

For multiple aircraft, each also needs a unique vehicle number:

  1. Open Parameters and find SYSID, or search SYSID_THISMAV.
  2. Set it to this aircraft's number.

Setting SYSID_THISMAV for multi-vehicle use

SYSID_THISMAV must be unique per aircraft. For a single aircraft the default 1 is fine. Parameters save automatically; reboot the flight controller to apply.

4.2 PX4​

MicoConfigurator is again the recommended tool.

  1. Connect the flight controller and open MicoConfigurator.
  2. Go to Settings → Ports.
  3. With the WiFi Link on TELEM1, set:
MAV_0_CONFIG = TELEM1
MAV_0_MODE = Normal
SER_TEL1_BAUD = 115200 8N1

PX4 TELEM1 MAVLink configuration for the WiFi Link

For multiple aircraft, also set a unique:

MAV_SYS_ID

Setting MAV_SYS_ID for multi-vehicle use

MAV_SYS_ID must be unique per aircraft; default 1 is fine for a single vehicle. Save, then reboot the flight controller.

5. Connect the ground station​

With the modules and flight controllers configured, the ground station connects over UDP — and the procedure is identical for one aircraft or many. The GCS listens on one UDP port; every aircraft's data arrives through that single entry point, and the GCS tells them apart by system ID. You connect once, not once per drone.

5.1 Mission Planner​

  1. Open Mission Planner.
  2. Select UDP as the connection type.
  3. Set the port to 14550.
  4. Click Connect and wait for the vehicles to appear.

Mission Planner UDP connection listening on port 14550

5.2 QGroundControl​

  1. Open QGroundControl.
  2. Go to Application Settings → Comm Links.
  3. Enable UDP auto-connect, or add a manual UDP link.
  4. Set the listening port to 14550.
  5. Connect and wait for the vehicles to appear.

QGroundControl UDP comm link on port 14550

If no data arrives, the first suspect is the Windows Firewall blocking Mission Planner or QGC from receiving UDP.

Allowing the ground station through the Windows Firewall

6. Typical application — controlling a drone swarm​

The STA architecture on this page is the communication backbone of most small drone-swarm and light-show setups.

A nine-drone fleet and one ground station sharing a single router over WiFi

Here's how the pieces map onto a real fleet:

  1. One LAN carries everything. Every aircraft's WiFi Link joins the same router, and the show computer (ground station) joins it too. There is no per-drone radio pairing — the router is the shared medium, and WiFi 6's OFDMA scheduling is what keeps dozens of small MAVLink streams from trampling each other.
  2. System IDs are the aircraft's names. The GCS separates vehicles purely by SYSID_THISMAV (ArduPilot) or MAV_SYS_ID (PX4). In a swarm, treat the ID as seriously as the airframe number — most "missing drone" problems trace back to a duplicated ID.
  3. Waypoints and commands upload over the same link. Once the fleet is visible in the GCS, mission upload, parameter changes, arming and mode changes all travel over the LAN — per-aircraft or fleet-wide, depending on your software.
  4. Swarm software sits on top. Tools like Skybrush (and multi-vehicle setups in Mission Planner/QGC) connect to the very same UDP stream this tutorial configures. If each drone in this tutorial shows up with a unique ID, your platform-level swarm software has everything it needs.

Practical sizing notes from the field:

  • Plan the IP block first. Give the GCS a router-reserved static IP, then assign module IPs in a clean sequence (.212, .213, .214…) that matches airframe numbers — future-you will thank you during a pre-show check.
  • Prefer 5 GHz for the fleet LAN where your router allows it: more spectrum, less congestion from consumer devices, and it leaves 2.4 GHz cleaner if any aircraft also carry 2.4 GHz RC links.
  • Telemetry is light; scale limits come from the router. A MAVLink telemetry stream is a few KB/s per aircraft — a capable WiFi 6 router handles a small show fleet comfortably. Test your full fleet on the ground before the first flight, watching for dropped heartbeats in the GCS.

7. Worked example — three drones, one ground station​

Each WiFi Link needs its own local IP, and each flight controller its own system ID. Everything else is shared.

7.1 Network plan​

DeviceIP / ID
Router gateway192.168.8.1
Ground-station PC192.168.8.211
Drone 1 WiFi Link192.168.8.212
Drone 2 WiFi Link192.168.8.213
Drone 3 WiFi Link192.168.8.214
UDP port14550

All three modules point AT+TIP at the same ground-station PC:

AT+TIP=192.168.8.211

…while each module's AT+MIP must be different.

7.2 Per-drone configuration​

Drone 1

AT+SSID=MicoAir_5G
AT+PWD=12345678
AT+MIP=192.168.8.212
AT+TIP=192.168.8.211
AT+GW=192.168.8.1
AT+PORT=14550
AT+BAUD=115200
AT+MODE=1

ArduPilot: SYSID_THISMAV = 1 · PX4: MAV_SYS_ID = 1

Drone 2

AT+SSID=MicoAir_5G
AT+PWD=12345678
AT+MIP=192.168.8.213
AT+TIP=192.168.8.211
AT+GW=192.168.8.1
AT+PORT=14550
AT+BAUD=115200
AT+MODE=1

ArduPilot: SYSID_THISMAV = 2 · PX4: MAV_SYS_ID = 2

Drone 3

AT+SSID=MicoAir_5G
AT+PWD=12345678
AT+MIP=192.168.8.214
AT+TIP=192.168.8.211
AT+GW=192.168.8.1
AT+PORT=14550
AT+BAUD=115200
AT+MODE=1

ArduPilot: SYSID_THISMAV = 3 · PX4: MAV_SYS_ID = 3

Then connect the ground station exactly as in section 5 — one UDP connection. With unique system IDs, the GCS recognises and lists every aircraft automatically.

Four-vehicle example under PX4 — QGroundControl lists every vehicle and lets you act on them individually or together:

Four PX4 vehicles connected simultaneously in QGroundControl

QGroundControl vehicle selector showing all four PX4 vehicles

Four-vehicle example under ArduPilot — Mission Planner shows every aircraft on the map and in the vehicle dropdown:

Four ArduPilot vehicles connected simultaneously in Mission Planner

Mission Planner vehicle dropdown showing all four ArduPilot vehicles

7.3 Multi-drone checklist​

  • Every module's AT+MIP is unique.
  • Every module's AT+TIP points to the ground-station PC.
  • Every flight controller's system ID is unique.
  • If the ground-station PC's IP changes, update AT+TIP on all modules.
  • Give the ground-station PC a fixed IP in the router settings — it removes the single most common maintenance chore.
  • If some aircraft don't appear after connecting, check for duplicate system IDs first.

8. Troubleshooting​

AT commands get no response​

  • Type-C cable must support data transfer.
  • Correct COM port selected.
  • Baud rate is 115200.
  • CR-LF append is enabled.

Module won't join the router​

  • AT+SSID is correct.
  • AT+PWD is correct.
  • The router allows new devices to join.
  • The module has actually been switched to STA mode.

Ground station receives no data​

  • The PC's current IP matches AT+TIP.
  • AT+MIP, AT+TIP and AT+GW are in the same subnet.
  • The GCS is listening on UDP 14550.
  • Windows Firewall isn't blocking the GCS.
  • The flight-controller serial protocol is set to MAVLink.
  • The flight-controller serial baud matches AT+BAUD.
  • TX/RX between FC and module are cross-connected.

Parameter changes don't take effect​

Reboot the module:

AT+RST

Then confirm with:

AT+ALL?

Start over from a clean state​

AT+RESET

restores factory defaults; then reconfigure STA mode from section 3.

Get the hardware​

The MicoAir WiFi Link is available from Robofusion: robofusion.net

3D-printable case — designed by Robofusion

Robofusion 3D-printed protective case and antenna radome for the MicoAir WiFi Link

Robofusion has designed a free 3D-printable case and antenna radome for the WiFi Link (the module ships as a bare board) — shown above as printed. Both downloads include the model files and print profiles:

Written and maintained by the Robofusion engineering team.