Flying with a Joystick (or [virtual thumb-sticks](../settings_view/virtual_joystick.md)) requires a reliable high bandwidth telemetry channel to ensure that the vehicle is responsive to joystick movements (because joystick information is sent over MAVLink).
To enable Joystick support in PX4 you need to set the parameter [`COM_RC_IN_MODE`](h[ttp://localhost:8080/px4_user_guide/en](https://docs.px4.io/en/main/advanced_config/parameter_reference.html#COM_RC_IN_MODE) to `1` - _Joystick_.
This is enabled by default for PX4 SITL builds (see the [Parameters](../setup_view/parameters.md) topic for information on how to find and set a particular parameter).
## Ardupilot Joystick Support
All ArduPilot vehicles are supported. No parameter configuration is necessary.
## Configuring the Joystick {#configure}
To configure a joystick:
1. Start _QGroundControl_ and connect to a vehicle.
- **Center stick is zero throttle**: Centered or lowered stick sends 0 in [MANUAL_CONTROL **z**](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MANUAL_CONTROL), raised stick sends 1000.
- **Full down stick is zero throttle**: In this mode, lowered stick sends 0 in [MANUAL_CONTROL **z**](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MANUAL_CONTROL), centered stick 500, and raised 1000.
So that lowered stick sends -1000 in [MANUAL_CONTROL **z**](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MANUAL_CONTROL), centered sends zero, and raised stick sends 1000.
- **Normal**: User controls as if using a regular RC radio, MAVLink [MANUAL_CONTROL](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MANUAL_CONTROL) messages are used.
- **Attitude**: User controls the vehicle attitude, MAVLink [SET_ATTITUDE_TARGET](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#SET_ATTITUDE_TARGET) messages are used.
- **Position**: User controls the vehicle position, MAVLink [SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED) messages with bitmask for **position** only are used.
- **Force**: User controls the forces applied to the vehicle, MAVLink [SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED) messages with bitmask for **force** only are used.
- **Velocity**: User controls the forces applied to the vehicle, MAVLink [SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED) messages with bitmask for **velocity** only are used.
- **Axis Frequency**: When the joystick is idle (inputs are not changing), the joystick commands are sent to the vehicle at 5Hz. When the joystick is in use (input values are changing), the joystick commands are sent to the vehicle at the (higher) frequency configured by this setting. The default is 25Hz.
- **Button Frequency**: Controls the frequency at which repeated button actions are sent.
- **Enable Circle Correction**: RC controllers sticks describe a square, while joysticks usually describe a circle.
When this option is enabled a square is inscribed inside the joystick movement area to make it more like an RC controller (so it is possible to reach all four corners). The cost is decreased resolution, as the effective stick travel is reduced.
- **Disabled:** When this is **disabled** the joystick position is sent to the vehicle unchanged (the way that it is read from the joystick device).
On some joysticks, the (roll, pitch) values are confined to the space of a circle inscribed inside of a square.
In this figure, point B would command full pitch forward and full roll right, but the joystick is not able to reach point B because the retainer is circular.
This means that you will not be able to achieve full roll and pitch deflection simultaneously.
- **Deadbands:** Deadbands allow input changes to be ignored when the sticks are near their neutral positions.
This helps to avoid noise or small oscillations on sensitive sticks which may be interpreted as commands, or small offsets when sticks do not re-center well.
They can be adjusted during the first step of the [calibration](#configure), or by dragging vertically on the corresponding axis monitor.
To make the controller work wirelessly under Linux the [jstest-gtk](https://jstest-gtk.gitlab.io/) and [ds4drv](https://github.com/chrippa/ds4drv) utilities are needed.
The Taranis does not allow you to use button options (to be precise, you can set the options, but toggling the buttons on your transmitter does not cause them to be pressed).
The [Logitech Extreme 3D Pro](http://gaming.logitech.com/en-ch/product/extreme-3d-pro-joystick) Joystick has been tested on all platforms (Linux, Windows, Mac OSX).
This is a single stick controller that can also be twisted. The main stick axes are used for pitch and roll, while the twist action is used for yaw. The throttle is mapped onto a separate wheel.
