MobiFlight

MobiFlight Project
This open source project integrates standard hardware with your flight simulator – this allows you to build your individual cockpit in a fast, cheap & flexible way!

With MobiFlight Connector it’s easy to configure the MobiFlight Modules without a single line of script or code – only mouse clicks.

Affordable
MobiFlight works with commonly available hardware – so you can save a lot of money! MobiFlight supports LEDs, 7-Segments, Steppers, Servos & LCDs & more.

Flexible
These are the simulators that we support
MSFS2020, P3D, FSX, FS9, X-Plane 11, X-Plane 10, X-Plane 9

Open Source
MobiFlight is 100% Open Source & is hosted on GitHub together with other projects that are maintained by the community.

Become part of a vibrant Open Source Community & contribute!

Services

Output Devices
MobiFlight supports a range of different output devices. You can use these devices to display information from the flight simulator on real-world hardware.

Simple Outputs
With MobiFlight it is super easy to connect simple outputs like lights & LEDs. Outputs require one pin on the Arduino board & as of Version 8.2 MobiFlight also supports PWM which allows you to dim your LEDs. This also makes it possible to drive analog gauges where needles are turning based on the provided voltage, e.g. CDI, EGT, & others.

7-Segment LED Displays
One of the first features of MobiFlight was driving MAX7219 based 7-segment LED Displays. You can get those super cheap pre-assembled on eBay or other stores on the internet. You can also drive custom built setups, as long as the driver chip is a MAX7219.

7-Segment LED Displays require 3 pins on the MobiFlight board. It is possible to daisy chain up to 8 modules (MAX7219) chips. So in total this allows you to connect 64 segments using only 3 pins.

Servos
Servos can be connected to MobiFlight using 1 pin & any pin can be used, regardless whether it’s a native PWM pin or not. MobiFlight has been tested with the widely available & very cheap micro servos SG 90. Servos have a lot of torque & can also mechanically move things, but be aware that the servos will make some noise when moving & also while maintaining their position. The range of motion can be controlled by MobiFlight between 0-180 degrees.

Stepper Motors
Steppers are awesome for creating “steam gauges” & when you need precision & smooth rotation. Some users will use steppers in their throttle quadrants to create an auto-throttle function.
The cool thing is that MobiFlight will always auto-home your stepper, either by a home position indicator (e.g., switch) or after manual calibration by moving back to that position on shutdown.

Steppers use typically 4 pins on the MobiFlight board.

MobiFlight works nicely together with commonly available & cheap 28BYJ-48 which is driven by a ULN2003 bridge. Users also have connected other steppers successfully like x27.168

LCD Displays
LCD Displays are amazing because they are very flexible to configure & can display a great variety of information. Supported LCD Displays are any variants of those modules that can be driven by i2C – advantage on the MobiFlight side: only the 2 i2C pins are used.

Check out the different sizes such as LCD Displays with 4 lines & 20 characters, or 2 lines with 16 characters

Shift Registers
Running out of pins? Shift Registers to the rescue! Shift Registers allow you to expand your output pins. We will soon add more documentation about what kind of shift registers are supported.

Input Devices
Whether you want to build a full-fledged home cockpit or a simple button box – you will want to connect switches, encoders & potentiometers to control your virtual cockpit in your favourite flight simulator.

Gallery