You flew a perfect line but the footage looks like a paint shaker. Gyroflow reads your flight controller’s gyro data and mathematically reverses every bump and vibration. I’ve stabilized over 200 flights — here’s the workflow that actually works, not the one from the readme.
Gyroflow Setup Step-by-Step
1. Record Gyro Data in Your Goggles or Action Camera
Gyroflow needs gyroscope data at the same rate as your video. If you’re flying DJI O3 or O4 Air Unit, the onboard gyro logs automatically with every recording — no extra setup needed. For GoPro Hero 10-12, enable GPS + gyro logging in camera settings.
For analog pilots flying with a RunCam Thumb or Caddx Walnut, these cameras record gyro data internally. Check that your camera firmware is updated — RunCam Thumb Pro W and Caddx Walnut both received gyro improvements in 2025 firmware updates that fixed sync drift at 4K 60fps.
If you run a naked GoPro, the gyro data is embedded in the .mp4 file. Drag and drop directly into Gyroflow.
2. Load Footage and Verify Gyro Data
Open Gyroflow, drag your video file onto the window. The bottom timeline shows raw gyro traces — X, Y, and Z axes in red, green, and blue. If you see flat lines instead of motion traces, gyro data isn’t present. This happens with analog DVR footage from your goggles (Betaflight DVR has no gyro channel) and with GoPro footage where gyro was disabled in settings.
For footage without gyro data, you can use Gyroflow’s optical flow analysis as a fallback (File → Analyze Motion), but results are inconsistent — frame-to-frame analysis introduces drift on fast panning shots.
3. Lens Profile Calibration
This is where most pilots give up. Gyroflow needs to know your exact lens distortion parameters. The built-in presets cover GoPro Hero 8-12 and DJI O3/O4 in standard Wide mode. Select your camera from the Lens Profile dropdown.
If you shoot in SuperView, HyperView, or 4:3 mode on GoPro, the standard profile is wrong. Calibrate manually: File → Lens Calibration, load a calibration video (record 30 seconds of smooth panning across a checkerboard or brick wall pattern), and let Gyroflow compute the parameters. Save the profile — you’ll reuse it forever.
For DJI O3/O4 Air Unit, the standard profile in Normal FOV mode is accurate enough for most flying. Wide FOV and EIS modes have different distortion curves — record a calibration sequence if you shoot in these modes regularly.
4. Sync Point Placement
Sync points tell Gyroflow where the video frame aligns with the gyro data. Place 3-5 sync points across your clip. The key: put them at moments of sharp motion — punch-outs, hard rolls, or flips. Static hover segments give the algorithm nothing to match.
Right-click on the timeline at a high-motion moment, select “Add sync point,” then drag the green overlay to align with the gyro spike. After placing all sync points, click Auto Sync. The offset value should stabilize around a consistent number (typically 15-45ms for GoPro, 5-15ms for DJI O3). If it jumps between points, you need more sync points at higher-motion sections.
5. Stabilization Settings
Set Smoothing to 0.15-0.25 for freestyle footage, 0.08-0.12 for cinematic cruising. Lower values preserve more original motion; higher values lock the horizon. Check the Horizon Lock box if you want artificial horizon leveling. Enable Rolling Shutter Correction — set to “Full” for 30fps, “Fast” for 60fps.
Under Output, set Zooming to “Dynamic” with max zoom 1.15 — this crops the edges smoothly instead of the jarring frame jumps that “No Zoom” produces.
6. Export
Export at your source resolution and framerate. H.265 at 100Mbps for YouTube, H.264 at 150Mbps for local archive. Gyroflow uses GPU acceleration — an M1 Mac exports 4K 60fps at roughly 1.5x realtime; an RTX 3060 does 2-3x realtime.
Gyroflow Settings Cheat Sheet
| Setting | Freestyle (Fast) | Cinematic (Smooth) | Racing (Minimal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoothness | 0.18-0.25 | 0.08-0.12 | 0.25-0.35 |
| Horizon Lock | Off | On | Off |
| Max Zoom | 1.15 | 1.10 | 1.05 |
| Rolling Shutter Correction | Fast | Full | Fast |
| Output Bitrate | 100 Mbps H.265 | 150 Mbps H.265 | 80 Mbps H.264 |
| Sync Points | 3-5 | 5-7 | 3-4 |
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Mistake 1: Using Gyroflow on analog DVR footage. DVR recordings from your goggles contain no gyro data. Placing sync points on DVR produces warped, wobbling output that looks worse than the original. Consequence: hours of wasted render time for unusable footage. Fix: Gyroflow only works with gyro-equipped cameras (GoPro, DJI O3/O4, RunCam Thumb, Caddx Walnut, Insta360 Go). For analog DVR, use optical flow in DaVinci Resolve — slower but the only path.
Mistake 2: Placing sync points on hover sections. The sync algorithm needs motion contrast. Five sync points on a stationary hover produce a sync offset that drifts during actual flying because the algorithm never saw dynamic data. Consequence: the stabilization looks good at the start of the clip and progressively degrades into wobbly edges. Fix: Place every sync point on a sharp maneuver — punch-out, roll, or flip.
Mistake 3: Exporting at a different framerate than source. Converting 60fps to 30fps inside Gyroflow introduces frame blending that defeats the stabilization math. Consequence: ghosting artifacts and periodic horizon jumps. Fix: Export at native framerate, then convert in your editing software if needed.
Mistake 4: Using the default 0.50 smoothness value. This produces “drunk drone” footage — excessive horizon lock that fights your actual flight path. Consequence: your dive looks like the camera is nailed to a tripod while the scenery rotates unnaturally. Fix: Start at 0.15 and increase only if you need more lock.
⚠️ Regulatory Notice: Post-flight stabilization does not affect in-flight compliance. However, stabilized footage used in commercial FPV work (real estate, cinematography, inspection) may require Part 107 certification (FAA), specific operational authorizations (EASA), or equivalent commercial drone licenses in your jurisdiction as of 2026. Stabilized footage intended for monetization should comply with local commercial drone regulations regardless of the stabilization method.
For dialing in the camera settings that feed into Gyroflow, see our ND filter and cinematic settings guide. If you’re shooting with DJI, check our DJI O3 Air Unit setup guide for proper gyro data recording.
Stabilized footage starts with clean gyro data. The uavmodel F7 Flight Controller’s ICM-42688-P gyro captures 8kHz data with 20% lower noise floor than budget MPU6000 units — every vibration mapped, every correction cleaner.