Build a Custom Track in FPVSIM
Create a custom FPV race course from the ground up using FPVSIM's track-building tools.
See how FPVSIM custom tracks work and what you can create before starting your first course.
What this tutorial covers
This short visual introduction previews FPVSIM's custom-track editor. It shows a scene being navigated while gates, panels, and route elements are positioned, rotated, scaled, and arranged into a flyable course.
This is a feature preview, not the complete build workflow. Use the full custom-track tutorial for cloning, saving, checkpoint order, test flights, and publishing. Start with a small private course until the route scores reliably.
What the editor lets you do
- Move around a three-dimensional scene and inspect the course from different angles.
- Add and select track objects from the editor tools.
- Move, rotate, and scale gates, panels, obstacles, and checkpoint-related elements.
- Arrange the course sequence and refine the visible racing line.
- Save, test-fly, and iterate before sharing a finished track.
Try the feature
Open an editable track
Sign in and open a track you own or a cloned copy. Avoid experimenting on the only copy of a finished course.
Learn the editor camera
Rotate, pan, and zoom until you can view the intended route from above and from the pilot's approach angle.
Select a simple element
Begin with a regular gate or panel. Select it and identify the transform controls for moving, rotating, and scaling.
Establish the first line
Place a start element and one or two obstacles with generous spacing. Keep the direction and visibility clear from the expected approach.
Define checkpoint coverage
Confirm that each required passage has an appropriate checkpoint and that the route list follows the intended lap order.
Save and test-fly
Save the draft, leave the editor, and fly the line. Return to adjust scale, visibility, spacing, or checkpoint coverage.
Expand only after it works
Add more technical features and visual detail after the short course records consistent laps without unintended shortcuts.
Design tips
- Judge gate size from the flight camera, not only from the editor's wide overhead view.
- Give pilots a visible cue for the next obstacle when exiting a turn.
- Use panels to clarify a route, but avoid filling the scene with objects that hide the next gate.
- Test both the intended line and likely shortcut lines before publishing.
- Save named iterations so a successful layout is easy to recover.
Edited transcript
This video is a music-led visual feature introduction with no spoken tutorial narration. The edited tutorial notes below describe what is shown and are not a verbatim transcript.
00:00–00:10
An FPVSIM title card introduces the custom-track feature.
00:11–00:25
The track editor opens in an outdoor scene. The camera moves around the build area while the object toolbar and route controls remain visible.
00:26–00:42
Track elements are selected and repositioned. The demonstration shows that objects can be transformed in three dimensions rather than being limited to fixed locations.
00:43–00:58
Gates, panels, and related route elements are rotated and scaled to shape the racing line. The sequence bar provides a view of the course order.
00:59–01:10
Additional obstacles are assembled into the scene and inspected from different camera angles.
01:11–01:17
The final editor view presents the arranged course as a preview of the custom-track workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Does this short video show every publishing step?
No. It is a visual introduction. Follow the complete custom-track guide for cloning, checkpoint order, test-flying, and publishing.
Why should I clone a track before experimenting?
A clone gives you a separate editable version and protects the original layout while you learn the tools.
Are visible obstacles enough to make a scored route?
Not always. The correct checkpoints and their order determine whether the intended passages count during a lap.
Why does the track look different when I fly it?
The editor camera can make spacing and scale look generous. Test from the actual flight camera and adjust the course from that perspective.
What should my first custom track contain?
Start with a clear start, a few well-spaced obstacles, correct checkpoint coverage, and an obvious route. Add complexity after clean laps work consistently.
