How to install different versions of INAV ground station

I. Principle

The INAV ground control station (GCS) is used for flight controller parameter tuning and firmware flashing. Different versions (such as INAV 6, INAV 7, and INAV 8) are each compatible with corresponding firmware series. Some users need to install multiple versions simultaneously to handle different scenarios or requirements.
This method achieves coexistence of multiple INAV GCS versions by downloading installation packages for each version, extracting them, and directly executing the executable files (.exe), then creating and naming shortcuts on the desktop.

II. Equipment Preparation

1. Computer: A computer running Windows OS (Windows 10 or later recommended). Ensure sufficient disk space for storing installation packages and shortcuts.
2. Installation packages: Download the required INAV GCS installation package files (ZIP format) from the official source.
3. Decompression software: Install common decompression tools (such as WinRAR, 7-Zip, etc.) for extracting the packages.

III. Specific Operations

3.1 Download and Extract

1. Download packages
   Download the required INAV GCS installation packages separately, for example, INAV version 6 and version 7.
   INAV GCS Official Website
   
2. Extract installation packages
   Extract each package to a separate folder, for example: D:\INAV\INAV6 and D:\INAV\INAV7.
   
3. After extraction, locate the executable file of the main program in the corresponding folder (typically a file with an .exe extension).
   

3.2 Create Desktop Shortcuts

1. Locate the executable file
   Open the extracted folder and confirm the executable file name, for example "inav-configurator".
2. Create shortcuts
   Right-click the .exe file, select [Send to] → [Desktop (create shortcut)]. Repeat these steps to create separate desktop shortcuts for each version.
   
3. Naming and differentiation
   On the desktop, rename the newly created shortcuts to include version information, for example: "INAV GCS V6", "INAV GCS V7". This makes it easy to identify and select the required version at startup.
   

3.3 Test Startup

1. Double-click shortcuts
Double-click the different version shortcuts on the desktop to check if the software starts normally.
2. Parameters and configuration
After startup, perform initial setup and parameter tuning as needed to ensure each version runs independently without interference.

IV. Q&A

Q1: Why choose the package extraction method instead of direct installation?
A: The package extraction method prevents the installer from automatically overwriting other versions, ensuring that each version's files are stored independently, facilitating multi-version coexistence.
Q2: Are there any requirements for shortcut naming?
A: It is recommended to clearly mark version information in the shortcut names (such as V6, V7) for quick differentiation between versions and to prevent confusion.
Q3: What should I do if I encounter missing components or errors during startup?
A: Please confirm that the downloaded installation package is from the official source. If you encounter component issues, refer to the official documentation or install the required runtime libraries (such as VC++ Redistributable).
Q4: Can I install multiple versions in the same directory?
A: It is not recommended to install different versions in the same directory to avoid file confusion or configuration conflicts. It is advisable to use separate folders for each version and distinguish them through shortcuts.

Technical Support QR Code