New Phone/Tablet setup for Field Maps with the Bad Elf Flex

New Phone/Tablet setup for Field Maps with the Bad Elf Flex

  1. Power on the Bad Elf Flex by holding down the power button for three seconds.

  2. Ensure the Bad Elf Flex and Field Maps apps are installed. 

    1. Free on the iOS app store and Google Play store

  3. Connect the Bad Elf Flex to your phone or tablet via Bluetooth. Below are article links for iOS and Android devices. 

    1. Pairing A Bluetooth Bad Elf Flex with iOS

    2. Pairing A Bluetooth Bad Elf Flex with Android

    3. Pairing A Bluetooth Bad Elf Flex with Android (Samsung)

  1. Optional: Open Bad Elf Flex App

    1. Use RTK corrections by selecting RTK or Point One Navigation from the correction mode screen and tapping the blue “Connect” button.

    2. Start a track log from the logging screen to record point history on Flex.

  2. Open Field Maps

    1. Open settings (top left) and choose “Provider”

      1. Add a new provider and select your Bad Elf Flex

      2. Define antenna height

        1. Using a 2 meter pole enter 2.23m / 7.316ft

        2. If not on a pole enter 0.23m / 0.755 ft

      3. Ensure Bad Elf Flex is selected and antenna height is correct

    2. If using RTK: In settings, choose a profile and create a new profile by tapping “+”

      1. For GNSS coordinate system, enter “6318” and choose NAD83 (2011)

      2. For the map coordinate system, enter “3857” and choose WGS84 Web Mercator if using Esri basemap, otherwise, choose your projection

      3. Tap next for extent

      4. Select top transformation from the list

      5. Save profile as “RTK”

  3. Open the map and begin collecting features.

Subsequent Connections


  1. Attach Flex to the survey pole and power it on by holding the power button for three seconds

    1. Lights will flash for ~30 seconds while the receiver is booting

  2. Optional: Confirm the mobile device is connected to the receiver by opening Bad Elf Flex app or verifying the blue light is illuminated on the receiver. 

  3. Open Field Maps Settings and confirm:

    1. The provider is set as Bad Elf and antenna height is correct

    2. Under “Profile”, select “Default” if not using RTK, “RTK” if in use. 

  4. Open project map and collect data.

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