Dashboard does not have a takeoff transition for copters
When copters take off they need to be armed, then takeoff, then put into auto. They will not accept a transition directly from ARMED and STABILIZE to AUTO.
If you try to go to AUTO from FTI.py the console shows:
APM: Arming motors
ARMED
Arming checks disabled
[INFO] [1486170725.486379, 198.950000]: MAVLink STATUSTEXT: Arming motors
[INFO] [1486170725.889231, 198.950000]: Task Runner: Starting Event 'on_arm'
[INFO] [1486170725.889659, 198.950000]: Task Runner: Completed Event 'on_arm'
[INFO] [1486170726.379239, 198.950000]: ROS sub recvd: waypoint_goto
[INFO] [1486170738.484008, 214.589000]: NET Mode
[INFO] [1486170738.596292, 214.689000]: Sent mode AUTO (10) to autopilot
[INFO] [1486170738.596598, 214.689000]: ROS sub recvd: mode_num
APM: Flight mode change failed
[INFO] [1486170738.603736, 214.689000]: MAVLink STATUSTEXT: Flight mode change failed
Form: https://gist.github.com/tfoote/c18be8bcb83d57f63b4df41f923bf827#file-successfully-armed-log-L223-L234 ardupilot#2
I was able to get the copters to fly by using QGroundControl to command Takeoff before attempting to put the copters into auto. After which they went to AUTO successfully.