Flipping will cause what looks like motors starting at full power. Fix the flipping to start with.
Also, I bet the motors don't start at full power if the props have been removed.
You didn't say if this was a GPS capable FC with GPS installed and configured.
Many things can cause flipping.
- FC not mounted with arrow forward (and ESC connectors on right side)
- ESCs connected in the wrong order
- wrong motor spin direction
- wrong prop type on motors
- PIDs incorrect (try stock PIDs)
- ESC signal configured too slow for the PIDs (try PWMSync or PWM-490Hz)
- very bad ESC calibration
- taking off from a hillside
- moving the sticks before it is in the air
- increasing throttle slowly during takeoff (you should arm and immediately take off from level ground with a jump up to knee high)
- disabling "zero the integral when throttle is low" on stabilization page (why do newbies do this??
)
- aux mag / GPS not mounted correctly)