I would love to be able to write a comprehensive startup guide but it is way harder than using a sample UAV.
A helicopter beginner's UAV might be something like the attachment.
The defaults on Config / Stabilization page for Rate are a problem. You can't see movement unless you use 360 or greater.
The defaults on servo travel are a problem. They can overtravel. Start with 1300, 1522, and 1650
The attachment "Sample.UAV has Rates at 540 and conservative servo travel limits. It is configured for a satellite.
Check servo direction- easiest to set in "System / Actuator Settings " If a servo moves the wrong direction swap min and max values. Check gyro compensation. Change sign on "System / Accel Bias and Gyro Bias" if one axis is reversed.. I can't see the servos move as well as I can feel them. When I tip my helicopter forward I feel the rear swash pinch my finger a little. When I tip it left I like to feel the right servo arm pinch my finger to the gear.
You can't "Save" to the board if your ESC is armed. The default on arming is a problem. Always disarmed is a joke and always armed is dangerous. Why do they exist? I arm with throttle off and "Pitch Aft".
The throttle / pitch get weird unless you set the neutral value pretty close to minimum. You must do this after "Manual Calibration" of TX.
*Check servo travel- I use "System / Actuator Settings" to set them.
- , [1]. [2] are cyclics [3] is the tail. I don't like "Swash Leveling"in config because it makes the servos move too fast and sometimes wrecks something. Use "System /Actuator Settings for the tail limits and neutral, too. Guess at neutral tail setting on the bench and then refine your setting by hovering. It's good if it can hover with no Yaw input.
*check servo neutral= blades at zero pitch and servo arms level
*check for positive and negative pitch. check that tail slider moves to both limits; set neutral with a little Yaw right (refine this setting after flying)
repeat previous three steps until you are happy with geometry of head and the tail. Then test hover and make corrections as necessary.
Fiddle-Fart around with your TX until you can get some flight modes. With 6 flight modes (DX7S) I can do some comparisons on the three different banks as well as testing Rate, Rattitude, Acro+ or Weak Leveling at the flick of a switch, or two.
Find a calm spot to start tuning. Then you input values for inner control loops on all three axes. Start conservatively to avoid scary oscillations but if you are too conservative you won't have any control.
Once you have Inner Loops working then try some wind so that you can tune the Outer Loops.
Take you time with setup. Check it again and again.