The flight controller is the hardware that runs PX4 firmware and acts as the central brain of your drone. Choosing the right board affects everything from the physical size of your build to the number of available outputs, processing power, redundancy, and long-term software support. This page explains the different support tiers and highlights specific boards you can select for your vehicle.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
Support Tiers
PX4-compatible flight controllers fall into three support categories. Understanding the distinctions helps you balance reliability against flexibility.- Pixhawk Standard
- Manufacturer-Supported
- Experimental
Pixhawk Standard Autopilots are the PX4 project’s reference hardware. They fully comply with the open Pixhawk Standard, are actively maintained and tested by the PX4 development team and the Dronecode test team, and receive the highest level of ongoing software support.If you want the safest choice for a production build or a development platform, start here.Key characteristics:
- Tested against every PX4 release by the core team
- QGroundControl automatically identifies and flashes the correct firmware
- Eligible to carry the Pixhawk trademark
- Open hardware designs licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Pixhawk standard boards use the Pixhawk Autopilot Bus (PAB) carrier standard on FMUv6X and later, allowing you to swap the flight controller module onto a different carrier board without rewiring.
FMU Version Numbering
All Pixhawk-series boards are identified by an FMU version number (e.g., FMUv5, FMUv6X). The version designates the open hardware design the board is based on. Boards sharing the same FMU version run the same compiled firmware binary.As a user, you rarely need to think about FMU versions directly — QGroundControl automatically downloads and flashes the correct firmware when you connect your board. Board selection is typically driven by physical size and feature requirements, not FMU version alone.
| FMU Version | Key Characteristics | Example Boards |
|---|---|---|
| FMUv2 | STM32F427 processor, 1 MB flash | Pixhawk 1 (discontinued) |
| FMUv3 | Same MCU as v2, flash doubled to 2 MB | Hex Cube Black, mRo Pixhawk, CUAV Pixhack v3 |
| FMUv4 | Faster CPU, more RAM, no IO processor | mRo Pixracer |
| FMUv4-PRO | More serial ports, IO processor | Drotek Pixhawk 3 Pro |
| FMUv5 | STM32F7 processor, much faster, more CAN buses | Holybro Pixhawk 4, CUAV V5+ |
| FMUv5X | Modular design, more redundancy, 1 MB RAM | Holybro Pixhawk 5X |
| FMUv6C | STM32H743, 2× IMUs, compact form factor | Holybro Pixhawk 6C, Holybro Pix32 v6 |
| FMUv6X | STM32H753, 3× IMUs, 2× barometers, Ethernet, PAB | Holybro Pixhawk 6X, CUAV Pixhawk V6X |
| FMUv6X-RT | NXP i.MX RT1176 @ 1 GHz, 2 MB RAM, 64 MB flash | Holybro Pixhawk 6X-RT, NXP MR-VMU-RT1176 |
Pixhawk Standard Boards
The following boards are currently manufactured and fully Pixhawk-compliant. They are the recommended choice for most builds.Holybro Pixhawk 6X-RT
FMUv6X-RT — The highest-performance standard board. NXP i.MX RT1176 processor running at 1 GHz, 2 MB RAM, 64 MB external flash, 3× IMUs, 2× barometers, Ethernet, and 3× CAN buses. Supports the PAB carrier standard.
Holybro Pixhawk 6X Pro
FMUv6X — Full-featured board with STM32H753, 3× IMUs, 2× barometers, Ethernet support, and the PAB connector standard. A strong choice for research and commercial builds.
CUAV Pixhawk V6X
FMUv6X — CUAV’s implementation of the FMUv6X design. Features 3× IMUs, 2× barometers, Ethernet, and PAB compatibility. Well-suited for industrial applications.
Holybro Pixhawk 6X
FMUv6X — The standard FMUv6X reference board from Holybro. Reliable triple-redundant IMU configuration with PAB carrier board support.
RaccoonLab FMUv6X
FMUv6X — An FMUv6X implementation with PAB support, targeted at robotics and research applications with strong CAN bus support.
Holybro Pixhawk 6C
FMUv6C — A compact form-factor board based on STM32H743 with 2× IMUs and 1× barometer. Good choice when size matters and triple redundancy is not required.
Holybro Pixhawk 6C Mini
FMUv6C — An even smaller version of the Pixhawk 6C, designed for weight-sensitive builds like 5-inch racing frames or compact inspection drones.
Holybro Pix32 v6
FMUv6C — Holybro’s compact form-factor FMUv6C board. A solid pick for medium-sized multicopters and fixed-wing builds where board space is limited.
Holybro Pixhawk 5X
FMUv5X — Modular design with separate FMU and base board. Higher reliability and more redundancy than the Pixhawk 4, good for professional builds not yet requiring FMUv6 features.
Holybro Pixhawk 4
FMUv5 — A widely-used, well-tested board that remains popular for hobbyist and research builds. STM32F765 processor, multiple UART ports, and broad peripheral support.
Manufacturer-Supported Boards
These boards are maintained by their manufacturers and offer compatibility with current PX4 releases. They cover a wide range of form factors, from compact FPV racing controllers to high-end systems with integrated companion computing.CubePilot (Cube series)
CubePilot (Cube series)
- CubePilot Cube Orange+ — The flagship Cube board. Triple-redundant IMU configuration, carrier board ecosystem, and strong community support. Widely used in professional and commercial UAVs.
- CubePilot Cube Orange — The predecessor to the Orange+. Still widely deployed and fully supported. Uses the same standard carrier board format.
- CubePilot Cube Yellow — Cube-format board aimed at developers who need a cost-effective platform with the Cube carrier board ecosystem.
ARK Electronics
ARK Electronics
- ARK Electronics ARKV6X — An FMUv6X-compatible board in the Pixhawk Autopilot Bus format, designed for use with the ARK PAB carrier board. Targeted at professional and research applications.
- ARK FPV Flight Controller — A compact board optimized for FPV racing and freestyle flying.
- ARK Pi6X Flow — Integrates a flow sensor and is designed for GPS-denied indoor navigation applications.
CUAV
CUAV
- CUAV V5+ (FMUv5) — A full-featured FMUv5 board with a standard carrier board form factor and wide peripheral support.
- CUAV V5 nano (FMUv5) — Compact version of the V5+ for size-constrained builds.
- CUAV Nora — A variant of the CUAV X7 with redundant IMUs, aimed at professional fixed-wing and VTOL applications.
- CUAV X25 EVO / CUAV X25 SUPER — High-integration boards with onboard compute capabilities for demanding missions.
Holybro (non-standard)
Holybro (non-standard)
- Holybro Durandal — An H7-based board with redundant IMUs and abundant serial ports, popular for large fixed-wing and VTOL builds.
- Holybro Kakute H7 / H7v2 / H7mini — Compact all-in-one boards aimed at FPV racing. Integrate ESC-facing outputs and onboard OSD support.
- Holybro Pix32 v5 (FMUv5) — The predecessor to the Pix32 v6. Still supported and widely available.
ModalAI
ModalAI
- ModalAI VOXL 2 — A high-compute platform combining a Qualcomm flight controller DSP with onboard companion computing. Designed for computer-vision-heavy applications such as obstacle avoidance and visual-inertial odometry.
Other manufacturers
Other manufacturers
- mRo Control Zero F7 — A compact F7-based board from mRo, designed for demanding builds where small size and reliability are priorities.
- Sky-Drones AIRLink — Integrates LTE connectivity for beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations.
- SPRacing SPRacingH7EXTREME — Targets high-performance FPV racing with an H7 processor and all-in-one design.
- ThePeach FCC-K1 / FCC-R1 — Boards from ThePeach targeting professional and industrial drone applications.
- Radiolink PIX6 — An accessible board aimed at hobbyist and educational use cases.
Autopilots for Compute-Intensive Tasks
Dedicated flight controllers like those listed above are not designed for general-purpose computing. If your application requires computer vision, machine learning inference, or complex networking, the standard approach is to pair your flight controller with a separate companion computer — such as a Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, or ModalAI VOXL — that communicates with PX4 over MAVLink or ROS 2. Some platforms (like the ModalAI VOXL 2) integrate both the flight controller DSP and companion compute on a single board, simplifying the hardware stack.Choosing the Right Board
When evaluating boards, consider these factors in roughly this order:Physical fit
Measure the available space in your frame and match it to the board’s dimensions and mounting hole pattern. Standard Pixhawk boards use a 38.1 × 38.1 mm footprint; mini boards and FPV controllers are smaller.
Output count
Count how many motor, servo, and accessory outputs your airframe requires. Some boards (like the Pixhawk 4 Mini) have only
MAIN outputs and no AUX ports. Larger boards provide up to 16 combined outputs.Redundancy requirements
Professional and commercial builds benefit from triple-redundant IMUs and dual barometers (FMUv6X and above). Hobbyist builds typically do not need this level of redundancy.
Connectivity
Check for the interfaces your peripherals need: CAN bus for DroneCAN ESCs and sensors, Ethernet for high-bandwidth links, USB-C for easy configuration, and enough UART ports for GPS, telemetry, and companion computer links.
Support tier
For new builds, prefer Pixhawk standard boards. For specialized needs, manufacturer-supported boards are a solid alternative. Avoid experimental boards unless you are prepared to troubleshoot firmware compatibility.