Hardware Stack

Hardware for Fleet-Scale Operations

Fleet operations demand hardware that balances capability with maintainability. Every component in this stack was chosen for production reliability, parts availability, and serviceability in the field.

Airframe

Holybro X500 V2 ARF

The Holybro X500 V2 provides an ideal platform for fleet deployment:

Purchase: Holybro Store | GetFPV | NewBeeDrone

Why X500:

• Proven design — Thousands deployed worldwide, extensive community knowledge
• Parts availability — Arms, landing gear, and hardware readily available
• Maintenance-friendly — Modular construction, field-serviceable
• Payload flexibility — Sufficient capacity for dual companion computers plus sensors

The ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) kit includes frame, motors, ESCs, and propellers—reducing assembly variability across a large fleet.

Flight Controller

Pixhawk 6X

The Pixhawk 6X running PX4 v1.14 LTS handles all flight-critical functions:

Purchase: Holybro Store | Documentation

Flight Controller Accessories

Purchase: Holybro Store

Why Pixhawk 6X:

• Redundancy — Triple IMU, dual barometer for sensor voting
• PX4 LTS support — Long-term stability, security patches
• FMUv6X standard — Interchangeable with other compliant boards
• Vibration isolation — Built-in IMU dampening

The flight controller handles:

• Attitude estimation and control
• Position hold and navigation
• Failsafe behaviors (RTL, land, geofence)
• RC input processing
• MAVLink telemetry

Companion Computers

Fleet vehicles run dual companion computers with distinct responsibilities:

Raspberry Pi 4 / CM4 (Sensor Companion)

Handles lightweight sensor integration and data collection:

Purchase: Raspberry Pi | Digi-Key | Mouser

Responsibilities:

• Environmental sensor drivers (temperature, humidity, air quality)
• GPS/GNSS data logging
• Camera capture (non-AI workloads)
• MAVLink routing to Jetson
• Store-and-forward when Jetson is offline

NVIDIA Jetson (AI Companion)

Handles compute-intensive workloads:

★ = Reference BOM selection

Purchase: NVIDIA Store | SparkFun | Seeed Studio

Responsibilities:

• Computer vision (object detection, tracking)
• Visual-inertial odometry
• Path planning and obstacle avoidance
• Vehicle Gateway (NATS client)
• NATS leaf node

Fleet deployments typically use Jetson Orin Nano for cost-effective inference or Orin NX for demanding perception workloads.

Radio Systems

RC Control: ExpressLRS

ExpressLRS provides the pilot override link:

Purchase: HappyModel | GetFPV | Pyrodrone

Why ExpressLRS:

• Open-source — No vendor lock-in, community-driven development
• Range — Reliable link for visual line-of-sight operations
• Low latency — Responsive manual control when needed
• Cost — Affordable receivers for fleet scale

Telemetry: SiK Radio

SiK 915 MHz radios provide ground station telemetry:

Purchase: Holybro Store | SparkFun | GetFPV

Role in Fleet:

• Backup telemetry when cellular unavailable
• Ground control station connectivity
• Local testing and debugging

For production fleet operations, telemetry primarily flows through the Jetson’s cellular connection to NATS. SiK radios serve as backup and for field diagnostics.

Power System

Battery: 4S LiPo

Fleet Considerations:

• Standardize on single battery configuration for logistics
• Use smart batteries with telemetry when available
• Implement battery rotation and health tracking
• Plan for 3:1 battery-to-vehicle ratio for continuous operations

Power Distribution

• BEC — 5V regulated supply for Pi, servos
• Jetson power — Direct from battery through regulator (12V typical)

Networking

Enables high-bandwidth communication between companion computers and connected payloads (cameras, sensors).

Connectivity

Cellular: 4G/5G + eSIM

Each Jetson connects via cellular modem:

Purchase: Quectel | Digi-Key | Mouser

eSIM Benefits:

• No physical SIM swapping across large fleet
• Remote carrier provisioning
• Carrier switching for coverage optimization
• Centralized subscription management

See Sensing platform for details on 5G/LTE connectivity architecture.

Complete Bill of Materials

Download Complete BOM (CSV) → | BOM with Sellers (CSV) →

Where to Buy

We don’t sell hardware—our partners do. Certified drone shops can supply complete kits with fleet infrastructure included.

For drone buyers: Purchase from a certified partner and get:

• Pre-configured hardware ready to connect
• Credentials for our managed infrastructure
• Local support from your shop

For drone shops: Join our partner program to offer fleet infrastructure with your hardware sales.

Component Sellers

Direct purchase links for each BOM component:

	Category	Component	SKU	Seller 1	Seller 2	Seller 3
	Airframe	Holybro X500 V2 ARF Kit	SKU30125	Holybro Store	GetFPV	NewBeeDrone
	Flight Control	Pixhawk 6X	SKU11073	Holybro Store
	Flight Control	Pixhawk 6X Baseboard	SKU18117	Holybro Store
	Flight Control	Pixhawk 6X Accessories	SKU15011	Holybro Store
	Power	PM06 V2 Power Module	SKU15019	Holybro Store
	Navigation	Holybro M9N GPS	SKU12027	Holybro Store
	Navigation	GPS Mast	SKU12033	Holybro Store
	Safety	Safety Switch & Buzzer	SKU12007	Holybro Store
	Companion	Raspberry Pi 4 8GB	RPI4-MODEL-B-8GB	Raspberry Pi	Digi-Key	Mouser
	Storage	Industrial microSD 128GB	SDSDQED-128G-GNSIN	Amazon	Digi-Key	Mouser
	Companion	Jetson Orin Nano 8GB	900-13767-0000-000	NVIDIA Store	SparkFun	Seeed Studio
	Storage	NVMe SSD 256GB	WD-SN530-256G	Amazon	Digi-Key	Mouser
	RC	ExpressLRS EP1	HM-EP1-2400	HappyModel	GetFPV	Pyrodrone
	Telemetry	SiK Telemetry Radio V3	SKU17012	Holybro Store	SparkFun	GetFPV
	Networking	Industrial Ethernet Switch	USR-ES105	PUSR Shop	AliExpress	Amazon
	Power	LiPo Battery 4S 6000mAh	TAA60004S35	GetFPV	RaceDayQuads	Amazon
	Mounting	Pixhawk Vibration Mount	SKU12010	Holybro Store
	Cabling	Holybro Cable Kit	SKU12055	Holybro Store
	Connectivity	Quectel RM520N-GL 5G Modem	RM520NGLAA-M20-SGASA	Quectel	Digi-Key	Mouser

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