When switching modes, navigator resets the position setpoint triplet to
idle. In the case of entering RTL, it is not replaced immediately by the
correct triplet, but published once and only corrected a split second
later. This causes zero thrust to come from control_idle in
FixedWingModeManager
Fix by calling run(true) on the appropriate sub-mode at the end of
RTL::on_activation(), same as in the on_active just below.
The submode is in inactive at that point, but run(true) triggers:
- on_activation of the submode
- set_rtl_item, which calls:
- mission_item_to_position_setpoint
- _navigator->set_position_setpoint_triplet_updated
and therefore the navigator publishes the position setpoint triplet
immediately (which was already being correctly set).
Navigator: RTL: also update subs on actiavation
Navigator: RTL: also disable mission RTL if direct RTL
matching the logic in on_active exactly
The autopilot stack the industry builds on.
About
PX4 is an open-source autopilot stack for drones and unmanned vehicles. It supports multirotors, fixed-wing, VTOL, rovers, and many more experimental platforms from racing quads to industrial survey aircraft. It runs on NuttX, Linux, and macOS. Licensed under BSD 3-Clause.
Why PX4
Modular architecture. PX4 is built around uORB, a DDS-compatible publish/subscribe middleware. Modules are fully parallelized and thread safe. You can build custom configurations and trim what you don't need.
Wide hardware support. PX4 runs on a wide range of autopilot boards and supports an extensive set of sensors, telemetry radios, and actuators through the Pixhawk ecosystem.
Developer friendly. First-class support for MAVLink and DDS / ROS 2 integration. Comprehensive SITL simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and log analysis tools. An active developer community on Discord and the weekly dev call.
Vendor neutral governance. PX4 is hosted under the Dronecode Foundation, part of the Linux Foundation. Business-friendly BSD-3 license. No single vendor controls the roadmap.
Supported Vehicles
|
Multicopter |
Fixed Wing |
VTOL |
Rover |
…and many more: helicopters, autogyros, airships, submarines, boats, and other experimental platforms. These frames have basic support but are not part of the regular flight-test program. See the full airframe reference.
Quick Start
git clone https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot.git --recursive
cd PX4-Autopilot
make px4_sitl
Note
See the Development Guide for toolchain setup and build options.
Documentation & Resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
| User Guide | Build, configure, and fly with PX4 |
| Developer Guide | Modify the flight stack, add peripherals, port to new hardware |
| Airframe Reference | Full list of supported frames |
| Autopilot Hardware | Compatible flight controllers |
| Release Notes | What's new in each release |
| Contribution Guide | How to contribute to PX4 |
Community
- Weekly Dev Call — open to all developers (Dronecode calendar)
- Discord — Join the Dronecode server
- Discussion Forum — PX4 Discuss
- Maintainers — see
MAINTAINERS.md - Contributor Stats — LFX Insights
Contributing
We welcome contributions of all kinds — bug reports, documentation, new features, and code reviews. Please read the Contribution Guide to get started.
Governance
The PX4 Autopilot project is hosted by the Dronecode Foundation, a Linux Foundation Collaborative Project. Dronecode holds all PX4 trademarks and serves as the project's legal guardian, ensuring vendor-neutral stewardship — no single company owns the name or controls the roadmap. The source code is licensed under the BSD 3-Clause license, so you are free to use, modify, and distribute it in your own projects.
