Holybro's New Pixhawk 6X Pro Promises Better IMU Results While the Jetson Baseboard Adds On-Board AI
Revised vibration isolation and a new high-acceleration Analog Devices inertial measurement unit promise better readings.
Drone hardware specialist Holybro has launched an upgraded version of its Pixhawk 6X flight controller, dubbed the Pixhawk 6X Pro — adding an industrial Analog Devices ADIS16470 inertial measurement unit (IMU) with vibration-damping mounting.
"The Pixhawk 6X Pro has a high-performance ADIS16470 Industrial IMU with a high accelerometer dynamic range (±40g)," the company writes of the latest launch in the Pixhawk range of flight controllers for uncrewed aerial vehicles and more. "All new IMU vibration isolation material with a resonance frequency in the higher spectrum, and optimized IMU damping characteristics and durability."
The company launched the original Pixhawk 6X two years ago, offering a modular design built around the STMicroelectronics STM32H753 microcontroller with discrete inertial measurement unit (IMU), flight management unit (FMU), and base boards connected together on the Pixhawk Autopilot Bus. Offering more power than the Pixhawk 6C and on-board Ethernet connectivity, the designed proved popular for high-end drone projects — something the company is hoping to push further with the updated Pixhawk 6X Pro.
The new model features the Analog ADIS16470 IMU with revised vibration isolation, based on a custom silicone isolation material which replaces the older design's foam. "Backed by extensive R&D [Research and Development] and testing," the company claims, "it offers optimal IMU damping characteristics with resonance frequency in the higher spectrum, perfect for industrial and commercial drones."
At the same time, Holybro has announced the Pixhawk Jetson Baseboard. Designed for experimenting with in-flight artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for autonomous drones, the Pixhawk Jetson Baseboard allows a Pixhawk 6X or 6X Pro to be connected to an NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX or Orin Nano system-on-module.
The Pixhawk 6X Pro is now available to order on the Holybro website, starting at $469.99; the Pixhawk Jetson Baseboard is priced at $395.99 on the same site.