CUAV Pixhawk V6X Wiring QuickStart
Last updated
Last updated
This quick start guide shows how to power the flight controller and connect its most important peripherals.
The image below shows how to connect the most important sensors and peripherals (except the motor and servo outputs). We'll go through each of these in detail in the following sections.
Main interface
Function
POWER C1
Connect CAN PMU SE to this interface; this interface is connected to UAVCAN power module
POWER C2
Connect CAN PMU SE to this interface; this interface is connected to UAVCAN power module
POWER 1
Connect SMbus (I2C) power module
POWER 2
Connect SMbus (I2C) power module
GPS&SAFETY
Connect Neo series GPS/C-RTK 9PS, including GPS, safety switch, buzzer interface.
GPS2
Connect GPS/RTK module
UART 4
User customizable
TELEM1/TELME2/TELEM3
Connect telemetry or MAVLink devices
TF CARD
SD card for log storage (card pre-inserted in factory).
M1~M8
IO PWM output (for connecting to ESC and Servo)
A1~A8
FMU PWM output. Can be defined as PWM/GPIO; supports dshot; used to connect camera shutter/hot shoe, servo, etc.
USB
Connect to a computer for communication between the flight controller and the computer, such as loading firmware.
CAN1/CAN2
Connect Dronecan/UAVCAN devices such as NEO3 Pro.
DSM/SUB/RSSI
Includes DSM, SBUS, RSSI signal input interface, DSM interface can be connected to DSM satellite receiver, SBUS interface to SBUS remote control receiver, RSSI for signal strength return module
PPM
Connecting the PPM RC Receiver
ETH
Ethernet interface. Connect Ethernet devices such as task computers
AD&IO
There are two analog inputs (ADC3.3/ADC6.6); generally not used
If you need to use assisted GPS, connect to the GPS2 port.
A remote control (RC) radio system is required if you want to manually control your vehicle (PX4 does not require a radio system for autonomous flight modes).
Spektrum/DSM receivers connect to the DSM/SBUS input.
PPM receivers connect to the PPM input port.
Pixhawk V6X® is equipped with a CAN PMU lite module that supports 3~14s lithium battery. Connect the 6pin connector of the module to the flight control Power C1 or Power C2 interface.
Pixhawk V6X power port receives Dronecan digital signal from CAN PMU lite power module for voltage, current and remaining battery data, the VCC line must provide at least 3A continuous current and should default to 5.2V. A lower voltage of 5V is still acceptable but discouraged.
The vehicle-based radio should be connected to the TELEM1/TELEM2/TELEM3 port as shown below (if connected to TELEM1, no further configuration is required). The other radio is connected to your ground station computer or mobile device (usually by USB).
:::note The MAIN outputs in the PX4 firmware are mapped to the Pixhawk V6X's M1M8 ports (from IO), while the AUX outputs are mapped to the A1A8 ports (from the FMU). For example, MAIN1 maps to M1 pin and AUX1 maps to A1 pin. This reference lists the output port to motor/servo mapping for all supported air and ground frames (if your frame is not listed in the reference then use a "generic" airframe of the correct type). :::
:::warning The mapping is not consistent across frames (e.g. you can't rely on the throttle being on the same output for all plane frames). Make sure to use the correct mapping for your vehicle. :::
Pixhawk V6X® does not supply power to the servos. If using a plane or rover, an external BEC (e.g., BEC-equipped ESC or separate 5V BEC or 2S LiPo battery) needs to be connected to any of the power (+) pins in M1M8/A1A8 to drive the servos .
:::note The power rail voltage must be appropriate for the servo being used! :::
[Pixhawk Connector Standard](https://github.com/pixhawk/Pixhawk-Standards/blob/master/DS-009%20Pixhawk%20Connector%20Standard.pdf）
:::note If the controller cannot be mounted in the recommended/default orientation (e.g. due to space constraints) you will need to configure the autopilot software with the orientation that you actually used: . :::
The Pixhawk® V6X can be purchased with a (10-pin connector) and should be connected to the GPS1 port. These GNSS modules feature an integrated compass, safety switch, buzzer and LEDs.
The GPS/compass should be as far away from other electronics as possible, with the direction markings towards the front of the vehicle (separating the compass from other electronics will reduce interference).
:::note Pixhawk V6X® is not compatible with NEO V2 GPS built-in buzzer: you should use instead. The GPS module's integrated safety switch is enabled by default (when enabled, PX4 will not let you arm the vehicle). To disable the safety press and hold the safety switch for 1 second. You can press the safety switch again to enable safety and disarm the vehicle (this can be useful if, for whatever reason, you are unable to disarm the vehicle from your remote control or ground station). :::
You will need to and then bind them so that they communicate (read the instructions that come with your specific transmitter/receiver).
For more information about selecting a radio system, receiver compatibility, and binding your transmitter/receiver pair, see: .
may be used to communicate and control a vehicle in flight from a ground station (for example, you can direct the UAV to a particular position, or upload a new mission).
You can also purchase telemetry radios from the .
SD cards are highly recommended as they are required for , running tasks and using UAVCAN bus hardware. An SD card is already installed on Pixhawk V6X® when it leaves the factory.
:::tip For more information see . :::
Motors/servos are connected to the M1~M8 (MAIN) and A1~A8 (AUX) ports in the order specified for your vehicle in the .
The wiring and configuration of optional/less common components is covered within the topics for individual .
General configuration information is covered in: .
QuadPlane specific configuration is covered here:
(CUAV)
(PX4 Doc Overview page)
