> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://px4.gitbook.io/px4-user-guide/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://px4.gitbook.io/px4-user-guide/robotics/offboard_control.md).

# Offboard Control from Linux

:::warning [Offboard control](/px4-user-guide/flying/flight_modes/offboard.md) is dangerous. It is the responsibility of the developer to ensure adequate preparation, testing and safety precautions are taken before offboard flights. :::

The idea behind off-board control is to be able to control the PX4 flight stack using software running outside of the autopilot. This is done through the MAVLink protocol, specifically the [SET\_POSITION\_TARGET\_LOCAL\_NED](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#SET_POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED) and the [SET\_ATTITUDE\_TARGET](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#SET_ATTITUDE_TARGET) messages.

## Offboard Control Firmware Setup

There are two things you want to setup on the firmware side before starting offboard development.

### Map an RC switch to offboard mode activation

To do this, load up the parameters in *QGroundControl* and look for the RC\_MAP\_OFFB\_SW parameter to which you can assign the RC channel you want to use to activate offboard mode. It can be useful to map things in such a way that when you fall out of offboard mode you go into position control.

Although this step isn't mandatory since you can activate offboard mode using a MAVLink message. We consider this method much safer.

### Enable the companion computer interface

Enable MAVLink on the serial port that you connect to the companion computer (see [Companion Computers](/px4-user-guide/drone_parts/companion_computer.md)).

## Hardware setup

Usually, there are three ways of setting up offboard communication.

### Serial radios

1. One connected to a UART port of the autopilot
2. One connected to a ground station computer

   Example radios include:

   * [Lairdtech RM024](http://www.lairdtech.com/products/rm024)
   * [Digi International XBee Pro](http://www.digi.com/products/xbee-rf-solutions/modules)

[![Mermaid graph: mavlink channel](https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVEQ7XG4gIGduZFtHcm91bmQgU3RhdGlvbl0gLS1NQVZMaW5rLS0-IHJhZDFbR3JvdW5kIFJhZGlvXTtcbiAgcmFkMSAtLVJhZGlvUHJvdG9jb2wtLT4gcmFkMltWZWhpY2xlIFJhZGlvXTtcbiAgcmFkMiAtLU1BVkxpbmstLT4gYVtBdXRvcGlsb3RdOyIsIm1lcm1haWQiOnsidGhlbWUiOiJkZWZhdWx0In0sInVwZGF0ZUVkaXRvciI6ZmFsc2V9)](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#/edit/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVEQ7XG4gIGduZFtHcm91bmQgU3RhdGlvbl0gLS1NQVZMaW5rLS0-IHJhZDFbR3JvdW5kIFJhZGlvXTtcbiAgcmFkMSAtLVJhZGlvUHJvdG9jb2wtLT4gcmFkMltWZWhpY2xlIFJhZGlvXTtcbiAgcmFkMiAtLU1BVkxpbmstLT4gYVtBdXRvcGlsb3RdOyIsIm1lcm1haWQiOnsidGhlbWUiOiJkZWZhdWx0In0sInVwZGF0ZUVkaXRvciI6ZmFsc2V9)

### On-board processor

A small computer mounted onto the vehicle connected to the autopilot through a UART to USB adapter. There are many possibilities here and it will depend on what kind of additional on-board processing you want to do in addition to sending commands to the autopilot.

Small low power examples:

* [Odroid C1+](https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-c1/) or [Odroid XU4](https://magazine.odroid.com/odroid-xu4)
* [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/)

Larger high power examples:

* [Intel NUC](https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/details/nuc.html)
* [Gigabyte Brix](https://www.gigabyte.com/Mini-PcBarebone/BRIX)
* [Nvidia Jetson TX2](https://developer.nvidia.com/embedded/jetson-tx2)

[![Mermaid diagram: Companion mavlink](https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVEQ7XG4gIGNvbXBbQ29tcGFuaW9uIENvbXB1dGVyXSAtLU1BVkxpbmstLT4gdWFydFtVQVJUIEFkYXB0ZXJdO1xuICB1YXJ0IC0tTUFWTGluay0tPiBBdXRvcGlsb3Q7IiwibWVybWFpZCI6eyJ0aGVtZSI6ImRlZmF1bHQifSwidXBkYXRlRWRpdG9yIjpmYWxzZX0)](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#/edit/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVEQ7XG4gIGNvbXBbQ29tcGFuaW9uIENvbXB1dGVyXSAtLU1BVkxpbmstLT4gdWFydFtVQVJUIEFkYXB0ZXJdO1xuICB1YXJ0IC0tTUFWTGluay0tPiBBdXRvcGlsb3Q7IiwibWVybWFpZCI6eyJ0aGVtZSI6ImRlZmF1bHQifSwidXBkYXRlRWRpdG9yIjpmYWxzZX0)

### On-board processor and wifi link to ROS (***Recommended***)

A small computer mounted onto the vehicle connected to the autopilot through a UART to USB adapter while also having a WiFi link to a ground station running ROS. This can be any of the computers from the above section coupled with a WiFi adapter.

[![Mermaid graph: ROS](https://mermaid.ink/img/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVERcbiAgc3ViZ3JhcGggR3JvdW5kICBTdGF0aW9uXG4gIGduZFtST1MgRW5hYmxlZCBDb21wdXRlcl0gLS0tIHFnY1txR3JvdW5kQ29udHJvbF1cbiAgZW5kXG4gIGduZCAtLU1BVkxpbmsvVURQLS0-IHdbV2lGaV07XG4gIHFnYyAtLU1BVkxpbmstLT4gdztcbiAgc3ViZ3JhcGggVmVoaWNsZVxuICBjb21wW0NvbXBhbmlvbiBDb21wdXRlcl0gLS1NQVZMaW5rLS0-IHVhcnRbVUFSVCBBZGFwdGVyXVxuICB1YXJ0IC0tLSBBdXRvcGlsb3RcbiAgZW5kXG4gIHcgLS0tIGNvbXAiLCJtZXJtYWlkIjp7InRoZW1lIjoiZGVmYXVsdCJ9LCJ1cGRhdGVFZGl0b3IiOmZhbHNlfQ)](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/#/edit/eyJjb2RlIjoiZ3JhcGggVERcbiAgc3ViZ3JhcGggR3JvdW5kICBTdGF0aW9uXG4gIGduZFtST1MgRW5hYmxlZCBDb21wdXRlcl0gLS0tIHFnY1txR3JvdW5kQ29udHJvbF1cbiAgZW5kXG4gIGduZCAtLU1BVkxpbmsvVURQLS0-IHdbV2lGaV07XG4gIHFnYyAtLU1BVkxpbmstLT4gdztcbiAgc3ViZ3JhcGggVmVoaWNsZVxuICBjb21wW0NvbXBhbmlvbiBDb21wdXRlcl0gLS1NQVZMaW5rLS0-IHVhcnRbVUFSVCBBZGFwdGVyXVxuICB1YXJ0IC0tLSBBdXRvcGlsb3RcbiAgZW5kXG4gIHcgLS0tIGNvbXAiLCJtZXJtYWlkIjp7InRoZW1lIjoiZGVmYXVsdCJ9LCJ1cGRhdGVFZGl0b3IiOmZhbHNlfQ)


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