APM2.6 ArduPilot Flight Controller KIT

The APM 2.6 ArduPilot Flight Controller Kit is the bestselling open-source autopilot system that has powered countless DIY drones, autonomous aircraft, ground rovers, and boats around the world. Famously winning the prestigious 2012 Outback Challenge UAV competition, the APM platform offers professional-grade autonomous capability at a fraction of the cost of commercial systems.

The APM 2.6 revision carries the same sensors as the APM 2.5+, but omits the onboard compass — a deliberate design choice that makes this version ideal for multicopters and rovers, where the compass must be mounted far away from power and motor sources to avoid magnetic interference. The compass is instead integrated into the off-board GPS module, allowing flexible, interference-free placement.

This complete kit transforms your platform into a fully autonomous vehicle capable of executing programmed GPS waypoint missions, return-to-launch, loiter, altitude hold, and a wide range of advanced flight modes. It is fully Arduino-compatible, runs the open-source ArduPilot firmware, and is configured using the powerful Mission Planner ground control software.

The kit includes everything you need to get airborne or driving autonomously:

• APM 2.6 Flight Controller Board (no onboard compass)
• uBlox NEO-6M GPS Module with Compass
• 3DR 915 MHz Radio Telemetry Kit (Air + Ground modules)
• MinimOSD / MAVLink-OSD On-Screen Display
• APM Power Module V1.0 for clean, monitored battery power

Whether you're a hobbyist, researcher, student, or commercial drone builder, this kit gives you the foundation for virtually unlimited autonomous vehicle projects.

What's in the Kit

• 1 × APM 2.6 Flight Controller Board (top or side entry pin option)
• 1 × uBlox NEO-6M GPS Module with Compass
• 1 × 3DR 915 MHz Radio Telemetry Set (Air module + USB Ground module)
• 1 × MinimOSD / MAVLink-OSD Module
• 1 × APM Power Module V1.0 with 6-pin cable
• 1 × Set of Connection Cables

Specifications

APM 2.6 Flight Controller

• Microcontroller: Atmel ATMEGA2560 (main processor) + ATMEGA32U-2 (USB)
• IMU: Invensense MPU-6000 6-DoF Accelerometer / Gyroscope
• Barometer: Measurement Specialties MS5611-01BA03 high-precision barometric pressure sensor
• Onboard Compass: Not included (use external GPS+Compass module)
• Onboard Memory: 4 MB Dataflash chip for automatic data logging
• Connectivity: Arduino-compatible, USB interface
• Pin Options: Top-entry or side-entry pin headers available

uBlox NEO-6M GPS with Compass

• GPS Chipset: uBlox NEO-6M
• Compass: HMC5883L 3-axis magnetometer (integrated)
• Interface: Serial UART with APM connector
• Designed to be mounted away from electrical noise sources

3DR Radio Telemetry Kit (915 MHz)

• Frequency: 915 MHz
• Weight: Under 4 g (without antenna)
• Receiver Sensitivity: -121 dBm
• Transmit Power: Up to 20 dBm (100 mW)
• Air Data Rate: Up to 250 kbps
• Protocol: MAVLink protocol framing and status reporting
• Modulation: Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)
• Multiplexing: Adaptive Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
• Error Correction: Built-in code correcting up to 25% bit errors
• Range: Several kilometers with small omni antenna
• Module Base: HopeRF HM-TRP with Si1000 micro-controller and Si4432 radio
• Firmware: Open-source SiK with bootloader for over-the-air upgrades
• Configuration: AT commands and via APM Mission Planner

MinimOSD / MAVLink-OSD

• Microcontroller: ATMEGA328P
• OSD Chip: MAX7456-EUI monochrome on-screen display controller
• Onboard Regulator: 5V / 500 mA DC/DC for MAX7456
• Operating Voltage: 5V (FTDI connector) and 12V (Video I/O connector)
• Video Standards: NTSC and PAL supported
• Default Firmware: MinimOSD-Extra by Gábor Zoltán
• Compatibility: Original MinimOSD, CRIUS AIOP, Arduflyer / ArduPilot-Mega
• Protocol: Full MAVLink support
• Configuration: Graphical configurator tool
• Power System: Switching DC/DC step-down for high efficiency and minimal heating

APM Power Module V1.0

• Output Voltage: 5.3 V regulated
• Output Current: Up to 3 A maximum
• Input: Up to 7S LiPo battery
• Function: Provides clean power + battery voltage and current monitoring
• Connector: 6-pin cable to APM
• Net Weight: 200 g
• Total Weight: 230 g
• Note: Powers APM, RC receiver, GPS, and telemetry — not servos (use ESC/BEC for servos)

Applications

• Multirotor Drones – Quadcopters, hexacopters, octocopters (ideal application)
• Ground Rovers – Autonomous wheeled and tracked vehicles
• Fixed-Wing Aircraft – Autonomous airplanes and gliders
• Autonomous Boats – Surface vessels and research platforms
• Aerial Photography & Videography – Stabilized waypoint missions
• Search & Rescue – Pre-programmed grid search patterns
• Surveying & Mapping – Autonomous data collection flights
• Agricultural Monitoring – Crop inspection and field mapping
• Educational Robotics – University and research projects
• UAV Competitions – Including events like the Outback Challenge
• Hobbyist DIY Drone Building – Complete platform for makers