Dual-band GNSS compass module

What is a GNSS compass module for a drone?

It combines a satellite-navigation receiver with a magnetometer, so the aircraft knows both where it is and which way it is pointing. Ours is a dual-band L1+L5 receiver stated at 1 m CEP tracking 20 or more satellites across GPS/QZSS, Galileo, BeiDou and NavIC, with a PNI RM3100 geomagnetic sensor for heading. It speaks DroneCAN and runs ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware.

See: Constellations and compass compared, Where it fits an ISR airframe

Does this GNSS module receive NavIC?

Yes. It tracks NavIC (IRNSS SPS-L5) alongside GPS/QZSS, Galileo and BeiDou. That is the differentiator in its class: the Holybro DroneCAN F9P, CUAV NEO 3 Pro and CubePilot Here4 all track GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou, but none of them lists NavIC. NavIC is named here only as a public satellite constellation, and it gives a programme another independent system to fall back on if one is degraded.

See: Constellation coverage against alternatives

How accurate is this GNSS module?

It is stated at 1 m CEP tracking 20 or more satellites, with dual-band multipath mitigation for metre-level accuracy in built-up terrain. That is standalone accuracy without a correction stream. RTK modules like the Holybro F9P and the Here4 reach 0.01 m when they have an RTK correction link, which ours does not match; without corrections the standalone figures are closer. Pick metre-level five-constellation navigation or centimetre RTK based on the mission.

See: Accuracy and RTK compared

What compass does this GNSS module use?

It uses the PNI RM3100 geomagnetic sensor, a research-grade magnetometer with high gain and zero hysteresis. The CUAV NEO 3 Pro and the Here4 also use the RM3100, so on the compass those two match ours; the Holybro DroneCAN F9P Rover uses a BMM150 or IST8310, a lower-gain part. Good heading depends on the magnetometer, so this row is worth checking directly.

See: Compass sensor compared

Dual-band L1 L5 GNSS module that speaks DroneCAN

It is a tenth-generation dual-band receiver on L1 and L5 that speaks DroneCAN to 8 Mbit/s on FD CAN and runs ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware. The Here4 also runs AP_Periph at DroneCAN 8 Mbit/s and is dual-band L1+L5 without NavIC; the Holybro DroneCAN F9P is dual-band on L1+L2 at 1 Mbit/s; the CUAV NEO 3 Pro is single-band L1 on UAVCAN. Match the band pair and the CAN rate to your platform.

See: Bands and data interface compared

GNSS module that resists jamming and spoofing across many constellations

No module is immune, but constellation diversity and dual-band reception are the practical hedges. This module tracks five constellations across L1 and L5 with dual-band multipath mitigation, so denial of one signal or band leaves others to navigate on. Adding NavIC gives one more independent system than the three competitors carry. Resilience is a system property, so pair the module with the autopilot's failsafe logic and confirm behaviour under interference in a trial.

See: Why five constellations matter, Airframes built for contested spectrum

GNSS module with a timing pulse for synchronised camera triggering

It outputs a precise timing pulse (PPS) for synchronising a camera trigger, which is what geo-tagged mapping and photogrammetry need so each frame carries an accurate position and time. That is on top of the CAN and USB interfaces. If your payload is a survey camera, confirm the trigger wiring and the tagging workflow in the review so the PPS is used end to end.

See: PPS timing and interfaces

GNSS module for a drone that flies in urban canyons and near buildings

Built-up terrain is where multipath, the reflected-signal error, degrades a position. This module uses dual-band reception with multipath mitigation to hold metre-level accuracy in challenging urban terrain, and a battery-backed almanac for fast reacquisition when the sky view is broken by buildings. Confirm the accuracy you actually get in your operating area with a flight trial, since urban performance is site-dependent.

See: Multipath mitigation detail

How does this compare with a Holybro F9P or CUAV NEO 3 Pro?

The Holybro DroneCAN F9P is a dual-band RTK unit reaching 0.01 m with corrections but on L1+L2 and without NavIC. The CUAV NEO 3 Pro is single-band L1 at 2.0 m horizontal, no RTK, no NavIC, though it shares the RM3100 compass. Ours is dual-band L1+L5 at 1 m CEP standalone, adds NavIC, and uses the RM3100. If you need RTK centimetres weigh the F9P; if you need five-constellation metre navigation with NavIC, weigh ours.

See: Full head-to-head comparison

We do not want to depend on one country's satellite system. Does this module give us real fallback?

That is the case for it. It tracks five constellations, GPS/QZSS, Galileo, BeiDou and NavIC, across L1 and L5, so if one system degrades or is denied the others still fix a position. It is the only module in its comparison set that adds NavIC. The honest trade is that our catalogue does not state GLONASS, which all three competitors carry, so the fallback set is different rather than simply larger. Choose the constellation mix that suits your region and threat picture, and confirm which systems your airspace actually sees.

See: Constellation fallback compared

Do we need RTK, or is metre-level accuracy enough for our mission?

It depends on the job. Survey-grade mapping and precision landing want RTK centimetres, which the Holybro F9P and Here4 reach with a correction stream and ours does not match. Route navigation, ISR loitering and general flight are well served by metre-level, where our 1 m CEP sits against the Holybro 1.5 m 3D fix and the NEO 3 Pro 2.0 m standalone. RTK also depends on a correction link a contested environment may not provide, so weigh the accuracy you need against the link you can rely on.

See: Standalone versus RTK accuracy

Why does it matter who supplies the GNSS module for a defence drone programme?

Because the module fixes where your aircraft are and, through DroneCAN, feeds that into the flight record. The Holybro F9P and NEO 3 Pro sit with Chinese vendors and the Here4 with an Australian one, so firmware and resupply run through their release schedules and export rules. Ours comes from one independent, non-aligned team that supplies and sustains it, so firmware and calibration stay inside your jurisdiction. The satellite physics is the same for everyone; where the module and its support live is the decision.

See: Origin and support line compared

Will this GNSS module integrate cleanly with an ArduPilot autopilot on the same CAN bus?

Yes. It runs ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware and speaks DroneCAN to 8 Mbit/s on FD CAN, so it appears as a standard peripheral on the autopilot's CAN bus rather than needing a separate serial link. The Here4 uses the same AP_Periph approach at 8 Mbit/s. Plan the CAN bus as a whole, since the GNSS, the power telemetry and any other CAN nodes share it, and confirm the node addressing and bus load in the review.

See: DroneCAN interface detail

Can this module support both navigation and mapping payloads on the same aircraft?

It is set up for both. The five-constellation dual-band fix and RM3100 compass handle navigation and heading, while the PPS timing pulse synchronises a mapping camera so each frame is geo-tagged. That lets one ISR airframe fly a route and collect survey imagery on the same sortie. For a full mapping workflow the module is one part, so plan it with the camera, the storage and the ground processing rather than on its own.

See: Timing and navigation on one module, ISR collection tasked on your questions

How fast does it reacquire a fix after the sky view is briefly blocked?

It carries a battery-backed almanac for rapid satellite reacquisition, which is what shortens the fix time after a building, a tree line or a banking turn briefly cuts the sky view. Our catalogue states the battery-backed fast-fix feature but not a time-to-first-fix figure, while the competitors publish theirs, for example the Holybro F9P cold start at about 29 seconds and the CUAV NEO 3 Pro at about 24 seconds. Reacquisition after a short blockage is faster than a cold start for all of them, so measure it in your own environment rather than relying on the cold-start number.

See: Reacquisition and interfaces compared

What is Dual-band GNSS compass module?

Dual-band GNSS compass module is Unstrat's Sky (Air Domain) capability: A dual-band L1+L5 GNSS module with integrated geomagnetic compass: 1 m CEP positioning across GPS/QZSS, Galileo, BeiDou and NavIC constellations, tracking 20+ satellites with battery-backed fast reacquisition and multipath mitigation. Speaks DroneCAN and runs ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware.

How does Dual-band GNSS compass module work?

Dual-band GNSS compass module delivers its effect through Tenth-generation dual-band GNSS receiver supporting L1 and L5 signals, GNSS/QZSS L1C/A and L5, Galileo E1-B/C and E5a, BeiDou B1C and B2a, NavIC SPS-L5 and 1 m CEP positioning accuracy, tracking 20+ satellites simultaneously, capabilities matched to the requirement and confirmed under briefing rather than published.

Who makes Dual-band GNSS compass module?

Dual-band GNSS compass module is built by The Robotics & AI House, whose focus is unmanned systems, eo/ir sensors & ai video analytics. Unstrat represents The Robotics & AI House to government and enterprise buyers worldwide as an independent, non-aligned prime vendor.

Why choose Dual-band GNSS compass module over a major-power alternative?

Dual-band GNSS compass module is sourced from an independent, non-aligned manufacturer, so it carries no major-power disclosure rules, upgrade-locks or political ramifications. Concretely: Five-constellation, dual-band reception hedges a programme against any single navigation system. The capability is accountable to you, not to a foreign vendor's government and its release schedule.

How is Dual-band GNSS compass module procured, and where can it be exported?

Navigation that does not depend on one constellation's goodwill: dual-band L1+L5 across GPS/QZSS, Galileo, BeiDou and NavIC, 1 m CEP, with a research-grade magnetometer and DroneCAN integration. Every engagement begins with a briefing, and export eligibility is confirmed per market under briefing rather than published. Where controlled capabilities are involved, the classification and end-user-certificate chain is confirmed first. Dual-band GNSS compass module is then sustained in-region by one accountable team from briefing through long-term operation.