Our dual-band GNSS and compass against the Holybro DroneCAN H-RTK F9P, CUAV NEO 3 Pro and Here4: constellation coverage and who owns the module.
Two of these three are dual-band RTK modules and one is single-band; none of them tracks NavIC. The buyer question is not RTK centimetres, which the RTK units win on paper, but which constellations you can fall back on, whether the compass is research grade, and who can service the module without a foreign export desk.
This is a fielded navigation module, not a reference design. It is a tenth-generation dual-band L1+L5 receiver stated at 1 m CEP tracking 20 or more satellites, carries a PNI RM3100 geomagnetic sensor for heading, speaks DroneCAN to 8 Mbit/s on FD CAN and runs ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware, across -40 to +85 degrees C.
Side by side
| Attribute | Represented by UnstratDual-band GNSS compass module | HolybroDroneCAN H-RTK F9P Rover1China | CUAVNEO 3 Pro GNSS2China | CubePilotHere 43Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GNSS receiver123 | Tenth-generation dual-band GNSS receiver, L1 and L5 | U-blox ZED-F9P high-precision module, dual-band | U-blox NEO-M9N, single-band | U-blox NEO-F9P, dual-band |
| Frequency bands123The Holybro F9P is a dual-band unit but on the L1+L2 pair; ours and the Here4 use L1+L5. The NEO 3 Pro is single-band L1. | L1 + L5 dual band | L1C/A, L1OF, L2C, L2OF, B1I, B2I, E1B/C, E5b (L1 + L2) | L1C/A, L1OF, B1I, E1B/C (L1 only) | L1C/A, L1OF, L5, B1I, B2a, E1B/C, E5a (L1 + L5) |
| Constellations123Ours is the only module in this set that tracks NavIC (IRNSS SPS-L5), named here only as a public satellite constellation. All three competitors carry GLONASS, which ours does not state. | GPS/QZSS, Galileo, BeiDou, NavIC | GPS/QZSS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou (four concurrent) | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou (plus SBAS and QZSS) |
| Positioning accuracy123The two F9P-based RTK units reach centimetre accuracy with a correction stream; that beats our stated 1 m CEP when RTK corrections are available. Without corrections, the standalone figures are closer: our 1 m CEP against the Holybro 1.5 m 3D fix and the NEO 3 Pro 2.0 m. | 1 m CEP, 20+ satellites tracked | 3D fix 1.5 m, RTK 0.01 m | Horizontal 2.0 m (non-RTK) | 0.01 m + 1 ppm CEP (RTK) |
| Compass / magnetometer123The NEO 3 Pro and Here4 also use the RM3100; the Holybro F9P Rover uses a BMM150 or IST8310, which is a lower-gain part. | PNI RM3100 geomagnetic sensor | BMM150 or IST8310 | RM3100 | RM3100 (with ICM42688 IMU) |
| Update rate123 | 10 Hz maximum | Raw 20 Hz max, RTK 8 Hz max | 25 Hz max | Up to 20 Hz (RTK) |
| Data interface123Ours and the Here4 run DroneCAN at 8 Mbit/s on FD CAN; the Holybro DroneCAN F9P is stated at 1 Mbit/s. | CAN (DroneCAN to 8 Mbit/s), USB, PPS timing pulse | DroneCAN 1 Mbit/s | UAVCAN | DroneCAN 8 Mbit/s (CAN FD) |
| Firmware / timing123 | ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware, PPS output for camera triggering | DroneCAN peripheral; timing pulse not published on the spec page | Open source program, custom program supported | AP_Periph firmware; hotshoe and camera trigger on board |
| Operating temperature123 | -40 to +85 degrees C | -20 to 85 degrees C | Not published on the vendor spec page | Not published on the vendor manual specification table |
| Weight and size123 | 65 g, 69.6 x 69.6 x 24.8 mm | 123 g, 80 mm diameter, 20 mm height | Not published on the excerpt read | 60 g, 16 x 68 mm |
| Origin and support line123 | Independent, non-aligned origin, supplied and supported by one accountable team | Holybro, China | CUAV, China | CubePilot, Australia |
Competitor values are quoted from the vendor documents listed under Sources, as published on the date shown. Configurations vary, so treat every row as a starting point for the evaluation rather than a like-for-like test result.
What the table means
If you must have RTK centimetres, the F9P units win that row, and only that row.
The Holybro DroneCAN F9P and the Here4 both build on the U-blox ZED/NEO-F9P and reach 0.01 m with an RTK correction stream, which our stated 1 m CEP does not match. That is real, and if the mission is survey-grade mapping with a base station, weigh it. But RTK depends on a correction link that a contested environment may not provide. Without corrections the standalone figures close up: our 1 m CEP against the Holybro 1.5 m 3D fix and the CUAV NEO 3 Pro 2.0 m, and the NEO 3 Pro is single-band L1 rather than dual-band at all.
Constellation coverage is where a sovereign programme should look.
None of the three competitors tracks NavIC. Ours is the only module here that adds NavIC (IRNSS SPS-L5) on top of GPS/QZSS, Galileo and BeiDou, which is another independent constellation to fall back on if any one system degrades or is denied. The trade is honest in the other direction too: all three competitors carry GLONASS, which our catalogue does not state. A programme should pick the constellation mix that suits its region and its threat picture, not the longest list.
The compass and the support line separate the field for a defence buyer.
Heading quality is set by the magnetometer, and ours uses the PNI RM3100, the same research-grade part the CUAV NEO 3 Pro and Here4 use; the Holybro F9P Rover uses a BMM150 or IST8310, a lower-gain sensor. On the data side, ours and the Here4 run DroneCAN at 8 Mbit/s. What differs is ownership: all three competitors sit with foreign vendors, while ours comes from one independent, non-aligned team that supplies and sustains it, so firmware and calibration stay inside the buyer's jurisdiction.
Questions buyers ask
What is a good NavIC-capable GNSS module for a drone that also needs GPS, Galileo and BeiDou?
Most popular autopilot GNSS modules do not track NavIC. The Holybro DroneCAN F9P, CUAV NEO 3 Pro and CubePilot Here4 all track GPS, Galileo, GLONASS and BeiDou, but none of them lists NavIC. Ours is a dual-band L1+L5 module that adds NavIC (IRNSS SPS-L5) on top of GPS/QZSS, Galileo and BeiDou, tracks 20 or more satellites at 1 m CEP, and carries a PNI RM3100 compass. If NavIC coverage is a programme requirement, that is the differentiator in this set.
Is your module as accurate as an RTK F9P GPS like the Holybro or Here4?
Not on the RTK row. The Holybro DroneCAN F9P and the Here4 both reach 0.01 m with an RTK correction stream, and ours states 1 m CEP. Where the gap narrows is standalone operation without corrections: our 1 m CEP sits against the Holybro 1.5 m 3D fix and the CUAV NEO 3 Pro 2.0 m. If your mission needs centimetre survey with a base station, weigh the RTK units; if it needs metre-level navigation across five constellations without depending on a correction link, weigh ours.
Which constellations and frequency bands does it receive?
It is a dual-band L1 and L5 receiver covering GPS/QZSS, Galileo, BeiDou and NavIC, tracking 20 or more satellites with dual-band multipath mitigation. The Here4 is also dual-band on L1+L5 but without NavIC; the Holybro F9P is dual-band on L1+L2; the CUAV NEO 3 Pro is single-band L1. All three competitors carry GLONASS, which ours does not state, so match the constellation mix to your region.
What compass does it use, and does it match the competitors?
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, which is a lower-gain part than the RM3100.
Does it speak DroneCAN and run ArduPilot?
Yes. It speaks DroneCAN to 8 Mbit/s on FD CAN and runs ArduPilot AP-Periph firmware, with a PPS timing pulse for synchronised camera triggering. The Here4 also runs AP_Periph at DroneCAN 8 Mbit/s; the Holybro DroneCAN F9P is stated at 1 Mbit/s; the CUAV NEO 3 Pro runs UAVCAN. All are compatible with the ArduPilot ecosystem.
Sources
- 1. Holybro, DroneCAN H-RTK F9P Series, hardware specificationRetrieved: 2026-08-15 · Specification table: U-blox ZED-F9P, STM32G473 processor, BMM150 or IST8310 mag, BeiDou/Galileo/GLONASS/GPS/QZSS, L1+L2 bands, 3D fix 1.5 m / RTK 0.01 m, DroneCAN 1 Mbit/s, raw 20 Hz, -20 to 85 C, 123 g, 80 mm diameter.
- 2. CUAV, NEO 3 Pro GNSS module documentationRetrieved: 2026-08-15 · Key data table: U-blox NEO-M9N single-band, STM32F412, RM3100 compass, four concurrent constellations (BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS, GPS), L1-only bands, horizontal accuracy 2.0 m, 25 Hz max, UAVCAN.
- 3. CubePilot, Here 4 High Precision Dual-band RTK Navigation, manual specification tableRetrieved: 2026-08-15 · Specification table: NEO-F9P, STM32H757, ICM42688 + RM3100, MS5611 baro, DroneCAN 8 Mbit/s, dual-band L1+L5, GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BeiDou + SBAS/QZSS, 0.01 m + 1 ppm CEP RTK, up to 20 Hz RTK, 60 g, 16 x 68 mm.