Our power distribution board against the CUAV CAN PMU, Holybro PM06 v2 and Holybro PM02D: rails, telemetry and weight.
A distribution board has to feed clean rails and report what the pack is doing. These competitors split between analog and CAN telemetry, and between one regulated rail and several. The buyer question is how many independent rails you get, how the telemetry leaves the board, and what it weighs.
This is a fielded board, not a breakout. It takes 12-60 VDC at 100 A continuous, carries three independent step-down regulators feeding one 12 V rail and two 5.3 V rails, reports current and voltage in real time over DroneCAN with no calibration required, and runs from -40 to +85 degrees C at 30 g.
Side by side
| Attribute | Represented by UnstratDrone power distribution board | CUAVCAN PMU power module1China | HolybroPM06 v2 micro power module (integrated PDB)2China | HolybroPM02D digital power module3China |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input voltage123 | 12-60 VDC | 6-62 V (2-15S) | 2S-10S standard, 2S-14S on the 14S version | Up to 36 V (6S max) |
| Continuous current123The Holybro PM06 states 120 A continuous PCB current and the CUAV CAN PMU 110 A max; ours states 100 A continuous. The PM02D is 60 A continuous with a short-duration ceiling. | 100 A continuous | 110 A max | 120 A continuous (PCB) | 60 A rated, 120 A max (<60 s) |
| Regulated outputs123Ours is the only board in this set with three independent regulated rails, including a 12 V rail; the three competitors each publish a single regulated 5 V-class output. | 1x 12 VDC / 5 A and 2x 5.3 VDC / 2 A (three independent step-down regulators) | One 5.4 V / 5 A power port | One 5.1-5.3 V UBEC, 3 A max | One 5.2 V / 3 A switching regulator |
| Rail isolation123 | Three independent step-down regulators so one failure does not cascade | Single regulated output; isolation not published | Single UBEC; isolation not published | Single regulator; isolation not published |
| Telemetry interface123Ours and the CUAV CAN PMU report over CAN with no calibration step; the PM06 is analog and the PM02D is I2C. | DroneCAN real-time power monitoring, no calibration required | UAVCAN, factory calibrated, no calibration required | Analog voltage/current signals to the autopilot | I2C digital telemetry |
| Protection123 | Integrated protection against power surges and electrical anomalies | Not published on the summary page | Not published on the PX4 page | Not published on the PX4 page |
| Autopilot compatibility123 | ArduPilot and PX4; STM32 main processor | UAVCAN standard, ArduPilot and PX4 ecosystem | Analog, works with FMU-based autopilots | For FMUv5X/FMUv6X (Pixhawk 5X/6X class), not analog-only boards |
| Operating temperature123 | -40 to +85 degrees C | -20 to +100 degrees C | Not published on the PX4 page | Not published on the PX4 page |
| Weight and size123The lighter boards carry fewer rails: the PM02D at 20 g and PM06 at 24 g each provide a single regulated output, while ours at 30 g carries three independent regulators. The CUAV CAN PMU is heaviest at 76 g. | 30 g, 85 x 55 x 12 mm | 76 g, 46.5 x 38.5 x 22.5 mm | 24 g, 35 x 35 x 5 mm | 20 g |
| Connectors123 | ClickMate, JST GHS and XT-90 | XT90 or Amass 8.0, GHR-04V-S for CAN | Not published on the PX4 page (XT60/XT90 versions exist) | XT60, 6-pin CLIK-Mate |
| Origin and support line123 | Independent, non-aligned origin, supplied and supported by one accountable team | CUAV, China | Holybro, China | Holybro, China |
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
The rail count is where these boards actually separate.
Ours carries three independent step-down regulators: a 12 V rail at 5 A and two 5.3 V rails at 2 A each. The three competitors each publish a single regulated 5 V-class output: the CUAV CAN PMU a 5.4 V / 5 A port, the Holybro PM06 a 5.1 to 5.3 V UBEC at 3 A, and the PM02D a 5.2 V / 3 A regulator. If the airframe needs a 12 V rail for a payload alongside separate rails for the autopilot and peripherals, ours delivers that from one board; the others need an additional regulator. Independent regulators also isolate rails, so a fault on one does not pull down the rest.
Telemetry splits the field the same way it splits the current sensors.
Ours and the CUAV CAN PMU report over CAN with no calibration step. The Holybro PM06 is analog, handing voltage and current signals to the autopilot; the PM02D is I2C and is aimed specifically at FMUv5X and FMUv6X class flight controllers rather than analog-only boards. For a programme standardising on DroneCAN, a CAN telemetry board fits without a conversion step, and the no-calibration behaviour ours and the CUAV share removes a bench task on the line.
Weight and temperature are honest trade-offs to name.
The PM02D at 20 g and the PM06 at 24 g are lighter than ours at 30 g, but each carries a single rail against our three, so the comparison is not weight for weight. On temperature, the CUAV CAN PMU publishes -20 to 100 C and ours -40 to 85 C; the Holybro pages do not publish a range. Ours reaches lower into the cold, the CUAV higher into the heat. Pick the envelope that matches where the aircraft flies, and confirm current rating at your bus voltage in a trial.
Questions buyers ask
What is a good CAN power distribution board with multiple regulated rails for a drone?
Most compact power modules give you one regulated 5 V rail. Ours carries three independent step-down regulators, a 12 V / 5 A rail and two 5.3 V / 2 A rails, from a 12 to 60 VDC input at 100 A continuous, and reports over DroneCAN with no calibration. The CUAV CAN PMU also reports over CAN but publishes a single 5.4 V rail; the Holybro PM06 and PM02D each publish one regulated output over analog and I2C respectively. If you need a 12 V payload rail and isolated 5 V rails from one board, that is the differentiator.
How many volts and amps can it handle compared with the Holybro PM06 or CUAV CAN PMU?
It takes 12 to 60 VDC at 100 A continuous. The Holybro PM06 states 120 A continuous PCB current across 2S to 14S, the CUAV CAN PMU 110 A max across 2 to 15S (6 to 62 V), and the Holybro PM02D 60 A continuous up to 6S (36 V). On raw continuous current the PM06 leads slightly; on regulated rails ours leads with three independent outputs. Match the input range and rail set to your airframe.
Does the telemetry need calibration?
No. It reports current and voltage in real time over DroneCAN with no calibration required. The CUAV CAN PMU is the same, factory calibrated with no calibration needed. The Holybro PM06 is analog and the PM02D is I2C, both configured in the autopilot parameters. For a CAN-standardised platform, the no-calibration CAN boards remove a bench step on the line.
Why three regulators instead of one?
Three independent step-down regulators isolate the rails, so a fault or a heavy transient on one rail does not cascade into the others. It also lets one board feed a 12 V payload and two separate 5.3 V rails for the autopilot and peripherals at once. The single-rail competitors, the CUAV CAN PMU, Holybro PM06 and PM02D, each need an added regulator to match that rail set.
What does it weigh and what temperature range does it cover?
It is 30 g at 85 x 55 x 12 mm and runs from -40 to +85 degrees C. The Holybro PM02D (20 g) and PM06 (24 g) are lighter but each carry a single rail against our three, so it is not a weight-for-weight comparison. The CUAV CAN PMU is 76 g and publishes -20 to 100 C; the Holybro pages do not publish a temperature range. Ours reaches lower into the cold, the CUAV higher into the heat.
Sources
- 1. CUAV, CAN PMU power detection module documentationRetrieved: 2026-08-15 · Quick summary: STM32F412, 6-62 V (2-15S), 110 A max, 5.4 V / 5 A power port, UAVCAN, -20 to +100 C, no calibration needed, 76 g, 46.5 x 38.5 x 22.5 mm, XT90/Amass connectors.
- 2. Holybro (via PX4 documentation), Holybro Micro Power Module (PM06)Retrieved: 2026-08-15 · Specifications: integrated power distribution board, 120 A continuous PCB, UBEC 3 A max, 2S-10S (standard) or 2S-14S (14S version), 5.1-5.3 V output, 35 x 35 x 5 mm, 24 g; analog voltage/current signalling.
- 3. Holybro (via PX4 documentation), Holybro PM02D Power ModuleRetrieved: 2026-08-15 · Specifications: max input 36 V, rated 60 A, max 120 A (<60 s), up to 6S, I2C, 5.2 V / 3 A regulator, designed for FMUv5X/FMUv6X, 20 g, TI INA228.