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Better structure definitions
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hamishwillee authored and LorenzMeier committed Jun 8, 2019
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[![Join the chat at https://gitter.im/PX4/Hardware](https://badges.gitter.im/Join%20Chat.svg)](https://gitter.im/PX4/Hardware?utm_source=badge&utm_medium=badge&utm_campaign=pr-badge&utm_content=badge)

[Pixhawk](http://pixhawk.org) is an independent open-hardware project that aims to provide the standard for readily-available, hiqh-quality and low-cost autopilot hardware designs for the academic, hobby and developer communities. Pixhawk supports multiple flight stacks: PX4 ® and ArduPilot ®.
[Pixhawk](http://pixhawk.org) is an independent open-hardware project that aims to provide "the gold standard" for readily-available, hiqh-quality and low-cost autopilot hardware designs for the academic, hobby and developer communities.
Pixhawk supports multiple flight stacks: PX4 ® and ArduPilot ®.

## What is an Open Design?
> **Note** Designs are provided for a number of components used in unmanned vehicles, including: Autopilots (Flight Management Units - FMUs), ESCs (electronic speed controllers), optical flow sensors, etc.
The [Pixhawk project](https://pixhawk.org/) provides open designs following the OSHW 1.1 definition.
## What are Open Hardware Designs?

Designs are (typically) specified in the form of *schematics* that show all included components (CPU, sensors, etc.), how they are connected, and their pin mappings.
They may also include a BOM (bill of materials).
The [Pixhawk project](https://pixhawk.org/) provides open hardware designs following the [OSHW 1.1 definition](https://www.oshwa.org/definition/).

> **Tip** A minimum design must include all information required for a manufacturer to create a hardware product that is *firmware compatible* with other hardware created to the same design.
This might not be a full schematic, but must include a clear pinout definition of all components, information about I2C buses (e.g. which are internally available vs what is attached internally), etc.
In essence, this definition allows anyone to freely study, modify, distribute, make, and sell the designs (or hardware based on the designs) under the terms of a particular open source licence (you can find more about the [open source licence](#licensing) we use below).

The project also delivers *reference hardware* for some open designs.
If created, these are delivered as PCB layout files, and shared under the same [license](#licenses).
## Hardware Designs

Manufacturers are encouraged to take the open designs (and/or open reference hardware) and create firmware-compatible products that are best suited to a particular market or use case (the physical layout/form factor not part of the open specification).
Hardware designs delivered by the project are listed below.

> **Note** While a physical connector standard is not mandated, newer products generally follow the [Dronecode<sup>&reg;</sup> Autopilot Connector Standard](https://wiki.dronecode.org/workgroup/connectors/start).
<span id="fmu_designs"></span>
### FMU (Autopilot) Designs

Pixhawk FMU open designs include all information required to create an autopilot hardware product that is *firmware compatible* with other hardware created from the same design.
Manufacturers are encouraged to take the designs and create products that are best suited to a particular market or use case (e.g. for very small vehicles, or those that operate at environmental extremes).

## Hardware Designs
> **Note** While a physical connector standard is not mandated, newer products generally follow the [Pixhawk Connector Standard](https://pixhawk.org/pixhawk-connector-standard/).
### FMU (Autopilot) Designs

The project has created a number of different open designs for flight management units (autopilot hardware).
#### Design Format

Designs are *usually* specified in the form of *schematics* that show all included components (CPU, sensors, etc.), how they are connected, and their pin mappings.
They may also include a BOM (bill of materials).

> **Note** Not all designs deliver schematics.
#### Reference Hardware

The project provides *reference hardware/layouts* for **some** based on some open designs, in the form of PCB layout files.

These are shared under the same [license](#licenses) as the open design, and hence may be used in the same ways.

#### FMU Versions

The Pixhawk project has evolved the FMU design through a number of verisons.

These are named using the designation: FMUvX (e.g.: FMUv1, FMUv2, FMUv3, FMUv4, etc.).
Higher FMU numbers indicate that the board is more recent, but may not indicate increased capability (versions can be almost identical - differing only in connector wiring).

The designs listed below (with a high level overview of main differences):
The designs listed below (with a high level overview of the main differences).

Version | Description | Design | Hardware | Description
--- | ---
[FMUv1](FMUv1/README.md) & [IOv1](IOv1) | (Discontinued) Original Flight Management Unit and Separate I/O board.
[FMUv2](FMUv2/README.md) | Single board with STM32427VI processor.
[FMUv3](FMUv3_REV_D/README.md)| Identical to FMUv2, but usable flash doubled to 2MB.
[FMUv4](FMUv4/README.md) | Increased RAM. Faster CPU. More serial ports. No IO processor
FMUv4-PRO | Slightly increased RAM. More serial ports. IO processor.
[FMUv5](FMUv5/README.md) | New processor (F7). Much faster. More RAM. More CAN busses. Much more configurable.<br>> **Note** Minimum specification provided (pinout info, but no schematics).

- [FMUv1](FMUv1/README.md) & [IOv1](IOv1) - (Discontinued) Original Flight Management Unit and Separate I/O board.
- [FMUv2](FMUv2/README.md) - Single board with STM32427VI processor.
- [FMUv3](FMUv3_REV_D/README.md) - Identical to FMUv2, but usable flash doubled to 2MB.
- [FMUv4](FMUv4/README.md) - Increased RAM. Faster CPU. More serial ports. No IO processor
- FMUv4-PRO - Slightly increased RAM. More serial ports. IO processor <!-- is this design compatible - is it a reference? -->
- [FMUv5](FMUv5/README.md) - New processor (F7). Much faster. More RAM. More CAN busses. Much more configurable.
> **Note** Minimum specification provided (pinout info, but no schematics).


### Sapog ESC
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- [PSMv3_REV_C](PSMv3_REV_C)


## Autopilot Products
## Derived Autopilot Products

The following boards are commercial products that are *derived* from the Pixhawk FMU designs above (information is provided here under the terms of the open source license):

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### Licensing and trademarks
<span id="licensing"></span>
### Licensing and Trademarks

Pixhawk project schematics and reference designs are licensed under [CC BY-SA 3](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode).

The license allows you to use, sell, share, modify and build on the files in almost any way you like - provided that you give credit/attribution, and that you share any changes that you make under the same open source license (see the [human readable version of the license](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) for a concise summary of the rights and obligations).

> **Note** Boards that are *derived directly* from Pixhawk schematic files (or reference boards) must be open sourced. They can't be commercially licensed as proprietary products.
> **Note** Boards that are *derived directly* from Pixhawk schematic files (or reference boards) must be open sourced.
They can't be commercially licensed as proprietary products.

Manufacturers can create (compatible) *fully independent products* by first generating fresh schematic files that have the same pin mapping/components as the FMU designs. Products that are based on independently created schematics are considered original works, and can be licensed as required.
Manufacturers can create (compatible) *fully independent products* by first generating fresh schematic files that have the same pin mapping/components as the FMU designs.
Products that are based on independently created schematics are considered original works, and can be licensed as required.

Product names/brands can also be trademarked. Trademarked names may not be used without the permission of the owner.

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