{"slug": "ardupilot", "name": "ArduPilot", "category": "other", "category_name": "Other software", "description": "", "recommenders": 3, "commenters": 5, "warners": 0, "score": 3.165, "rising": -0.98, "first": "2026-02-23", "latest": "2026-08-11", "why": "a version of Ardupilot [1] that's already in use by everyone", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 3, "neutral": 2, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "a version of Ardupilot [1] that's already in use by everyone", "kind": "", "icon": true, "domain": "ardupilot.org", "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://ardupilot.org/", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["ArduPilot"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 768143584, "item_id": 48008974, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48008974", "by": "zero_k", "date": "2026-05-04", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "a version of Ardupilot [1] that's already in use by everyone", "excerpt": "It essentially already has one. Probably only self-levelling, but has some extra programming like delayed flaps, wheel-up sequence (first up the wheels, then close the doors), blackbox feature, etc. Likely using a version of Ardupilot [1] that's already in use by everyone. Maybe INav [2], but I'd wager on the former. There's more than one computer in there, too. The receiver is likely double-redundant (2 receivers, e", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "World's biggest RC A380 [video]"}, {"id": 758900720, "item_id": 47431295, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47431295", "by": "svag", "date": "2026-03-18", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "maybe? It's for controlling the drones, but I think it has simulators as well.", "excerpt": "[Ardupilot|https://ardupilot.org/] maybe? It's for controlling the drones, but I think it has simulators as well.", "context": "", "use_case": "Drone control and simulation", "switched_from": "", "story": "OpenRocket"}, {"id": 754065185, "item_id": 47129074, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47129074", "by": "Sabrees", "date": "2026-02-23", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Ardupilot is pretty capable of course", "excerpt": "I did recently automate a greenhouse (heating, Hydroponics, fans, lights) it was just R&D rather than commercial so just used home assistant for it. I did sketch out a slightly more 'professionalised' version, but haven't built it yet https://github.com/samuk/IoT-Greenhouse-Temperature-and-Irrigation-Controller-Node-Red I'd be pleasantly surprised if DJI had done anything open source, Ardupilot is pretty capable of c", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: Sowbot \u2013 open-hardware agricultural robot (ROS2, RTK GPS)"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["flight-control firmware", "drone control and simulation"], "compared": [], "makers": [{"id": 793965328, "item_id": 49622833, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49622833", "by": "palata", "date": "2026-09-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "as a user I love that GPLv3 should make it possible for me to access (and reflash!) it", "excerpt": "> but the only thing that protects Free Software (open source) is copyright law. Can you elaborate on that? I have done a lot of open source (professionally and in my free time), and I don't see it. I have exactly one example where I see that copyleft is useful, and that's Linux: it is nice to be able to get the downstream kernel. I genuinely don't have another example. For smaller projects (even not that small actua", "context": "open source developer", "use_case": "drone autopilot", "switched_from": "", "story": "Copyright does more harm than good and should be abolished"}], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49622042", "title": "Copyright does more harm than good and should be abolished", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49253378", "title": "Show HN: I vibecoded a heavy lift drone", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47975571", "title": "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (May 2026)", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47988781", "title": "World's biggest RC A380 [video]", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47386703", "title": "OpenRocket", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47123894", "title": "Show HN: Sowbot \u2013 open-hardware agricultural robot (ROS2, RTK GPS)", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {}}, "quotes": [{"id": 788152320, "item_id": 49259520, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49259520", "by": "liseman", "date": "2026-08-11", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "good overview here: https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/connect-escs-and-motors.html", "excerpt": "opposite blades rotate in same direction; good overview here: https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/connect-escs-and-motors.html", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: I vibecoded a heavy lift drone"}, {"id": 768516608, "item_id": 48032288, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48032288", "by": "qbatten", "date": "2026-05-05", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "into an ArduPilot-based production implementation", "excerpt": "Aerofex | Senior Flight Software Integration Engineer (Ardupilot / Simulink) | Remote / Los Angeles | Contract Aerofex is a rapidly-growing aerospace startup developing next-generation thrust vectoring and VTOL propulsion technology for manned and unmanned platforms. We are seeking an experienced engineer to support the migration of an existing flight-control implementation from a flight-verified Simulink-like develo", "context": "", "use_case": "flight-control firmware", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (May 2026)"}, {"id": 768143584, "item_id": 48008974, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48008974", "by": "zero_k", "date": "2026-05-04", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "a version of Ardupilot [1] that's already in use by everyone", "excerpt": "It essentially already has one. Probably only self-levelling, but has some extra programming like delayed flaps, wheel-up sequence (first up the wheels, then close the doors), blackbox feature, etc. Likely using a version of Ardupilot [1] that's already in use by everyone. Maybe INav [2], but I'd wager on the former. There's more than one computer in there, too. The receiver is likely double-redundant (2 receivers, e", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "World's biggest RC A380 [video]"}, {"id": 758900720, "item_id": 47431295, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47431295", "by": "svag", "date": "2026-03-18", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "maybe? It's for controlling the drones, but I think it has simulators as well.", "excerpt": "[Ardupilot|https://ardupilot.org/] maybe? It's for controlling the drones, but I think it has simulators as well.", "context": "", "use_case": "Drone control and simulation", "switched_from": "", "story": "OpenRocket"}, {"id": 754065185, "item_id": 47129074, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47129074", "by": "Sabrees", "date": "2026-02-23", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Ardupilot is pretty capable of course", "excerpt": "I did recently automate a greenhouse (heating, Hydroponics, fans, lights) it was just R&D rather than commercial so just used home assistant for it. I did sketch out a slightly more 'professionalised' version, but haven't built it yet https://github.com/samuk/IoT-Greenhouse-Temperature-and-Irrigation-Controller-Node-Red I'd be pleasantly surprised if DJI had done anything open source, Ardupilot is pretty capable of c", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Show HN: Sowbot \u2013 open-hardware agricultural robot (ROS2, RTK GPS)"}]}