CUAV, a well-known brand in the open-source drone community, is a national high-tech enterprise integrating R&D, production, and sales, guided by innovative drone technology. After several years of development, the “CUAV” brand has become a household name in the drone industry; it now has an independent R&D center, an intelligent SMT automated factory, and a domestic and international sales network.
Growth Process:
In 2008
We introduced open-source flight controllers (APM) for drones to China, becoming one of the earliest companies in the country to engage in the development and research of open-source flight controllers.
In 2012
We officially established the “CUAV” brand and built our first independent production line. In the same year, we established partnerships with two major international open-source drone organizations, Ardupilot and PX4.
In 2013
Pixhack, the first open-source flight controller under its own brand, innovatively applies built-in shock absorbers and a GH1.25 interface to the open-source flight controller field. With its stable performance and user-friendly layout, it has won the favor and recognition of a wide range of users.
In 2015
The company began building its R&D team and gradually shifted its focus from hardware development to simultaneous development of software and hardware. In the same year, it launched the Pixhack v3 open-source flight controller product. On November 11, 2015, more than 500 Pixhack v3 units were sold in a single day, setting a new historical record for open-source flight controller retail.
In 2016
We launched Hacklink, the industry’s first independently developed wireless high-definition image and data integrated link based on the mavlink protocol.
In 2017
- Due to business expansion, the company relocated to the Information Technology Park in Nansha District, Guangzhou; the R&D team was officially established;
- the C-RTK centimeter-level positioning system was launched; the company officially entered the industry market;
- a foreign trade division was established; the company officially entered the overseas market.
In 2018
- Obtained ISO9001 international quality standard system certification
- Multiple products obtained CE certification
- Launched the industry’s first commercial drone network communication link (LTE LINK)
- Independently developed an LTE network-based drone cloud system (UAV-HUB); introducing the concept of unlimited-distance remote control and cloud-based operation of drones into industry applications.
In 2019
- CUAV was invited to participate in the 2019 PX4 (Switzerland) International Developer Conference.
- Andrew Tridgell, Chairman of the ArduPilot Foundation (and a core developer of ArduPilot), was invited to serve as a special technical advisor to CUAV.
- Several products were launched in the same year:
– V5+ Controller
– V5 NANO Controller
– LTE LINK SE Integrated Data and Mapping Network Link
– Air LINK 4G Network Data Transmission
– C-RTK 9P Centimeter-Level Positioning System
– Non-Attack UAV Ground Control Station
– CUAV GS UAV Android Client
– Non-Attack Transmission
In 2020
- Launched the industry’s first power management module (CAN PMU) based on the standard UAVCAN protocol.
- Launched the first open-source UAVCAN GPS (NEO V2 pro).
- Invited to the Ardupilot Developer Conference and delivered a keynote speech on CUAV 2020.
- Launched the next-generation H7 flight controller. (X7/ Nora/ X7 Pro)
- CUAVCloud has been upgraded to CUAVCloud V2.0; a team management and permission allocation system has been launched.
- Participated in the 4th Global Drone Conference (Shenzhen) from September 13th to 15th.
- Passed the High-Tech Enterprise Certification.
- Company relocation, further expanding the company’s scale.
- Launched the NEO 3 series GNSS positioning modules. (NEO3 / NEO 3 Pro)
In 2021
- We obtained approval for 45 square kilometers of dedicated airspace in Nansha District, Guangzhou.
- We established a wholly-owned subsidiary, LeiXun Flight (Guangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd., and obtained AOPA training institution qualification, applying open-source flight control to UAV license training.
- We were invited to attend the ArduPilot 2021 Developer Conference and delivered a keynote speech on “CUAV New Products 2021”.
- From May 21st to 23rd, we participated in the 5th Global 2021 and the 4th China International Unmanned Systems Expo, showcasing several new products including the C-RTK 2.
In 2022
- Received Specialized, Refined, and Innovative Enterprise Certification
- Launched the industry’s first smart airspeed meter with active heating and de-icing – SKYE
- Obtained Pixhawk trademark authorization and launched the first PX4 standard industrial-grade flight controller – Pixhawk V6X
- Subsidiary launched its first VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) fixed-wing UAV, Raefly VT260
In 2023
- Invited by the Municipal Public Security Bureau, the Raefly Flight team, equipped with the VT240, assisted the police in successfully seizing one ton of drugs at sea.
- The team also released a high-precision positioning and orientation module (C-RTK2 HP).
- The first offline salon for the CUAV brand was held.
- Subsidiary Raefly Flight registered the Raefly trademark and released the Raefly VT240, Raefly VT240Pro, and Raefly VT290 vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing UAVs.
- The team also released the UAV communication micro base station – LBA3.
In 2024
Launched the industry’s first intelligent de-icing and drainage airspeed meter SKYE 2, and released multiple new products including the 7-Nano micro smart controller, SKYE 2 Nano high-precision airspeed meter, and C-COMPASS compass.
Looking to the future:
We are committed to becoming a leading one-stop solution provider for open-source drones in China and even internationally; continuously improving our overall product portfolio; and providing high-quality products for drone manufacturers and enthusiasts.
Next, we will take you to understand CUAV products, their use and debugging; and we will describe the assembly of Copter, Planer and other types of drones for you. If you have any comments or suggestions on our documents, please send an email to support@cuav.net; The following is a catalog of all products on this site.
Product map
There’s much more! To learn more about CUAV and related product information, please stay tuned…