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CAN PDB User Manual for PX4 and ArduPilot Systems
CAN PDB is a controller carrier board developed by CUAV, integrating a power distribution board, Dronecan intelligent power management system, and controller carrier board functions.
The ultra-thick copper-tin PCB can provide a continuous operating current of up to 110A for host devices, and the self-developed ITT algorithm achieves current measurement accuracy of 0.1A and voltage measurement accuracy of 0.05V, comparable to precision instruments.
Product Features
- Equipped with 12V/4A output and configurable BEC output (5V/7.4V/8.2V) to power servos and devices with common specifications in unmanned systems.
- Supports 5V PWM signals (when the K1 switch is turned on) to enhance the anti-interference capability of control signals.
- Supports 14~60V voltage input.
- Accurately measures voltage and current; current accuracy reaches 0.1A within the 110A range, and voltage accuracy reaches 0.05V.
- Dronecan intelligent power management system can intelligently monitor battery capacity, voltage, and current.
- Ultra-thick copper foil and thickened tin-plated PCB can effectively reduce heat generated by circuit internal resistance under high current.
- 10 channels of main power output with low voltage drop.
- Runs the ITT algorithm to improve the accuracy of power detection under various temperature conditions.
Data Sheet
| Parameter Category | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Microcontroller (MCU) | STM32F4 |
| Operating Voltage | 14‑60V (compatible with 4‑14S LiPo batteries) |
| Detection Current Range | 0‑110A |
| Max Output Power | 6000W (continuous for 120s) |
| Stable Output Power | 5500W |
| Compatible Core Boards | V5+/X7/X7 Pro/X7+/X7+ Pro |
| Supported Frame Types | Fixed‑wing (Planer)/Vertical Take‑off and Landing (VTOL)/Multicopter (Copter)/Helicopter/Rover/Underwater Vehicle (sub) |
| Controller Firmware | ArduPilot 4.0.0 and above PX4 1.11.0 and above |
| Operating Temperature | ‑20~+100℃ |
| Dimensions | 12.8cm (Length) × 10cm (Width) × 1.2cm (Height) (Height becomes 4.5cm after installing X7+/X7+ Pro; height becomes 3.9cm after installing V5+) |
| Weight | 200g (including cable) |
| Cable Length | 30cm |
| Interface Specifications | Details |
| V_OUT | 5V (default)/7.4V/8.2V (4A output current) |
| Servo Power Supply (Servo VCC) | 5V (default)/7.4V/8.2V (8A output current) |
| 12V OUT | Max 4A |
| USB Port | 1 |
| UART1 Port | 5 (for GPS/uart4/telemetry1/telemetry2/debug) |
| CAN Port | 2 |
| I2C Port | 3 |
| SBUS/DSM Input | 1 |
| PPM Input | 1 |
| Servo Ports | 14 |
| ADC3.3 | 1 |
| ADC6.6 | 1 |
| SBUS Outputs | 1 (This port is invalid when using X7+/X7+ Pro core boards) |
| RSSI | 3.3V (analog input) |
| DSU7 | 1 |
Size
LED Status Light
- Blinking Green: Voltage of each battery cell is 4.0- 4.3 V
- Blinking Yellow: The voltage of each battery cell is lower than 4.0V but higher than 3.7V
- Blinking Red: The voltage of each battery cell is lower than 3.5V
Note
The number of battery cells is determined based on the initial voltage. When powering on, if the voltage of each LiPo cell is lower than 3.7V, it may cause misjudgment of the number of battery cells.
Pinouts
Tip
The pinout diagram matches the actual interface positions.
VOUT and Servo VCC
If you need the CAN PDB to power devices such as fixed-wing servos, solder JP1. This will connect the VOUT circuit to obtain a 5V/7.4V/8.2V power supply.
Note
JP1/JP3/JP4 are disconnected by default. In this state, Servo_VCC (the black box in the image) is an independent circuit with a voltage of 0V. When JP1 is soldered, Servo_VCC is connected to the VOUT circuit, and the voltage is 5V; when JP3 is soldered, the VOUT circuit voltage becomes 7.4V; when both JP3 and JP4 are soldered, the VOUT circuit voltage becomes 8.2V.
5V PWM
Tip
If the ESC supports 5V PWM, turn on the K1 switch. The controller’s M1-M8 will output 5V PWM signals, which can effectively improve anti-interference capability.
CAN PDB Configuration Guide (ArduPilot)
This section applies to scenarios where the CAN PDB is used with the ArduPilot stack (controllers running ArduPilot firmware).
Enabling Voltage and Current Detection
To enable voltage and current detection, you need to configure the controller parameters. Connect the controller to the Mission Planner ground station, set the following parameters in the Full Parameter List, and restart the controller after writing the parameters:
CAN_P1_DRIVER set to 1 CAN_P2_DRIVER set to 1 BATT1_MONITOR set to 8Tip
For ArduPilot firmware versions below 4.6, set
BATT_MONITORto 8.
Viewing Power Information
Custom Configuration
The CAN PDB provides 7 parameters for users to customize:
BATTERY_ID // Battery ID, Invalid CAN_NODE_ID // CAN Node ID CELL_SERIES_NUM // Number of battery cells, default value is 0 (automatic recognition), used to estimate battery percentage. CELL_FULL_VOLTAGE // Full voltage of a single cell, used to estimate battery percentage. CELL_EMPTY_VOLTAGE // Empty voltage of a single cell, used to estimate battery percentage. CALIBRATION_PARAM // Calibration status identifier; a value of 1 indicates calibrated (read-only, cannot be written). USE_TMP112 // Temperature sensor, default value is 1 (enabled); set to 0 to disable.Note
Under normal circumstances, the default parameters can meet the needs of most users. Do not modify them unless necessary.
Modifying Parameters
- Connect the controller to the Mission Planner ground station.
- Navigate to the Configuration > Optional Hardware > Dronecan/UAVCAN Setup interface.
- Click “mavlink-can1” and locate the CAN PMU Information section.
- Find and set the parameters to be modified, save the settings, then restart the controller.
High-Voltage (HV) Battery Setup
Take a 6S battery pack (full voltage of a single cell: 4.35V, empty voltage of a single cell: 3.3V) as an example. Set the following parameters in the CAN PDB parameter list:
CELL_SERIES_NUM = 6 CELL_FULL_VOLTAGE = 4350 CELL_EMPTY_VOLTAGE = 3300Click “Write params (Write Parameters)”, then restart the controller.
CAN PDB Configuration Guide (PX4)
This section applies to scenarios where the CAN PDB is used with the PX4 stack (controllers running PX4 firmware).
Enabling Voltage and Current Detection
To enable voltage and current detection, you need to configure the controller parameters. Connect the controller to the QGroundControl (QGC) ground station, set the following parameters in the Full Parameter List, and restart the controller after writing the parameters:
UAVCAN_ENABLE set to "Sensor Automatic Config" UAVCAN_SUB_BAT set to "Raw data"Viewing Power Information
Custom Configuration
The CAN PDB provides 7 parameters for users to customize:
BATTERY_ID // Battery ID, invalid CAN_NODE_ID // CAN Node ID CELL_SERIES_NUM // Number of battery cells, default is 0 (automatic recognition), used to estimate battery percentage. CELL_FULL_VOLTAGE // Full voltage of a single cell, used to estimate battery percentage. CELL_EMPTY_VOLTAGE // Empty voltage of a single cell, used to estimate battery percentage. CALIBRATION_PARAM // Calibration status identifier; a value of 1 indicates calibrated (read-only, cannot be written). USE_TMP112 // Temperature sensor, default is 1 (enabled); set to 0 to disable.Note
Under normal circumstances, the default parameters can meet the needs of most users. Do not modify them unless necessary.
Modifying Parameters
Connect the controller to the QGroundControl (QGC) ground station, open the Analyze Tools > MAVLink Console interface, and send the following commands for configuration:
uavcan status// Obtain the NODE ID of the CAN PDB (press the “Enter” key to send the command)uavcan param list + [ID]// Read CAN PDB parameter informationuavcan param set + [ID] + [Parameter Name] + [Value]// Set (modify) parameter valuesuavcan param save + [ID]// Save parameter configuration
High-Voltage Battery Setup
Take a 6S battery pack (with a single cell’s full voltage of 4.35V and empty voltage of 3.3V) and a CAN PDB node ID of 49 as an example. Send the following commands in the MAVLink Console interface:
uavcan param set 49 CELL_SERIES_NUM=6 uavcan param set 49 CELL_FULL_VOLTAGE=4350 uavcan param set 49 CELL_EMPTY_VOLTAGE=3300 uavcan param save 49Note
If a save failure is prompted, restart the device and re-read the device configuration information to check if the modification was successful.
CAN PDB version update
2.9C
- Adjust the Core shading screen-printing position
- Add support for 5V PWM, add K1 switch, when the status is on, M1-M8 output 5V PWM
- Servo voltage setting modified to JP3 and JP4
2.8
- Adjusted the position of the servo voltage switching pins (JP1/JP2/JP3)
2.6C
- Modify the board size to 1010.8cm, the original size is 1012cm
- Change the BEC chip solution to improve BEC load capacity.
- Added support for servo power supply, and the servo output voltage can be adjusted through JP1/JP2/JP3.
FAQ
1. Does CAN PDB support intelligent controllers from other manufacturers?
- CAN PDB currently only supports CUAV X7+/X7+ Pro and V5+ intelligent controllers. The Core and carrier board connectors are independently defined by CUAV and do not support intelligent controllers from other manufacturers.
2. What is the maximum current supported by the CAN PDB?
- The maximum detection current is 110A, and the maximum passable current is less than 200A.
3. Do I also need to use a power monitor (ammeter) to use the CAN PDB?
- No need to use, CAN PDB integrates the power management function inside.
4. What is the use of the electrolytic capacitor soldered on the CAN PDB? Can it be dismantled?
- It cannot be disassembled. The electrolytic capacitor is used for filtering to prevent the chip from being damaged by sparks generated when power is turned on.
5. Does CAN PDB support manual calibration of voltage and current?
- CAN PDB uses factory-level calibration. Most users do not have professional equipment, so manual calibration is not supported. If your CAN PDB error is larger than the standard value, please contact CUAV staff for processing.
Purchase Channels
CUAV Downloads
Products Brochure
Product Usage Scope and Limitations
