What is Mavlink Router: Overview and Usage

Mavlink Router is a lightweight software tool that forwards MAVLink messages between different endpoints like serial ports, UDP, or TCP connections. It acts like a traffic controller, routing drone communication data efficiently to multiple devices or ground stations.

How It Works

Mavlink Router works by listening to MAVLink messages from one or more sources and forwarding them to one or more destinations. Imagine it as a post office that receives letters (messages) from senders and delivers them to the right recipients without changing the content.

It supports multiple communication channels such as serial ports (like USB or UART), UDP (network packets), and TCP connections. This flexibility allows it to connect drones, ground control stations, and other devices seamlessly.

Because it is lightweight and efficient, Mavlink Router can run on small computers like Raspberry Pi or companion computers on drones, helping manage data flow without slowing down the system.

Example

This example shows a simple mavlink-routerd configuration that routes messages from a serial device to a UDP endpoint.

ini

[General]
TcpServerPort=5760

[UartEndpoint serial]
Device=/dev/ttyUSB0
Baud=57600

[UdpEndpoint groundstation]
Address=192.168.2.1
Port=14550

When to Use

Use Mavlink Router when you need to forward MAVLink messages between multiple devices or networks without modifying the data. It is ideal for:

• Connecting a drone's flight controller to multiple ground control stations simultaneously.
• Forwarding telemetry data from a drone to companion computers or onboard systems.
• Bridging communication between different types of connections, like serial to UDP or TCP.
• Improving data routing efficiency on resource-limited devices.

For example, if you want to send drone telemetry to both a local ground station and a remote monitoring server, Mavlink Router can handle this easily.

Key Points

• Lightweight and efficient: Designed for low-resource devices.
• Multi-endpoint support: Routes MAVLink messages between serial, UDP, and TCP.
• Non-intrusive: Forwards messages without altering them.
• Configurable: Easy to set up with simple config files.
• Common in drone systems: Used widely in companion computers and ground stations.

Key Takeaways

Mavlink Router forwards MAVLink messages between multiple communication endpoints efficiently.

It supports serial, UDP, and TCP connections to connect drones and ground stations.

Ideal for routing telemetry data without modifying messages on resource-limited devices.

Configured via simple files to define input and output channels.

Commonly used in drone companion computers and telemetry systems.