SparkNavi Blue¶
SparkNavi Blue is a high-performance STM32H743 flight control computer designed for professional UAV, robotics, and research platforms.
Fully supported by the ArduPilot ecosystem and engineered for long-lifecycle deployment across industrial and research applications.
Widely deployed across industrial, research, and autonomous platform integrations.
Flight Demonstration¶
Additional flight clips¶
Key Features¶
- CNC machined aluminum enclosure
- STM32H743 MCU (480MHz)
- 2MB Flash
- Dual IMU (ICM42652 + ICM42688)
- External I2C compass support (RM3100 / IST8310)
- CAN FD (2 ports)
- Dual GPS ports
- microSD logging
- Dedicated IOMCU
- Integrated RGB status LED
- USB Type-C
- Compact enclosed design
Manufacturing & Compliance¶
Designed and manufactured in Taiwan.
The hardware is built using globally sourced industrial-grade components suitable for customers with strict regulatory, compliance, or export requirements.
Regulatory Compliance¶
SparkNavi Blue has passed international EMC and safety compliance testing.
FCC (United States)¶
- 47 CFR FCC Part 15 Subpart B (Class B)
- ANSI C63.4:2014
CE (European Union)¶
- EN 55032:2015 + A11:2020
- EN 55035:2017 + A11:2020
- EN IEC 61000-3-2:2019 + A2:2024
- EN 61000-3-3:2013 + A2:2021 + AC:2022
PSE (Japan)¶
- J62368-1:2023
These certifications enable deployment across North America, Europe, and Japan.
Size¶
Specifications¶
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| MCU | STM32H743 (480MHz) |
| IOMCU | STM32F103 |
| Flash | 2MB |
| RAM | 1MB |
| Parameter Storage | FRAM (non-volatile, high write endurance) |
| IMU | ICM42652 + ICM42688 |
| Barometer | BMP280 |
| Internal Compass | HMC5883L |
| CAN | 2× CAN FD |
| UARTs (external) | 5 |
| PWM Outputs | 14 (8 MAIN via IOMCU + 6 AUX via FMU) |
| Logging | microSD |
| USB | USB-C |
Main Connectors¶
- POWER1 / POWER2
- GPS1 / GPS2
- TELEM1 / TELEM2
- CAN1 / CAN2
- SPI expansion
- ADC expansion
- I2C external bus
- SBUS / RSSI port
UART Mapping¶
| Port | Function | Hardware Flow Control |
|---|---|---|
| USART2 | TELEM1 | ✔ CTS / RTS |
| USART3 | TELEM2 | ✔ CTS / RTS |
| USART1 | GPS1 | — |
| UART4 | GPS2 | — |
| UART7 | Debug | — |
| UART8 | IOMCU (internal) | — |
5 UARTs are externally accessible (USART1 / 2 / 3, UART4, UART7); UART8 is reserved for the IOMCU and is not exposed.
I2C Buses¶
| Bus | Usage |
|---|---|
| I2C2 | External I2C |
| I2C4 | Internal sensors |
External compasses are automatically detected on the external I2C bus.
Connector Overview¶
Connector Pin Definitions¶
TELEM1 / TELEM2 (Telemetry UART)¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | TX | Output | UART transmit |
| 3 | RX | Input | UART receive |
| 4 | CTS | Input | Flow control (optional) |
| 5 | RTS | Output | Flow control (optional) |
| 6 | GND | — | Ground |
GPS1¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | GPS1_TX | Output | UART TX to GPS |
| 3 | GPS1_RX | Input | UART RX from GPS |
| 4 | I2C2_SCL | Output | Compass I2C clock |
| 5 | I2C2_SDA | Bi-Dir | Compass I2C data |
| 6 | SAFETY_SWITCH | Input | Safety button |
| 7 | SAFETY_SWITCH_LED | Output | Safety switch / LED |
| 8 | GND | — | Ground |
GPS2¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | GPS2_TX | Output | UART TX to GPS |
| 3 | GPS2_RX | Input | UART RX from GPS |
| 4 | I2C2_SCL | Output | Secondary I2C clock |
| 5 | I2C2_SDA | Bi-Dir | Secondary I2C data |
| 6 | GND | — | Ground |
CAN1 / CAN2¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | CAN_H | Bi-Dir | CAN high |
| 3 | CAN_L | Bi-Dir | CAN low |
| 4 | GND | — | Ground |
USB Port¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | USB_D+ | Bi-Dir | USB data positive |
| 3 | USB_D- | Bi-Dir | USB data negative |
| 4 | GND | — | Ground |
| 5 | Buzzer | Output | External buzzer output |
| 6 | x | — | x |
This USB port allows connection of an external safety buzzer and USB interface for firmware upload and MAVLink communication.
I2C External Port¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | I2C2_SCL | Output | I2C clock |
| 3 | I2C2_SDA | Bi-Dir | I2C data |
| 4 | GND | — | Ground |
ADC Port¶
Accepts analog input up to 6.6 V (internally divided, suitable for typical sensor signals).
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | ADC | Input | Analog input (up to 6.6 V) |
| 3 | GND | — | Ground |
SPI Expansion Port¶
| Pin | Signal | Direction | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V | Output | 5V peripheral power |
| 2 | SPI6_SCK | Output | SPI clock |
| 3 | SPI6_MISO | Input | SPI MISO |
| 4 | SPI6_MOSI | Output | SPI MOSI |
| 5 | SPI6_CS | Output | Chip select |
| 6 | x | — | x |
| 7 | GND | — | Ground |
SBUS / RSSI Port (SPKT)¶
| Pin | Signal |
|---|---|
| 1 | +3.3V |
| 2 | GND |
| 3 | SBUS_OUT / RSSI_IN |
POWER1 / POWER2¶
| Pin | Signal |
|---|---|
| 1 | +5.3V (IN) |
| 2 | +5.3V (IN) |
| 3 | BAT1_I |
| 4 | BAT1_V |
| 5 | GND |
| 6 | GND |
Output Architecture¶
SparkNavi Blue uses a dual-processor architecture:
- MAIN outputs are driven by the IOMCU (failsafe capable)
- AUX outputs are driven directly by the FMU (high-speed / flexible)
This architecture provides redundancy and improved flight safety.
MAIN Outputs (IOMCU Controlled)¶
Primary motor outputs with hardware failsafe support.
| Output | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MAIN OUT 1 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 2 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 3 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 4 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 5 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 6 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 7 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
| MAIN OUT 8 | Motor / Servo | IOMCU controlled |
✔ Hardware failsafe supported
✔ Recommended for motors / critical actuators
AUX Outputs (FMU Controlled)¶
Flexible outputs for payloads and advanced peripherals. AUX OUT 1–6 all support Bi-Directional DShot (reading RPM telemetry back from ESCs, useful for advanced ESC tuning and vibration analysis).
| Output | Typical Use |
|---|---|
| AUX OUT 1 | Gimbal / Payload |
| AUX OUT 2 | Gimbal / Payload |
| AUX OUT 3 | Landing gear |
| AUX OUT 4 | Camera trigger |
| AUX OUT 5 | Lights / Buzzer |
| AUX OUT 6 | Custom peripherals |
✔ High update rate supported
✔ Supports PWM, DShot, and Bi-Directional DShot
✔ Fully configurable in ArduPilot
PWM Summary¶
MAIN outputs are driven by the IOMCU.
AUX outputs are driven by the FMU.
| Outputs | Pins |
|---|---|
| MAIN OUT | 1–8 |
| AUX OUT | 1–6 |
| Total | 14 PWM Outputs |
Output Groups¶
Because hardware timers are shared, all outputs within a group must use the same output rate; if any channel in a group uses DShot, all channels in that group must use DShot.
MAIN OUT (8 outputs / 3 groups)
| Group | Channels |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | MAIN OUT 1, 2 |
| Group 2 | MAIN OUT 3, 4 |
| Group 3 | MAIN OUT 5, 6, 7, 8 |
AUX OUT (6 outputs / 3 groups)
| Group | Channels |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | AUX OUT 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Group 2 | AUX OUT 5 |
| Group 3 | AUX OUT 6 |
This grouping affects ESC wiring decisions: when mixing PWM and DShot ESCs, route them to different groups.
RC Input¶
The SBUS connector supports:
- SBUS input
- SBUS output
- RSSI input
Powering the Board¶
The controller can be powered from either POWER1 or POWER2.
Both provide:
- Power input
- Voltage/current sensing
- Redundant supply capability
Default Battery Monitor Parameters¶
When paired with the SparkNavi power module, the ArduPilot firmware includes the following calibrated parameters out of the box — voltage and current readings work as soon as the module is connected:
| Parameter | POWER1 (BATT) | POWER2 (BATT2) |
|---|---|---|
BATT_MONITOR |
4 |
4 |
BATT_VOLT_PIN |
16 |
14 |
BATT_CURR_PIN |
17 |
15 |
BATT_VOLT_MULT |
16.76 |
16.76 |
BATT_AMP_PERVLT |
100 |
100 |
Note
These calibration values are tuned for the SparkNavi power module. Other power modules may require adjustment of BATT_VOLT_MULT and BATT_AMP_PERVLT per the module's datasheet.
Compass¶
The on-board HMC5883L compass (Honeywell, USA) is selected to meet NDAA / non-China supply-chain requirements — HMC5883L is one of the few ArduPilot-natively-supported magnetometers sourced outside of China, suitable for defense and industrial customers with strict supply-chain compliance needs.
In practice, as with any flight controller, an external compass is still recommended — built-in magnetometers on any flight controller suffer interference from current variations in nearby power circuitry. Mounting an external compass via the I²C bus, away from power wiring, yields significantly cleaner field readings. This is standard practice across the industry, not specific to this product.
Recommended External Compass Models (all NDAA-compliant)¶
- RM3100 (PNI Sensor Corporation, USA) — high-precision magnetoresistive, preferred in high-interference environments
- IST8310 (iSentek, Taiwan) — auto-detected by ArduPilot, Taiwan-designed
External compasses are auto-detected on the external I²C bus and ArduPilot's automatic compass orientation detection is supported.
Firmware Support¶
Fully supported in the official ArduPilot firmware distribution.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Board Name | SparkNavi Blue |
| ArduPilot Target | sparknavi-blue |
| APJ Board ID | 1362 |
| Firmware Download | ArduPilot Firmware Server |
SparkNavi Blue ships with the ArduPilot bootloader pre-installed, so the .apj firmware file can be uploaded directly via Mission Planner, QGroundControl, or any compatible ground station — no ST-Link or DFU tools required.
Supported Firmware¶
- ArduPilot (official support across Copter / Plane / Rover / Sub)
Typical Wiring¶
Typical wiring includes:
- GPS on GPS1
- Telemetry radio on TELEM1
- External compass on I2C
- ESCs on MAIN outputs
Typical Applications¶
- Industrial UAV platforms
- VTOL and multirotor systems
- Autonomous robotics
- Research and development platforms
Electrical Specifications¶
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating Voltage | 4.8V – 6.0V |
| Recommended Power Module | 5.3V regulated supply |
| Typical Power Consumption | 0.98W |
| Logic Level | 3.3V |
| GPS Power Output | 5V |
| Peripheral Power Output | 5V |
Power is supplied via POWER1 or POWER2 modules with redundant capability.
Power consumption may vary depending on connected peripherals.
Environmental¶
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating Temperature | -20°C to +70°C |
| Storage Temperature | -40°C to +85°C |
Mechanical Specifications¶
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Length | 73.3 mm |
| Width | 47.4 mm |
| Height | 17 mm |
| Weight | 70 g |
Manufacturer¶
SparkNavi
Designed & Manufactured in Taiwan
Downloads¶
For integration support or volume orders, please contact us.
Engineering and compliance documents are available below.