Septentrio AsteRx-m3 Pro+ and mosaic-X5 Receivers Integration with PX4

High-Precision GNSS Technology Empowering UAV Flight Control Systems

Septentrio high-precision GNSS receivers provide an industry-leading positioning and navigation solution for UAV flight control systems based on PX4. Designed specifically for autonomous systems, Septentrio’s receiver modules integrate full-band signal tracking capability with centimeter-level RTK positioning. By simultaneously receiving signals from GPS, BeiDou, and Galileo through 448+ hardware channels, they ensure stable position, velocity, and heading data for UAVs even in complex environments. The built-in AIM+ anti-interference and anti-spoofing technology, combined with APME+ multipath mitigation and IONO+ algorithms, effectively counter challenging environments like urban canyons and electromagnetic interference.

Core Technologies of Septentrio Receivers

Septentrio receivers combine hardware reinforcement (RF filtering, high dynamic range) with intelligent signal processing (digital filtering, multi-band fusion) to build a multi-layered anti-interference and anti-spoofing system spanning from the physical layer to the algorithmic layer.

Hardware-Level Robust Anti-Interference Design

1. Robust RF Filtering: Filters out-of-band interference signals before they enter the receiver using hardware filters, enhancing signal purity.
2. High Dynamic Range: Supports simultaneous processing of signals with vastly different strengths, preventing strong signals from drowning out weak ones.
3. Advanced Digital Filtering: Further suppresses interference at the digital signal processing stage, including adaptive filtering and real-time interference detection.
4. Multi-Band Processing: Supports multiple frequency bands (GPS L1/L2/L5, Galileo E1/E5, etc.), enhancing anti-interference and anti-spoofing capabilities through multi-frequency combinations.

Anti-Spoofing Technology

1. Multi-Frequency Signal Consistency Check: Different frequency signals from the same authentic satellite experience a correlated delay through the ionosphere. The receiver calculates the physical relationships between pseudoranges from different frequencies in real-time. Spoofing signals struggle to perfectly replicate this consistency, allowing the receiver to detect and discard suspicious signals.
2. Anomalous Signal Detection: Spoofing signals often exhibit abnormally high signal-to-noise ratios and stability that don’t match authentic signal characteristics. The high dynamic range capability allows the receiver to detect anomalies through comparison, and advanced digital filtering algorithms can selectively suppress these signals.
3. Encrypted Signal Processing: Encrypted signals carry authentication information that cannot be forged. Septentrio’s hardware design ensures the receiver can track these signals with high sensitivity, providing high-quality raw input for authentication algorithms.

Advantages of PX4 Open-Source Flight Controller

• Cost Advantage: As open-source software, PX4 can be freely obtained and customized, significantly reducing development costs.
• Technical Foundation: Developed by the Computer Vision and Geometry Lab at ETH Zurich, backed by a world-class development team and global community support.
• Feature-Rich: Supports flight control, sensor fusion, autonomous navigation, mission planning, and data analysis for diverse application scenarios.
• High Extensibility: Modular design allows users to add or remove functional modules as needed, adapting to future technological developments.
• Community Support: An active global community for help, experience sharing, and knowledge exchange.

Core Features Comparison: AsteRx-m3 Pro+ vs mosaic-X5

Both receivers share the same core GNSS engine and support all systems and all frequencies (GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC, SBAS), ensuring high global availability.

Signal and Tracking

• AsteRx-m3 Pro+: 544 hardware channels, supports broader signal types (GLONASS L3, Galileo E6), providing redundancy for complex environments.
• mosaic-X5: 448 hardware channels, achieves efficient simultaneous tracking of all visible satellites in an extremely compact form factor.

Positioning Accuracy

Both provide centimeter-level RTK positioning: 0.6 cm + 0.5 ppm horizontal, 1 cm + 1 ppm vertical.

• AsteRx-m3 Pro+: Unique dual-antenna mode outputs sub-degree heading and pitch/roll (e.g., 0.15° heading accuracy with 1m baseline), eliminating reliance on magnetic sensors.
• mosaic-X5: Single-antenna high-dynamic positioning, ideal for space-constrained applications.

Dynamic Performance and Power Consumption

• Update Rate: Both support up to 100 Hz position and measurement output, with event marker accuracy <20 ns.
• AsteRx-m3 Pro+: 750 mW (GPS L1/L2) to 1000 mW (full constellation).
• mosaic-X5: Typical 0.6 W, max 1.1 W — industry-leading ultra-low power.

Selection Guide for UAV Integration

Choose mosaic-X5 when: rapid prototype development or mass production; consumer or industrial UAV projects with tight size, power, and cost constraints; dual-antenna orientation is not required.

Choose AsteRx-m3 Pro+ when: professional surveying (LiDAR, photogrammetry), scientific monitoring, or high-end agriculture; need to eliminate magnetic interference or output stable heading under dynamic conditions; PPK post-processing of raw data is required.

Related GNSS Products

• HB21 GNSS Box Receiver — All-in-one RTK receiver with integrated 4G LTE, heading, and data logging
• HB6 GNSS Box Receiver — Compact quad-constellation RTK receiver powered by Septentrio Mosaic X5
• EV322 GNSS Receiver — Lightweight RTK receiver for UAVs and autonomous systems
• AIM+ Anti-Jamming Technology — Military-grade interference and spoofing protection

Browse our full GNSS receiver collection for professional UAV applications.

Frequently Asked Questions