Atom UAV – FLARM for Drones

Product Highlights

  • Atom System-on-Chip platform
  • Full, worldwide FLARM interoperability
  • V2X communication payloads
  • Cortex-M4F processing core
  • Integrated Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth module
  • 72-channel u-blox GNSS engine
  • Web app for configuration and diagnostics
  • 1090 MHz receiver for ADS-B and rebroadcast services (TIS-B/ADS-R)
  • Sensor for pressure altitude
  • Consolidated, unified traffic stream
  • Direct broadcast remote ID, compliant with ASTM F3411-19, EC 2019/945, EC 2020/1058

To safely integrate drones into airspace shared with manned aviation is a demanding challenge for the industry. Leveraging the new FLARM Atom platform, Atom UAV is a comprehensive, fully-featured FLARM system in a tiny package, providing detect & avoid with more than 50,000 manned aircraft. Atom UAV combines a FLARM radio transceiver, an ADS-B receiver, and a Wi‑Fi transmitter for direct-broadcast Remote ID, compliant with ASTM F3411-19. Atom UAV complies with the relevant FCC and EN/ETSI standards.

Atom UAV is available in two versions: OEM and Standalone. The OEM version is free of any enclosure and can be directly integrated into own designs: M3 mounting holes in a 30.5 mm grid and the board-to-board connector allow for stacking with other modules or on a carrier board. The standalone version has an enclosure and uses the JST-GH connector used by many UAV flight controller platforms. Both versions stream traffic information in either the MAVLink or JSON protocol formats.

Atom UAV implements the ASTM F3411-19 standard for remote ID, based on direct-broadcast Wi‑Fi. An additional Remote ID implementation based on FTD-129 is available.

Traffic information is output via Wi-Fi or serial port in a unified stream, merging ADS-B and FLARM traffic and dynamically selecting the source of higher quality. Multiple streaming formats are available: JSON, MAVLink, and GDL90.

On MAVLink-based systems, Atom UAV delivers HEARTBEAT and VEHICLE_ADSB messages. It further implements the configuration interface via the PARAM_REQUEST_xxx mechanism. Systems supporting the GPS_RAW_INT and SYSTEM_TIME messages can override the built-in GNSS receiver and inject their own navigation solution.

Mechanical

Common

MCX 1 FLARM
MCX 2 ADS-B 1090 MHz
MCX 3 GNSS, 3.3 V supply
USB-C Maintenance, power
Micro-SD FAT, exFAT (optional)

OEM Version

Dimensions 50x36x8 mm (without connectors)
Mass 17 g
Enclosure None
Data Samtec TFM-104-02-L-D, 8 pin female
Mounting holes 30.5 x 30.5 mm grid
Wi-Fi u.FL connector

Standalone Version

Dimensions 54x42x16 mm (without connectors)
Mass 50 g
Enclosure Yes
Data JST-GH 6 pin female
Wi-Fi Integrated antenna

Functions

Interoperability All FLARM devices
Frequency Range Europe: 868 MHz/25 mW
USA: 902–928 MHz/100 mW
Radio Power 25 or 100 mW, depending on the region
FLARM Functions Traffic information
Tracking
Status, heartbeat
Flight recording
Error conditions
Configuration
Remote ID ASTM F3411-19
FTD-129
GNSS GPS
Galileo
EGNOS, WAAS
ADS-B Receiver
ADS-B 1090 MHz
TIS-B
ADS-R
−81 to +22 dBm dynamic range

Interfaces

USB-C Serial (over USB)
Power 5 VDC
Data Serial UART
Power 5–28 VDC
CANbus (optional)
Serial Protocols JSON
MAVLink
Wi-Fi Protocols JSON
GDL90
CANbus Protocols CANaerospace
UAVCAN v0
UI 4 bicolor LEDs
Fact. default switch
MAVLink Traffic information
Navigation input
Device configuration

JST-GH Pinout

Pin Function Alternative Function
1 Vin 5–28 V
2 TXD UART
3 RXD UART
4 CANbus TX GPIO
5 CANbus RX GPIO
6 GND

TFM-104-02-L-D Pinout

Pin Function Alternative Function
1 Vin 5–28 V
2 TXD UART
3 DO NOT CONNECT
4 RXD UART
5 DO NOT CONNECT
6 CANbus TX GPIO
7 GND
8 CANbus RX GPIO

Operating Range

Power Supply 5–28 VDC (Data connector)
Power Consumption TBD
Operating Temperature −20 to +70 °C
Compliance ETSI RED
FCC CFR 47 part 15
RoHS

 

Please contact us for ordering or to receive the relevant integration documents.