PX4 vs ArduPilot Flight Stacks
I am choosing between the PX4 and ArduPilot open-source autopilot stacks and need an evidence-backed starting comparison.
Last reviewed 8/7/2026. Data checked within the review cycle.
Review cycles are documented on the Methodology page.
2 objects · 6 fields · 4 Unknown cells preserved
Scope
Metadata and repository facts recorded from the official GitHub API on 2026-08-02. Architecture, certification and performance are deliberately not compared because the indexed sources do not provide field-level evidence.
Field-level evidence
| Field | PX4/PX4-Autopilot | ArduPilot/ardupilot |
|---|---|---|
| License GitHub API repository license.spdx_id | BSD-3-Clause Tier A 2026-08-02 Source | GPL-3.0 Tier A 2026-08-02 Source |
| License status Repository record license status | Inferred from GitHub API license object Tier A 2026-08-02 Source | Inferred from GitHub API license object Tier A 2026-08-02 Source |
| Last repository activity GitHub API repository updated_at | 2026-08-02T07:48:10Z Tier A 2026-08-02 Source | 2026-08-02T06:49:56Z Tier A 2026-08-02 Source |
| Official site GitHub API homepage or repository URL | https://px4.io Tier A 2026-08-02 Source | http://ardupilot.org/ Tier A 2026-08-02 Source |
| Certification status No official certification record in the indexed sources | Unknown No certification evidence in the indexed sources; do not infer | Unknown No certification evidence in the indexed sources; do not infer |
| Public flight-test evidence No official aggregate flight-test record in the indexed sources | Unknown Not verified from indexed sources | Unknown Not verified from indexed sources |
This comparison does not rank the projects. Field values come only from the linked sources; unrecorded values remain Unknown.
Verification sequence
- Open the GitHub API source URL for each field and confirm the recorded value.
- Record the retrieval date for every value you use.
- For architecture, safety or performance questions, consult the official documentation of each project and mark any field without a source Unknown.
Limitations
- This comparison is not a recommendation and states no absolute 'better' conclusion.
- Repository activity dates are snapshots and change over time.
- Licenses are inferred from the GitHub API license object; confirm with the project's license file before redistribution.