Slugs (autopilot system)
Open-source autopilot for inexpensive autonomous aircraft.
Slugs is a free, open-source autopilot system built for low-cost autonomous aircraft. Its affordability and easy access make it popular with hobbyists flying small remotely piloted planes, including micro air vehicles and miniature UAVs. The project began in 2009 and continues to be developed at the Autonomous Systems Lab of the University of California Santa Cruz. Several companies now produce Slugs autopilots and related accessories. The autopilot lets a remotely piloted aircraft operate beyond the pilot’s line of sight. All hardware and software are released under the MIT license, allowing anyone to modify the system for specific needs, such as monitoring forest fires. This open-source approach is similar to other projects like Paparazzi, PX4, ArduPilot, and OpenPilot, which also rely on low cost and availability to support hobbyist use in small aircraft. The software suite includes everything required to keep airborne systems flying.
- Start year
- 2009
- Developer
- Autonomous Systems Lab of University of California Santa Cruz
- License
- MIT licensing agreement
- Type
- open-source autopilot system
Lore & Background
The Slugs project started in 2009 and is being further developed and used at the Autonomous Systems Lab of University of California Santa Cruz. Several vendors produce Slugs autopilots and accessories. The free software approach from Slugs is similar to that from the Paparazzi Project, PX4 autopilot, ArduPilot, and OpenPilot, where low cost and availability enables hobbyist use in small remotely piloted aircraft. Such frameworks are common in open-source robotics.
Reader's Guide
Slugs is notable as an open-source autopilot system that prioritizes low cost and wide availability, making it accessible for hobbyist use in small remotely piloted aircraft. The project began in 2009 and continues to be developed at the Autonomous Systems Lab of University of California Santa Cruz. Its hardware and software are freely available under the MIT licensing agreement, allowing users to modify the autopilot for special requirements such as forest fire evaluation. The free software approach mirrors that of other open-source autopilots like Paparazzi, PX4, ArduPilot, and OpenPilot. Several vendors produce Slugs autopilots and accessories, supporting its use in micro air vehicles and miniature UAVs. The open-source software suite contains everything needed to let airborne systems fly, enabling remotely piloted aircraft to be operated out of sight.
Did You Know?
- Slugs is an open-source autopilot system oriented toward inexpensive autonomous aircraft.
- All hardware and software is freely available under the MIT licensing agreement.
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