Drone onboard computer
An onboard computer that hangs off a DJI airframe’s E-Port. We built the adapter board that connects it to the aircraft, brought up Linux on the Jetson Orin NX behind it, and wrote the payload software that makes the drone treat it as something it can command.
The challenge
The E-Port on a DJI airframe gives a payload three things. A UART for commands, TCP/IP over USB-C for data, and 12V to run on. Everything past that connector is yours to build. The computer, the board that joins it to the aircraft, the Linux underneath and the payload software all had to come from us, and it had to survive being bolted to something that flies.
DroneBotics
2024 to 2025
Bob + Erwin
Adapter board, Linux platform, payload software
How we built it
E-Port adapter board
A board between the drone's E-Port and the onboard computer, carrying the PSDK command UART, the USB-C data link and 12V power off the aircraft. The first prototype flew an Intel UP board on it, mounted to the payload bracket.
Linux on the Jetson
Custom kernel and root filesystem for the Jetson Orin NX booting from NVMe, with the device tree and USB bulk device mode set up the way the payload SDK expects to find them.
Payload software
The PSDK application on top, so the aircraft sees a payload it can command and stream from rather than a passenger.