MAVLink Microservices (Protocols)

MAVLink "microservices" are a protocols that use multiple messages exchanged between components to communicate more complicated information. For example, the Command Protocol provides an efficient mechanism for packaging a command in a (particular) message and receiving acknowledgement of the command in another message.

MAVLink microservices are documented the MAVLink Guide (this is not exhaustive: not all messages are grouped into protocols and not all protocols are documented).

This section lists the services known to be supported/not supported by PX4 in this version.

Supported Microservices

These services are known to be supported in some form:

• Battery Protocol
  • BATTERY_STATUS and BATTERY_INFO are streamed.
• Camera Protocols
  • Camera Protocol v2
    • Camera Definition
• Command Protocol
• Component Metadata Protocol
• Events Interface
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• Gimbal Protocols
  • Gimbal Protocol v2
    • Can be enabled by Gimbal Configuration
    • PX4 an act as a MAVLink Gimbal for one FC-connected Gimbal
• Heartbeat/Connection Protocol
• High Latency Protocol — PX4 streams HIGH_LATENCY2
• Image Transmission Protocol
• Landing Target Protocol
• Manual Control (Joystick) Protocol
• MAVLink Id Assignment (sysid, compid)
• Mission Protocol
• Offboard Control Protocol
• Remote ID (Open Drone ID Protocol)
• Parameter Protocol
• Parameter Protocol Extended — Allows setting string parameters. Used for setting string parameters set in camera definition files.
• Payload Protocol
• Ping Protocol
• Standard Modes Protocol
• Terrain Protocol
• Time Synchronization
• Traffic Management (UTM/ADS-B)
• Arm Authorization Protocol

Unsupported

These services are not supported/used by PX4:

• Illuminator Protocol
• Tunnel Protocol