MAVLinkcompatible

MAVLinkcompatible describes software or hardware that implements the MAVLink protocol and can interoperate with MAVLink-enabled autopilots and ground control stations. Being MAVLinkcompatible generally implies conformance to a supported MAVLink version, typically MAVLink 1 or MAVLink 2, and adherence to a defined dialect, so that it can exchange standard MAVLink messages such as heartbeats, parameter requests, mission items, and telemetry data.

MAVLink is a lightweight, binary communication protocol designed for unmanned systems. It is transport-agnostic, supporting serial links, UDP, and TCP, and it is used across autopilots from projects such as PX4 and ArduPilot as well as companion computers and telemetry modules. MAVLink 2 adds features such as extended message sets, message signing for authenticity, and optional field expansion; devices described as MAVLinkcompatible may indicate which version and dialects they support.

In practice, MAVLinkcompatible devices include flight controllers, companion computers, ground control software (for example QGroundControl and Mission Planner), and SITL simulators. Interoperability requires matching the protocol version and dialects, agreeing on the available message sets, and ensuring the correct transport path is used. Some deployments employ translators or bridges to handle partial implementations or to merge messages between MAVLink v1 and v2 ecosystems. The term is commonly used in product documentation to indicate interoperability within MAVLink ecosystems.