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PX4 laser rangefinder (MAVLink bridge)

:::caution Status, checked 2026-11-13 There is no ERDI driver in PX4 and none is submitted. Nothing on this page is described as supported by PX4. The bridge below has software tests but no flight-controller test yet. :::

PX4 accepts rangefinder data as MAVLink DISTANCE_SENSOR messages. A companion computer that reads the ERDI module and sends those messages therefore works without any PX4 driver.

Bridge with erdi-lrf-raspberry-pi-python​

The erdi-lrf-raspberry-pi-python project includes erdi-lrf-mavlink:

pip install "erdi-lrf-pi[mavlink] @ git+https://github.com/ErdiTech/erdi-lrf-raspberry-pi-python"
erdi-lrf-mavlink --port /dev/serial0 --model LRF22VB --mav udpout:127.0.0.1:14550

It sends DISTANCE_SENSOR in centimetres, laser type, downward orientation by default, with the model's published minimum and maximum range. Point it at the MAVLink endpoint of your flight controller connection.

Limits​

  • DISTANCE_SENSOR carries distance as a 16-bit centimetre value, so the largest value is about 655 m. Longer-range modules cannot report beyond that through this message.
  • The companion computer adds latency and one more thing that can fail. Test the link before flight.
  • The H series modules need 9 to 36 V; see wiring and power.

INAV and Betaflight​

There is no ERDI driver for INAV or Betaflight and no bridge firmware yet. The alternatives (ArduPilot Lua driver, or a companion computer bridge) are on the INAV and Betaflight page.