ArduPilot Autonomy

Open-source autopilot trusted by thousands of commercial operators worldwide.

ArduPlane + QuadPlane

The Stork runs ArduPlane firmware with QuadPlane mode enabled — the industry-standard open-source autopilot for fixed-wing VTOL aircraft. It manages all transitions between hover and cruise, executes waypoint missions, and handles every failsafe scenario.

ArduPilot is backed by a global developer community, used by defense contractors and commercial operators alike, and is continuously updated with new capabilities. Your aircraft's firmware is never locked to a proprietary ecosystem.

Flight Modes

MANUAL

Direct Control

Full pilot authority over all control surfaces and motors. Used during initial setup, trim flights, and situations requiring direct human input. No autopilot stabilization.

Direct stick inputNo stabilizationSetup & trimEmergency override

FBWA

Fly By Wire A

The autopilot stabilizes roll and pitch while the pilot commands bank angle and pitch rate. The aircraft won't stall or exceed safe attitude limits — ideal for manual flying with a safety net.

Attitude stabilizationStall preventionBank angle limitsPilot-in-the-loop

AUTO

Waypoint Mission

Fully autonomous flight along pre-programmed GPS waypoints. ArduPilot handles navigation, altitude, speed, and VTOL transitions. The operator monitors but doesn't need to intervene.

GPS waypoint navAuto VTOL transitionsSpeed managementMission scripting

RTL

Return to Launch

One switch flip and the aircraft navigates home autonomously. It climbs to a safe altitude, flies direct to the launch point, transitions to VTOL hover, and lands. The default failsafe response.

Automatic returnSafe altitude climbVTOL auto-landingFailsafe trigger

Autonomy Features

Waypoint Missions

Pre-Planned Routes

Plan complex delivery routes in QGroundControl or Mission Planner. Upload via LTE or radio. The aircraft executes each leg autonomously, including all VTOL transitions.

Multi-waypoint routesAltitude commandsSpeed per segmentLoiter points

Failsafe System

Layered Protection

ArduPilot's failsafe system monitors battery voltage, RC link, GPS lock, and geofence boundaries. Each failure condition triggers a configurable response — continue, RTL, or land.

Battery failsafeRC loss failsafeGPS loss handlingGeofence boundaries

Geofence

Virtual Boundaries

Define maximum altitude, distance from home, and inclusion/exclusion zones. If the aircraft breaches any boundary, the failsafe engages automatically — typically triggering RTL.

Max altitude limitMax distance limitInclusion zonesExclusion zones

Mission Planning

Plan missions in QGroundControl or Mission Planner — both free, open-source ground station applications. Draw waypoints on a map, set altitudes and speeds, define VTOL takeoff and landing points, and upload the plan to the aircraft.

Missions can be uploaded before flight via USB, or in real-time via the LTE telemetry link. Modify waypoints mid-mission, insert new waypoints, or command RTL — all from your ground station.

Open-Source Advantage

ArduPilot's source code is publicly available and auditable. There are no subscription fees, no cloud lock-in, and no vendor that can remotely disable your aircraft. You own the firmware as much as you own the hardware.

With thousands of contributors worldwide, ArduPilot receives continuous improvements — from new sensor drivers to refined control algorithms — all available as free firmware updates.

Autonomous by Default

Every Stork ships with ArduPilot pre-configured, calibrated, and flight-tested.

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