Drotek DP0601 RTK GNSS (XL F9P)

The Drotek DP0601 RTK GNSS (XL F9P) is an RTK board based on the u-blox ZED-F9P for medium-class multicopters. French maker Drotek builds it in France; it has JST-GH connectors for Pixhawk-type autopilots and can be used as a rover or as a base.

The receiver uses two bands (L1 and L2) and handles GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. For RTK Drotek states 0.01 m + 1 ppm as CEP, that is 1 cm at a radius containing half of the measurements, plus 1 mm per kilometre of distance from the base; the plain position solution without corrections (PVT) is 1.5 m CEP. In RTK operation with four satellite systems 8 Hz is achievable, up to 20 Hz only with GPS alone. Connection is through USB, I2C, SPI or UART (JST-GH), the antenna through an SMA socket. The board weighs 18 g without antenna.

As a base the module stands on a surveyed point and sends RTCM corrections to the rover on the aircraft. Because the antenna attaches separately to the SMA socket, the choice of antenna decides the result: a dual-band antenna with a ground plane and a clear view is a precondition for the centimetre class. The EU classes apply to the aircraft: from C1 upward geo-awareness and remote ID are mandatory, and both rest on the GNSS position.

For procurement, availability needs to be clarified: on its website Drotek now puts light-show drones in the foreground. Because the ZED-F9P sits in many RTK modules, the chip stays the same if the supplier changes; pinout and supply voltage must then be checked. A bare board needs protection from moisture and electrostatic discharge, and the receiver firmware belongs to upkeep.