When a vehicle requires an onboard device with IP networking capabilities and MAVLink routing functionality—using software such as MAVLink Router, MAVP2P, MAVLink Server, or MAVProxy—the go-to choice is typically a Raspberry Pi. However, since the Raspberry Pi Zero lacks a wired Ethernet interface, most setups rely on a full-sized Raspberry Pi instead. While this works well when space is abundant, it can become a significant challenge in compact platforms where every millimeter counts. And to be honest most cases, a Pi4/5 is an overkill.
Recently, I come across the LuckFox series of miniature Linux boards, built around the Rockchip RV1106/RV1103 ARM SoCs. These boards come in several variants—Pico Mini with the RV1103 processor and 64 MB of RAM, and the Pico Pro and Pico Max with RV1106 processor and 128 MB/256 MB of RAM. Each model includes an Ethernet interface, but the Mini version lacks onboard magnetics. The Pico Mini measures just 20 × 30 mm, while the Pico Pro/Max extends to 70 × 20 mm, including an RJ45 Ethernet socket.
Mini has two available UART ports, Pro and Max has four. All UART supports speeds up to 4Mbit/s. (GPIO, SPI, I2C, ADC and PWM ports are also available)
All of the boards run Linux, with two available system variants: a Buildroot-based distribution or a trimmed-down version of Ubuntu 22.04. The primary distinction between them lies in their underlying C libraries—Buildroot uses uClibc, while Ubuntu relies on glibc.
If your application is available as a statically linked binary—as is the case for tools like MAVP2P or MAVLink Server—the Buildroot system is an excellent lightweight choice. However, if your software requires dynamic linking or depends on libraries not easily compiled for uClibc, the Ubuntu variant provides broader compatibility and easier integration.
On the Pico Pro and Pico Max models, it’s even possible to run VPN software such as Tailscale. Note; the default system image lacks support for network tunneling, meaning you’ll need to build a custom Buildroot image to enable it. Fortunately, this process is straightforward—LuckFox provides a complete Buildroot environment and helper scripts that make configuring and compiling easy.
Since the USB port can be switched to HOST mode, it could be possible to use it for an LTE modem, but I have not tested it yet.
As an icing on the top, all boards feature a CSI camera interface and a hardware video encoder, making it easy to integrate an FPV camera for video streaming. In addition, the onboard processors include a TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) capable of delivering 0.5 to 1 TOPS of performance. This allows the system to run lightweight AI models—such as object detection or image classification—at practical speeds.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with LuckFox or any related vendors. The boards discussed above were purchased and tested independently using my own funds.