The PX4 Developer Summit 2025’s program has dropped, and it’s packed with amazing speakers covering the most important topics in open source aerial robotics. This year’s lineup covers deep technical sessions on PX4 core development, MAVLink protocol advances, ROS 2 integration patterns, advanced simulation frameworks, computer vision and vision-based navigation, EKF2 estimation techniques, cutting-edge applications from F-16 simulation to warehouse autonomy, and more.
The summit program committee worked hard selecting the sessions from an overwhelmingly fantastic pool of submissions, so we thought we’d share a few of their favorites to give you a taste of what you can expect at the show!
Fuse, Reset, or Reject? Handling Various Data-sources in EKF2
This session dissects PX4’s estimation pipeline, exploring how EKF2 manages multi-sensor data fusion and the recent architectural shift toward “reset by fusion” over hard resets. Using GNSS-degraded scenarios as real-world examples, it demonstrates how the system handles everything from valid data to complete sensor failures, providing practical insights for configuring and extending EKF2’s capabilities.
Design MC Gains From First Principles Within the PX4 Architecture
This presentation covers a systematic approach to controller gain design that moves beyond iterative tuning to physics-based modeling. It explains how to linearize PX4’s rate-to-position controllers correctly and account for the architecture’s internal normalizations and transformations, providing a stronger starting point for tuning larger multi-copters where default gains are often suboptimal.
Fixed-wing Control API
A comprehensive deep-dive into PX4’s fixed-wing control architecture, mapping out where internal flight modes live and how they interface with the control pipeline. This session focuses on ROS 2 integration points, with practical examples and developer tips for creating custom external flight modes that seamlessly integrate with PX4’s core systems.
Taming the Wing: A Standardized Workflow for PX4 Fixed-Wing Tuning
This session unveils a systematic approach to fixed-wing tuning that transforms the traditionally complex process into a reproducible workflow. It presents a step-by-step methodology covering attitude controllers, TECS, NPFG, and airspeed configurations, while showcasing semi-automated tools that accelerate the tuning process.
PX4 Device Manifest
This presentation introduces a unified solution for device configuration management that addresses the current patchwork of opportunistic driver initialization and inconsistent parameter exposure. The approach promises backward-compatible parameter types with clear health feedback and runtime monitoring, eliminating silent failures in redundant sensor setups.
See you at the show!!!
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the great sessions you’ll find at the PX4 Developer Summit 2025, Atlanta, Georgia, November 10-11. If you haven’t already, register for your pass here. We can’t wait to see you there!
