ARK Electronics has launched the ARK Jetson PAB V3, the company’s most advanced Pixhawk Autopilot Bus (PAB) carrier board to date, designed to simplify the integration of high-performance edge AI computing and flight control systems for next-generation autonomous platforms.
Built around NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and Orin Nano modules, the new carrier board combines advanced onboard computing capabilities with compatibility across the growing ecosystem of PAB-compliant flight controllers, including ARK Electronics’ own ARKV6X flight controller. The platform has been developed to meet the increasing demand for compact, modular, and deployable AI computing architectures in defense, unmanned systems, and robotics applications.
The ARK Jetson PAB V3 leverages the open-source Pixhawk Autopilot Bus specification, enabling seamless integration between flight control hardware and onboard AI processing. Its swap-optimized architecture allows developers and system integrators to pair NVIDIA Jetson-based edge computing with a wide range of compatible autopilot solutions while maintaining a compact footprint.
A key enhancement introduced with the V3 platform is an integrated 10/100 Ethernet switch that provides native, low-latency Ethernet connectivity between the Jetson module and flight controller while also supporting external Ethernet interfaces. This architecture supports high-bandwidth data exchange between autonomy software, mission computers, sensors, and flight-critical systems, helping developers accelerate the deployment of AI-enabled autonomous capabilities.
Designed for demanding unmanned and robotic applications, the carrier supports NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and Orin Nano modules and provides extensive connectivity options, including Gigabit Ethernet, multiple USB interfaces, CAN, SPI, I2C, and MIPI CSI camera connections. The platform can also accommodate M.2 expansion modules for storage and wireless communications, enabling highly configurable mission-specific deployments.
The ARK Jetson PAB V3 has been engineered and manufactured in the United States and is fully NDAA compliant, making it suitable for government, defense, and security-focused programs that require trusted supply chains and domestic manufacturing.
Weighing just 66 grams and measuring 132.3 x 61.2 x 19.3 mm, the lightweight carrier board is optimized for size, weight, and power (SWaP)-constrained unmanned aircraft systems, autonomous ground vehicles, and robotic platforms. The system operates from a 5V power input with a minimum current requirement of 4A, depending on installed peripherals and processing workloads.
By combining flight control integration, edge AI computing, and open-system interoperability in a compact package, the ARK Jetson PAB V3 provides developers with a streamlined pathway to deploy advanced autonomy, computer vision, and AI-driven decision-making capabilities at the edge.
The ARK Jetson PAB V3 is available now directly from ARK Electronics and is offered as a standalone carrier board or as part of complete NDAA-compliant Jetson bundles that include Jetson Orin modules, storage, cooling solutions, and ARKV6X flight controllers for rapid deployment.
