HOLYBRO DroneCAN RM3100 Professional Grade Compass

HOLYBRO RM3100 Professional DroneCAN Compass – Precision 3-Axis Magnetometer for Unmanned Systems

The HOLYBRO RM3100 Professional DroneCAN Compass is a high-precision 3-axis magnetometer for UAVs, UGVs, robotics platforms, and other unmanned systems. The sensor is based on PNI magneto-inductive technology and is designed for applications requiring reliable magnetic orientation and high heading accuracy.

With its high resolution, extremely low magnetic hysteresis, and excellent signal-to-noise ratio, the RM3100 enables precise magnetic field measurements. This makes the magnetometer particularly suitable for professional navigation and autopilot systems where reliable heading determination is required.

Communication with the flight controller is handled digitally via DroneCAN. This allows the RM3100 to be easily integrated into existing CAN bus systems without occupying an additional serial port on the flight controller. The robust enclosure provides an IP66 protection rating, making the sensor suitable for operation in demanding environmental conditions.

Precision 3-Axis Magnetometer

The RM3100 measures the magnetic field along three axes and provides precise magnetic field data to the flight controller. This information can be used to determine the orientation and heading of a UAV or other unmanned vehicle.

PNI's magneto-inductive sensor technology provides high repeatability and extremely low magnetic hysteresis. Depending on the selected cycle-count configuration, the magnetometer achieves a sensitivity of up to 13 nT.

Reduction of Magnetic Interference

Electric motors, high-current wiring, batteries, power distribution systems, and metallic components can influence the local magnetic field of an unmanned system and distort magnetometer measurements.

Using an external magnetometer allows the sensor to be mounted farther away from these potential sources of interference. This can contribute to more reliable heading determination, particularly on high-performance UAVs and other electrically powered platforms.

For the most accurate measurements, the RM3100 should therefore be installed in a position as far away as practical from motors, high-current wiring, and larger metallic components.

DroneCAN Communication

Communication between the RM3100 and the flight controller is handled through the robust DroneCAN protocol. CAN-based data transmission is particularly suitable for professional UAV and robotics platforms where multiple sensors and peripheral devices need to communicate reliably.

Multiple DroneCAN-compatible devices can operate on a shared CAN bus, helping simplify wiring in more complex systems. At the same time, the magnetometer does not require an additional UART port on the flight controller.

• Digital communication via DroneCAN
• Robust CAN bus data transmission
• No additional UART port required
• Multiple DroneCAN devices can operate on a shared bus
• Suitable for longer cable runs within the system
• Software-controlled CAN termination

PNI RM3100 Sensor Technology

The RM3100 is based on PNI's proprietary magneto-inductive sensor technology. This technology enables precise magnetic field measurements with high resolution and repeatability.

The measurement range is -800 to +800 µT. Depending on the selected cycle-count configuration, the sensor can be configured for either a higher sampling rate or increased sensitivity with lower noise.

• Measurement Axes: 3 axes
• Measurement Range: -800 to +800 µT
• Sensitivity: up to 13 nT
• Noise: as low as 15 nT, depending on configuration
• Extremely low magnetic hysteresis
• High repeatability
• High signal-to-noise ratio

Configurable Cycle Counts

Different cycle-count settings allow the magnetometer's behavior to be adapted to the specific application. Lower cycle counts enable higher sampling rates, while higher cycle counts provide greater sensitivity and lower noise.

The specified maximum sampling rates apply to a single axis. For the maximum sampling rate in 3-axis operation, the respective value must be divided by three.

IP66-Rated Enclosure

The current RM3100 module is supplied in a robust enclosure with an IP66 protection rating. The enclosure provides complete protection against dust ingress as well as protection against powerful water jets.

This makes the magnetometer suitable for UAVs, UGVs, and other unmanned systems operating outside controlled laboratory environments.

Software-Controlled CAN Termination

CAN termination on the RM3100 can be enabled or disabled via software. This allows the module to be configured according to its position within the CAN bus system without requiring hardware modifications.

Connection

For connection to the CAN bus, the RM3100 features a compact 4-pin JST-GH 1.25 mm connector. This allows the magnetometer to be integrated into compatible DroneCAN and Pixhawk-based system architectures.

• Output: DroneCAN
• Connector: 4-pin JST-GH 1.25 mm
• CAN Termination: software-controlled

Features

• Precision 3-axis magnetometer
• PNI RM3100 magneto-inductive sensor technology
• Precise magnetic field measurement
• Suitable for heading and orientation determination
• Measurement range from -800 to +800 µT
• Sensitivity down to 13 nT
• Extremely low magnetic hysteresis
• High signal-to-noise ratio
• High repeatability
• DroneCAN communication
• No additional UART port required
• Software-controlled CAN termination
• 4-pin JST-GH connector
• IP66-rated enclosure
• Operating temperature from -40 °C to +85 °C
• Suitable for UAVs, UGVs, robotics, and autonomous systems

Technical Specifications

• Product: HOLYBRO DroneCAN RM3100 Professional Grade Compass
• Sensor Type: 3-axis magnetometer
• Sensor: PNI RM3100
• Sensor Technology: magneto-inductive
• Measurement Range: -800 to +800 µT
• Cycle Counts: 50 / 100 / 200
• Gain: 20 / 38 / 75 LSB/µT
• Sensitivity: 50 / 26 / 13 nT
• Noise: 30 / 20 / 15 nT
• Max. Single-Axis Sample Rate: 1600 / 850 / 440 Hz
• Communication Protocol: DroneCAN
• Connector: 4-pin JST-GH 1.25 mm
• CAN Termination: software-controlled
• Operating Temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C
• Protection Rating: IP66

For Professional Navigation Systems

The HOLYBRO RM3100 Professional DroneCAN Magnetometer is suitable for applications requiring reliable magnetic orientation for navigation and autonomous functions. Particularly on larger multicopters, VTOL platforms, UGVs, and other professional unmanned systems, external installation of the magnetometer can help reduce magnetic interference generated by the propulsion system.

In combination with a compatible flight controller and additional navigation sensors such as GNSS, RTK, IMU, LiDAR, or Optical Flow, the RM3100 can be used as part of a comprehensive sensor and navigation architecture.

Package Contents

• 1 × HOLYBRO DroneCAN RM3100 Professional Grade Compass