Advantech Launches ASR-D501 Computer for Autonomous Drones

Sep 30, 2026
The compact drone computer provides up to 12 TOPS of onboard AI performance while using less than 10 watts of power.
Advantech Launches ASR-D501 Computer for Autonomous Drones
Image: Advantech via PR Newswire

Advantech launches the ASR-D501 AI companion and mission computer for autonomous drones, the company announced in a press release. The compact system uses the Qualcomm QCS6490 processor to provide up to 12 TOPS of AI performance while consuming less than 10 watts.

The ASR-D501 processes object detection, tracking, visual localization, sensor fusion, mapping and obstacle awareness on the drone. It includes five MIPI CSI camera interfaces, 2.5 GbE, two USB Type C ports, CAN FD, UART, I2C and GPIO. Optional connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth and 4G or 5G cellular service.

The fanless board measures 100 by 60 millimeters and weighs about 50 grams without a heatsink. It supports Ubuntu 24.04 LTS and Advantech's Robotic Suite for Drone, which connects ROS 2 applications with PX4 and ArduPilot flight controllers through MAVLink, MAVSDK and MAVROS.

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