Clover

Based on published sources · Not tested by us · Sources checked 2026-10-01

Overview

Educational quadrotor platform pairing a PX4 flight controller with Raspberry Pi and ROS; this entry selects Clover 4.2 construction and the documented ROS Noetic image route. [S001] [S005] [S008]

Clover pairs a PX4 flight controller with a Raspberry Pi companion running ROS. This entry selects the Clover 4.2 assembly documentation and the image route described as Raspbian Buster, ROS Noetic and Python 3. The assembly index covers several aircraft versions and identifies 4.2 through the serial-number prefix; a generic Clover label is not enough to select replacement parts. [S001] [S005] [S008]

Official website · Source code

Specifications

Detail	Description
Type	Quadrotor, selected Clover 4.2 assembly variant. Reported by source [S005] [S006] · Checked 2026-10-01
Intended users	Robotics educators and developers able to assemble and configure PX4 and ROS systems Editorial assessment [S001] · Checked 2026-10-01
Assembly	Version-specific carbon and polycarbonate frame parts, motors, ESCs, PDB, flight controller, Pi, camera and guards. Reported by source [S006] [S007] · Checked 2026-10-01
Calibration	Reconcile airframe, radio and flight-controller sensors; map-based vision also needs camera setup, marker geometry and VPE configuration. Reported by source [S009] [S010] · Checked 2026-10-01
Operating system	Documented Raspberry Pi image: Raspbian Buster with ROS Noetic and Python 3 Image versions 0.22 onward described; selected payload not flashed or boot-tested. Reported by source [S001] [S008] · Checked 2026-10-01
Computer needed	Raspberry Pi companion plus a setup computer running QGroundControl. Reported by source [S001] [S010] · Checked 2026-10-01

3D preview

Preview not available yet. A model has not yet been prepared and approved for display on this page. This does not mean the project lacks CAD files; see Source files and licenses for the reviewed source availability.

Assembly and use

Match the frame and controller variant

The 4.2 model page separates polycarbonate decks and guards from carbon-fiber arms and central plates, specifying 2 mm stock for those listed pieces. The separate hardware repository contains DXF, STEP and Inventor files for selected parts. This review preserved that repository at commit 422b00d9e3113c7fe22633d03b59240d1be6a314; it was not fabricated or qualified against the software revision. [S007] [S012]

The assembly guide allows COEX Pix and Pixracer installation paths, with different mounting arrangements. It also specifies motor orientation, ESC and PDB connections, camera mounting and the flight-controller-to-Pi USB connection. Its warning about motor screw length is specific: it calls for M3x5 screws because longer screws can reach the windings. A parts substitution should be reconciled with the selected assembly, not inferred from a photograph. [S006]

The Pi image does not replace flight-controller setup

The image guide distinguishes version 0.22 onward, using ROS Noetic and Python 3, from the older 0.21.2 route with ROS Melodic and Python 2. The separate setup guide recommends COEX-patched PX4 and requires airframe, radio, sensor and flight-mode configuration through QGroundControl. The Pi image and PX4 firmware therefore need their own version records. Neither binary payload was flashed or boot-tested here. [S008] [S010]

The primary archive contains platform and image-building sources. That availability does not establish a complete, tested dependency set or current compatibility of every external package. No current delivered kit or first-working-system cost was verified. [S001] [S008] [S010]

Marker navigation needs a measured map

The documented map route requires the camera to be configured and ArUco detection, map detection and vision-position output to be enabled. The map file records marker ID, marker size, position and rotations; the rotation fields are in radians. A printed marker's appearance alone does not encode its physical size or its placement in the room. [S009]

The guide exposes a map image, pose and debug view for checking the active configuration. It also explains that the published frame differs depending on whether vision-position output is enabled. Those are useful setup checks before interpreting a position estimate, but this review did not validate camera calibration, marker recognition, position accuracy or flight. [S009]

Source licenses differ by layer

Clover's platform software is MIT-licensed. Its README separately assigns the documentation CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0, and the preserved hardware repository carries that same noncommercial share-alike license. The hardware archive includes editable COEX Pix and PDB board files, but their revisions still need matching to a chosen aircraft. The software license must not be treated as permission covering every hardware and documentation use. [S001] [S003] [S011] [S013]

This profile records those available sources and configuration boundaries. It does not claim a reproduced aircraft, an unrestricted commercial hardware license, or tested autonomous flight. No fabrication, assembly, firmware installation or flight was performed. [S006] [S008] [S010] [S011]

Cost

No current, complete configuration-specific build cost has been established for this profile.

Source files and licenses

Available project sources support research coverage; complete build and commercial qualification remain separate.

Layer	Availability / license
mechanical design	available · CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 Selected external hardware repository under noncommercial share-alike terms; component/revision matching and manufacturing validation remain separate. [S007] [S011] [S012]
electronics	available · CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 Selected external hardware repository under noncommercial share-alike terms; component/revision matching and manufacturing validation remain separate. [S011] [S013]
firmware	not found · License not fully assessed PX4/COEX firmware route identified, but complete matching firmware source/payload and submodules not preserved in this review. [S001] [S010]
software	available · MIT Clover platform source; external ROS/PX4/dependencies retain their own terms. [S001] [S003]
documentation	available · CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0 Explicit documentation-specific grant in primary README; not the software MIT license. [S001]

Selected marker-navigation route needs configured markers/maps rather than a pretrained learned model or training dataset.

References

Links identify the documentation and revisions used in this profile. Access dates record when each source was retrieved.

S001 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Upstream project overview
Accessed 2026-10-01 · README.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S002 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Repository revision and release metadata
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S003 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Repository license
Accessed 2026-10-01 · LICENSE
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S004 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Pinned repository artifact inventory
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 archive file inventory
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S005 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Clover docs/en/assembly.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 / docs/en/assembly.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S006 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Clover docs/en/assemble_4_2.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 / docs/en/assemble_4_2.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S007 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Clover docs/en/models.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 / docs/en/models.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S008 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Clover docs/en/image.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 / docs/en/image.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S009 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Clover docs/en/aruco_map.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 / docs/en/aruco_map.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S010 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Clover docs/en/setup.md
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 / docs/en/setup.md
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S011 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Hardware repository license
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 422b00d9e3113c7fe22633d03b59240d1be6a314 / LICENSE
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S012 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Preserved Clover 4.2 fabrication paths
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 422b00d9e3113c7fe22633d03b59240d1be6a314 / selected archive inventory
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.
S013 · CopterExpress / project contributors
Preserved COEX electronics paths
Accessed 2026-10-01 · 422b00d9e3113c7fe22633d03b59240d1be6a314 / board archive paths
Source notes
Source text inspected for the cited scoped claims; see profile claim notes.

Research and review details

Source research only; no installation, physical build or performance test performed. No affiliate links added.

Profile edited 2026-10-01 · Sources checked 2026-10-01 · Next review target 2026-10-31

Revision: 28e89704e6534a7f7bbf42f8b006f78441291891 (release v0.25). Combined hardware and software repository activity recorded 2024-08-08 [S002]

Correction guidance · Discussion is not enabled · Profile format 0.6.0-draft.1

Change history