Parrot Unveils CHUCK 3.0 - the Sovereign AI Autopilot for any UAV

• Parrot, a European provider of professional micro-UAVs, has announced CHUCK 3.0, a breakthrough all-in-one autopilot that turns any UAV platform into a high-performance system. The compact unit fuses AI-driven autonomous flight, a spoof-proof multi-band frequency hopping radio and real-time optical navigation for GNSS-denied airspace.

It also brings obstacle avoidance and a stabilized three-axis gimbal with day- and night-grade imaging. CHUCK 3.0 seamlessly integrates with quadcopter, VTOL, fixed-wing, helicopter, or hybrid UAVs. It streamlines OEM workflows from initial concept to mission-ready deployment in a matter of months, with Parrot's extensive UAV expertise embedded.

Unveiled at the Paris Air Show, CHUCK 3.0 features a secure long-range ground controller, offers native links for MARS frequency-hopping radio, 5G, LoRa, satellite connection, and exposes its full capability set through an open-source SDK and the Parrot FreeFlight 8 mission-planning suite. Thanks to its simplified integration and trusted 100% non-Chinese component base, CHUCK 3.0 lets UAV manufacturers accelerate development while bolstering overall supply-chain resilience.

“Current conflicts show that secure, high-performance UAVs must be fielded not only faster in R&D but also at industrial scale”, says Henri Seydoux, Founder and CEO of Parrot, ”CHUCK 3.0 answers that need. It packs fifteen years of Parrot experience into one module, trims development time to a few months and removes any reliance on Chinese components. With jam-resistant radios, AI optical navigation and an open SDK in the same unit, backed by its dedicated controller, simulator and FreeFlight 8 mission software, CHUCK 3.0 lets our partners build mission-ready drones at true industrial scale.”

Rapid, Sovereign Upgrade Path for any UAV

Today's drone market counts thousands of manufacturers, yet most still assemble unsecured, off-the-shelf components and miss the real technological advancements. This fragmentation lengthens development cycles, injects supply-chain risk and leaves reliability unproven. CHUCK 3.0 breaks that pattern: it delivers top-tier autonomy, sensing and secure connectivity in as little as four months of integration, versus the multi-year, nine-figure costs of developing an equivalent bespoke platform.

Every component has been sourced outside of China, guaranteeing supply-chain resilience and full compliance with stringent defense and government-procurement standards, an essential requirement for nations seeking technological sovereignty and local industrial leverage.

Hardware highlights include a 35× optical-zoom payload, FLIR Boson 640 thermal core and a three-axis stabilized gimbal supported by four robotics-grade sensors. Alongside its jam- and spoof-resistant multi-band (MARS) radio suite, the module can also ship in an “autopilot-only” configuration for drop-in use with an operator's existing RF links.

Parrot supports CHUCK 3.0 with a comprehensive ecosystem of peripherals such as multi-payload ports, night-vision modules and MARS remote-antenna kits. For night operations, the module is compatible with the Parrot NIGHTVISION module, an optional intelligent payload designed to extend optical navigation performance in complete darkness. On the software side, the FreeFlight 8 mission-planning app, Sphinx flight simulator and open-source SDK extend and future-proof the platform, making it the most complete, scalable and secure solution in the professional UAV market.

Quality & Reliability: Built for Rugged Environment

Building on 15 years of UAV innovation and eight years of CHUCK concept development, Parrot has consolidated its cutting-edge smartphone-chipset architecture and AI neural-network-based flight algorithms into a unique module that addresses the rapid needs of professional and defense UAV markets.

Engineered to aerospace-grade standards, CHUCK 3.0 couples a ruggedized enclosure with an extensive qualification campaign. The module and controller withstand cold to –40 °C, heat to +70 °C, IP5X/IPX3 ingress, random and sine vibration, drop and HALT endurance.

CHUCK 3.0 was tested against several EMC test standards such as MIL-STD-461G and EN 300 328. It shows exceptionally low radiated and conducted emissions, guaranteeing zero interference with neighboring avionics. In immunity trials, against radiated electric fields up to 300 V/m, electrostatic discharge and power transients, CHUCK 3.0 maintained full performance, confirming operational integrity in demanding electromagnetic environments.

Secure-boot chains, AES-256 encrypted links and cryptographically signed OTA updates protect every software release. All sensitive electronics are sourced exclusively from Europe, the United States or NATO-partner nations, providing a fully traceable, non-Chinese supply chain.

CHUCK 3.0 Turnkey Integration & Lifecycle Support

CHUCK 3.0 SDK minimizes integration effort, and Parrot's methodology team stands ready to guide in the critical “last-mile” integration phase to the OEM's frame.

Parrot delivers a turnkey integration program that lets OEMs embed CHUCK 3.0 in less than four months, following a standardized five-phase methodology documented in detail for every customer. Each phase (mechanical integration, electronic integration, flight-controller tuning, sensor validation and final flight validation) comes with step-by-step instructions, indicative timelines and required flight hours. A mid-process design review conducted by Parrot at the end of the sensor validation ensures the module meets all specifications before flight qualification begins.

Throughout the life of the project, customers receive update notes for the CHUCK firmware, ground-controller software and FreeFlight 8 app, while the starter package ships with everything needed to begin work immediately.

This structured, tool-rich approach minimizes risk, accelerates time-to-air and guarantees consistent results across all platforms.

Photo: Autopilot C.H.U.C.K. (Control Hub & Universal Computer Kit) - EVAN ACKERMAN/IEEE SPECTRUM

Source: Parrot