APM Planner 2
4.2/10Free, open-source desktop ground control station for MAVLink drones running ArduPilot or PX4. It handles autopilot setup, waypoint mission planning, live telemetry and flight log analysis.
Data last updated November 2026 · Our methodology
Overview
APM Planner 2 is a desktop ground control station from the ArduPilot project for drones, planes and rovers that speak the MAVLink protocol, including ArduPilot and PX4/Pixhawk autopilots. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and is built in C++ with Qt 5. With it you can install firmware, configure and calibrate an autopilot, plan missions with GPS waypoints and control events on a map, and watch live telemetry while sending commands in flight over a telemetry radio. Its GraphView log analysis tool gets particular praise from users. The project was first announced in December 2013. Its own announcement said it was based on QGroundControl but styled after Mission Planner. It is released under GPLv3 and has no licence fees, paid tiers or vendor support contracts. Help comes from the ArduPilot community forum and GitHub issues. It suits drone developers, hobby-to-professional ArduPilot users and small drone teams on Linux or macOS who want a lightweight tool for configuration and log review. The main limitation is maintenance. ArduPilot's own documentation says it provides basic functionality but is not currently well maintained and updated, and that it has a smaller user base and fewer features than other ground stations. The last stable release, 2.0.30, came out in July 2023. Parts of the build documentation are marked as out of date. Commercial teams running inspection programmes will usually be better served by Mission Planner, QGroundControl or UgCS.
Our Rating
Who APM Planner 2 is best for
Less suited
It is open-source C++/Qt code under GPLv3 with Linux and macOS builds, which suits autopilot developers, though active development has slowed.
Being free and cross-platform makes it workable for university and research drone labs that use ArduPilot hardware.
It plans basic waypoint missions, but ArduPilot itself describes it as basic and poorly maintained, so commercial operators usually choose Mission Planner, QGroundControl or UgCS.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Completely free under GPLv3, with no licences, seats or subscriptions to manage.
- Runs natively on Linux and macOS as well as Windows, unlike Mission Planner, which is Windows-native.
- Forum users praise its GraphView log analysis for reviewing ArduPilot flight logs.
- Works with both ArduPilot and PX4 autopilots over MAVLink.
Cons
- ArduPilot's own docs say it is not currently well maintained and updated, and the last stable release (2.0.30) came out in July 2023.
- It has a smaller user base and fewer features than Mission Planner or QGroundControl, according to ArduPilot documentation.
- There is no vendor support, SLA or commercial contract, only the community forum and GitHub issues.
- Parts of the build documentation are marked as out of date, and the project has over 200 open GitHub issues.
- There are no fleet management, multi-pilot, cloud or inspection data processing features for commercial programmes.
Key Features
APM Planner 2 Pricing
Open source
- GPLv3 open-source licence
- Waypoint mission planning
- Community forum support only
- GraphView flight log analysis
- Windows, macOS and Linux builds
- Live telemetry and in-flight commands
- Autopilot firmware install, configuration and calibration
Frequently Asked Questions
Nothing. It is open-source software released under GPLv3, with no paid tiers or add-ons.
Only lightly. The latest stable release, 2.0.30, is dated July 2023. ArduPilot's install guide says it provides basic functionality but is not currently well maintained and updated.
It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. It works with MAVLink-based autopilots, including ArduPilot (Copter, Plane, Rover) and PX4/Pixhawk.
Support comes from the APM Planner 2.0 category on the ArduPilot Discourse forum. GitHub issues are reserved for known bugs and enhancement requests. There is no commercial support.
Mission Planner is ArduPilot's fuller-featured and more widely used ground station and is Windows-native. Users pick APM Planner 2 mainly for native Linux and macOS use and its log analysis, accepting a smaller feature set.
Release notes for version 2.0.18 added an option for automatic map caching, so map tiles you have already viewed can be stored locally.
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