---
id: dronecan
version: "1.0.27"
license: unclear
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: active
---

# dronecan — Python implementation of the DroneCAN protocol stack

License: permissive · Maintenance: active · Downloads: 107.8K/mo

## What it is and what it does

DroneCAN is a Python implementation of the DroneCAN v1 protocol stack, a lightweight communication protocol designed for aerospace and robotic systems that communicate over CAN bus. It is a fork of the earlier UAVCAN v0.9 stack and provides the core protocol machinery needed to send and receive structured messages on a CAN network. The package has no runtime dependencies when used with Python 3.7 or newer, making it straightforward to integrate into embedded or ground-station applications.

The library is actively maintained, with its last commit on 2026-07-31 and a mature development status. It is designed to work with modern Python versions and is distributed under the MIT license, making it suitable for both open-source and commercial projects. Developers working with CAN-based drone systems, autonomous vehicles, or other aerospace/robotic platforms would use this to handle the low-level protocol details of DroneCAN communication.

Use it for:

- Implementing ground-control software for DroneCAN-equipped unmanned aerial vehicles.
- Building telemetry and command interfaces for CAN-based robotic systems.
- Developing firmware communication layers for aerospace applications using the DroneCAN protocol.
- Testing and debugging DroneCAN message flows in simulation or hardware-in-the-loop environments.
- Integrating DroneCAN support into existing Python-based vehicle management systems.

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Implements the DroneCAN v1 protocol stack in Python for reliable CAN bus communication in aerospace and robotic applications.

Yes, if you are working with DroneCAN v1 systems. The package is actively maintained, has no runtime dependencies, carries a permissive MIT license, and is mature. Install friction is low. It is the reference implementation for DroneCAN in Python. No known vulnerabilities. Suitable for production aerospace and robotic applications.

## Install

pip install dronecan
uv add dronecan
poetry add dronecan

## Installing dronecan

Before you install: Low install friction with no runtime dependencies. Actively maintained with recent commits and a mature development status. Requires Python 3.7 or newer.

License in practice: Licensed under MIT (permissive), allowing free use, modification, and distribution with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart:

pip install dronecan

import dronecan
# Initialize a DroneCAN interface and begin protocol communication

Requires Python 3.7 or newer; CAN bus hardware and appropriate drivers are needed for actual communication.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package supports all DroneCAN v1 specification features or a subset of them.
- Performance characteristics and throughput limits for typical aerospace/robotic use cases.
- Community adoption and real-world deployment status beyond the 67 GitHub stars.

## Package facts

- License: not declared (permissive)
- Python support: supports_current
- Install friction: low
- Maintenance: active
- Downloads: 107.8K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

CAN bus protocol implementation, DroneCAN v1 python, aerospace communication protocol, dronecan stack, CAN bus messaging, robotic vehicle communication, protocol stack python, can-bus, aerospace, robotics

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/dronecan) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/dronecan/)