Radio 2

The 3DR Radio 2 is a professional, cost-effective connectivity bridge developed and manufactured by 3DR, in collaboration with Nimbus Robotics AI. It enables HaLow (Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11ah standard) connectivity for drones and robotics applications. Operating in the Sub-1 GHz band, 3DR Radio 2 offers long-range communication, low power consumption, and strong signal penetration, making it ideal for industrial, UAS, energy, and robotic applications. It features an RF switch and an integrated Power Amplifier (PA) in the SoC, delivering up to 23 ± 2 dBm output power.

Key Features

Compact design: Convenient for a wide range of applications
Versatile Interfaces: USB, Serial, Ethernet, Digital & Analog, Raspberry Pi 40-pin Header(PLUS only)
Seamless Communication: Incorporates the MQTT protocol to integrate all interfaces with HaLow wireless functionality
Networking Modes:
- Access point (AP) / Station (STA)
- Mesh networking capabilities
Transceiver performance: Operates efficiently in the Sub-1GHz ISM band with low power and long-range functionality. Achieves a receive sensitivity of -107 dBm at MCS10
RF Optimization: Tuned RF interface at 50 ohms
FCC-certified: Certified output power of up to 23 +/- 2 dBm

The 3DR Radio 2 is a high-performance, long-range module designed to serve as a wireless HaLow inter-connectivity bridge. It offers a wide range of connectivity options, making it ideal for integrating any Industrial IoT application with Wi-Fi HaLow. The device can be powered either through a USB connection or via the +5V and GND pins using any Telemetry port connector.

Purchase

The 3DR Radio 2 Series consists of four distinct products—CORE, STATION, ACCESS, and PLUS—each designed to suit a range of application needs from compact embedded modules to fully integrated connectivity hubs for industrial and robotics deployments.

3DR Radio 2 Series product comparison

Series	CORE	STATION	ACCESS	PLUS
Launch Date	November 2025	November 2025	October 2025	December 2025
PCB Dimension (mm)	18 x 14 x 3	20 x 30 x 5	33 x 39 x 12	65 x 55 x 20
Telemetry Port		Yes	Yes	Yes
Secondary Port		Yes	Yes	Yes
USB-C/Debug Port			Yes	Yes
Ethernet Port			Yes	Yes
Raspberry Pi 40-pin Header				Yes
Weight (g)	5	10	25	50
Assembled PCB

3D View

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3DR Radio 2 CORE - R7007

Reflowable Module
Typical Circuit
3D Diagram .STP file

Download 3DR Radio 2 CORE STEP file

3DR Radio 2 STATION - R7004

Assembled Module: Engineered for use as a STATION in scenarios where compact size and low weight are critical, including drones, robots, and edge or node devices.

3DR Radio 2 ACCESS - R7002

Assembled Module: Optimized for integration into ground stations, typically serving as Access Points.

3DR Radio 2 PLUS - R7006

Assembled Module: Designed for seamless integration into applications requiring onboard processing, leveraging the on board Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5.

Specifications

Mechanical

Specification	Value
Dimensions	44.5L x 35W x 13.8H mm
Weight	25g

Operational

Specification	Min	Max	Unit
Storage	-40	+125	°C
Operation	-40	+85	°C
Voltage(VIO:3.3)	3.6	5.5	V
Current(VIO:3.3)	150	220	mA

Power draw - RF Only

Radio Output Setting	Current (mA)	Power (mW)
TX @ 0 dBm	205	677
TX @ 10 dBm	241	795
TX @ 15 dBm	284	937
TX @ 20 dBm	421	1389
TX @ 25 dBm	614	2026
Continuous Rx @ -85 dBm	27	89

Values are typical for radio module only and may vary depending on deployment and configuration.

Module Interfaces

Telemetry Port: Connected to application serial port (Drone, Robot etc…)
Secondary Port: | Serial | Digital(P2,P3) | Analog(P4,P5) |
USB-C Port: | Program | Debug |
Ethernet: UDP (Standalone) | TCP/IP using a Web Server
Raspberry Pi 40-pin Header: Standard Raspberry Pi (PLUS only)
Telemetry Port Type JST-GH 6-pin connector.

Pin #	Description
1	+5V Power-in
2	U1RX
3	U1TX
4	U1RTS
5	U1CTS
6	GND

Secondary Port Type JST-GH 6-pin connector.

Pin #	Description
1	+5V Power-in
2	U0TX \| USB \| IO0
3	U0RX \| USB \| IO1
4	ADC1
5	ADC0
6	GND

RF Characteristics

The following table indicates the data rates per MCS and BW level.

BW	MCS	Modulation / Coding Rate	EVM Spec (dB)	Max Power (dB)	Sensitivity Typ (dB)	Data Rate (Mbps)	Distance (km)
1 MHz	10	BPSK 1/2 rep. 2x	-4	28	-106	0.15	26
1 MHz	0	BPSK 1/2	-5	28	-103	0.3	18
1 MHz	1	QPSK 1/2	-10	28	-102	0.6	16
1 MHz	2	QPSK 3/4	-13	28	-100	0.9	13
1 MHz	3	16QAM 1/2	-16	27	-97	1.2	13
1 MHz	4	16QAM 3/4	-19	27	-94	1.8	11
1 MHz	5	64QAM 2/3	-22	26	-89	2.4	3
1 MHz	6	64QAM 3/4	-25	24	-88	2.7	2
1 MHz	7	64QAM 5/6	-27	22	-87	3.0	1.5
2 MHz	0	BPSK 1/2	-5	28	-100	0.65	13
2 MHz	1	QPSK 1/2	-10	28	-98	1.3	10
2 MHz	2	QPSK 3/4	-13	28	-96	1.95	8
2 MHz	3	16QAM 1/2	-16	27	-93	2.6	5
2 MHz	4	16QAM 3/4	-19	26	-90	3.9	3
2 MHz	5	64QAM 2/3	-22	25	-86	5.2	1.3
2 MHz	6	64QAM 3/4	-25	24	-83	5.85	1.1
2 MHz	7	64QAM 5/6	-27	24	-82	6.5	1
4 MHz	0	BPSK 1/2	-5	29	-98	1.35	11.5
4 MHz	1	QPSK 1/2	-10	29	-95	2.7	13
4 MHz	2	QPSK 3/4	-13	28	-93	4.05	11
4 MHz	3	16QAM 1/2	-16	27	-90	5.4	3.5
4 MHz	4	16QAM 3/4	-19	27	-87	6.1	2.5
4 MHz	5	64QAM 2/3	-22	26	-83	10.8	1.5
4 MHz	6	64QAM 3/4	-25	25	-81	12.2	1
4 MHz	7	64QAM 5/6	-27	25	-80	13.5	0.9

Values are typical and may vary depending on deployment environment.

FCC Regulation for USA (23dBm +/- 2dB)

BW (MHz)	Usable Frequency (MHz)
1	902.5, 903.5, 904.5, 905.5, 906.5, 907.5, 908.5, 909.5, 910.5, 911.5, 912.5, 913.5, 914.5, 915.5, 916.5, 917.5, 918.5, 919.5, 920.5, 921.5, 922.5, 923.5, 924.5, 925.5, 926.5
2	905.0, 907.0, 909.0, 911.0, 913.0, 915.0, 917.0, 919.0, 921.0, 923.0, 925.0
4	906.0, 910.0, 914.0, 918.0, 922.0

Network Topologies

AP, STAs Paired Connection

The device mode is set between STA and AP by updating the device using the UI configuration. The firmware can be updated either using the USB port or via the web server. The web server also provides configuration parameters to customize AP/STA nodes.

Configuration

The 3DR Radio 2 module includes a lightweight web server for intuitive configuration and OTA (Over-the-Air) firmware updates. It utilizes the MQTT protocol to interface with a wide range of physical connections, including Serial, USB, Ethernet, Digital I/O, and Analog inputs, creating an efficient wireless bridge over Wi-Fi HaLow.

On power-up, the module’s Access Point (AP) radio auto-assigns itself the IP address 192.168.200.1, and dynamically allocates IP addresses to connected Station (STA) devices. To ensure reliable access to the HaLow network and the embedded web server, it is recommended to manually configure the host computer’s Ethernet interface with the static IP address 192.168.200.250.

Configuration Parameters

Setting	Description
Wi-Fi Mode	In AP mode, the device creates its own wireless network. In STA mode, it connects to an existing Wi-Fi network.
SSID	3DR_xxxxxx The name of the Wi-Fi network broadcast (in AP mode) or the network to join (in STA mode).
Security	The Wi-Fi security type. Can typically be None, WPA2, etc. None means open network
Bandwidth	Bandwidth of the link, upto 4MHz BW supported
CH. Freq.	Sets the frequency channel for the 802.11ah (Wi-Fi HaLow) link. 925 MHz is common in US sub-GHz bands.
IP Address	Choose between Static or DHCP. If Static is selected, manual IP configuration is required.
Static IP	IP address assigned to the device when using static IP configuration.
Netmask	Subnet mask used to define the network’s address range.
Gateway	IP address of the router/gateway that routes packets outside the local subnet.
DHCP Server	When enabled, the device can act as a DHCP server (i.e., assign IPs to connected devices in AP mode).
Advanced	When checked, additional configuration options are likely revealed (e.g., TX power, beacon interval, etc.).
FW Update	Performs Firmware update over the Wi-Fi with the selected file and reboots the device.
Baud rate	UART0/UART 1 baudrate, default 115200
UDP port	default UDP port 14551

Usage Guide

Access Point (AP) Setup

The Access Point (AP) should be connected via the Ethernet port to local network or Ethernet port of the host computer. The host interface must be configured with the static IP address 192.168.200.250 and subnet mask 255.255.255.0, placing it within the 192.168.200.0 subnet. The USB interface on the AP serves a dual purpose: it can power the device and also be used to receive and display debug messages through a serial terminal application.

Checklist AP

Verify the Ethernet cable is securely connected and configure your network interface to use IPv4 address 192.168.200.250.
Use the USB-C connector to receive debug messages at a baud rate of 115200. If the module is not powered via USB-C, ensure it is powered through the Telemetry or Secondary Port.

You can access the device’s web interface by entering 192.168.200.1 into a web browser, allowing you to configure settings of AP.

Station (STA) Setup

One or more Station (STA) devices can automatically connect to the Access Point (AP) and will be assigned IP addresses within the 192.168.200.x subnet, as managed by the AP’s DHCP service. Each STA should be connected to the autopilot or robotic system via the Serial interface, using the 6-pin JST-GH port on the 3DR Radio 2 module.

Checklist STA

Connect the STA module to your autopilot using the Telemetry port for serial communication.
Ensure the module is powered via USB-C or the Telemetry port.
Confirm the correct wiring for U1TX, U1RX, +5V, and GND.
Wait for the STA to automatically connect to the AP and receive an IP address.

You can access the STA’s web interface by entering its IP address (e.g., 192.168.200.3) into a web browser. The IP address assigned to each STA can be viewed via the AP’s USB debug port or through the Web interface.

UI Features

MAVLink protocol support
MQTT protocol integration
Long-range Sub-1GHz operation
Low power consumption
Strong signal penetration
FCC certified operation
Web-based configuration interface
OTA firmware updates
Multiple connectivity options (USB, Serial, Ethernet, Digital I/O, Analog)
Mesh networking capabilities
Professional-grade reliability

User Guide

For a comprehensive setup guide, please refer to the 3DR Radio 2 Setup Guide.

Helpful Links

Version: 0.1.0 Last Updated: September 2025 Compatible with: 3DR Radio 2 series