All boards here use the same 480 MHz STM32H743, so ArduPilot has the same processing headroom on each. What separates them is everything around the processor: sensors, where logs go, CAN, power input and which firmware the maker supports. Data was collected from manufacturer pages and the ArduPilot hardware docs on 5 October 2026. Where sources disagree, we say so.
- CAN on a 30.5 mm stack: Nestua H743 and Matek H743-SLIM-V4 (end-of-life). The other stack boards list none.
- Soldered blackbox: Nestua H743 has 256 MB NAND. Kakute H7 V2 and Foxeer H7 have smaller onboard flash. Matek and MicoAir use microSD.
- Onboard compass: MicoAir743 V2 and Pixhawk 6C Mini have one. Nestua leaves it off on purpose.
- Firmware: Nestua H743 is ArduPilot-only. Most others also run Betaflight and INAV.
- Price: Kakute H7 V2 and MicoAir743 V2 cost about a quarter of the Nestua H743's price.
Side-by-side specifications
| Nestua H743 | Holybro Kakute H7 V2 | MicoAir743 V2 | Foxeer H7 MPU6000 | Matek H743-SLIM-V4 | Holybro Pixhawk 6C Mini | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Pre-order | Available | Available | Available | End-of-life | Available |
| Mounting / size | 30.5 mm; 40×40 mm | 30.5 mm; 35×35 mm | 30.5 mm; 36×36 mm | 30.5 mm; 37×37 mm | 30.5 mm; 36×36 mm | Enclosed, 54.3×39 mm (not a stack board) |
| IMU | 2, from two makers, separate SPI buses (incl. BMI270) | 1× BMI270 | 2: BMI088 + BMI270 | 1× MPU6000 | 2× ICM42688P | 2: ICM-42688-P + BMI088, isolated and heated |
| Barometer | LPS22HH | BMP280 | SPL06 | DPS310 | DPS368 | MS5611 |
| Onboard compass | No (by design) | No | Yes (QMC5883L) | No | No | Yes (IST8310) |
| Log storage | 256 MB SPI NAND, soldered | Onboard flash, 128 MB per Holybro1 | microSD | Onboard flash, “16M”2 | microSD | Not stated |
| CAN | 1, transceiver + ESD + 120 Ω on board | None | None listed | None listed | 1 | 2 |
| UARTs | 7 | 6 (one used by Bluetooth) | 8 (one used by Bluetooth) | 7 | 7 | 4 user ports |
| PWM / DShot outputs | 8 | 9 (8 motor + LED) | 11 | 9 (incl. LED) | 13 (incl. LED) | 14 (8 IO + 6 FMU) |
| Battery input | 2–6S | 3–8S per Holybro3 | 2–6S | 4–8S | 2–8S | No direct battery input (power module) |
| BEC | 5 V 2 A; VBAT pad for VTX; separate low-noise 3.3 V for sensors | 5 V 2 A; 9 V4 | 5 V 3 A; second 3 A rail (12 V or 9 V)5 | 5 V 2 A; 10 V 2 A | 5 V 2.5 A; filtered VBAT 2 A | None (powered by module) |
| ESC connector | 1× JST-SH 8-pin | 2× JST-SH 8-pin | Not stated in text | Not stated | 1× JST-SH 8-pin | Servo headers |
| OSD | Digital (MSP DisplayPort) | Analog AT7456E | Analog AT7456E + DJI connector | Analog AT7456E + digital connector | Analog AT7456E | None |
| Firmware | ArduPilot | ArduPilot, PX4, Betaflight, INAV | ArduPilot, PX4, INAV, Betaflight | ArduPilot, Betaflight | ArduPilot, Betaflight, INAV | ArduPilot, PX4 |
| Weight | Not yet published | 8 g | 10 g | 7.8 g | 7 g | 42.4 g |
| List price | €199 excl. VAT | US$52 | US$53.99 | 104.90 (USD, store) | — | US$130.99 (bare) |
| Designed / built in | Europe (Czech Republic) / Europe | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
1 Holybro and ArduPilot docs say 128 MB; the sibling Kakute H7 Mini page says 128 Mbit, so treat the unit as unconfirmed. 2 Foxeer says “16M”, ArduPilot docs say 16 MB. 3 ArduPilot docs say 2–8S. 4 Holybro's shop says 9 V 3 A; Holybro docs and ArduPilot say 9 V 1.5 A. 5 MicoAir says 12 V, ArduPilot docs say 9 V. Prices are list prices without tax and shipping on the date above.
Where the Nestua H743 is the better choice
You use CAN peripherals
DroneCAN GPS, compasses, airspeed sensors and rangefinders need a CAN transceiver. On most 30.5 mm boards there is none. The Nestua H743 has an NXP TJA1057 transceiver, ESD protection and a 120 Ω terminator on the board, so a DroneCAN GPS is two wires plus power. The only other stack board here with CAN, the Matek H743-SLIM-V4, is end-of-life.
You need logs you can rely on
256 MB of soldered NAND is the largest onboard log store in this comparison. Nothing can unseat in a hard landing, and there is room for full-rate IMU logging across many flights. For incident analysis on a commercial aircraft, that is the point of a blackbox. See how logging is set up.
You care about sensor noise
The IMUs and barometer run from their own low-noise 3.3 V regulator behind a ferrite, separate from the digital supply, and each IMU has its own SPI bus. Combined with the 5 V BEC on the FC rather than the ESC, switching noise has a long way to travel before it reaches the gyro data.
You want a European supplier
Designed in the Czech Republic, with the PCB made and assembled in Europe. Processor, barometer, the BMI270 IMU and power stage come from ST, Bosch, NXP, Nexperia and Würth. You get EU VAT invoices, including reverse charge for businesses. For universities and companies that buy within the EU, this is simpler paperwork.
Where another board is the better choice
- Betaflight or INAV builds: the Nestua H743 is ArduPilot-only. Kakute H7 V2, MicoAir743 V2 and Foxeer H7 support Betaflight.
- Analog FPV: every other stack board here has an AT7456E analog OSD chip. The Nestua H743 supports only digital systems (DJI, HDZero, Walksnail via MSP DisplayPort).
- 8S power: Kakute H7 V2 (3–8S), Foxeer H7 (4–8S) and Matek H743-SLIM-V4 (2–8S) accept higher voltage. The Nestua H743 stops at 6S.
- A regulated 9–12 V rail: Kakute, MicoAir and Foxeer have a second regulated rail, useful for analog cameras and VTXs that need a fixed voltage. The Nestua H743 has 5 V pads and a VBAT pad; digital VTXs that accept battery voltage solder straight to VBAT.
- Budget builds: Kakute H7 V2 and MicoAir743 V2 list at about US$52–54.
- Many servo outputs or a vibration-isolated, heated IMU: Pixhawk 6C Mini, if you have room for an enclosed autopilot and a power module.
A note on Matek H743 boards
The Matek H743-SLIM was for years the default 30.5 mm ArduPilot board, and many guides still recommend it. Matek now lists the H743-SLIM V3 as discontinued and marks the H743-SLIM-V4, H743-MINI and H743-WLITE as end-of-life. Its current H7 multirotor board is the H7A3-SLIM, with an STM32H7A3 at 280 MHz, 128 MB NAND, one CAN port and ArduPilot-only firmware. If you are replacing a Matek H743 in an existing build, check the connector and pad layout of whatever you choose. The Nestua H743 uses the same 8-pin ESC connector order as many 4-in-1 ESCs, but always compare pin by pin.
How to choose
- Firmware first. If you need Betaflight, the choice is already narrowed.
- Peripherals. DroneCAN GPS or sensors? You need a CAN transceiver on the board.
- Logs. For commercial, research or long-range work, decide how much flight history you need on board and whether you trust an SD card in your vibration environment.
- Power. Battery voltage (6S or 8S) and which accessories need which rail.
- Video. Analog OSD needs an OSD chip. Digital systems need MSP DisplayPort.
- Supply chain and support. Where the board is made, who you invoice, and whether the maker answers email.
Sources
- Holybro Kakute H7 V2: holybro.com, Holybro docs, ArduPilot docs
- MicoAir743 V2: micoair.com, MicoAir store, ArduPilot docs
- Foxeer H7 MPU6000: foxeer.com, ArduPilot docs
- Matek H743-SLIM-V4 and H7A3-SLIM: H743-SLIM-V4, product list, H7A3-SLIM
- Holybro Pixhawk 6C Mini: holybro.com, technical specification
- Nestua H743: full specifications
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