However, if you need to connect with PixHawk, for example, then Super-Beacon is easier and recommended, because it has 4×4 pins for a 2-wire connectivity with PixHawk.
Comparison to Super-Beacons and Beacon HW v4.9:
- Mini-TX is a TX-only beacon – it can transmit ultrasonic, but can’t receive it. Super-Beacons and Beacons HW v4.9 are dual-use beacons – they can receive and transmit ultrasound
- Mini-TX Smaller size and lighter: 47x42x15mm & 25g vs. 55x55x33mm & 62g (or 55x55x64mm with antenna). Size is the key advantage of Mini-TX. Without battery and housing – bare board with transducers – it weighs just 6.4 grams
- Battery – 250mAh vs. 1000mAh in Super-Beacons and Beacons HW v4.9. But Mini-TX has a new more efficient ultrasonic TX module, thus, battery lifetime in TX mode is even superior to the Beacon HW v4.9
- Tested battery lifetime with 8Hz – 96h. With lower update rate – nearly proportionally longer. Very efficient ultrasonic TX module
- Mini-TX has only USB (virtual UART) output – no additional pins. Super-Beacons have 4×4 for easy interfacing with PixHawk or other devices
- Mini-TX like Super-Beacons have 6D IMU
- Embedded antenna in Mini-TX – smaller size, but smaller radio coverage ~50m
- Range in ultrasonic is weaker than that of Super-Beacons, but still reaches 30m. The range more depends on the ultrasound frequency than on the difference Mini-TX vs. Super-Beacon
- Mini-TX has only 31kHz frequency
- Mini-TX supports license-free 915MHz ISM band (US) and license-free SRD band 868MHz (EU), i.e. 433MHz (EU band) is not supported and not planned