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by Drona Aviation

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Software ecosystem

A Pluto drone beside a laptop running the PlutoBlocks editor, with a block program on screen and Build and Flash buttons.

One Pluto. Multiple ways to program it.

Start with visual blocks. Move to C++. Control with Python. Build robotics and AI applications with ROS 2.

Choose the programming path that matches your experience, and keep the same drone the whole way.

Explore the softwareExplore Pluto drones
  • Beginner to advanced
  • Real hardware programming
  • AI and robotics ready
  • PlutoBlocksVisual programming
  • PlutoIDEC++ development
  • Python SDKControl and AI
  • ROS 2Robotics ecosystem

Choose your path

How do you want to build with Pluto?

Different tools for different goals. Pick a starting point, then go deeper on its own page.

Two programming modes

How Pluto programming works

Some programs run directly on the flight controller. Others drive Pluto from a computer in real time. Which one you need decides which tool to pick.

Onboard programming

Write or generate logic that is compiled and flashed directly onto Pluto's flight controller. It runs with no computer attached.

  1. PlutoBlocks
  2. C++ / PlutoIDE
  3. Compile and flash

Computer-side programming

Run code on a computer and talk to Pluto in real time over Wi-Fi, which is what makes vision and AI workloads possible.

  1. Python SDK
  2. ROS 2
  3. Flight / data / vision

Progress without changing platforms

The programming journey

An overview only. Each software page carries the detailed features, setup, downloads and tutorials.

  1. PlutoBlocks

    Learn programming with a real drone.

    Explore PlutoBlocks
    A Pluto drone beside a laptop running the PlutoBlocks editor, with a block program on screen and Build and Flash buttons.

  2. PlutoIDE (C++)

    Program closer to the hardware.

    Explore PlutoIDE
    A Pluto drone connected by cable to a laptop showing main.cpp with an Arduino-style setup and loop, and a Build, Flash and Run checklist.

  3. Python SDK

    Automate, analyse and build AI workflows.

    Explore Python
    A Pluto drone beside a laptop running Python that imports drone_sdk, with a live telemetry panel showing altitude, speed and battery.

  4. ROS 2

    Connect Pluto to robotics systems.

    Explore ROS 2
    A Pluto drone beside a laptop showing a ROS 2 node graph feeding camera, point cloud and coordinate-frame viewports.

Quick comparison

Choose the right tool for your project

An orientation table, not a replacement for the individual pages.

PlutoBlocks, PlutoIDE, Python SDK and ROS 2 compared by language, level, where the code runs, and what each is best for.
FeaturePlutoBlocksPlutoIDEPython SDKROS 2
ProgrammingVisual blocksC++PythonPython / ROS
LevelBeginnerIntermediate to advancedIntermediateAdvanced
Code runsOn PlutoOn PlutoOn computerOn ROS computer
Best forLearning and first projectsEmbedded developmentAutomation, telemetry and visionRobotics and research

Possibilities

What can you build with Pluto?

A few examples to show the range. The build instructions live on their own learning pages.

  • A Pluto drone hovering in an office facing a wall panel, with a red warning triangle and signal arcs between them.

    Smart Alert Drone

    Respond to sensor events with lights, sound or actions.

    Build it with

  • A Pluto drone on a lab bench beside a panel of vibration waveforms, component status dots and a health gauge.

    Pluto Health Monitor

    Use sensor data to understand vibration and drone behaviour.

    Build it with

  • A Pluto drone hovering in a living room with a camera panel showing a dog inside a detection box.

    Object Detection

    Combine Pluto's camera workflow with Python computer vision.

    Build it with

  • A Pluto drone above a pale 3D city map with a dashed flight path and waypoint pins.

    Autonomous Mission Logic

    Turn sensor input and logic into custom flight behaviour.

    Build it with

  • A Pluto drone streaming pixels toward a laptop running a ROS node graph with raw, detection and depth viewports.

    ROS Vision Node

    Bring camera data and flight commands into a ROS 2 pipeline.

    Build it with

  • Five Pluto drones in formation above a rooftop, linked by thin lines to a cloud icon.

    Multi-Drone Experiment

    Coordinate multiple Pluto drones from a software workflow.

    Build it with

Real hardware. Real data.

What your code can interact with

This is what turns Pluto from a flying product into a development platform.

  • Sensors

    Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer, battery and more.

  • Vision

    Camera stream for computer-vision workflows.

  • Flight

    Roll, pitch, yaw, throttle, takeoff and landing.

  • Outputs

    LEDs, motors, GPIO and compatible accessories.

  • Extensions

    Sensors, actuators and custom modules.

A platform that grows with you

From first flight to robotics

Every rung runs on the same drone, so nobody has to change platform to keep going.

  1. Fly

    Controller

  2. Code

    PlutoBlocks

  3. Engineer

    C++ / PlutoIDE

  4. Automate

    Python

  5. Integrate

    ROS 2

  6. Build

    AI, vision, robotics

Keep building

Learning resources

Once you have picked a path, these keep you moving.

What will you build with Pluto?

Choose a tool and turn an idea into a real flying project.

Start programmingNew to Pluto? Explore drones
Five Pluto drones in formation above a rooftop, linked by thin lines to a cloud icon.