Naze32 rev 6 has just been released, I am excited and curious to find out what it is all about :) Is the New version Naze board worth upgrading to?

What’s new and better on Naze32 Rev6?

Here are the changes / improved features compared to previous Naze32 Rev5 Acro

USB Port on the right side

PPM/PWM input as through-hole (it used to be solder pads, and caused some problems when overheat the pads pulled off)

Built-in SBUS Inverter (so people doesn’t have to do the inverter hack on their x4r with Naze32. For Smart Port setup see here.

Onboard 2MB flash (useful for blackbox)

IMU has been changed from MPU6050 to MPU6500

Built-in BMP280 barometer (Not sure what you can use it for on a Acro board flying rate mode, but better than none I guess)

Fully pinout compatible with rev5 accessories (OSDoge etc)

Compatible with Spectrum satellite

Sonar pads with resistors added for direct connection to 5V sonar

All extra pads (FT, GP, A5) on top, only sonar on bottom

3.3V, I2C on standard-size headers

In the Full version

Different barometers: the full has the ms5611 as the original naze full

It has 128mbit flash memory = 16MB

How about the processor? f1 or f3?

On the new Rev6, it’s still the same old STM32 f1 chip (STM32F103CBT6 32-bit ARM Cortex M3 processor).

The Naze32 official configurator “Baseflight” is said to have problem with processors faster than the f1 anyway (e.g. the f3) by several members in my facebook group.

Apparently your f1 processor (Naze32) can match the performance of a faster f3 if you turn off the accelerometer in CLI. The f3 allows you to run accelerometer and other non-gyro stuff while maintaining stable and fast looptime.

Anyway, this board is a very basic and plain flight controller.

So would I get it?

Not major different really compared to the old version. But it is cheaper than Rev5, and it works with SBUS out of the box.

To be honest i am quite happy with the Naze32 Rev5 i have got, so I might get one if I damage my good old Naze board, and use my X4R-SB and SBUS. But I probably won’t bother with the Full version, I might as well get one of the F3 one with that amount of money.

There are so many more powerful alternatives nowadays, such as The Serious Pro Racing F3, The RMRC Seriously Dodo, and The Tornado F3, all utilize f3 processor although a little bit more expensive.

Update (15/09/2015) – This board is currently not supported by Cleanflight v1.9, it doesn’t flash the Naze32 rev5 firmware. Maybe next release will, we will keep an eye on it!

Update (14/10/2015) – Cleanflight team is currently working to support this board.