Flight Link ARbitration Engine: MAVLink arbitration between FC, onboard, and GCS—controlled handoffs, documented rules, for platforms that split autonomy and ground control.
FLARE is part of PerceptiveUAS - a Melrose Networks capability.
Autonomous aircraft and similar platforms often need two legitimate sources of MAVLink traffic to the same flight controller: software running on the vehicle (companion, autonomy stack, payload logic) and ground-based control (a GCS or equivalent).
When both exist, “everyone talks MAVLink” is not enough—you need a single, unambiguous command path to the FC, predictable behavior during handoffs, and rules for what happens when links flap, rates spike, or both sides are connected.
Without an explicit arbitration layer, teams inherit fragile ad‑hoc bridging, duplicated command/response paths, and operations that are hard to explain, test, or trust.
FLARE (Flight Link ARbitration Engine) is Melrose Networks' MAVLink component that terminates three sessions—FC ↔ FLARE, FLARE ↔ onboard, and FLARE ↔ GCS—and relays FC traffic through exactly one downstream path at a time according to operational mode and your documented relay policy.
This onboard relay function can be transparent pass-through or apply explicit, documented filtering or shaping where your design calls for it. FLARE supports controlled switching between onboard and ground control with readiness assessment before control moves, optional telemetry relay toward the GCS when requested, and a model that fits autonomous drones and other platforms that must combine onboard execution with remote ground oversight.
The flight controller maintains a MAVLink session to the onboard FLARE. Onboard software (e.g. an autonomoy stack) and the remote GCS each maintain their own session to FLARE. FLARE is the only place where those worlds meet for FC relay, so policy decides what the FC sees.
In each mode, FC-bound and FC-originated relayed traffic follows one clear policy so command/response pairing stays coherent. Primary operator-visible control of mode is via a designated MAVLink command on the GCS ↔ FLARE session. A supervisor co-located with FLARE may also request mode changes.
When mode changes, FLARE follows defined rules for in-flight messages, how the FC experiences the link, and avoiding duplicate command paths while both downstream peers may be present during transition. Before FC control is committed to the onboard or GCS side, FLARE endeavours to confirm readiness of the target peer against criteria; if readiness cannot be confirmed in time, documented fallback applies (defer, reject with acknowledgement, safe holding state, etc).
The GCS may request telemetry relay from FLARE. When active and interval-based sending applies, FLARE emits on a defined interval.
FLARE is suitable as a building block in Melrose Networks’ MAVLink Control Platform for environments where you manage secure links and multiple vehicles—while FLARE itself stays focused on MAVLink framing, relay, and arbitration between FC, onboard, and GCS.
If you are responsible for operating or integrating MAVLink-based autonomous systems and are interested in a more governed and scalable approach to command and control, we would welcome a discussion.
Please contact us to explore evaluation, integration, or early-access opportunities.
