Modular Autonomy Framework¶

MAF is a pure C++ onboard autonomy framework — no ROS, no middleware bloat, just direct autopilot control with behavior tree orchestration. MAF Aerial is the first domain implementation, targeting PX4 via MAVLink.

Production autonomy stacks (PX4, Waymo, Skydio) converge on the same pattern: C++ internally, serialize only at boundaries. MAF follows that pattern so the same binary runs under SITL and on constrained hardware like the ModalAI VOXL 2, configured by a YAML hierarchy (defaults → domain → platform → vehicle). Missions run as BehaviorTree.CPP graphs with reactive failsafes, and the vehicle plugs into OpenC2 by publishing a protobuf extension payload to the gateway.

┌──────────────┐   MAVLink    ┌──────────────┐   Protobuf    ┌──────────────┐
│   Autopilot  │ ◀──────────▶ │     MAF      │ ◀───────────▶ │   Gateway    │
│    (PX4)     │              │   (C++/BT)   │   extension   │              │
└──────────────┘              └──────────────┘               └──────────────┘