Analog Devices
Maker of the AD9361 family of RF transceivers inside many SDRs, the ADALM-Pluto learning radio, and the open libiio stack. Strong Linux and macOS host support.
| Organisation | Analog Devices, Inc., incorporated in Massachusetts in 1965, headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Website | www.analog.com/ |
| Licensing | libiio under LGPL-2.1-or-later (utilities GPL-2.0-or-later); pyadi-iio under a BSD-style ADI licence; gr-iio in GNU Radio under GPL-3.0; SoapyPlutoSDR (Pothosware) under LGPL-2.1; Pluto firmware an aggregation of separately licensed components; chips proprietary |
| Pricing | We could not load ADI's online store at the time of writing, so no list prices are given here |
| Updated | 15 Nov 2026 |
Products and offerings #
| Name | Kind | Positioning |
|---|---|---|
| ADALM-Pluto | sdr | AD9363-based learning SDR, 325 MHz to 3.8 GHz, up to 20 MHz bandwidth, 12-bit ADC and DAC, 1 TX and 1 RX, USB 2.0 |
| AD9361 | transceiver-ic | 2x2 RF transceiver, 70 MHz to 6 GHz, 200 kHz to 56 MHz channel bandwidth, 12-bit ADCs and DACs |
| ADRV9009 | transceiver-ic | Wideband transceiver; ADI's Linux driver covers 75 MHz to 6 GHz and up to 200 MHz bandwidth |
| AD9081 MxFE | transceiver-ic | 4 TX and 4 RX mixed-signal front end, 16-bit 12 GSPS DACs and 12-bit 4 GSPS ADCs |
| libiio | library | Library for Linux Industrial I/O devices, local or over network and USB; v1.0.0 released 22 September 2026 |
| pyadi-iio | library | Python device classes for ADI transceivers and converters on top of libiio |
| Kuiper | software | Debian-based Linux distribution with ADI drivers and tools; 2.1.1 released 2 November 2026 |
Who they are
This hub is for engineers using ADI transceivers, whether inside a Pluto, a third-party SDR or their own board. Analog Devices was incorporated in Massachusetts in 1965 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts, according to its annual report on Form 10-K. It makes data converters, RF parts and signal-processing chips. For SDR users it matters for two reasons. The AD9361 family of transceivers is the RF heart of many radios, including the USRP B210 and the bladeRF 2.0 micro. And the ADALM-Pluto is ADI’s own transmit-capable learning radio.
Tooling and APIs
The Pluto. According to the ADI wiki, the ADALM-Pluto is based on the AD9363 and has one receive and one transmit channel from 325 MHz to 3800 MHz with 20 MHz bandwidth. The specifications page adds 12-bit ADCs and DACs and notes that the USB 2.0 link streams up to 4 MSPS. That is the practical limit for continuous capture to a host, well below the 20 MHz the RF chain supports. Rev C units can run a 2 RX and 2 TX mode.
Transceivers. The AD9361 is a 2x2 transceiver from 70 MHz to 6 GHz with 200 kHz to 56 MHz channel bandwidth and 12-bit converters, according to ADI’s FMCOMMS2 reference design page. The same table on ADI’s wiki lists the AD9363 at 325 MHz to 3800 MHz and 20 MHz with 2 RX and 2 TX, and the AD9364 at 70 MHz to 6000 MHz and 56 MHz with 1 RX and 1 TX. Higher up, ADI’s ADRV9009 driver page gives 75 MHz to 6 GHz and up to 200 MHz bandwidth. The AD9081 mixed-signal front end has four transmit and four receive channels, with 12 GSPS DACs and 4 GSPS ADCs that sample RF directly. See RF front ends.
What you install. libiio talks to the Linux Industrial I/O drivers on the radio, over USB or the network. Version 1.0.0, released on 22 September 2026, is the first stable release and breaks the API and ABI, with a compatibility layer for v0.x programs. On top sit pyadi-iio for Python, gr-iio inside GNU Radio since 3.10.0.0, and SoapyPlutoSDR for SoapySDR applications. libiio also has C++ and C# bindings.
Licensing and pricing at the time of writing. libiio is LGPL-2.1-or-later, its command-line utilities GPL-2.0-or-later. pyadi-iio uses a BSD-style ADI licence. The Pluto firmware is an aggregation of components under their own licences. We could not load ADI’s online store while checking this page, so we give no prices.
OS support. Good on all three desktop systems. The Pluto wiki states support for macOS, Windows and Linux. The libiio 1.0.0 release ships macOS installer packages for Arm and Intel, a Windows installer and Linux packages. Kuiper is ADI’s Debian-based Linux distribution with its drivers and tools, now on a Debian Trixie base.
Pain points. The Pluto’s USB 2.0 link limits continuous streaming. The libiio 1.0 API break means older examples need the compatibility layer or a rewrite.
Migration notes
- Pluto to a bigger AD936x radio. The transceiver family is shared, so concepts such as gain control mode, RF bandwidth and sample rate settings carry over. The host link and channel count change, so check the driver attributes for the new board.
- AD9364 range setting. ADI’s customising page documents a firmware setting that unlocks the AD9364 range on early Pluto units that carry an AD9364. It does not say that AD9363-based units meet specification outside 325 MHz to 3800 MHz. Treat measurements there as unverified.
- Sample format. pyadi-iio reads receive data as 16-bit integers and returns complex NumPy arrays for IQ devices. UHD hands you 32-bit floats by default. Scale before comparing levels with a USRP. See IQ samples.
- To SoapySDR. SoapyPlutoSDR lets the same SoapySDR code drive a Pluto, a HackRF One or a USRP. See the open-source ecosystem hub.
- FPGA work. ADI’s HDL reference designs build with the AMD Xilinx and Intel tool chains. See FPGA Guide.
Watch for
- Bandwidth against throughput. A 20 MHz RF bandwidth on paper does not mean 20 MHz to your PC over USB 2.0. Process on the device or decimate.
- libiio 0.x and 1.x. Pin the libiio version alongside GNU Radio and pyadi-iio, or a package update can break the stack.
- Firmware age. The latest Pluto firmware, v0.39, dates from October 2024. Check that new host tools still support it.
- Spectrum. A Pluto transmits. Keep transmissions on licensed or licence-exempt bands within the rules, or into a cable and attenuator. See spectrum, security and regulation.