docs: UAVCAN asset tracking (#26152)

docs/en/SUMMARY.md

@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@
     - [LED Meanings](getting_started/led_meanings.md)
     - [Tune/Sound Meanings](getting_started/tunes.md)
     - [QGroundControl Flight-Readiness Status](flying/pre_flight_checks.md)
-
+  - [Asset Tracking](debug/asset_tracking.md)
 - [Hardware Selection & Setup](hardware/drone_parts.md)
   - [Flight Controllers (Autopilots)](flight_controller/index.md)
     - [Flight Controller Selection](getting_started/flight_controller_selection.md)

docs/en/can/index.md

@@ -10,6 +10,10 @@ CAN it is designed to be democratic and uses differential signaling.
 For this reason it is very robust even over longer cable lengths (on large vehicles), and avoids a single point of failure.
 CAN also allows status feedback from peripherals and convenient firmware upgrades over the bus.
 
+PX4 has the ability to track and log detailed information from CAN devices, including firmware versions, hardware versions, and serial numbers.
+This enables unique identification and lifecycle tracking of hardware connected to the flight controller.
+See [Asset Tracking](../debug/asset_tracking.md) for more information.
+
 PX4 supports two software protocols for communicating with CAN devices:
 
 - [DroneCAN](../dronecan/index.md): PX4 recommends this for most common setups.

docs/en/debug/asset_tracking.md

@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# Asset Tracking
+
+<Badge type="tip" text="main (planned for: PX4 v1.18)" />
+
+PX4 can track and log detailed information about external hardware devices connected to the flight controller.
+This enables unique identification of vehicle parts throughout their operational lifetime using device IDs, serial numbers, and version information.
+
+::: info
+Asset tracking is currently implemented for [DroneCAN](../dronecan/index.md) devices only.
+:::
+
+## Overview
+
+Asset tracking allows you to determine exactly which hardware is installed on a vehicle, providing serial number, version, and other information.
+This makes it easier to track and maintain specific vehicle parts across multiple vehicles, to quickly see what versions you're running when debugging, and log component information for regulatory audits.
+
+Asset tracking automatically collects and logs the following metadata from external devices:
+
+- **Device identification**: Vendor name, model name, device type
+- **Version information**: Firmware version, hardware version
+- **Unique identifiers**: Serial number, device ID
+- **Device capabilities**: ESC, GPS, magnetometer, barometer, etc.
+
+This information is published via the [`device_information`](../msg_docs/DeviceInformation.md) uORB topic and logged to flight logs.
+This enables fleet management, maintenance tracking, and troubleshooting.
+
+## Viewing Device Information
+
+### Real-Time Monitoring
+
+You can view device information in real-time using the [MAVLink Shell](../debug/mavlink_shell.md) or console:
+
+```sh
+listener device_information
+```
+
+Example output for a CAN GPS module:
+
+```plain
+TOPIC: device_information
+ device_information
+    timestamp: 16258961403 (0.216525 seconds ago)
+    device_id: 8944643 (Type: 0x88, UAVCAN:0 (0x7C))
+    device_type: 5
+    vendor_name: "cubepilot"
+    model_name: "here4"
+    firmware_version: "1.14.3006590"
+    hardware_version: "4.19"
+    serial_number: "1c00410018513331"
+```
+
+Device information is published in a round-robin fashion for each detected device, at a rate of approximately 1 Hz.
+
+### Multi-Capability Devices
+
+Devices with multiple sensors (e.g., a CAN GPS/magnetometer combo module like the HERE4) register separate device information entries for each capability.
+Each entry shares the same serial number and base metadata but has a different `device_id` corresponding to the specific sensor capability.
+
+## Flight Log Analysis
+
+Device information is automatically logged to flight logs.
+You can extract it using [pyulog](../log/flight_log_analysis.md#pyulog), though note that fields like vendor name, model name, and serial number are stored as `char` arrays and require additional parsing.
+
+## See Also
+
+- [CAN (DroneCAN & Cyphal)](../can/index.md) — CAN bus configuration and setup
+- [DroneCAN](../dronecan/index.md) — DroneCAN-specific documentation
+- [Flight Log Analysis](../log/flight_log_analysis.md) — Flight log analysis

docs/en/dronecan/index.md

@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ Connecting peripherals over DroneCAN has many benefits:
 - Wiring is less complicated as you can have a single bus for connecting all your ESCs and other DroneCAN peripherals.
 - Setup is easier as you configure ESC numbering by manually spinning each motor.
 - It allows users to configure and update the firmware of all CAN-connected devices centrally through PX4.
+- PX4 automatically tracks device information (vendor, model, versions, serial numbers) for maintenance and fleet management.
+  See [Asset Tracking](../debug/asset_tracking.md).
 
 ## Supported Hardware
 

docs/en/releases/main.md

@@ -45,8 +45,7 @@ Please continue reading for [upgrade instructions](#upgrade-guide).
 ### Control
 
 - Added new flight mode(s): [Altitude Cruise (MC)](../flight_modes_mc/altitude_cruise.md), Altitude Cruise (FW).
-  For fixed-wing the mode behaves the same as Altitude mode but you can disable the manual control loss failsafe. ([PX4-Autopilot#25435: Add new flight mode: Altitude Cruise
-  ](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/pull/25435)).
+  For fixed-wing the mode behaves the same as Altitude mode but you can disable the manual control loss failsafe. ([PX4-Autopilot#25435: Add new flight mode: Altitude Cruise](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/pull/25435)).
 
 ### Estimation
 
@@ -64,6 +63,12 @@ Please continue reading for [upgrade instructions](#upgrade-guide).
   - Add synthetic mecanum rover model: [PX4-gazebo-models#113](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-gazebo-models/pull/113)
   - Update synthetic ackermann rover model: [PX4-gazebo-models#117](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-gazebo-models/pull/117)
 
+### Debug & Logging
+
+- [Asset Tracking](../debug/asset_tracking.md): Automatic tracking and logging of external device information, including: vendor name, firmware and hardware version, serial numbers.
+  Currently supports DroneCAN devices.
+  ([PX4-Autopilot#25617](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/pull/25617))
+
 ### Ethernet
 
 - TBD