2 layers103.8 × 50 mm
Galagino pcb set
harbaum/galagino
A Galaga, Pac-Man and Donkey Kong arcade emulator for the ESP32
26 parts558
2 layers40 × 66 mm
Flight controller
1ars-d/ESP32-Drone2A compact, custom-built 5.5″ quadcopter drone powered by an ESP32 microcontroller.
- Size
- 40 × 66 mm
- Copper layers
- 2
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 9
- Nets
- 44
- Pads
- 76
- Tracks, vias
- 113, 8
- Pours
- 1
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 9.0 (file 20241229)
- Created
- 18 Apr 2025
- Updated
- 23 May 2025
Overview
Flight controller is an open-source printed circuit board by 1ars-d, from the 1ars-d/ESP32-Drone repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 40 × 66 mm with 9 parts on 44 nets, routed with 113 tracks and 8 vias.
It is built around the ESP32-DEVKITC-VE. Its parts include 2 ICs and 2 connectors. It belongs with the robots and motor control boards and the ESP32 boards of this library.
Main components
1README
README.mdESP32 Custom Drone
🚁 Overview
A compact, custom-built 5.5″ quadcopter drone powered by an ESP32 microcontroller. This project includes both hardware design (3D-printed components, PCB layout) and firmware (Arduino-based) for flight control.
🔧 Firmware
The flight control software is written in C++ using the Arduino framework. It runs a 250Hz control loop to maintain drone stability using the following key features:
- Sensor Fusion: A Kalman Filter fuses gyroscope and accelerometer data to estimate orientation.
- Control System: Stabilization is achieved using a cascaded PID control loop.
- Remote Input: Directional control is handled via a radio receiver.
- Live PID Tuning: The drone can host a local Wi-Fi web interface for real-time PID tuning.
The web-based tuning interface was adapted from pratikPhadte/ESP32-Flight-controller-.
🛠️ Hardware Components
| Component | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | FlyFishRC FIFTY5 | €50.00 |
| Radio Receiver | Flysky FS-IA6B | €20.00 |
| Flight Controller | ESP32-DevKitC, MP1584 (Buck Converter), MPU6050 (IMU), PCB | €20.00 |
| Motors | 4x FlyfishRC Flash 2306 1750Kv | €60.00 |
| ESC | 30.5mm 4-in-1 40A BLHeli32 | €50.00 |
| Battery | 3S 1500mAh LiPo | €20.00 |
| Propellers | 4x 5.5″ Props | €2.50 |
| 3D Printed Parts | Material cost for FC Case, RC Case, Feet | €2.00 |
| Total | €224,50 |
Note: The listed prices are approximate and may vary depending on the retailer or manufacturer. In this build, we intentionally used some higher-quality (and more expensive) components to ensure that budget parts wouldn't become a limiting factor in performance. However, with careful sourcing and smart purchasing decisions, the overall cost of this drone can be significantly reduced.
🧠 Flight Controller
The flight controller (FC) is based on an ESP32 DevKitC, mounted on a custom PCB. It integrates:
- MPU6050 IMU for motion sensing
- MP1584 buck converter to step down 10V (from ESC) to 5V
Connections are made via JST SH cables to the ESC and radio receiver.
‼️ The VCC wire of the JST SH connector for the radio receiver is connected to the ESP32’s 3.3V output. However, the receiver used in this project (FS-IA6B) requires a minimum operating voltage of 4.0V. To address this, an additional VCC wire was manually soldered to the ESP32’s 5V pin to provide sufficient power. While some 5V receivers may appear to function at 3.3V in test setups, our testing showed that the receiver's output becomes unstable when the motors are running, likely due to temporary voltage drops. For reliable performance, ensure the receiver is properly powered with a stable 5V supply.
🧾 PCB Design
Designed using KiCad and manufactured by JLCPCB.
🔌 Schematic
🔄 Routing
3D Model
🖨️ 3D Printed Parts
All parts were designed in Autodesk Fusion 360 and printed using PLA. M2/M3 threaded heat inserts are used to mount components to the carbon frame.
📦 Flight Controller Case
📡 Radio Receiver Case
🧩 Miscellaneous Parts
Spacers
Feet
Model from Cults3D – FlyFishRC Volador Arm Protection
👥 Contributors
- Tilman Kurmayer (https://github.com/tchello45)
- Melina Leitermann (https://github.com/me1ina1)
📚 References & Inspirations
This project was inspired and guided by the following open-source resources:
Parts
9| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | MountingHole | MountingHole:MountingHole_2.2mm_M2 | H1, H2, H3, H4 |
| 1 | Conn_01x04_Socket_JST_ELRS | Connector_JST:JST_SH_SM04B-SRSS-TB_1x04-1MP_P1.00mm_Horizontal | J3 |
| 1 | Conn_01x10_Socket_JST_ESC | Connector_JST:JST_SH_SM10B-SRSS-TB_1x10-1MP_P1.00mm_Horizontal | J4 |
| 1 | ESP32-DevKitC | ESP32:ESP32 DevKitC Socket | U2 |
| 1 | module_mpu6050 | usini_sensors:module_mpu6050 | U1 |
| 1 | ~ | MP1584EN-master:SRT_MPT1584EN_Module | MP1 |
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Questions
How big is the Flight controller PCB?
It measures 40 × 66 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Flight controller use?
9 parts, built around the ESP32-DEVKITC-VE. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
Where can I download the Flight controller KiCad files?
From the 1ars-d/ESP32-Drone repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is PCB/flight_controller/flight_controller.kicad_pcb and its schematic PCB/flight_controller/flight_controller.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Flight controller design in my own project?
Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask 1ars-d before reusing the design.