6 layers63.5 × 50.8 mm
Navigation Board
LouisVizard/NavBoard
A full navigation solution featuring MCU, GNSS receiver, RF transceiver, and 9-DOF IMU
136 parts2
6 layers50 × 50 mm
Flight Computer
jainamnahar14surat/Flight-ComputerA compact, custom-designed PCB (Printed Circuit Board) for a Flight Computer, aimed at aerospace applications like model rockets, UAVs, and experimental aircrafts.
- Size
- 50 × 50 mm
- Copper layers
- 6
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 76
- Nets
- 114
- Pads
- 339
- Tracks, vias
- 34, 2
- Pours
- 31
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 8.0 (file 20240108)
- Created
- 8 Aug 2024
- Updated
- 7 Feb 2026
Overview
Flight Computer is an open-source printed circuit board by jainamnahar14surat, from the jainamnahar14surat/Flight-Computer repository on GitHub, published under the MIT licence. It is a 6-layer board of 50 × 50 mm with 76 parts on 114 nets, routed with 34 tracks and 2 vias.
It is built around the NEO-M9N-00B, NRF24L01 and LM20BIM7, with the SI7020-A20-GM, AMS1117-3.3 and MPU-6050 among its other parts. Its parts include 38 capacitors, 11 resistors, 7 ICs, 4 inductors and 3 diodes. It belongs with the STM32 boards of this library.
Main components
6
NEO-M9N-00B
SMD-24P-167dBm -40℃~+85℃ 2.7V~3.6V 24s 2m 36mA@3.0V GPS、BDS、QZSS、Galileo、GLONASS RTC backup power UART、I2C、USB、SPI、JTAG SMD-24P GNSS Modules ROHSu-bloxGNSS Modules
NRF24L01
QFN-20-EP(4x4)-40℃~+85℃ -85dBm 0dBm 1.9V~3.6V 2.4GHz 2Mbps CRC check function、Automatic response function、Automatic retransmission function SPI QFN-20-EP(4x4) RF Transceiver ICs ROHSNordic SemiconRF Transceiver ICs
LM20BIM7
SC-70-5-55℃~+130℃ 10uA 2.4V~5.5V Low-power standby ±1.5℃ SC-70-5 Temperature Sensors ROHSTexas InstrumentsTemperature Sensors
SI7020-A20-GM
DFN-6-EP(3x3)-40℃~+85℃ 0%RH~100%RH 1.9V~3.6V 12bit 150uA 4%RH Factory calibration、Built-in heater I2C ±0.4℃ DFN-6-EP(3x3) Temperature and Humidity Sensor ROHSSilicon LabsTemperature And Humidity Sensor
AMS1117-3.3
SOT-223-40℃~+125℃ 0.003%Vout 1 1.1V@(800mA) 15V 1A 3.3V 5mA 72dB@(120Hz) Fixed Over Current Protection、Short Circuit Protection、Thermal shutdown Positive SOT-223 Voltage Regulators - Linear, Low Drop Out (LDO) Regulators ROHSAdvanced Monolithic SystemsVoltage Regulators - Linear, Low Drop Out (LDO) Regulators
MPU-6050
QFN-24-EP(4x4)-40℃~+85℃ 16bit 1KB 2.375V~3.46V 5uA Accelerometer Gyroscope I2C X,Y,Z X,Y,Z ±16g ±2000dps QFN-24-EP(4x4) Accelerometers ROHSTDK InvenSenseAccelerometers
README
README.mdFlight-Computer
A compact, custom-designed PCB (Printed Circuit Board) for a Flight Computer, aimed at aerospace applications like model rockets, UAVs, and experimental aircrafts. The design integrates essential sensors and microcontroller connections to provide reliable flight data acquisition and processing.
Overview
The Flight Computer is powered by an STM32F405RG microcontroller, enabling real-time data acquisition from multiple environmental and motion sensors. It also supports wireless data transmission using the NRF24L01+PA radio module, and precise location tracking through the NEO-M9N GPS receiver. This project is currently at the prototype stage, aimed at validating the PCB layout, hardware interfacing, and initial sensor readings.
Major Components
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| STM32F405RG | High-performance ARM Cortex-M4 Microcontroller |
| LM20BIM7 | Precision Temperature Sensor |
| Si7020-A20 | Humidity Sensor with I²C Interface |
| MPU6050 | 6-axis IMU (Accelerometer + Gyroscope) |
| NEO-M9N | High-Precision GPS Module |
| NRF24L01+PA | Long-Range Wireless Radio Module |
Features
- High-Speed Processing: 168 MHz ARM Cortex-M4 with hardware floating-point unit (FPU).
- Environmental Monitoring: Temperature and humidity sensing for atmospheric studies.
- Precise Navigation: Real-time position and velocity data from GPS.
- Wireless Telemetry: Long-range data transmission using NRF24L01-PA module.
- Motion Tracking: 3-axis acceleration and 3-axis rotational velocity sensing.
- Noise Filtering and Protection: Power-line ferrite beads, fuses, and transient protection.
- Modular Design: Easy to add additional sensors or modules if needed.
- Lightweight and Compact: Optimized for minimal payload impact in flight applications.
System Architecture
The Flight Computer follows a layered and modular system design, ensuring clear data flow and easy expandability. The architecture can be understood in three main layers:
Sensor Layer
This layer is responsible for collecting environmental and motion data in real-time.
-
Temperature Sensor (LM20BIM7): Measures ambient temperature and sends analog data to the STM32's ADC.
-
Humidity Sensor (Si7020-A20): Captures precise humidity levels via the I2C interface.
-
IMU (MPU6050): Provides 6-axis motion data (acceleration and gyroscope) over I2C communication.
Processing Layer
The STM32F405RG acts as the central controller, performing the following:
- Reads sensor inputs (ADC, I2C, UART).
- Filters and processes sensor data.
- Combines multiple sensor readings for better situational awareness (sensor fusion).
- Prepares formatted data packets for transmission.
Communication Layer
Handles external data transmission and navigation data retrieval.
-
GPS Module (NEO-M9N): Interfaces over UART to provide real-time positioning information.
-
Wireless Radio (NRF24L01-PA): Uses SPI communication to send collected flight data wirelessly to a ground receiver or base station.
Repository Structure
| Folder/File | Description |
|---|---|
| assets | Datasheet of Components |
| hardware_design/ | Files related to PCB Design |
| img/ | PCB Image |
| README.md | Project documentation |
Applications
- High-Altitude Balloons
- Model Rocket Avionics
- Experimental UAV Flight Computers
- Remote Atmospheric Data Collection
Future Enhancements
- Integration of SD card storage for redundant flight logging
- Addition of LoRaWAN communication for ultra-long range telemetry
- Redundant GPS modules for enhanced navigation reliability
- Automatic recovery and emergency shutdown systems
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License.
Contact
Feel free to reach out for collaborations or just a friendly hello!
Parts
76| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 100nF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10, C11, C13, C14 |
| 5 | 10uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C1, C12, C26, C36, C37 |
| 4 | 0.1uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C15, C28, C29, C38 |
| 4 | 12pF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C30, C31, C32, C33 |
| 4 | MountingHole_Pad | MountingHole:MountingHole_4.3mm_M4_Pad_Via | H1, H2, H3, H4 |
| 3 | 10 | Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005Metric | R10, R11, R12 |
| 3 | 10nF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C23, C24, C34 |
| 2 | 100 @ 100 MHz | Inductor_SMD:L_0805_2012Metric | FB1, FB2 |
| 2 | 10k | Resistor_SMD:R_0603_1608Metric | R13, R14 |
| 2 | 10k | Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005Metric | R7, R8 |
| 2 | 22pf | Capacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608Metric | C17, C18 |
| 2 | Crystal_GND24_Small | Crystal:Crystal_SMD_3225-4Pin_3.2x2.5mm | Y1, Y2 |
| 1 | 10nf | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C25 |
| 1 | 10uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0805_2012Metric | C2 |
| 1 | 1M | Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005Metric | R2 |
| 1 | 1k | Resistor_SMD:R_0603_1608Metric | R9 |
| 1 | 1p5 | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C19 |
| 1 | 1pF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C20 |
| 1 | 1uF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C35 |
| 1 | 2.2nF | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C27 |
| 1 | 220 | Resistor_SMD:R_0402_1005Metric | R6 |
| 1 | 22k | Resistor_SMD:R_0603_1608Metric | R1 |
| 1 | 27nH | Inductor_SMD:L_0402_1005Metric | L4 |
| 1 | 2n2 | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C21 |
| 1 | 2n7 | Inductor_SMD:L_0402_1005Metric | L3 |
| 1 | 33n | Capacitor_SMD:C_0603_1608Metric | C16 |
| 1 | 3n9 | Inductor_SMD:L_0402_1005Metric | L1 |
| 1 | 4p7 | Capacitor_SMD:C_0402_1005Metric | C22 |
| 1 | 500mA | Fuse:Fuse_1206_3216Metric | F1 |
| 1 | 8n2 | Inductor_SMD:L_0402_1005Metric | L2 |
| 1 | AMS1117-3.3 | Package_TO_SOT_SMD:SOT-223-3_TabPin2 | U4 |
| 1 | ARM 10 pin SWD | Connector_PinHeader_1.27mm:PinHeader_2x05_P1.27mm_Vertical | J1 |
| 1 | BC107 | Package_TO_SOT_THT:TO-18-3 | Q1 |
| 1 | Battery_Cell | Battery:BatteryHolder_Keystone_3034_1x20mm | BT1 |
| 1 | Conn_01x04 | Connector_PinHeader_1.27mm:PinHeader_1x04_P1.27mm_Horizontal | J4 |
| 1 | Connection is there or not | LED_SMD:LED_0603_1608Metric | D2 |
| 1 | D_Schottky | Diode_SMD:D_SOD-123 | D1 |
| 1 | LM20BIM7 | Package_TO_SOT_SMD:SOT-353_SC-70-5 | U6 |
| 1 | MPU-6050 | Sensor_Motion:InvenSense_QFN-24_4x4mm_P0.5mm | U2 |
| 1 | NEO-M9N | RF_GPS:ublox_NEO | U1 |
| 1 | NRF24L01 | Package_DFN_QFN:QFN-20-1EP_4x4mm_P0.5mm_EP2.5x2.5mm | U3 |
| 1 | STM32F405RGTx | Package_QFP:LQFP-64_10x10mm_P0.5mm | U5 |
| 1 | Si7020-A20 | Package_DFN_QFN:DFN-6-1EP_3x3mm_P1mm_EP1.5x2.4mm | U7 |
| 1 | led | LED_SMD:LED_0603_1608Metric | D3 |
Questions
How big is the Flight Computer PCB?
It measures 50 × 50 mm and has 6 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Flight Computer use?
76 parts, built around the NEO-M9N-00B, NRF24L01, LM20BIM7 and SI7020-A20-GM. 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 Computer KiCad files?
From the jainamnahar14surat/Flight-Computer repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is hardware_design/Flight_Computer.kicad_pcb and its schematic hardware_design/Flight_Computer.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Flight Computer design in my own project?
Its repository publishes it under the MIT licence: you may reuse it on that licence's terms (keep the author's notice, and for a copyleft licence share your changes alike).
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