JATAYU Controller

J-Deck

An ESP32-C3 wireless controller for JATAYU and any Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ESP-NOW project.
Compact in your hands. Fast on the link. Built to control.

Built for JATAYU. Ready for anything.

J-Deck is a purpose-built handheld wireless controller. Its primary role is to talk directly to the JATAYU Flight Controller, reading pilot inputs from twin analog joysticks and tactile controls before sending compact control data over ESP-NOW.

But it is not limited to flight. With its ESP32-C3 radio and programmable firmware, J-Deck can be adapted as a controller for robots, RC vehicles, smart-home projects, camera rigs, simulators, or any device that communicates through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), or ESP-NOW.

No router is required for ESP-NOW. For other projects, choose the wireless mode and control protocol that best fits the device you are building.

This repository contains the KiCad hardware design for the controller. Firmware, final protocol definitions, pin mappings, and flight-safety behaviour should be kept versioned alongside the matching JATAYU Flight Controller project.

Wireless modes

The controller hardware stays the same; the firmware defines the selected radio mode, packet format, mapping, and receiver behaviour.

The link

[J-Deck] -- ESP-NOW control packets --> [JATAYU Flight Controller]
[J-Deck] <-- optional telemetry ----- [JATAYU Flight Controller]

ESP-NOW is a strong fit for a dedicated RC link because it operates without a conventional Wi-Fi access point and keeps the radio exchange focused on the aircraft. The exact packet format, peer MAC addresses, update rate, channel, checksum, and failsafe timeout are firmware decisions - document them here when the flight stack is locked.

Hardware

Power

The controller is designed around a single-cell 3.7 V LiPo battery. USB-C feeds the onboard charger, while the battery protection circuit guards against over-charge, over-discharge, and over-current conditions. The 3.3 V regulator supplies the ESP32-C3 and controls.

Treat lithium batteries with care: use a protected, suitable 1S cell; inspect wiring and polarity before power-up; and never leave charging unattended.

Repository map

JATAYU-Controller.kicad_pro   KiCad project
JATAYU-Controller.kicad_sch   Schematic
JATAYU-Controller.kicad_pcb   PCB layout
JATAYU-Controller-BOM.csv     Bill of materials
GERBER/                       Manufacturing outputs
3D Files/                     Mechanical / enclosure assets

Getting started

1. Open JATAYU-Controller.kicad_pro in KiCad.
2. Review the schematic, footprints, board rules, and antenna keep-out before ordering.
3. Generate fresh manufacturing files from the validated board revision.
4. Assemble and bring up the power rails first, then program and test the ESP-NOW firmware with the JATAYU Flight Controller.
5. Validate radio range, packet loss, neutral-stick calibration, arming logic, and failsafe behaviour with props removed before any flight test.

Flight safety

This is an experimental flight-control device. A radio link must never be the only safety layer. The aircraft firmware should implement a conservative failsafe when packets stop arriving, reject malformed packets, require deliberate arming, and be tested in a controlled environment. Always follow applicable local regulations.

Image checklist

The three placeholder images above are ready to be replaced with your own project shots:

1. A clean, assembled-controller hero photo.
2. An ESP-NOW architecture, telemetry, or range-test graphic.
3. A KiCad 3D render or close-up PCB photo.

Made for the JATAYU flight platform.