ESC.VTOR

Details

Current aim is to make:

- Something with familiar, yet homebrew design (it's mostly about the case).

- A go-anywhere, do-anything SBC based system with Linux.

- Integrated solution for UAV control of different kinds (analog sticks, extra monitor, transmitter, receiver etc.)

- Not something entirely modular (it's hard) but would be nice to be able to swap parts for different tasks.

- Something autonomous.

- A proper excuse to dive deep into device design.

And it happens to take form a raspberry pi cyberdeck with analog sticks and dual monitor setup.

Tune in!

Components

2 × 0.96" I2C White OLED display ORIGINAL BIGGER SIZE VERSION For input processor and radio controller

1 × WeAct STM32H562RGT6 minimal system board For radio controller

1 × 1206 1A PolySwitch Self-recoverable fuse for radio controller's power

1 × Low ESR 25V 4.7uF 25TQC4R7T 3528 Type B SMD Polymer Tantalum Capacitor Radio controller's power

1 × RP2040 Pico Zero No headers, with USB type-c soldered on - for input processor

Project Logs

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Sway
mkdxdx • 10/12/2025 at 19:35 • 0 comments

It's not an FPV themed deck without something FPV proper, right?

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Surge
mkdxdx • 10/01/2025 at 13:11 • 0 comments

A lot happened!

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Spin
mkdxdx • 07/08/2025 at 22:05 • 0 comments

EdgeTX port is mostly done.

It has everything I need to more or less evaluate how well the project fares in RC department.

Still some features are missing like voice or working trainer port, but I can control a drone with what's available.

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Source
mkdxdx • 05/19/2025 at 22:31 • 0 comments

A bit of an update to keep the log alive, because next ping won't come soon.

With input processor done, project now moves to it's right side - the TX part.

And there are at least two ways to go about it.
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Strafe
mkdxdx • 04/27/2025 at 00:52 • 0 comments

It's been a while.
The input processor firmware has been more or less shaped up, some things still need work, but at least I do not have to keep this board on my table for now.
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Stitch
mkdxdx • 02/22/2025 at 00:14 • 0 comments

It's a bit disappointing when it took a lot of time to do things but these things sort of can't be shown clearly because they are not visually significant and quite messy.

More after the break.
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Sophisticate
mkdxdx • 12/24/2024 at 02:34 • 0 comments

Some eRr Gee Bee action to make things fresh. Everything else below the break.
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Sketch
mkdxdx • 11/29/2024 at 19:59 • 0 comments

After couple of days in EasyEDA, I've got this which is now in production.

Parts are hopefully to arrive roughly when boards do and so assembly waits for a later day, probably next year because non-building stuff does get in the way and I'm not even sure what the blackout situation will look like in a week - lights are already off twice or thrice during the day for several hours after missile attacks on our energy infrastructure.

Schematic mostly repeats part of Radiomaster TX16 reverse effort, check them out, plenty of info, and now after boards are on the way I kind of think I'm sleepwalking into a disaster - there is a high chance that tristate switches are not actual two switches but rather a voltage divider sampled by ADC, whereas my implementation uses a ton of switches hooked up to IO expander in a matrix fashion.

We'll see I guess.
Strain
mkdxdx • 11/18/2024 at 23:10 • 0 comments

Some changes are cosmetic, but down under most of them - a couple of sleepless days plus some refactoring.

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Sever
mkdxdx • 10/30/2024 at 00:01 • 0 comments

If that looks like a mess - that's because it is and it's that way because it's in the middle of a panel/frame swap (and new panel is right in the center of the frame).

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