Custom FPV Flight Controller (STM32H7) + 4‑in‑1 ESC (6S/60A) — Betaflight Ready, Analog VTX — Stacked Boards
Budget: $3,000 – $5,000 CAD
I’m hiring an experienced hardware designer (or team) to design a matched, stackable Flight Controller (FC) and 4‑in‑1 ESC for an FPV drone. The system must be Betaflight‑ready, optimized for analog video, and built around an STM32H7 MCU.
Mechanical/Stacking Requirements
Preferred mounting pattern: 30.5 × 30.5 mm (M3), but I’m open to alternatives if you justify them.
FC and ESC must be designed to stack cleanly (standard FPV “stack”).
Aligned mounting holes and connector orientations for tidy wiring.
Board‑to‑board clearance suitable for components and JST‑GH harness.
Keepouts around standoffs; propose target stack height and standoff length.
Clearly marked top/bottom, motor order, and signal/power polarity.
Interconnect: JST‑GH cable between FC and ESC with a standard, documented pinout.
Electrical/Functional Requirements
Flight Controller (FC)
MCU: STM32H7 family.
Sensors: BMI270 IMU; barometer only.
Blackbox: 32 MB external SPI/QSPI NOR.
OSD: AT7456E (analog).
VTX control: SmartAudio and Tramp.
Receiver: CRSF/ELRS assumed; specify SBUS inversion solution if offered.
USB‑C with ESD protection.
I/O:
4 motor outputs, DShot300 with bidirectional RPM telemetry.
2 servo outputs at 5 V.
2 channels for simple on/off LED strips.
Status LEDs; no buzzer.
Power:
5 V rail: 3 A total (servos + LEDs).
9 V rail: 3 A dedicated for VTX, LC‑filtered.
3.3 V logic/sensors.
Voltage/current: Prefer ESC telemetry via DShot; fallback to FC ADC acceptable.
4‑in‑1 ESC
Up to 6S LiPo.
60 A continuous per channel, 70 A burst.
BLHeli_32 with bidirectional DShot (RPM telemetry).
DShot300; ESC telemetry wire to FC.
Same mounting pattern and stack alignment as FC.
Compliance & Firmware
Betaflight‑ready target (target files/config, resource mapping, default CLI).
BLHeli_32 baseline configuration for DShot300 + RPM telemetry.
Document UART mapping, SmartAudio/Tramp wiring, LED and servo pinouts.
Deliverables
Design: Schematics, PCB layout, Gerbers/NC drill, stackup and impedance notes.
Assembly: BOM with alternates, centroid, assembly drawings, test‑pads map.
3D: STEP models for both boards, including hole patterns and keepouts.
Firmware/Config: Betaflight target, CLI dump, BLHeli_32 baseline, pin/resource map.
Manufacturing: DFM/DFA guidance, stencil and panelization recommendations.
Test Plan: Power‑up/USB/DFU, sensor bring‑up, OSD video check, DShot300 + RPM telemetry, servo and LED switching, VTX 9 V/3 A load, ESC telemetry, basic EMI/noise checks.
Mechanical/Stacking Requirements
Preferred mounting pattern: 30.5 × 30.5 mm (M3), but I’m open to alternatives if you justify them.
FC and ESC must be designed to stack cleanly (standard FPV “stack”).
Aligned mounting holes and connector orientations for tidy wiring.
Board‑to‑board clearance suitable for components and JST‑GH harness.
Keepouts around standoffs; propose target stack height and standoff length.
Clearly marked top/bottom, motor order, and signal/power polarity.
Interconnect: JST‑GH cable between FC and ESC with a standard, documented pinout.
Electrical/Functional Requirements
Flight Controller (FC)
MCU: STM32H7 family.
Sensors: BMI270 IMU; barometer only.
Blackbox: 32 MB external SPI/QSPI NOR.
OSD: AT7456E (analog).
VTX control: SmartAudio and Tramp.
Receiver: CRSF/ELRS assumed; specify SBUS inversion solution if offered.
USB‑C with ESD protection.
I/O:
4 motor outputs, DShot300 with bidirectional RPM telemetry.
2 servo outputs at 5 V.
2 channels for simple on/off LED strips.
Status LEDs; no buzzer.
Power:
5 V rail: 3 A total (servos + LEDs).
9 V rail: 3 A dedicated for VTX, LC‑filtered.
3.3 V logic/sensors.
Voltage/current: Prefer ESC telemetry via DShot; fallback to FC ADC acceptable.
4‑in‑1 ESC
Up to 6S LiPo.
60 A continuous per channel, 70 A burst.
BLHeli_32 with bidirectional DShot (RPM telemetry).
DShot300; ESC telemetry wire to FC.
Same mounting pattern and stack alignment as FC.
Compliance & Firmware
Betaflight‑ready target (target files/config, resource mapping, default CLI).
BLHeli_32 baseline configuration for DShot300 + RPM telemetry.
Document UART mapping, SmartAudio/Tramp wiring, LED and servo pinouts.
Deliverables
Design: Schematics, PCB layout, Gerbers/NC drill, stackup and impedance notes.
Assembly: BOM with alternates, centroid, assembly drawings, test‑pads map.
3D: STEP models for both boards, including hole patterns and keepouts.
Firmware/Config: Betaflight target, CLI dump, BLHeli_32 baseline, pin/resource map.
Manufacturing: DFM/DFA guidance, stencil and panelization recommendations.
Test Plan: Power‑up/USB/DFU, sensor bring‑up, OSD video check, DShot300 + RPM telemetry, servo and LED switching, VTX 9 V/3 A load, ESC telemetry, basic EMI/noise checks.