Features

•

Complete reference design for electronic speed controller implementing a

sensorless FOC algorithm

•

Designed for drones with 6S pack of LiPo batteries or systems with an

equivalent suitable DC supply

•

ESC ready for communication with any standard flight control unit (FCU): PWM

or CAN

•

Temperature overheating protection

•

Nominal operating voltage range: 3S-6S Li-Po battery DC voltage level (11.1 to

22.2 V)

•

Maximum RMS output current: 20 Arms

•

Output peak current: 30 A

•

Battery eliminator circuit (BEC): 5 V/0.5 A for external receiver or FCU

•

Complete pre-configured firmware package available (STSW-ESC001V1)

•

Supported by ST motor control software SDK and ST motor profiler

•

Compact PCB design: 29.1 x 58 mm

•

Further target applications:

–

motor driving for RC vehicles: electric cars, helicopter, trucks, etc.

–

any three-phase BLDC or PMSM motor application

•

RoHS and WEEE compliant

Description

The STEVAL-ESC001V1 reference design for electronic speed controllers (ESC) for

drones fits entry-level commercial drone designs and drives any three-phase

brushless (or PMSM) motor running off 6S LiPo battery packs, or any equivalent DC

supply, up to 30 A peak current.

The STEVAL-ESC001V1 lets you spin a motor and its propeller in minutes thanks to

a complete pre-configured firmware package (STSW-ESC001V1), implementing a

sensorless Field Oriented Controlled algorithm with 3-shunt current reading, speed

control and full active braking.

The reference design board can accept commands from a flight control unit through

PWM signals; other communication bus interfaces like UART, CAN, and I²C are also

available. The reference embeds a battery eliminator circuit working at 5 V, an NTC

sensor for temperature measurement and circuitry for overcurrent / overvoltage

protection (OCP/OVP). The compact form factor and current capability render this

reference design suitable for electronic speed controllers on small and light

unmanned aerial vehicles like professional drones.

The STSW-ESC001V1 firmware/software package plus STM32 PMSM FOC software

development kit - MC library let you refine your electronic speed controller design by

acting on the field oriented control parameters embedded in the STM32 and

experiment with the ST motor profiler to rapidly retrieve the motor parameters. The

ST sensorless FOC algorithm ensures longer flight times and optimal dynamic

performance.

STripFET F7 power MOSFETs, the high-performance STM32F303CBT7

Product summary

Electronic speed

controller reference

design for drones

STEVAL-

ESC001V1

Sensorless FOC

reference design

firmware for

STEVAL-ESC001V1

STSW-ESC001V1

ARM Cortex-M4

core mainstream

mixed signals MCUs

with DSP and FPU

STM32F303CBT7

N-channel 40 V, 2.1

mOhm typ., 120 A

STripFET F7 Power

MOSFET

STL160N4F7

Electronic speed controller reference design for drones

STEVAL-ESC001V1

Data brief

DB3230 - Rev 3 - November 2018

For further information contact your local STMicroelectronics sales office.

www.st.com