STorM32 Boards

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The technical specifications of various STorM32 boards are presented, as far as they are known. To find suppliers/vendors please go to Where to buy STorM32 boards. For a detailed description of the various connectors on the (original) boards see Pins and Connectors.

"Original" STorM32 Boards

At present, board versions v1.3, v3.3 and v4.1 are in use and supported (v0.17/v1.0, v1.1, v1.2 and v2.4 boards are deprecated).

  • The characteristic of the v1.3 board is a linear voltage regulator and on-board TC4452 motor drivers.
  • The v3.3 board is specifically designed for NT and especially T-STorM32, and is available in different form factors. It is distinguished by a low-noise 5 V switching voltage regulator and a 2nd UART2 port, but it has no motor drivers on board.
  • The v4.1 board combines, so to say, the v1.3 and v3.3 boards; it is designed for NT and T-STorM32 but also provides DRV8839 motor drivers on board.

STorM32-BGC v4.1


STorM32 board v4.1, for NT and T-STorM32, with on-board motor drivers and USB-C connector.
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: DRV8839
  • voltage regulator: 5 V, 2 A (??) switching regulator
  • on-board IMU ICM42688P/ICM42688V, connected to SPI
  • 2x NT port and 1x NT-X port
  • UART2 port
  • on-board USB-TTL adapter CP2102, permits flashing per USB
  • USB-C connector
  • Futaba S-Bus, CRSF, Spektrum satellite
  • up to four PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick port for two axes
  • 2 auxiliary ports, BUT port
  • supply voltage: 6 - 12 V or 2 - 3S (with motor drivers enabled)
    Comment: The motor drivers are enabled by closing the JP1 solder bridge. When the solder bridge is open, the board can be used with voltages up to 20 V or 4S (??).
  • motor current: 1.0 A (??)
  • board dimensions: 40 mm x 28 mm, 35 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm

Comment: This board is design of KrattWorks, [1].

STorM32-BGC v3.3m, v3.3i


STorM32 board v3.3 specifically designed for NT and T-STorM32
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: none
  • voltage regulator: 5 V, 0.6 A low-noise switching regulator
  • on-board IMU MPU9250 (v3.3m) or ICM42605/ICM42688P/ICM42688V (v3.3i), connected to SPI
  • 2x NT port and 1x NT-X port
  • UART2/ESP port
  • CAN bus port (obsolete as not supported anymore)
  • on-board USB-TTL adapter CP2102, permits flashing per USB
  • Futaba S-Bus, CRSF, Spektrum satellite
  • up to four PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick port for two axes
  • 2 auxiliary ports, BUT port
  • supply voltage: 6 - 27 V or 2 - 6S
  • motor current: depends on used NT motor modules
  • board dimensions: 40 mm x 25 mm, 35 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm

Comment: The v3.3m version has a MPU9250 on-board IMU and the v3.3i version has a ICM42605/ICM42688P/ICM42688V on-board IMU.

Comment: This board has no motor drivers; NT motor modules are thus mandatorily required.

Micro STorM32-BGC v3.3i


Micro STorM32 board v3.3i
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: none
  • voltage regulator: none
  • on-board IMU ICM42605/ICM42688P/ICM42688V, connected to SPI
  • 1x NT port and 1x NT-X port
  • UART2/ESP port
  • Futaba S-Bus, CRSF, Spektrum satellite
  • up to four PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick port for two axes
  • 2 auxiliary ports, BUT port
  • supply voltage: 5 V
  • motor current: depends on used NT motor modules
  • board dimensions: 26 mm x 26 mm, 20 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø2 mm

Comment: This board has no motor drivers; NT motor modules are thus mandatorily required.

Comment: Also the STorM32 Raspberry Pi Hat v3.3i exists, which is essentially the Micro board in different form factor with some additional peripherals useful for Raspberry Pi applications.

STorM32-BGC v1.3


STorM32-BGC board v1.3 with motor drivers in SOIC package
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: TC4452
  • voltage regulator: linear resistive
  • on-board Bluetooth (optional)
  • on-board IMU (MPU6050)
  • IR led
  • Futaba S-Bus, CRSF, Spektrum satellite
  • up to seven PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick ports for three axes
  • additional I2C port (I2C#2)
  • 3 auxiliary ports
  • BUT port
  • supply voltage: 6 - 18 V or 2 - 4S
  • motor current: max. 1.5 A per motor
    Comment: This is not yet fully exploited and also depends on the package, with DFN packages motors with resistances of 12 Ohm or larger have been tested to be well handled at 4S, motors with 10 Ohm may be handled with care; for the latest summary see here (for details see also here, here), here and here).
  • board dimensions: 50 mm x 50 mm, 45 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm

Comment: This board was designed in cooperation with Martinez.



Descendants

The STorM32 boards listed here are designs of third parties, which are based on or derived from the "original" board designs, but modified in some ways.

Ensys STorM32 v3.3


Ensys STorM32 v3.3
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: none
  • voltage regulator: 5.5 V, 1 A switching regulator
  • on-board MPU9250, connected to SPI
  • 2x NT ports and 1x NT-X port
  • UART2/ESP port
  • CAN bus port (obsolete as not supported anymore)
  • on-board CH340, enables flashing per USB
  • Futaba S-Bus, CRSF, Spektrum satellite
  • up to four PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick port for two axes
  • 2 auxiliary ports, one BUT port
  • supply voltage: 6 - 17 V or 2 - 4S
  • motor current: depends on used NT motor modules
  • board dimensions: 40 mm x 25 mm, 35 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm

Comment: This board has no motor drivers; NT motor modules are thus mandatorily required.

GLB STorM32 v1.31


STorM32-BGC board v1.31 with DRV8313 motor drivers
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: DRV8313
  • voltage regulator: switched step-down
  • on-board Bluetooth (optional)
  • on-board 6DOF IMU (MPU6050)
  • IR led
  • Futaba S-Bus
  • Spektrum satellite
  • up to seven PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick ports for all three axes
  • additional I2C port (I2C#2)
  • 3 auxiliary ports
  • BUT port
  • supply voltage: 9 - 25 V or 3 - 6S (according to the specs given by GLB, not yet confirmed in practice)
  • motor current: 1.5 A
    Comment: The board uses the same motor drivers as the BaseCam SimpleBGC 32-bit board, and the same spec can hence be expected, but the real capability has not yet been tested in practice.
  • board dimensions: 50 mm x 50 mm, 45 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm

Comment: The 3.3V power on this board seems to be quite weak, and has caused repeatedly issues with powering NT modules. One single NT IMU seems to be ok, but not more. See also [[2]].

Comment: There had been cases with a problem with EMI noise on the 433/915 MHz band from this board, see [[3]]. For solutions see [[4]]. EMI noise seems not to be a problem in general, however, see [[5]].

STorM32 v1.32


STorM32-BGC board v1.32 with DRV8313 motor drivers
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: DRV8313
  • voltage regulator: linear
  • on-board Bluetooth (optional)
  • on-board 6DOF IMU (MPU6050)
  • IR led
  • Futaba S-Bus
  • Spektrum satellite
  • up to seven PWM/Sum-PPM inputs/outputs
  • joystick ports for all three axes
  • additional I2C port (I2C#2)
  • 3 auxiliary ports
  • BUT port
  • supply voltage: 9 - 18 V or 3 - 4S
  • motor current: 1.5 A
    Comment: The board uses the same motor drivers as the BaseCam SimpleBGC 32-bit board, and the same spec can hence be expected, but the real capability has not yet been tested in practice.
  • board dimensions: 50 mm x 50 mm, 45 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm

Comment: For NT setups this board might be preferred over the v1.31 board, since it uses the same linear regulator as the v1.3 and not the weak switching regulator of the v1.31. For older I2C-based setups it's probably better to get a v1.31, which tends to be cheaper and especially offers a switching voltage regulator.

Witespy STorM32-BGC v1.1 Mosfet Version


Witespy STorM32-BGC v1.1 board with mosfet motor drivers
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: mosfet
  • voltage regulator: linear
  • supply voltage: ? (no specs given by witespy)
  • motor current: ? (no specs given by wiitespy)
  • board dimensions: 50 mm x 50 mm, 45 mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø3 mm


Third-Party Boards

The terms of usage of the STorM32 project allows, and in fact encourages, making own hardware, for both DIY and commercial purposes, without restrictions. The STorM32 boards listed here are independent designs by third-parties.

Micro STorM32 BGC


Micro STorM32-BGC board
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: TC4452
  • voltage regulator: linear (LG33)
  • supply voltage: 7.4 - 16.8 V or 2 - 4S
  • motor current: 1.5 A (according to the given specs, whatever this means)
  • board dimensions: 40 mm x 22 mm, no mounting holes
  • no BOOT0 and RESET buttons

Comment: This board is suitable only for 2S (see [[6]]), with higher voltages it gets quite hot and may malfunction. Read also this: [[7]]. The board can only be flashed with a ST-Link adapter via SWD, it cannot be flashed via the "usual" procedure. Many pins/ports are not available. Overall, this board cannot be recommended, except for special applications.

GLB Mini STorM32 BGC


GLB Mini STorM32-BGC board with L6230 motor drivers
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: L6230
  • voltage regulator: switched step-down
  • supply voltage: 7 - 25 V or 3 - 6S (according to the specs given by GLB, whatever this means)
  • motor current: 1.5 A (according to the specs given by GLB, whatever this means)
  • board dimensions: 42 mm x 30 mm, ? mm bolt to bolt, holes Ø? mm


AliExpress Mini STorM32 BGC


AliExpress Mini STorM32-BGC board
  • MCU: STM32F103RC at 72 MHz
  • motor drivers: DRV8313
  • voltage regulator: linear
  • supply voltage: 7.4 - 16.8 V or 2 - 4S (according to the specs given by AE, whatever this means)
  • motor current: 1.5 A
  • board dimensions: 40 mm x 30 mm, 43 mm pitch ??, holes Ø2 mm

Comment: The info given on some pages is definitely wrong in some aspects. What we know so far (see also here and followup posts):

  • DRV8313 motor drivers do not allow 2S operation
  • only the RC port is available
  • SBus is not supported
  • BT module cannot be installed on-board