Smart Hawk PCB

flux

The conceptual schematic is complete: 83 editable components, 100 named nets, seven functional groups, eight ESC power/signal/telemetry channels, payload interfaces, monitoring, debug, indicators, and test points. Independent verification found zero open ERC, passive, connectivity, or schematic-legibility errors.
Open items before PCB layout
  • Battery voltage and maximum current
  • ESC continuous/peak current and connectors
  • Actual flight controller and companion computer
  • Camera, LiDAR, GPS, and telemetry module interfaces
  • Board dimensions, mounting points, copper weight, and thermal limits
Suggested next steps
  1. Review the Project Specification.
  2. Review the Board Bring-Up Plan.
  3. Supply the missing power and mechanical specifications.
  4. Then proceed with footprint selection, four-layer board setup, and component placement.
B

bilalgg

how to run and show

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What would you like to run or display?
  1. View the schematic and follow each functional block
  2. Run ERC to check electrical connections
  3. Simulate a circuit such as the power section
  4. Create and show the PCB layout/3D view
  5. Export a schematic PDF or BOM
Reply with the number.
B

bilalgg

flux

The Smart Hawk project currently contains a verified conceptual schematic with 83 components, 100 nets, and eight ESC channels, but no completed PCB placement or routing. Auto-layout therefore requires both component placement and trace routing.
I could not execute those PCB operations because your ACUs ran out. Before routing, the design also still needs production footprints and the missing battery current, ESC current, connector, board-outline, copper-weight, and thermal specifications; routing the high-current propulsion network without them would be unsafe.
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Schematic

Layout

3D View

Project Specification
Project Overview
  • Name: SMART HAWK – Crescent Integrated Propulsion Industrial Inspection Drone
  • Status: Draft / conceptual architecture
  • Horizontal crescent/C-shaped UAV with eight recessed propulsion units and a central inspection payload/electronics bay.
  • This revision is an editable interface and architecture design, not a production-approved high-current propulsion controller.
Intended Use
Industrial visual, thermal, and ranging inspection using an eight-motor UAV. Prototype/architecture-validation use only until power, propulsion, mechanical, thermal, and environmental requirements are verified.
What the Device Should Do
  • Accept a main flight battery through protected, monitored power entry.
  • Distribute battery power to eight external ESC/motor channels.
  • Provide eight referenced ESC control signals and optional telemetry returns.
  • Host or connect a flight controller, GPS, LiDAR, telemetry/wireless module, RGB camera, thermal camera, and companion computer.
  • Generate monitored 5V logic and 3.3V logic rails.
  • Provide debug/programming access, indicators, auxiliary interfaces, and test points.
Main Features
  • Eight-channel propulsion power and signal interface
  • Battery protection, current measurement, and voltage measurement
  • 5V_LOGIC and 3V3_LOGIC power domains
  • Flight-controller placeholder/module interface
  • Companion-computer placeholder supporting Raspberry Pi or NVIDIA Jetson class hardware
  • GPS, LiDAR, RGB, thermal, telemetry, CAN, UART, I2C, SPI, USB, Ethernet/GPIO placeholders as applicable
  • Status LEDs and labeled test points
System Architecture
Diagram



  
    
  
  
    
  






























Main Battery
Protection / Switching / Monitoring
VBAT Distribution
8 ESC Power Channels
5V Logic Regulator Placeholder
3V3 Logic Regulator Placeholder
Flight Controller Interface
Companion Computer Interface
Sensor / Communications Logic
GPS
LiDAR
Telemetry / CAN
RGB Camera
Thermal Camera
Hardware Subsystems
  1. Main battery input and protection
  2. Eight-channel propulsion power distribution
  3. Battery voltage/current monitoring
  4. Placeholder 5V and 3.3V regulation
  5. Flight-controller module/header
  6. Eight ESC power, control, ground, and optional telemetry interfaces
  7. GPS and LiDAR interfaces
  8. Wireless/telemetry and optional CAN transceiver interface
  9. RGB and thermal camera interfaces
  10. Raspberry Pi/Jetson-class companion-computer interface
  11. Status LEDs, debug/programming connectors, and test points
Interfaces and Connections
  • Battery: BAT+, BAT-, VBAT, GND
  • ESC channels: ESCn_POWER, GND, ESCn_SIGNAL, ESCn_TELEM
  • Flight controller: MOTOR_OUT_1…8, GPS UART/PPS, LiDAR UART/I2C, telemetry UART, CAN, companion UART/USB/CAN, I2C, SPI, debug
  • Payload: CAMERA_POWER/GND/DATA and THERMAL_POWER/GND/DATA placeholders
  • Debug: UART_DEBUG, SWD/JTAG placeholder, USB_DEBUG
  • Test points: VBAT, GND, 5V_LOGIC, 3V3_LOGIC, BAT_V_SENSE, BAT_I_SENSE, UART_TX, UART_RX
Power and Runtime Expectations
  • Battery chemistry, series cell count, nominal/minimum/maximum voltage, capacity, C rating, and runtime target are TBD.
  • Per-ESC continuous current, peak current, transient duration, regenerative behavior, and connector requirements are TBD.
  • Companion computer, cameras, sensors, and telemetry module power requirements are TBD.
Power Tree and Power Budget
No current-rated component may be selected from assumptions alone.

Table

Rail / PathLoadsTypical CurrentPeak CurrentStatus
VBAT propulsionESC1–ESC8TBDTBDRequired before fuse, connector, copper, shunt, switch, and TVS sizing
5V_LOGICFlight controller, companion computer, payloads, auxiliariesTBDTBDRegulator remains placeholder
3V3_LOGICSensors, communications, logicTBDTBDRegulator remains placeholder
Sizing must include worst-case battery voltage, regulator efficiency, thermal limits, voltage drop, MLCC derating, and transient margin.
Manufacturing and Assembly Expectations
  • Default concept: professional compact SMD design, four PCB layers.
  • Layer intent: L1 components/critical signals; L2 continuous GND; L3 power/secondary signals; L4 signals/components as required.
  • Preliminary BOM must mark every unresolved module, connector, regulator, protection device, and rating as PLACEHOLDER / NOT PRODUCTION VERIFIED.
  • No fabrication release until safety-critical TBDs are resolved and ERC/DRC/power-integrity review are complete.
Firmware-Relevant Hardware Requirements
  • Eight motor-control outputs
  • ADC/interface inputs for battery voltage and current
  • GPS and LiDAR serial interfaces
  • Telemetry and companion-computer communications
  • I2C, SPI, CAN, UART, USB, GPIO availability
  • Flight-controller debug/programming header and status/error outputs
Physical Design Expectations
  • Compact, modular, serviceable board for the central electronics housing.
  • Zones: high-current input/distribution; regulation; flight controller; sensors; communications; companion computer; cameras/payload.
  • Continuous ground reference where practical; keep sensitive signals away from high-current/switching paths.
  • Exact board outline, crescent integration constraints, mounting holes, connector edge locations, height limits, enclosure clearances, cooling, and mass target are TBD.
Important Design Decisions
  • Use editable generic module/header representations where exact hardware is not finalized.
  • Keep a common GND architecture; manage high-current return geometry physically rather than inventing isolated grounds.
  • Do not route or rate propulsion copper until the total and per-channel current budget, copper weight, temperature rise, and connector ratings are known.
  • Pause at the schematic-to-layout checkpoint for approval and missing physical/electrical inputs.
Assumptions
  • External ESCs perform motor commutation; this PCB provides battery distribution and control/telemetry interfaces.
  • All undefined data interfaces remain connector placeholders; incompatible alternatives such as CSI, USB, Ethernet, UART, or SPI will not be shorted together.
  • Placeholder regulator blocks expose input, output, enable/ground, and support-component positions without claiming a verified IC implementation.
Safety-Critical Open Requirements
  1. Battery chemistry and series cell count; nominal/min/max voltage
  2. Battery capacity, C rating, connector, and maximum fault current
  3. Each ESC’s continuous/peak current, voltage range, telemetry protocol, and connector
  4. Motor specifications and worst-case propulsion demand
  5. Main switch/contactor architecture and emergency shutdown behavior
  6. Required current-sensor range, bandwidth, isolation, and accuracy
  7. Selected flight controller and I/O voltage levels
  8. Selected companion computer and its 5V current/transient requirements
  9. Exact RGB and thermal camera interfaces and power rails
  10. GPS, LiDAR, telemetry/wireless, and CAN module selections
  11. Board dimensions/outline, mounting pattern, connector positions, and height limits
  12. PCB copper weight, permitted temperature rise, ambient range, airflow/cooling, and fabrication capabilities
Validation Criteria
  • Editable functional-block schematic with all requested interfaces and intentional placeholders clearly marked
  • Eight correctly mapped motor outputs to eight ESC signal interfaces with GND references
  • No unintended short circuits or unnamed critical nets
  • ERC findings fixed or explicitly justified as placeholder-related
  • Layout/routing and production exports withheld until safety-critical requirements are resolved
Change Notes
  • Rev 1.0 draft created from the supplied Smart Hawk architecture brief.
  • Rev 1.1 schematic checkpoint: created 83 editable components in seven functional groups and 100 named nets. Added the complete battery/protection topology, placeholder regulation, eight ESC channels, flight-controller and companion interfaces, sensors/payload/comms, CAN, indicators, debug/auxiliary headers, and test points. ERC and selected schematic-legibility/passive reviews report no open warnings or errors. No PCB layout work was started.

  • Project Overview

  • Intended Use

  • What the Device Should Do

  • Main Features

  • System Architecture

  • Hardware Subsystems

  • Interfaces and Connections

  • Power and Runtime Expectations

  • Power Tree and Power Budget

  • Manufacturing and Assembly Expectations

  • Firmware-Relevant Hardware Requirements

  • Physical Design Expectations

  • Important Design Decisions

  • Assumptions

  • Safety-Critical Open Requirements

  • Validation Criteria

  • Change Notes