VESC Receiver Design

Please send just a top-down 2D file of each side showing the component locations. That should be simpler and faster.
I’d rather get approval on a 2D top-down view of both sides first, and then move to 3D if needed, so we can use time and credits more efficiently.
Agreed — I’ll generate lightweight 2D top-down layout exports first, aiming for top and bottom component-location views before doing any more 3D work.
The 2D SVG export is ready as a ZIP. I’m recording it in the attachment/reference log so this review artifact stays traceable.
Generated the lightweight 2D layout export for component-location review:
I also added it to the Attachment and Reference Log. If this ZIP does not give you clean separate top/bottom views, I’ll generate a simpler side-specific review file next.
Review top-bottom views
Fix export clarity
Check placement constraints
Update review package
Q4
MP2
Q5
MP3
Q3
BT1
Q6
Q2
BT2
Q1
MP1
R118
Resistance
10 kΩ
R49
Resistance
100Ω
R111
Resistance
10kΩ
R123
Resistance
220 ohms
R120
Resistance
4.7 kΩ
R108
Resistance
10kΩ
R51
Resistance
100Ω
R117
Resistance
220 ohms
R116
Resistance
220 ohms
R109
Resistance
10kΩ
R119
Resistance
220 ohms
R106
Resistance
10kΩ
R102
Resistance
100kΩ
R103
Resistance
20kΩ
R48
Resistance
100Ω
R101
Resistance
R114
Resistance
10kΩ
R121
Resistance
1 kΩ
R50
Resistance
100Ω
R28
Resistance
4.7Ω
R43
Resistance
4.7Ω
R46
Resistance
39kΩ
R115
Resistance
10kΩ
R107
Resistance
10kΩ
R122
Resistance
10 kΩ
R36
Resistance
39kΩ
R104
Resistance
10kΩ
R29
Resistance
4.7Ω
R110
Resistance
10kΩ
R105
Resistance
10kΩ
R42
Resistance
4.7Ω
R34
Resistance
4.7Ω
R113
Resistance
10kΩ
R35
Resistance
4.7Ω
R30
Resistance
39kΩ
R112
Resistance
10kΩ
C131
Capacitance
100nF
C115
Capacitance
10µF
C129
Capacitance
220nF
C124
Capacitance
18pF
C123
Capacitance
18pF
C126
Capacitance
2.2µF
C118
Capacitance
100nF
C138
Capacitance
100 nF
C128
Capacitance
220nF
C34
Capacitance
2.2nF
C134
Capacitance
100nF
C108
Capacitance
100nF
C135
Capacitance
100 nF
C136
Capacitance
100 nF
C104
Capacitance
1µF
C105
Capacitance
47µF
C127
Capacitance
220nF
C121
Capacitance
2.2µF
C120
Capacitance
2.2µF
C125
Capacitance
220nF
C117
Capacitance
100nF
C139
Capacitance
100 nF
C106
Capacitance
47µF
C137
Capacitance
100 nF
C122
Capacitance
100nF
C110
Capacitance
10pF
C107
Capacitance
100nF
C111
Capacitance
10pF
C102
Capacitance
10µF
C114
Capacitance
10µF
C119
Capacitance
100nF
C109
Capacitance
100nF
C132
Capacitance
100nF
C133
Capacitance
1µF
C101
Capacitance
10µF
C36
Capacitance
2.2nF
C130
Capacitance
100nF
C116
Capacitance
100nF
C103
Capacitance
100nF
TP3
TP4
Y2
J4
J1
R54
TP5
J5
Y1
U2
J3
J2
R53
TP2
TP1
U5
L2
Inductance
2.2nH
U3
C112
U4
C113
Capacitance
2.2pF
U1
L1
Inductance
2.2uH
D1
U6
D2

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Project Specification — 70A ESC AFHDS Receiver
Critical PCB Mechanical Control Parameters — Binding
These parameters define the PCB used for the initial PCA layout and are hard pass/fail controls. They are sourced from the user-reattached G2 6 Hole drybox PCA Spaceclaim.STEP and the user-provided high-current terminal-post drawing. Do not deviate from them without explicit user approval.
  • Board X dimension: 101.8 mm
  • Board Y dimension: 38.0 mm
  • Finished board thickness: 2.0 mm
  • Corner radii: 6.25 mm on all four corners (top-left, top-right, bottom-right, bottom-left)
  • High-current terminal count: five — battery positive, battery negative, and three motor phases
  • Finished plated through-hole diameter for every high-current terminal: 5.75 mm
  • Overall plated contact-pad diameter on both PCB sides for every high-current terminal: 11.0 mm minimum
  • Resulting radial annular copper width at an 11.0 mm pad diameter: 2.625 mm
  • Mounting holes: exactly two through holes, each 2.8 mm diameter; locations must remain exactly as defined by the user-provided STEP
  • Mounting-hole centers using the STEP lower-left board datum: H1 = (2.636631 mm, 18.888223 mm) and H2 = (99.156631 mm, 17.904272 mm)
  • Equivalent mounting-hole centers using the Flux board-center datum: H1 = (-48.263369 mm, -0.111777 mm) and H2 = (+48.256631 mm, -1.095728 mm)
  • The holes are intentionally slightly offset and are not on a common board centerline. Do not center, symmetrize, mirror, or relocate them.
  • The user-provided PCB STEP remains the source of truth for the exact board shape and mounting-hole geometry.
  • The user-provided terminal-post STEP/drawing remains the source of truth for the five high-current terminal bodies. Generic terminal models are prohibited unless the user explicitly approves a substitution.
Project Overview
Status: Draft
Integrated waterproof RC boat controller combining a 70A brushless ESC for 3S-5S LiPo packs with a Flysky AFHDS 2A-compatible 2.4GHz receiver on one sealed PCB.
Intended Use
  • RC boat propulsion and steering/auxiliary servo control.
  • Powered directly from a 3S-5S LiPo battery.
  • Intended for sealed/waterproof installation with a single-side water-jacket heat sink interface.
What the Device Should Do
  • Drive a 3-phase brushless motor at up to 70A continuous.
  • Receive Flysky AFHDS 2A commands through an A7105 RF transceiver.
  • Decode receiver data on the STM32F405 and use it for motor throttle and servo PWM outputs.
  • Provide SWD debug/programming access.
  • Monitor battery voltage for cell-count detection and low-voltage cutoff.
Main Features
  • STM32F405RGT6 as the single MCU for ESC control and receiver decoding.
  • DRV8302 3-phase gate driver, kept close to the VESC reference design.
  • Dedicated onboard servo buck regulator from the main LiPo, targeting 6V output and 5A peak-capable servo supply.
  • Six 60V+ / 100A+ N-channel MOSFETs.
  • Low-side current shunts.
  • A7105 2.4GHz RF transceiver with 16MHz crystal and antenna interface.
  • Two 3-pin 2.54mm servo headers powered from the dedicated 6V servo buck.
  • Heavy-duty plated-hole/post terminals for both battery input and motor phase outputs for waterproof minimal wiring.
  • Low-profile SWD programming pads only; USB, CAN, and Hall/encoder connectors are intentionally removed for waterproofing.
  • External waterproofable antenna interface using a low-risk U.FL/I-PEX-to-panel antenna path.
System Architecture

Diagram


3S-5S LiPo Battery Input Protection / Bulk Capacitance DRV8302 Gate Driver + Buck 6x N-MOSFET 3-Phase Bridge Brushless Motor Pads DRV8302 Local node_5V Buck Dedicated node_6V / node_5A Peak Servo Buck 3.3V LDO STM32F405RGT6 A7105 RF Transceiver External Antenna via Waterproofable U.FL/Panel Interface Ch1 Steering Servo Ch3 Aux Servo Battery Voltage Divider Low-Side Current Shunts
Hardware Subsystems
Power and ESC Stage
  • Preserve VESC-style STM32F405 + DRV8302 + 6 MOSFET architecture.
  • MOSFETs must be rated at least 60V and >100A continuous.
  • BATT+, GND, and motor phases require high-current copper pours suitable for 70A continuous, with exposed copper/solder-thickening or busbar option.
  • Battery input BATT+ and BATT− shall use the same heavy-duty plated-hole/post concept as the motor phase outputs, using the 300-10021-02 Rev D post drawing unless later superseded by the user.
  • Each motor phase output shall be a heavy-duty plated through-hole sized for mounting a 5mm gold-plated threaded post through the PCB.
  • Motor and battery post holes require large annular rings, thermal/current-spreading copper, solder mask clearance, and mechanical keepouts suitable for hardware installation and waterproof sealing.
  • User-supplied post drawing 300-10021-02 Rev D defines the high-current terminal hardware as brass, gold plated 0.8–1.2 µm, M5 × 0.8 thread, with Ø11 mm flat round mounting surface and Ø5.75 mm clearance-hole callout.
  • For all five high-current posts (BATT+, BATT−, Phase A, Phase B, Phase C), PCB plated contact rings on both top and bottom shall match or slightly exceed the Ø11 mm flat mounting surface. Preferred board finish for these mating contact rings is gold plating/ENIG or other fab-approved gold finish for low contact resistance.
Logic/RF
  • A7105 connects directly to STM32F405 over SPI/3-wire SPI plus GIO1 interrupt/data-ready.
  • RF section requires physical isolation from switching regulator and high-current MOSFETs.
  • Solid unbroken RF ground plane and antenna keepout are required.
Servo Outputs
  • Two 2.54mm 3-pin servo headers: Signal, 6V servo power, GND.
  • Channel convention: Ch1 steering servo, Ch2 throttle to ESC bridge, Ch3 auxiliary servo.
  • Dedicated onboard LiPo-input buck regulator provides a 6V servo rail sized for 5A peak-capable output.
  • Add local decoupling/bulk capacitance, protection, and filtering on the servo rail to reduce brownout/noise risk.
  • 100nF capacitor on the servo power line at each servo header.
Debug
  • Low-profile SWD pads only: SWDIO, SWCLK, GND, 3.3V, and NRST if practical.
  • No USB, CAN, or Hall/encoder connectors in the first integrated waterproof design.
Mechanical Mounting
  • Include 4x non-plated M3 mounting holes for fastening the PCA inside the waterproof enclosure.
  • Use approximately 3.2mm drill clearance unless final enclosure hardware requires adjustment.
  • Maintain screw/standoff keepouts around each hole and avoid conflicts with RF keepout and high-current copper.
Interfaces and Connections

Table


InterfaceSignals / RailsNotes
Battery inputBATT+, BATT-Heavy-duty plated-hole/post terminals matching motor-output concept, 3S-5S LiPo, 9.9V-21V operating envelope
Motor outputPhase A, Phase B, Phase CHeavy-duty plated through-holes for 5mm gold-plated threaded posts
RF antennaU.FL/I-PEX board connector or soldered coax to waterproof panel antenna pathPrefer external antenna; source a low-risk waterproofable option
SWD padsSWDIO, SWCLK, 3V3, GND, optional NRSTLow-profile programming/debug pads only
Servo Ch1Signal, 6V_SERVO, GNDSteering PWM
Servo Ch3Signal, 6V_SERVO, GNDAuxiliary PWM
Mounting4x M3 non-plated holesFor enclosure standoffs/screws
Power and Runtime Expectations
  • Input: 3S-5S LiPo, approximately 9.9V depleted 3S to 21V full 5S.
  • Motor current: 70A continuous design target.
  • DRV8302 local 5V buck: preserve reference-support function, but do not rely on it as the high-current servo BEC.
  • 6V servo rail: dedicated onboard buck from main LiPo, 5A peak-capable output target.
  • 3.3V rail: generated from the quiet logic supply path for STM32F405 and A7105.
Power Tree and Power Budget

Table


RailSourceMain LoadsNotes
BATT+3S-5S LiPoMOSFET bridge, DRV8302 PVDD, voltage divider70A motor path requires copper pours/busbar planning
5V_LOCALDRV8302 buck/BECDRV/logic support and 3.3V input if validatedKeep close to VESC reference; not used as primary servo supply
6V_SERVODedicated LiPo-input buckTwo servo headersTarget 6V, 5A peak-capable; requires input/output bulk, filtering, and current/thermal review
3.3VDedicated LDO from quiet 5V/local supplySTM32F405, A7105, RF crystal network, pull-upsLow-noise rail preferred for RF/MCU
Manufacturing and Assembly Expectations
  • Prefer LCSC/JLCPCB-available parts where possible.
  • SMD production-intent design.
  • High-current assembly may need solder-thickened copper or copper busbar reinforcement.
  • Motor and battery post assembly uses the user-supplied 5mm gold-plated threaded posts installed through heavy-duty plated holes; preliminary footprint target is Ø5.75 mm finished hole with Ø11 mm or larger plated/gold-finished contact rings on both sides. Validate finished hole tolerance, plating capability, annular ring manufacturability, torque/mechanical retention, and sealing approach with the selected fabricator before release.
  • Waterproofing implies minimal connectors and sealed pads/headers.
  • External connectors are limited by design intent to battery input, three motor phase outputs, two servo headers, and the external antenna interface.
  • Battery input terminals and motor phase terminals should share the same final post/hole hardware family if practical, subject to current rating, plating, torque, and enclosure sealing validation.
Firmware-Relevant Hardware Requirements
  • STM32F405 runs VESC motor firmware plus AFHDS 2A receive/decode logic.
  • A7105 SPI lines: SCK, SDIO, SCS, GIO1.
  • Two hardware timer PWM outputs for steering and auxiliary servos.
  • ADC input for preserved VESC battery voltage divider.
  • Current sense ADC inputs from low-side shunts.
  • SWD programming/debug through low-profile pads.
  • Normal field communication/control should occur wirelessly through the AFHDS 2A receiver path; USB/CAN/Hall connectors are removed from the waterproof board.
Physical Design Expectations
  • Heat-generating components must be on the bottom heat-sink side: six MOSFETs, DRV8302, shunts, power inductors.
  • Opposite side reserved for STM32F405, A7105 RF, passive logic support, servo headers.
  • Thermal vias and copper pour required under DRV8302 exposed pad and MOSFET drain pads.
  • A7105 RF section and antenna must be far from power stage and switching nodes.
  • Include 4x non-plated M3 mounting holes near board corners with keepouts for enclosure standoffs.
  • Place three motor phase post holes plus BATT+ and BATT− post holes where enclosure sealing, cable access, high-current copper width, and mechanical wrench/clearance requirements can all be satisfied. Use Ø11 mm+ plated contact ring keepouts around each post.
  • Place antenna interface to support a waterproof panel feedthrough/pigtail while keeping coax short and away from switching copper.
Important Design Decisions
  • Single STM32F405RGT6; no second receiver MCU.
  • Add a dedicated onboard servo buck from the main LiPo for 6V, 5A peak-capable servo power.
  • Preserve DRV8302 integrated buck function for reference-compatible local support; do not use it as the high-current servo rail.
  • Preserve VESC battery voltage sensing divider and ADC connection.
  • Preserve VESC-style power stage and current sensing topology.
  • Remove USB, CAN, and Hall/encoder connectors for the waterproof integrated version; keep only low-profile SWD pads for programming/debug.
  • Use external antenna rather than PCB trace antenna; source a waterproofable U.FL/I-PEX-to-panel antenna interface.
  • Use heavy-duty plated motor phase holes for 5mm gold-plated threaded posts instead of ordinary motor solder pads.
Assumptions
  • Initial schematic will be reconstructed from VESC 4.12 and public A7105 reference data because the uploaded ZIP currently fails upload processing.
  • Exact LCSC MPN choices will be finalized after library availability checks.
  • Antenna implementation will use an external antenna path; the low-risk connector/pigtail option is still being sourced.
  • Servo buck part selection and thermal/current budget must be validated before schematic lock.
  • Exact high-current post hardware dimensions are now based on user-supplied drawing 300-10021-02 Rev D: M5 × 0.8, Ø5.75 mm clearance-hole callout, Ø11 mm flat mounting surface, brass with 0.8–1.2 µm gold plating. Remaining layout-release checks: PCB fab ability to plate/gold-finish large annular rings, finished hole tolerance, allowable pad-to-edge clearances, torque/mechanical retention, and waterproof sealing method.
Change Notes
  • Initial specification created from uploaded design brief on 2026-07-15.
  • Updated with user-confirmed first-PCA decisions: M3 mounting holes, dedicated 6V/5A peak servo buck, low-profile SWD pads only, USB/CAN/Hall connector removal, and external waterproofable antenna interface.
  • Added user requirement that each motor phase output use a heavy-duty plated through-hole for a 5mm gold-plated threaded post.
  • Added user decision that BATT+ and BATT− should use the same plated-hole/post design concept as the motor phase terminals; user will provide high-current terminal details before layout lock.
  • Extracted high-current post dimensions from user PDF 300-10021-02 Rev D and added layout/fabrication requirement for Ø11 mm+ gold-finished plated contact rings on both PCB sides around Ø5.75 mm finished holes.
  • Critical PCB Mechanical Control Parameters — Binding

  • Project Overview

  • Intended Use

  • What the Device Should Do

  • Main Features

  • System Architecture

  • Hardware Subsystems

  • Power and ESC Stage

  • Logic/RF

  • Servo Outputs

  • Debug

  • Mechanical Mounting

  • 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

  • Change Notes

Assets

Original G2 6 Hole drybox PCA Spaceclaim STEP - board outline source of truth

Original G2 6 Hole drybox PCA Spaceclaim STEP - board outline source of truth

G2-6-Hole-drybox-PCA-Spaceclaim.STEPPCB Board Shape
IPTC007N06NM5ATMA1 PG-HDSOP-16-2 TOLT package model, 9.9 x 15.0 x 2.3 mm

IPTC007N06NM5ATMA1 PG-HDSOP-16-2 TOLT package model, 9.9 x 15.0 x 2.3 mm

IPTC007N06NM5ATMA1-PG-HDSOP-16-2.STEP3D Model
Board-only reference STEP from user attachment

Board-only reference STEP from user attachment

G2-6-Hole-drybox-PCA-Spaceclaim-board-only.STEPPCB Board Shape
70A ESC AFHDS Receiver thumbnail
Integrated 70A 3S-5S LiPo brushless ESC with STM32F405 motor control and Flysky AFHDS 2A receiver using an A7105 RF transceiver for a waterproof RC boat application.

Properties

Properties describe core aspects of the project.

Pricing & Availability

Distributor

Qty 1

Arrow

$35.04–$65.02

Digi-Key

$0.00

HQonline

$1.16

LCSC

$23.62

Mouser

$72.04

TME

$1.86

Verical

$26.62–$38.55

Controls