# ESP32 LoRa Sailplane Tracker ## Description Custom PCB for a master's thesis automatic sailplane time-tracking device using an ESP32 with LoRaWAN, GPS6MV2 GPS, RDM6300 RFID reader, BMP280 barometer, ADXL345 accelerometer, and microSD logging. The design targets reliable sensing, onboard event logging, and wireless data transfer in a sailplane environment. ## Project Details - **Owner:** marco988 - **Created:** 4/6/2026 - **Last Updated:** 4/22/2026 - **Visibility:** Public - **Implementation Details:** Main MCU: ESP32-WROOM-32. Wireless: RFM95W-868S2 LoRa radio module in EU868 band. Navigation: NEO-6M GPS module used as practical GPS6MV2 equivalent. Sensors: BMP280 and ADXL345 on shared I2C bus. Logging: microSD SPI breakout. RFID: external RDM6300-class 125 kHz UART reader planned as off-board 5V module due to library unavailability; ESP32 interface includes a resistor-divider level shift on RFID TX to the MCU RX input. - **Power Requirements:** Primary logic rail 3.3V; auxiliary 5V rail planned for modules that require 5V input such as RDM6300 and some GPS/microSD breakout implementations - **Connectivity:** WiFi/Bluetooth via ESP32, LoRaWAN, GPS UART, RFID UART, I2C sensor bus, SPI microSD - **System Architecture:** ```mermaid flowchart TD PWR[Power Input 5V] --> REG[3.3V Regulator] REG --> MCU[ESP32 Module] REG --> LORA[LoRa Module] REG --> GPS[GPS Module] REG --> SENS[I2C Sensors BMP280 and ADXL345] REG --> SD[microSD Interface] PWR --> RFID[RFID Reader 5V] MCU -->|UART| GPS MCU -->|UART| RFID MCU -->|SPI| LORA MCU -->|SPI| SD MCU -->|I2C| SENS ``` ## Key Components ### IC1 — [ADXL345BCCZ](https://www.flux.ai/adrian95/adxl345bccz~3f2.md) - Part Type: Sensor - Manufacturer Name: Analog Devices Inc. - Package: LGA-14 - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Datasheet URL: https://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/ADXL345.pdf - Role Details: I2C accelerometer for motion sensing - Role: Accelerometer - Manufacturer Part Number: ADXL345BCCZ **Pins:** - ~CS [pin 7] - GND [pin 5] - GND_2 [pin 2] - GND_3 [pin 4] - INT1 [pin 8] - INT2 [pin 9] - NC [pin 10] - RESERVED [pin 11] - RESERVED_2 [pin 3] - SCL/SCLK [pin 14] - SDA/SDI/SDIO [pin 13] - SDO/ALT_ADDRESS [pin 12] - VDD_I/O [pin 1] - VS [pin 6] ### U1 — [ESP32-WROOM-32](https://www.flux.ai/vasyl/esp32-wroom-32~siz.md) - Manufacturer Part Number: ESP32-WROOM-32 - Manufacturer Name: Espressif Systems - Datasheet URL: https://www.espressif.com/sites/default/files/documentation/esp32-wroom-32_datasheet_en.pdf - Role Details: ESP32 application processor for sensing, logging, and wireless control - Part Type: RF module - Role: Main MCU - Package: Module **Pins:** - EN [pin 3] - GND [pin 38] - GND [pin 39] - GND [pin 1] - GND [pin 15] - IO0 [pin 25] - IO12 [pin 14] - IO13 [pin 16] - IO14 [pin 13] - IO15 [pin 23] - IO16 [pin 27] - IO17 [pin 28] - IO18 [pin 30] - IO19 [pin 31] - IO2 [pin 24] - IO21 [pin 33] - IO22 [pin 36] - IO23 [pin 37] - IO25 [pin 10] - IO26 [pin 11] - IO27 [pin 12] - IO32 [pin 8] - IO33 [pin 9] - IO34 [pin 6] - IO35 [pin 7] - IO4 [pin 26] - IO5 [pin 29] - NC [pin 32] - RXD0/IO3 [pin 34] - SCK/CLK [pin 20] - SCS/CMD [pin 19] - SDI/SD1 [pin 22] - SDO/SD0 [pin 21] - SENSOR_VN [pin 5] - SENSOR_VP [pin 4] - SHD/SD2 [pin 17] - SWP/SD3 [pin 18] - TXD0/IO1 [pin 35] - VDD [pin 2] ### U2 — [RFM95W-868S2](https://www.flux.ai/adrian95/rfm95w-868s2~371.md) - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Role: LoRaWAN Radio - Package: Module - Role Details: SPI-connected sub-GHz LoRa radio module for telemetry - Part Type: Module - Manufacturer Part Number: RFM95W-868S2 - Package or Case Code: XCVR_RFM95W-868S2 - Manufacturer Name: RF Solutions - Datasheet URL: https://www.rfsolutions.co.uk/downloads/1463993415RFM95_96_97_98W.pdf **Pins:** - 3_3V [pin 13] - ANT [pin 9] - DIO0 [pin 14] - DIO1 [pin 15] - DIO2 [pin 16] - DIO3 [pin 11] - DIO4 [pin 12] - DIO5 [pin 7] - GND [pin 1] - GND@1 [pin 8] - GND@2 [pin 10] - MISO [pin 2] - MOSI [pin 3] - NSS [pin 5] - RESET [pin 6] - SCK [pin 4] ### U3 — [NEO-6M-GPS](https://www.flux.ai/adrian95/neo-6m-gps~nsv.md) - Manufacturer Part Number: NEO-6M-GPS - Manufacturer Name: U-blox - Role Details: UART GPS receiver module for position and time reference - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Package: Module - Part Type: Module - Datasheet URL: https://www.snapeda.com/parts/NEO-6M-GPS/u-blox/datasheet/ - Role: GPS Receiver **Pins:** - CFG_GPS0/SCK [pin 16] - EXTINT0 [pin 4] - GND [pin 10] - GND [pin 12] - GND [pin 24] - GND [pin 13] - MISO/CFG_COM1 [pin 15] - MOSI/CFG_COM0 [pin 14] - RF_IN [pin 11] - RSVD_17 [pin 17] - RSVD_8 [pin 8] - RXD1 [pin 21] - SCL2 [pin 19] - SDA2 [pin 18] - SS_N [pin 2] - TIMEPULSE [pin 3] - TXD1 [pin 20] - USB_DM [pin 5] - USB_DP [pin 6] - V_BCKP [pin 22] - VCC [pin 23] - VCC_RF [pin 9] - VDDUSB [pin 7] ### U4 — [BMP280 - 4262060](https://www.flux.ai/kicad-part-library/bmp280-4262060~3g.md) - Package or Case Code: Bosch_LGA-8_2x2.5mm_P0.65mm_ClockwisePinNumbering - Manufacturer Part Number: BMP280 - Role: Barometer - Role Details: I2C pressure and temperature sensor for altitude tracking - Package: LGA-8 - Datasheet URL: https://ae-bst.resource.bosch.com/media/_tech/media/datasheets/BST-BMP280-DS001.pdf **Pins:** - CSB [pin 2] - GND [pin 7] - GND [pin 1] - SCK [pin 4] - SDI [pin 3] - SDO [pin 5] - VDD [pin 8] - VDDIO [pin 6] ### U5 — [1528-1462-ND](https://www.flux.ai/adrian95/1528-1462-nd~puv.md) - Part Type: Breakout Board - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Manufacturer Name: Adafruit Industries LLC - Datasheet URL: https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/737/adafruit_micro_sd_breakout_board_card_tutorial-932877.pdf - Package: Breakout - Manufacturer Part Number: 254 - Role: microSD Interface - Role Details: SPI-connected microSD storage interface for log data **Pins:** - 3V [pin 7] - 5V [pin 8] - CD [pin 1] - CLK [pin 5] - CS [pin 2] - DI [pin 3] - DO [pin 4] - GND [pin 6] ### U6 — [AMS1117-3.3](https://www.flux.ai/vasy_skral/ams1117-33~34.md) - Datasheet URL: http://www.advanced-monolithic.com/pdf/ds1117.pdf - Role Details: Main 3.3V LDO regulator from 5V input - Package: SOT-223 - Part Type: Integrated Circuit - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Manufacturer Name: AMS - Role: Regulator - Symbol Style: Parametric - Manufacturer Part Number: AMS1117-3.3 **Pins:** - GND [pin 1] - TAB(VOUT) [pin 4] - VIN [pin 3] - VOUT [pin 2] ### U7 — [TXS0108EPWR](https://www.flux.ai/adrian95/txs0108epwr~yg.md) - Role Details: Logic level translation for mixed-voltage peripheral interfaces - Datasheet URL: https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/txs0108e.pdf - Package: TSSOP-20 - Manufacturer Part Number: TXS0108EPWR - Role: Level Shifter - License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ - Manufacturer Name: Texas Instruments - Part Type: Integrated Circuit **Pins:** - A1 [pin 1] - A2 [pin 3] - A3 [pin 4] - A4 [pin 5] - A5 [pin 6] - A6 [pin 7] - A7 [pin 8] - A8 [pin 9] - B1 [pin 20] - B2 [pin 18] - B3 [pin 17] - B4 [pin 16] - B5 [pin 15] - B6 [pin 14] - B7 [pin 13] - B8 [pin 12] - GND [pin 11] - OE [pin 10] - VCCA [pin 2] - VCCB [pin 19] *The full schematic, PCB layout, bill of materials, and interactive design are available at [https://www.flux.ai/marco988/esp32-lora-sailplane-tracker~fp](https://www.flux.ai/marco988/esp32-lora-sailplane-tracker~fp).* --- *Generated from [https://www.flux.ai/marco988/esp32-lora-sailplane-tracker~fp](https://www.flux.ai/marco988/esp32-lora-sailplane-tracker~fp)*