Technical Specifications

Complete technical specifications for the AeroCogito H7-Digital flight controller.

Table of Contents

  1. Processor
    1. Main Microcontroller
  2. Sensors
    1. IMU: ICM-42688-P
    2. Barometer: DPS368
    3. External Sensors (Not Included)
  3. Physical Specifications
  4. Power System
    1. Input Power
    2. 5V Buck Regulator (BEC)
    3. 10V Buck Regulator (VTX BEC)
    4. Battery Monitoring
  5. Motor Outputs
    1. Supported Protocols
  6. Communication Interfaces
    1. UART Ports
    2. I2C Ports
    3. SPI Ports
    4. USB
  7. Storage
    1. MicroSD Card Slot
  8. GPIO and Special Functions
    1. LEDs
      1. ArduPilot LED Quick Reference
      2. Betaflight LED Quick Reference
    2. Boot Button
    3. VTX Power Control
  9. Environmental Specifications
    1. Operating Conditions
  10. Compliance and Certifications
  11. Pin Capabilities Summary
    1. High-Level Pin Count
  12. Performance Benchmarks
    1. Sensor Update Rates
    2. Loop Rates
  13. Related Documentation
  14. Support

Processor

Main Microcontroller

Specification Details
Model STM32H743VIT6
Architecture ARM Cortex-M7
Clock Speed 480MHz
Flash Memory 2MB on-chip
RAM Total 1MB

The STM32H743 is one of the most powerful microcontrollers available for flight control applications, providing ample processing headroom for advanced features like companion computer communication, complex flight modes, and high-rate sensor fusion.

Sensors

IMU: ICM-42688-P

Specification Details
Type 6-axis (3-axis gyro + 3-axis accelerometer)
Manufacturer TDK InvenSense
Interface SPI1 (high-speed)
Gyro Range ±15.625 to ±4000 dps (8 programmable settings)
Gyro Resolution (Standard) 16-bit ADC (0.0610 dps/LSB at ±2000 dps)
Gyro Resolution (High-Res) 19-bit FIFO (0.0076 dps/LSB at ±2000 dps) - 8x improvement
Accel Range ±2g to ±32g (4 programmable settings)
Accel Resolution (Standard) 16-bit ADC (0.488 mg/LSB at ±16g)
Accel Resolution (High-Res) 18-bit FIFO (0.122 mg/LSB at ±16g) - 4x improvement
Max ODR 32 kHz (gyro and accel) hardware maximum
Firmware ODR Gyro: 8 kHz (Betaflight), 8 kHz fast sampling → 1 kHz backend (ArduPilot) / Accel: 1 kHz (both)
Power Supply Isolated 3.3V rail with enhanced filtering

Key Features:

Performance Specifications:

  • Industry-leading low noise (2.8 mdps/√Hz gyro, 65-70 µg/√Hz accel)
  • Excellent temperature stability (±5 mdps/°C gyro offset)
  • Extended measurement ranges (±4000 dps gyro, ±32g accel)

Resolution Modes (ArduPilot vs Betaflight):

  • Industry-first 20-bit FIFO format (19-bit gyro + 18-bit accel + fractional bits)
  • High-resolution mode (ArduPilot): 19-bit gyro, 18-bit accel via FIFO - 8x/4x better resolution
  • Standard 16-bit mode (Betaflight): Direct register reads for minimum latency

Advanced Features:

  • On-chip FIFO buffer (2048 bytes, ~105 high-res samples or 128 standard samples)
  • Real-Time Clock (RTC) for sample synchronization
  • Configurable Anti-Alias Filter (AAF): 258Hz, 536Hz, 997Hz, 1962Hz cutoff frequencies

H7-Digital Hardware Enhancements:

  • Isolated 3.3V power rail eliminates electrical noise
  • CLKIN support (Betaflight): 32 kHz external clock on PE5 for improved timing accuracy

The ICM-42688-P is considered one of the best IMUs for flight control, offering exceptional noise performance and stability. The isolated power rail on the H7-Digital further enhances performance by greatly reducing power supply noise.

Firmware Defaults: Both Betaflight and ArduPilot use ±2000 dps gyro and ±16g accelerometer ranges (not the full ±4000 dps / ±32g hardware maximum). See Sensors - Understanding Programmable Range Modes for detailed explanation of why these settings provide the optimal balance between resolution and range.

Driver References:

  • ArduPilot Invensensev3 Driver - Lines 234-235: GYRO_SCALE_2000DPS and ACCEL_SCALE_16G defaults; Lines 267-270: high-resolution modes (GYRO_SCALE_HIGHRES_2000DPS, ACCEL_SCALE_HIGHRES_16G)
  • Betaflight ICM426XX Driver - Lines 413-421: GYRO_SCALE_2000DPS and 16g accel configuration; Lines 52-58: 24 MHz SPI max, 32 kHz CLKIN; Lines 145-151: AAF filter options
  • ICM-42688-P Datasheet - TDK InvenSense official datasheet (Section 4.1: Programmable Full-Scale Range)

For sensor mounting, calibration procedures, and high-resolution sampling details, see Sensors.

Barometer: DPS368

Specification Details
Type High-precision capacitive pressure sensor
Manufacturer Infineon
Interface I2C1 (internal bus)
I2C Address 0x76
Pressure Range 300-1200 hPa
Pressure Resolution 0.06 Pa RMS (24-bit output)
Pressure Accuracy ±0.002 hPa (±0.02m) in high precision mode
Absolute Accuracy ±1 hPa (±8m)
Hardware Max Rate 200 Hz
Firmware Sample Rate 32 Hz (both firmwares, 16x oversampling)
Temperature Range -40°C to +85°C
Package Ruggedized, waterproof (IPx8 certified - 50m for 1hr)

Key Features:

  • Extremely low noise (±0.02m altitude resolution)
  • High measurement rate (up to 200Hz)
  • Integrated 32-measurement FIFO buffer
  • On-chip temperature compensation
  • Capacitive sensing for high precision during temperature changes
  • Low power consumption (1.7 μA @ 1Hz, 0.5 μA standby)

Driver Compatibility: The DPS368 is register-compatible with the DPS310 and uses the same driver code in both ArduPilot and Betaflight. The primary difference is the ruggedized, waterproof package (IPX8 certified). The DPS368 maintains the same communication protocol and register map as the DPS310.

Driver References:

External Sensors (Not Included)

GPS Module (via GPS connector):

  • Connection: UART8 + I2C4
  • Recommended: u-blox M8N/M9N or better
  • Protocols: NMEA, UBX
  • Compass: External compass via I2C (required for ArduPilot)

Physical Specifications

Dimension Measurement
Length 41mm
Width 41mm
Height 8mm (max component height)
Mounting Holes M3 (4 holes)
Mounting Pattern 30.5mm
Weight 12g (without cables)

Rubber dampers (included) provide vibration isolation while maintaining secure mounting.

Power System

Input Power

Parameter Specification
Input Voltage Range 9.9V - 25.2V (3S-6S LiPo)
Absolute Maximum 28V
Minimum Operating 8V
Typical Voltage 16.8V (4S LiPo) or 25.2V (6S LiPo)
Input Connector Via ESC connector (VBAT pin)

5V Buck Regulator (BEC)

Parameter Specification
Output Voltage 5.0V
Continuous Current 2A
Peak Current 2.5A (<10s)
Efficiency ~85% typical
Output Ripple ~10mV worst-case

Powers:

  • Flight controller logic
  • GPS/compass module (4.5V)
  • RC receiver (4.5V)
  • Servo outputs (5V)

10V Buck Regulator (VTX BEC)

Parameter Specification
Output Voltage 10.0V
Continuous Current 2A
Peak Current 2.5A (<10s)
Efficiency ~85% typical
Output Ripple ~10mV worst-case
Software Control Yes (ArduPilot RELAY2 (GPIO 80), Betaflight PINIO1 10V BEC)
Default State ON
Output Connector VTX connector only

Powers:

  • Digital VTX only (DJI, Walksnail, HDZero, OpenIPC)

10V Output for VTX Only

The 10V output is designed exclusively for video transmitters. Current is rated to 2A continuous - 2.5A Burst. Below ~10.5V VIN, the VTX BEC tracks VIN (pass-through).

Battery Monitoring

Parameter Specification
Voltage Sensing Yes
Voltage Range 0-28V
Voltage Resolution 12-bit ADC (4096 steps)
Voltage Pin PA0 (ADC1)
Current Sensing Yes
Current Range 0-180A (default scale)
Current Resolution 12-bit ADC (4096 steps)
Current Pin PA1 (ADC1)
Sensing Location Via T on the ESC connector

Default Scales:

  • Voltage: 11.0:1 divider
  • Current: 18.0 A/V scale

Battery monitoring scales may need calibration for your specific build. See ArduPilot Power Module Configuration or Betaflight Configurator’s Power tab for calibration procedures.

Motor Outputs

10 PWM outputs: 8 motor outputs (M1-M8) + 2 servo outputs (S1-S2)

Output Groups:

  • Group 1 (M1-M4): TIM1, all must use same protocol
  • Group 2 (M5-M8): TIM4, all must use same protocol
  • Group 3 (S1-S2): TIM3, all must use same protocol

Bidirectional DShot Support:

  • Betaflight: M1-M7 supported (M8 lacks DMA channel)
  • ArduPilot: M1, M3, M5, M7 only (timer CH1/CH3 limitation)

For complete motor pin assignments, timer channels, and DMA configuration, see Pinout - Motor Outputs.

Supported Protocols

Protocol Motors 1-8 Servos 1-2 Notes
DShot600 ✓ ✓ Recommended (most tested, required for BiDir)
DShot300 ✓ ✓ Large aircraft / long cables (BiDir compatible)
DShot150 ✓ ✓ Maximum noise immunity (no BiDir support)
DShot1200 ArduPilot only ArduPilot only Not recommended - see warning below
OneShot125 ✓ ✓ Legacy protocol
OneShot42 ✓ ✓ Legacy protocol
Multishot ✓ ✓ Legacy protocol
PWM (50-490Hz) ✓ ✓ For servos
Bidirectional DShot (Betaflight) M1-M7 ✗ M8 has no DMA
Bidirectional DShot (ArduPilot) M1,M3,M5,M7 ✗ Timer CH1/CH3 only

DShot Protocol Selection Guide:

  • DShot600: Recommended for most vehicles. Most widely tested and used. Ties up DMA channels for less time. Required for bidirectional DShot on most systems.
  • DShot300: Recommended for larger aircraft with longer cable runs. Less susceptible to noise than DShot600. Also supports bidirectional DShot.
  • DShot150: Best for very long cable runs (larger aircraft). Most noise-resistant. Does NOT support bidirectional DShot.

Bidirectional DShot Requirements: Requires DShot300 or higher (longer pulse width needed to wait for ESC response). DShot150 is too slow for bidirectional operation. Only supported on BLHeli_32 or AM32 ESCs. Set MOT_PWM_TYPE to 4 (DShot300), 5 (DShot600), or 6 (DShot1200) in ArduPilot, though DShot300/600 are recommended.

For comprehensive comparison of ESC telemetry methods (UART, Bidirectional DShot, Extended DShot Telemetry), see Understanding ESC Telemetry Methods.

DShot1200 Not Recommended:

While the STM32H743 hardware supports DShot1200, it is not recommended for the following reasons:

Betaflight: DShot1200 was officially removed in Betaflight 4.1 and is no longer available. DShot600 is the maximum supported protocol for 8kHz gyro/PID loops. Reasons for removal:

  • Only needed for 32kHz looptime (no longer supported - max is 8kHz)
  • Not stable with bidirectional DShot (required for RPM filtering)
  • Poor ESC firmware support (BLHeli_S, BLHeli_32)

ArduPilot: DShot1200 is technically supported (MOT_PWM_TYPE = 6) but strongly discouraged:

  • Much less tested than DShot600 (limited real-world validation)
  • More susceptible to noise and signal integrity issues
  • Ties up DMA channels for marginally less time than DShot600 (minimal benefit)
  • No performance benefit for standard flight controller operations

If you experience motor issues with DShot600, downgrade to DShot300, NOT DShot1200. Use DShot1200 only if you have a specific technical requirement and understand the risks.

Output Group Restrictions

All outputs in the same group must use the same protocol:

  • Group 1 (M1-M4): Must all use the same protocol
  • Group 2 (M5-M8): Must all use the same protocol
  • Group 3 (S1-S2): Must all use the same protocol

Example: If M1 uses DShot600, then M2, M3, and M4 must also use DShot600.

Communication Interfaces

UART Ports

6 UART ports available with configurable baud rates up to 1.5 Mbps (ArduPilot) / 1 Mbps (Betaflight):

Port Default Use Connector
UART2 VTX (DisplayPort MSP) VTX connector
UART3 ESC Telemetry (RX only) ESC connector pin 4
UART4 RC Input (SBUS/CRSF/ELRS) RC INPUT connector
UART5 Companion Computer (MAVLink2) COMPUTER connector
UART7 DJI SBUS (RX only) VTX connector R7 pin
UART8 GPS GPS connector

For complete UART mapping with TX/RX pin assignments, DMA configuration, and connector pinouts, see Pinout - UART Mapping.

UART5 is optimized for high-bandwidth companion computer communication (Raspberry Pi, Jetson).

I2C Ports

Port SCL Pin SDA Pin Hardware Support Firmware Default Usage
I2C1 PB8 PB9 Up to 1MHz (Fm+) 400kHz (ArduPilot), 800kHz (Betaflight) Internal (Barometer)
I2C4 PB6 PB7 Up to 1MHz (Fm+) 400kHz (ArduPilot), 800kHz (Betaflight) External (Compass)

Hardware Capabilities:

  • Standard Mode: 100 kHz
  • Fast Mode (Fm): 400 kHz
  • Fast Mode Plus (Fm+): 1 MHz (STM32H743 hardware supported)

Firmware Defaults:

  • ArduPilot: 400 kHz (Fast Mode) - conservative, broadly compatible
  • Betaflight: 800 kHz default - can be adjusted via CLI (i2c1_clockspeed_khz, i2c4_clockspeed_khz)

Features:

  • 3.3V logic levels
  • On-board pull-up resistors
  • I2C4 available on GPS connector for external compass
  • Configurable speed for sensor compatibility

I2C Speed and Sensor Compatibility: The DPS368 barometer supports up to 3.4 MHz (High-Speed mode per I2C spec v2.1). External compass modules typically support up to 400 kHz. If experiencing sensor detection issues in Betaflight, try reducing I2C speed: set i2c4_clockspeed_khz = 400 in CLI.

SPI Ports

Port SCK MISO MOSI CS Usage
SPI1 PA5 PA6 PA7 PB0 Internal (IMU)

Features:

  • High-speed SPI communication to IMU
    • ArduPilot: 16 MHz (2 MHz initialization, 16 MHz operation)
    • Betaflight: 24 MHz maximum (default, configurable via ICM426XX_CLOCK)
    • ICM-42688-P Hardware Maximum: 24 MHz SPI clock
  • DMA support for efficient CPU usage
  • Hardware CS control

SPI Frequency vs IMU ODR: The SPI bus frequency (how fast the MCU communicates with the IMU chip) is independent from the IMU Output Data Rate/ODR (how often the sensor generates new samples). ArduPilot uses 16 MHz SPI with 1 kHz gyro backend, while Betaflight uses 24 MHz SPI with 8 kHz gyro sampling.

USB

Specification Details
Type USB-C connector
Standard USB 2.0 Full Speed
Speed 12 Mbps
Power Bus-powered (5V input) or self-powered
Protocol Virtual COM port (VCP)

Uses:

  • Firmware flashing
  • Configuration (Mission Planner, QGC, Betaflight Configurator)
  • Telemetry
  • Parameter adjustment
  • Log download

Storage

MicroSD Card Slot

Specification Details
Interface SDMMC1 (4-bit mode)
Speed Up to 50MB/s (UHS-I)
Capacity Up to 256GB tested
Card Type MicroSD, MicroSDHC, MicroSDXC
Recommended Class 10 or UHS-I
Voltage 3.3V

Uses:

  • Blackbox logging (Betaflight)
  • DataFlash logging (ArduPilot)
  • Terrain data storage (ArduPilot)
  • Firmware updates (.abin files)
  • Parameter backup

Use a quality Class 10 or UHS-I card for reliable logging. Cheap or counterfeit cards may fail during high-write-rate logging operations.

GPIO and Special Functions

LEDs

LED Color Pin Location (By USB port) Preview
LED0 Blue PD8 Left
LED1 Green PB15 Center
LED2 Amber PB14 Right

ArduPilot LED Quick Reference

LED Color / Pattern Meaning Preview
Blue solid Armed
Blue single flash Disarmed, pre-arm OK
Blue double flash Disarmed, pre-arm failure
Blue/Amber alternating Initialising (boot)
Blue → Green → Amber chase Save trim / ESC calibration in progress
Amber off No GPS detected
Amber fast blink (~2 Hz) GPS present, no lock
Amber slow blink (~1 Hz) 2D lock (incomplete)
Amber solid GPS 3D lock or better

Viewing Detailed Pre-Arm Messages: Connect to Mission Planner or QGroundControl to see specific pre-arm failure reasons. The ground station displays exact error messages that the LEDs cannot convey.

Betaflight LED Quick Reference

See Betaflight FC-LEDs Documentation for complete LED status codes.

LED Color / Pattern Meaning Preview
Blue solid Armed (motors can spin)
Blue flashing Warning condition, serial/ESC passthrough, or USB MSC activity
Blue/Green flashing 5 times Initialising (boot)
Amber normally on Normal operation (default state)
Flash pattern (1-16 pulses) Hardware fault / error code - see Betaflight FC-LEDs Documentation for specific codes

Viewing Detailed Arming Issues: Connect to Betaflight Configurator and check the CLI status command to see specific arming disable flags.

Boot Button

Feature Details
Pin BOOT0
Function Enter DFU mode
Usage Hold during power-on for firmware flashing
Notes Only amber LED will illuminate in DFU mode
Preview

VTX Power Control

Feature Details
Pin PE2
Function 10V BEC enable/disable
Default ON (HIGH)
ArduPilot RELAY2 (GPIO: 80)
Betaflight PINIO1 10V BEC
Usage RC switch or mission command control

Firmware-Specific Configuration:

  • ArduPilot: Configure as RELAY2 (GPIO 80). Assign to RC channel via RCx_OPTION = 34 (Relay2 On/Off) or use in missions with DO_SET_RELAY command.
  • Betaflight: Configure as PINIO1 in the Resource Remapping tab or via CLI: resource PINIO 1 E02. Map to switch via pinio_box setting.

Environmental Specifications

Operating Conditions

Parameter Range
Operating Temperature -40°C to +85°C
Storage Temperature -40°C to +100°C
Humidity 5% to 95% (non-condensing)

The H7-Digital is rated for industrial-grade operating conditions (-40°C to +85°C). All components (STM32H743, ICM-42688-P, DPS368) are specified for this temperature range.

LiPo Battery Cold Weather Considerations: While the H7-Digital can operate down to -40°C, LiPo battery performance degrades significantly at low temperatures. Batteries below 15°C cannot sustain high power loads and may show voltage sag before takeoff. Consider battery heating for cold-weather operations below -10°C.

Compliance and Certifications

Standard Status
NDAA Section 848 Operating Software compliant (with secure firmware)
DIU Blue List Framework Compliant (Pending)

The H7-Digital hardware is designed, manufactured, and assembled in the USA with an auditable supply chain for NDAA and DIU Blue List Framework compliance. Contact support@aerocogito.com for compliance documentation.

Pin Capabilities Summary

High-Level Pin Count

Feature Count
PWM Outputs 10 (M1-M8 + S1-S2)
UART Ports 6 (2/3/4/5/7/8)
I2C Ports 2 (1 internal, 1 external)
SPI Ports 1 (IMU)
ADC Inputs 2 (voltage, current)
GPIO 1 (VTX control)
USB 1 (USB-C)
SD Card 1 (MicroSD)

Performance Benchmarks

Sensor Update Rates

Sensor Hardware Max ODR Firmware Default Typical Usage
Gyroscope (ICM-42688-P) 32kHz 8kHz (BF) / 1kHz (AP) 8kHz (Betaflight), 1kHz (ArduPilot)
Accelerometer (ICM-42688-P) 32kHz 1kHz 1kHz both firmwares
Barometer (DPS368) 200Hz 32Hz 32Hz both firmwares
GPS Sensor dependent 5-10Hz 5-10Hz (depends on GPS module)

ICM-42688-P Maximum ODR: The ICM-42688-P has a hardware maximum output data rate (ODR) of 32 kHz for both gyroscope and accelerometer (with RTC support). However, firmware implementations use lower rates: Betaflight samples at 8 kHz (gyro) / 1 kHz (accel), while ArduPilot uses 1 kHz backend with 8 kHz fast sampling for the gyro.

Fast Sampling & High-Resolution Modes Explained:

ArduPilot: The ICM-42688-P supports ArduPilot’s fast sampling feature where raw sensor data is collected at 8kHz internally using high-resolution modes (GYRO_SCALE_HIGHRES_2000DPS, ACCEL_SCALE_HIGHRES_16G), then averaged and downsampled to the configured gyro backend rate (controlled by INS_GYRO_RATE: 0=1kHz, 1=2kHz, 2=4kHz). This prevents aliasing of high-frequency vibrations while providing enhanced resolution from the 19-bit/18-bit FIFO data. The gyro filtering (notch/low-pass) runs at the backend rate, not the raw 8kHz. This architecture provides cleaner data for autonomous flight while managing CPU load. See: ArduPilot IMU Batch Sampling

Betaflight: Reads the ICM-42688-P at its native 8kHz rate (configurable to 4kHz, 2kHz, 1kHz) and runs all gyro filtering at the same rate (no downsampling). Uses standard 16-bit ADC mode with configurable Anti-Alias Filter (AAF) cutoff frequencies (258Hz, 536Hz, 997Hz, or 1962Hz). This provides minimum latency for racing/freestyle.

Loop Rates

Firmware Main Loop PID/Attitude Loop EKF Loop Gyro Backend Rate Notes
Betaflight 8kHz 8kHz N/A 8kHz Gyro and PID locked to same rate (configurable 1-8kHz)
ArduPilot 400Hz (default) 400Hz (default) 400Hz 1kHz (default) Configurable via SCHED_LOOP_RATE and INS_GYRO_RATE

ArduPilot Loop Rates: ArduPilot supports faster attitude rates on H7 hardware. The INS_GYRO_RATE parameter allows gyro backend rates of 1kHz (default), 2kHz, or 4kHz. The SCHED_LOOP_RATE parameter controls main loop rate (default 400Hz, experimental up to 2kHz).

Why ArduPilot Uses 1kHz Default: ArduPilot prioritizes reliability, CPU headroom for advanced features (EKF, missions, companion computers), and broad hardware compatibility. The 1kHz gyro backend rate is sufficient for most autonomous operations, mapping, surveying, and larger aircraft. Increasing to 2kHz or 4kHz is only beneficial for small, agile racing/freestyle quads and requires H7-class hardware with available CPU cycles. Most ArduPilot users should keep the default 1kHz setting.

The STM32H743 has more than enough processing power to handle maximum loop rates with CPU usage typically below 30%. This leaves plenty of headroom for companion computer communication and advanced features.

Support

For specification clarifications or technical questions:

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