It’s been a while since our last update on what started as the High powered LED deck prototype. We have finally had time to push this project forward and are aiming to have a release at the beginning of 2026.
A New Name and a Familiar Design
You might notice that the deck has a new name, something simpler and a bit catchier, the Color LED deck. The overall design and specs, however, remain very similar to the original concept:
Using a highly efficient high powered LED for maximum brightness
DC/DC driving circuitry for improved efficiency and consistent performance
A light diffuser for smooth, even illumination and wide visibility
Two versions, top or bottom, depending on your build
The Color LED Deck brings fully programmable lighting to your Crazyflie, allowing you to create and control custom light patterns in real time. It’s useful for flying in darker environments, for visual tracking experiments, or for adding synchronized light effects in drone choreography. The deck is now also compatible with the Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless, bringing dynamic lighting to our most recent platform for the first time.
Software architecture
This deck will also be the first to use the new DeckCtrl architecture. If you’re curious about how that works, you can read more about it in this earlier blog post.
The Color LED deck has some intelligence built into it that runs on a STM32C0 MCU. The open-source firmware is still under development, and the repository can be found here.
Availability
The final pricing is still being determined, but make sure to sign up for the in-stock notification at the Color LED deck store page to get an update as soon as it’s available. And as always, keep an eye on the blog for more updates as we get closer to release.
Debugging the Crazyflie using the debug-adapter kit gives you direct access to the STM32 with a hardware debugger. It makes it possible to pause execution, step through code, and inspect what’s happening in real time.
Even if you’re working mostly at a higher level, having this kind of visibility can be a huge time-saver when something unexpected happens. It’s a tool I use frequently when tracking down firmware issues or verifying low-level behavior.
We already have documentation for debugging the STM32 on the Crazyflie using ST-LINK and VS Code, but there are still a few missing pieces; like how to use J-Link, how to debug other platforms (like the Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless), and how enabling debug builds can help.
Debug Build
If you’re debugging and your breakpoints aren’t landing where you expect, or stepping seems unpredictable, or variables aren’t visible, it’s probably because the firmware was built with compiler optimizations enabled. When you select a debug build, the build system disables optimization by setting the compiler flag -O0, which preserves line-by-line correspondence between source code and machine instructions. This makes stepping and inspecting variables much more reliable.
To enable a debug build, you need to set the CONFIG_DEBUG option in your Kconfig configuration. You can do this, for example, by running make menuconfig in a terminal. Then navigate to Build and debug options and select Enable debug build. After changing Kconfig options, re-run make to rebuild the firmware with the new configuration.
Enabling debug build Kconfig option through menuconfig
VS Code Debug Configuration
With debug builds enabled, you’ll get more predictable stepping and reliable breakpoints. The next step is setting up your debugger. Below is a launch.json configuration for VS Code that supports both ST-Link and J-Link, and works with Crazyflie 2.x and the 2.1 Brushless.
To use this setup with a different platform, like the Flapper, just change the executable field to point to the correct .elf file. By default, starting a debug session in VS Code will erase and reflash the firmware, so make sure the firmware is built beforehand. If you need to attach to a running target without flashing, you’ll need to modify the launch.json to skip loading the binary.
A couple of weeks ago, we were at ICRA 2025 in Atlanta. This year’s ICRA drew over 7,000 attendees, making it the biggest edition yet. We had a booth at the exhibition where we showed our decentralized swarm demo. The setup included a mix of Crazyflie 2.1+ units with Qi charging decks and Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless platforms with our new charging dock. The entire swarm operated onboard, with two Lighthouse base stations for positioning. More details about the setup can be found in the recent swarm demo blog post.
8 Crazyflies flying simultaneously in our decentralized swarm at ICRA 2025
Some of the brushless drones carried our high-powered LED deck prototype to make the swarm more visible and engaging. One of the drones also had a prototype camera streaming deck, which held up well despite the busy wireless environment.
A Different Perspective
This year we were also invited to participate in a workshop: 25 Years of Aerial Robotics: Challenges and Opportunities, where I (Rik) gave a short presentation about the evolution of positioning in the Crazyflie, from webcam-based AruCo marker tracking to the systems we use today.
Usually, we spend most of our time on the exhibition floor, so being part of a workshop like this was a different experience. It was interesting to hear researchers mention the Crazyflie in their work without needing to explain what it is. That kind of familiarity isn’t something we take for granted, and it was nice to see.
Many thanks to all the participants of the workshop '25 Years Of Aerial Robotics: Challenges And Opportunities' that we had the pleasure to co-organise for #ICRA2025. The speakers, young researchers, chairpersons and, of course, the attendees all made it a unique experience🦾 pic.twitter.com/WNfUUYLtop
The workshop also gave us a chance to talk with both established researchers and newer faces in the field. What stood out most was hearing how people are using the Crazyflie in their work today. It’s very rewarding to see how what we do at the office connects with and supports real research.
Catching Up and Looking Around
One of the most rewarding parts of the conference was the chance to connect directly with people using the platform. We talked to many users, both current and past, and saw new research based on the platform. It was also great to reconnect with Flapper Drones, who build flapping-wing vehicles powered by the Crazyflie Bolt. And it was nice to see HopTo on the exhibition floor for the first time. The company is a spin-off from the Robotics and Intelligent Systems Lab at CityU Hong Kong, which published a Science Robotics paper on the hopcopter concept that used a Crazyflie. We also had the chance to catch up with a maintainer of CrazySim, an open-source simulator in the Crazyflie ecosystem. It’s always valuable to connect with people building on top of the platform, whether through research, hardware, or open-source tools.
Wrapping Up
ICRA 2025 was packed with activity. From demoing the swarm, to the workshop, to hallway conversations, it gave us a lot of valuable feedback and insight. Thanks to everyone who stopped by, joined a talk, or came to say hello.
As we mentioned in a previous blog post, the last couple of weeks have been full of exciting events in the US. We first began our adventure in Charlotte, North Carolina, where we attended the International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), as platinum sponsors.
We were especially thrilled to be involved because the final stage of the conference’s competition featured Crazyflies, which played a central role in the challenge.
The ICUAS UAV Competition
This year’s competition simulated a search mission in an urban environment. The goal was for teams to identify ArUco markers placed on multiple obstacles, while maintaining line-of-sight and communication among a swarm of three Crazyflies.
Each team’s UAVs launched from a designated base, navigated a known environment, and attempted to locate several targets. The drones relied on an OptiTrack system for positioning and used the AI deck as a camera for image recognition. Constant communication between the base and all UAVs was required throughout the mission.
The event, organized by the LARICS team, combined both simulation and real-world implementation. Their hard work ensured that competitors could smoothly transition their systems from digital models to actual flying drones. What followed was an intense and fun two-day hackathon.
Although the ICUAS UAV Competition drew interest from 26 teams globally, only five finalist teams made it to Charlotte to run their scenarios with real drones. In the end, it was Team Aerial Robotics from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) who took home first place—congratulations to them!
While the event went smoothly overall, some communication challenges cropped up—solved creatively by placing a radio in the center of the arena. Battery management was also key, with fully charged packs being a hot commodity to maximize flight time.
Research and Presentations
Alongside the competition, the conference featured a wide range of research presentations. We were proud to see Rik present on the AI deck during a workshop focused on embodied AI.
One of the highlights was the Best Paper Award, which—although we missed the talk, was awarded to a team from Queen’s university using the Crazyflie to simulate drone landings on ocean waves. You can read their fascinating paper here: https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.21674
Final Thoughts
Overall, ICUAS 2025 was a great experience—full of innovation, collaboration, and of course, plenty of flight time. We’re grateful to the organizers, competitors, and everyone who stopped by our booth. Until next time!
This week, some of us are on an adventure! Marcus and Tobias will be exploring both the RIG and Embedded World fairs.
RIG showcases the latest innovations in robotics and intelligent systems, while Embedded World is the place to be for cutting-edge embedded technologies. Both events promise amazing demos, insightful talks, and a chance to catch up with some of our collaborators.
Planning to attend either fair? Let’s meet up! We’d love to explore the exhibitions together, chat about cool technologies, or just geek out about the innovations on display. We’ll be wandering through Embedded World on Thursday and hitting RIG on Friday. Send us an email if you’d like to connect – we’re always up for grabbing coffee!
Next May in Atlanta
After our adventures as visitors, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ll be exhibiting at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2025! Stop by our booth where we’ll be showcasing our latest demo. We’ll be, as always, available to discuss our newest products, answer your technical questions, and provide insights into how our solutions can transform your robotics applications. We’re also eager to hear your thoughts on what you’d like to see in our upcoming products. Mark your calendars and make sure to find us at Booth #131 – we may even have some presentations in the work, but nothing confirmed yet.
Today in the shop
And, last but not least, the Brushless is now available in a Swarm configuration! Both the Lighthouse Swarm bundle and Loco Swarm bundle have been added to our shop. These new bundles feature all the same components as our standard Swarm packages, but come equipped with the Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless instead of the Crazyflie 2.1+ model.
We’re happy to announce that release 2025.02 is now available. This update includes fixes and improvements for the Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless, along with stability enhancements for the AI-deck.
It’s hard to believe it’s already been almost a month since the Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless was released. We know some of you have already had the chance to take it for a spin, and we’re really excited to hear what you think.
Here at the office, we have started using them a lot – to discover gaps in the documentation, to test our new features, or simply to make nice trajectories during a Fun Friday as shown here:
We’re constantly amazed by it and the new capacity it brings… But, interestingly, we haven’t received many support questions so far… which has us wondering—did we accidentally make it too good? Jokes aside, we’d love to get your thoughts! Whether you have feedback, questions, or just want to share your experience, we’re all ears.
We have a quick form for you here to fill out – it takes a couple of minutes and would help us a lot:
The Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless with propeller guards on a prototype charging padThe optimized brushless motor
Finalizing the integration of the Crazyflie 2.1 Brushless into our software ecosystem and expanding its documentation were key steps in preparing for its launch. These efforts ensure compatibility, improve the user experience, and make the platform more accessible to the community. We’re looking forward to a smooth launch and to seeing how the community will utilize the new platform!
This year, we introduced updates to the Crazyflie 2.1 kit, making the 47-17 propellers the new default and including an improved battery. These upgrades enhance flight performance and endurance, culminating in the release of the Crazyflie 2.1+—an optimized iteration of our established platform.
And don’t forget the developer meetings, where we shared some more behind the scenes information and collected invaluable feedback from the community.
We also released a new edition of our research compilation video, showcasing some of the coolest projects from 2023 and 2024 that highlight the versatility and impact of the Crazyflie platform in research.
Team
In the past year, Bitcraze saw significant changes within the team. in February, Rik rejoined the team. Tove started at Bitcraze in April. Mandy, with whom we’ve already worked extensively over the years, joined as our production representative in Shenzen. At the end of the year, we said goodbye to Kimberly, whose contributions will be deeply missed. Additionally, we had Björn with us for a few months, working on his master’s thesis on fault detection, and Joe continued his industrial postdoc at Bitcraze that began in December 2023. Looking ahead, Bitcraze is hiring for two new roles: a Technical Sales Lead and a Technical Success Engineer, to support our ongoing projects and customer collaborations.
Midsummer lunch with the teamChristmas-themed Bitcraze office
As we close the chapter on 2024, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, the connections we’ve strengthened, and the milestones we’ve reached. With exciting launches, new faces on the team, and continued collaboration with our community, we’re ready to soar to even greater heights in 2025. Thank you for being part of our journey!
Hi everyone! I have a bit of news to share… I’ve decided to leave Bitcraze at the end of 2024. But not before I share with you my latest Fun Friday project that I’ve tried my best to finish up before I leave before my Christmas holiday in December.
Frankensteining the Pololu Robot with the Crazyflie Bolt
During the ROSCon talk about the lighthouse system (see the recording here), I’ve already shown a small example of how the lighthouse system could be used on other robots as well. Here you see a Pololu RPI 2040 (the hyper edition of course), with a slimmed down Crazyflie Bolt and a Lighthouse deck. The UART2 port on the Bolt (pinout is the same as Crazyflie) is interfacing with the UART0 connection on the Pololu (pinout). Then the Pololu’s 3v3 is connected to the vUSB and GND to GND (obviously), so 4 wires in total. Technically, the 3v3 port is not supplying enough power for the Crazyflie on paper, but it seemed to be enough as long as the Crazyflie Bolt doesn’t have motors connected it should be fine. But if anyone would like to do a driving-flying hybrid with this combo, you might need to check the specifications a bit closer. For now, just ignore the red low-battery LED on the Bolt, but if you see it restarting then perhaps give the Pololu a fresh set of batteries.
Since the Pololu RPI 2040 doesn’t have any wireless communication, this can be done through the Crazyflie Bolt and the Crazyradio. I’ve made an app layer variant for the Bolt to forward state estimates and velocity commands; however, it did require a bit of an extra logging variable in the firmware itself. But this allows me to control the Pololu through the CFclient! Since it’s using velocity commands, this means that the mobile app is out though, but perhaps if anyone is interested in getting this rolling, let me know. Also, the screen shows the current X, Y, Z, and yaw estimate of the Bolt transferred to the Pololu with the commands that I’ve given it.
I’d like to have connected this to a differential drive controller to make use of the position setpoints, but unfortunately the AA batteries ran out at the office and I was unable to complete this by the last day. It would have been great to use the Lighthouse positioning for this. Perhaps in the next coming months, I can try to continue with it and have my cats chase an autonomous robot around the house, who knows! If anyone is interested in playing around with this, these are the repositories/branches for both the Bolt and the Pololu:
First of all, I’ll take a long holiday in the US, first visiting New York (first time) before I hop over to Tulsa and Santa Barbara to visit family. Early 2025 I’ll be taking a long break, or a mini sabbatical of sorts, where I plan to work on some personal projects but mostly have a breather. I haven’t had a break like this in over 15 years, and given a tough 2023, I can definitely say that I’ve deserved some time off. What will happen after, I will hopefully figure out then, but for sure I will be continuing to co-lead the Aerial Robotics Interest Group at ROS and helping out in support of the Crazyswarm2 project.
I’d like to thank my colleagues at Bitcraze for an amazing 5 years here in Malmö, Sweden, and everyone that I was able to meet through them. I’ve learned a lot in terms of joint software development, code maintenance, community interaction, and, most importantly, having fun during work. I also will never forget the support I received while I was going through cancer treatment, and for that I’m very grateful. I wish you all the best and I hope the Crazyflie continues to thrive, saving more PhD projects as it did mine. Thank you.
It’s been a while since I last talked about hiring! We successfully onboarded our most recent recruit, and now it’s time to start planning for the future.
One of our challenges as a team is that we’re very heavy on engineers and developers. While that’s fantastic for building products, it means we lack expertise in other important areas. That’s why we’re now shifting our focus to bringing in talent to help fill those gaps. We’ve partnered with a recruitment agency once again to help us find the right people for the job. We’re currently hiring for two distinct roles—here’s what we’re looking for!
Technical sales lead
You will be responsible for developing and implementing sales strategies while exploring both new and existing markets. You’ll take the lead in driving sales and acquiring new customers, becoming the company’s go-to expert on marketing and sales tactics. Your day-to-day tasks will include supporting business development, optimizing sales processes, and proposing effective marketing strategies. This role is perfect for someone with a background in technical sales with a strong strategic mindset and a sense of responsibility.
We’re looking for a Technical Success Engineer to provide our customers with technical guidance and product expertise. This role involves offering first-line support, creating documentation and tutorials, and assisting with tech-focused sales efforts. The goal is to ensure a smooth and seamless customer experience while building strong client relationships. It’s an ideal position for a “social developer”—someone with a solid technical background who also excels in communication and enjoys engaging with others.
Both positions are full-time and based at our office in Malmö, Sweden. If you’re curious about why you should join our team, I’ve already shared some of the many reasons why I love being part of Bitcraze.
If you’re interested or have any questions, please send an email to fredric.vernqvist@techtalents.se or contact us at contact@bitcraze.se.
