This tutorial / example shows how to use a Raspberry Pi's GPIO pins to control an Electronic Speed Controller (ESC). Specifically, the manufacturer specific arming and calibration procedures (there are many other tutorials on controlling servos, etc. with pigpio, Pis, and Python).

Collect the ESC manufacture specific procedures for:

• arming
• calibration (throttle)
• modes switching (braking, response-rate, music-tunes (!), etc).

• Turnigy:
  • Plush (6A, 10A, 12A, 18A, 25A, 30A, 40A, 60A, 80A)
  • Basic (18A, 25A))

Warning: Remove propellers, etc. before testing, and don't chop off anything important.

Calibrating a Turnigy ESC for full scale throttle/controller throws:

self.pwm(width=self.MAX_WIDTH)
input("Connect power and press Enter to continue...")
self.pwm(width=self.MAX_WIDTH, snooze=2)   # Official docs: "about 2 seconds".
self.pwm(width=self.MIN_WIDTH, snooze=4)   # Time enough for the cell count, etc. beeps to play.

• pigpio

sudo apt install python3-pigpio
# if you want it to start on boot.
sudo systemctl enable pigpiod
# in this directory.
pipenv sync

The red ESC 5 volt Vcc is not connected. The white signal wire is here connected to GPIO4, or pin number 7.

• Read the code,
• Disconnect propellers, etc.
• python3 esc_demo.py

A demonstration of calibrating the ESC's maximum and minimum throttle range can be seen here:

A demonstration of arming an ESC, and a subsequent full power range test can be seen here:

Please open and issue or create a merge request if you can contribute more working devices or timings. Thanks!