DFRobot - Beetle ESP32 C6 Mini Development Board for Wireless Smart Wearable Device (Supports BLE / Matter)

This Beetle ESP32-C6 mini IoT development board brings wireless connectivity and battery charging into a compact 25x20.5mm design for wearable electronics and small smart home projects. Powered by a 160 MHz RISC-V processor, this Arduino-compatible board combines 13 digital I/O, 4MB Flash, and onboard battery voltage monitoring. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Zigbee 3.0, and Thread 1.3 provide multiple paths for connecting custom devices, including Matter endpoint development with suitable firmware. From electronic badges and backpack charms to wireless buttons, this Beetle ESP32-C6 keeps the controller footprint small while leaving room for project-specific sensors, displays, and controls.

25x20.5mm Footprint with 13 Digital I/O

This Beetle ESP32-C6 fits a coin-sized footprint while providing 13 digital I/O for connecting project hardware. SPI, I2C, UART, PWM, and ADC capabilities support designs built around buttons, sensors, displays, and lighting. The compact layout is especially useful for electronic badges, wearable accessories, and small interactive objects where a larger development board would dominate the enclosure. USB Type-C provides a convenient connection for programming and power during development.

Figure: Comparison of the size between the Beetle ESP32-C6 and the keycap

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Thread, and Zigbee on One Board

This Beetle ESP32-C6 supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth LE alongside IEEE 802.15.4 connectivity for Thread 1.3 and Zigbee 3.0. These options allow the same board to serve different wireless project needs, from Wi-Fi sensor nodes to Thread-based smart home endpoints. With an appropriate software stack, this board supports Matter endpoint development over Wi-Fi or Thread, giving compact smart home projects a route to interoperable device communication.

Figure: Beetle ESP32-C6 supports BLE, Zigbee, Wi-Fi 6 and Thread

Onboard Battery Charging and Voltage Monitoring

This Beetle ESP32-C6 integrates lithium battery charging management, reducing the need for a separate charging module in a compact battery-powered project. The specified maximum charging current is 0.5A, and battery voltage monitoring makes the power level available to application software. These features support low-battery indicators and project-defined power management, helping combine wireless control and battery handling on one small board for wearable and portable electronics.

37μA Deep Sleep for Battery-Powered Projects

This Beetle ESP32-C6 specifies a battery-powered deep-sleep current of 37μA, supporting designs that spend time asleep between active tasks. Wi-Fi 6 also provides Target Wake Time (TWT), which can schedule wake periods with a compatible access point and suitable firmware to reduce connected power use. These capabilities give battery-powered IoT projects useful power-management options; final battery life depends on firmware, radio activity, attached hardware, and battery capacity.

Figure: Wi-Fi 6's Target Wake Time (TWT) technology

• Compact 25x20.5mm board for wearable electronics and small IoT projects
• 160 MHz RISC-V processor with 4MB Flash and 13 digital I/O
• 2.4GHz Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE, Zigbee 3.0, and Thread 1.3 support
• Supports Matter endpoint development over Wi-Fi or Thread with suitable firmware
• 37μA specified deep-sleep current when battery-powered
• Wi-Fi 6 Target Wake Time support for connected power management with compatible firmware and access points
• Onboard lithium battery charging management with a maximum charging current of 0.5A
• Battery voltage monitoring for application-level power management
• USB Type-C connection and Arduino development support

• Electronic Badge
• Backpack Charm
• Pet Tracker
• Electronic Watch
• Smart Button
• Smart Lighting
• Human-Interactive Device

Basic Parameters

• Operating Voltage: 3.3V
• Type-C Input Voltage: 5V DC
• VIN Input Voltage: 5V DC
• Max Charging Current: 0.5A
• Sleep Current: 37μA (Deep Sleep Mode, Battery-Powered)
• Operating Temperature: -10~60℃
• Dimension: 25x20.5mm/0.98x0.81”

Hardware Information

• Processor: RISC-V single-core processor
• Main Frequency: 160 MHz
• SRAM: 512KB
• ROM: 320KB
• Flash: 4MB
• RTC SRAM: 16KB
• USB: USB 2.0 CDC

WIFI

• WIFI Protocol: IEEE 802.11b/g/n
          IEEE 802.11ax (20 MHz-only non-AP mode)
• Bandwidth: Support 20 MHz and 40 MHz at 2.4 GHz band
• WIFI Mode: Station, SoftAP, SoftAP+Station combined mode
• WIFI Frequency: 2.4GHz
• Frame Aggregation: TX/RX A-MPDU, TX/RX A-MSDU

Bluetooth

• Bluetooth Protocol: Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth mesh
• Bluetooth Frequency: 125 Kbps, 500 Kbps, 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps

IEEE 802.15.4

• Compatible with IEEE 802.15.4-2015 protocol
• Frequency band: 2.4GHz
• Data rate: 250Kbps
• Supports Thread 1.3 and Zigbee 3.0

Ports

• Digital I/O x13
• LED PWM 6 Channel
• SPI x1
• UART x3 (LP UART x1)
• I2C x2 (LP I2C x1)
• I2S x1
• IR Transceiver: transmit channel x2, receive channel x2
• 1 × 12-bit SAR ADC, 7 Channel
• DMA Controller: transmit channel x3, receive channel x3

• Beetle ESP32 C6 Mini Development Board x1
• 10pin-2.54mm Pin Header x2