This article will give you a quick look at the Arduino controllers.
Note: Read this article and use the catalog to quickly find the product you want. This article is mainly for those who are just getting started and don’t know how to choose a product from recommendation
Use/learn
-Recommended controller
| SKU | DFR0497 | DFR0216 | DFR0221 | DFR0191 |
| Applicable User | Primary school students | Suitable for junior high school and above | Suitable for junior high school and above | Suitable for junior high school and above |
| User Scenario | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects |
| Key Features | It is suitable for learning programming for young people. It integrates many common electronic modules on the board, a very simple controller. | Compared with the Micro:bit, the difficulty of use is basically the same, except that there is no on-board commonly used sensors (requires an external connection), but the features are more powerful | DFRobot Leonardo is a low-cost controller, integrated with Xbee and SPI. Can be used as a virtual COM port to connect to the computer as a mouse or keyboard | 54 digital ports，16 analog ports, and 4 UARTs. Suitable for designs that use many sensors. |
| Digital Ports (IO/PWM） | 16 | 14/6 | 7 / 20 | 54 / 15 |
| Analog Ports | 6 | 6 | 12 | 16 |
Note: If you want to know more about the detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view it
**Note: When using Micro:bit, it should be used with an Expansion Shield. The following recommended packages include the required Expansion Shield. If you want to purchase it separately, please check
Microbit Expansion Shield selection guide**
micro:bit Related design 、 Arduino Related design
-Recommended package
If you are a beginner or teacher, we strongly recommend you to choose the following kits, because they are equipped with various sensors and supporting tutorials (combination of various sensors), all kits can support graphical programming, no need to add anything else, you can quickly create some interesting projects:
| SKU | TOY0086 | ROB0148 | MBT0021 | DFR0100 | KIT0111 | KIT0018 |
| Main components | expansion board for Boson kit | Micro:bit+Maqueen Lite | Micro:bit+Maqueen Plus | DFRobot Beginner Kit for Arduino +Prototyping Shield | DFRduino UNO R3+IO Expansion Shield for Arduino V7.1 | DFRduino UNO R3+IO Expansion Shield for Arduino V7.1 |
| Applicable User | Elementary school students and teachers | Students, teachers or individuals in primary and secondary schools | Secondary school students, teachers or individuals | Beginners in junior high school and above | Junior high school students, teachers or individuals | Junior high school students, teachers or individuals |
| User Scenario | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects | Teaching/Individual learning | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects | Teaching/Individual learning | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects | Teaching/Individual learning/Personal Projects |
| Key Features | All interfaces adopt anti-reverse interface, which is suitable for primary school students to use with zero foundation. All the tutorials and devices are included | Programming educational robots for primary and secondary schools, some commonly used sensors in the car, and many more advanced packages, which are highly interesting and can better stimulate interest in learning | Compared with Maqueen Lite, it has more functions. For specific comparison, please check: link | The sensor in this kit is not modular. It needs to be combined with the breadboard to build the circuit. It requires a certain circuit construction foundation and patience. It is helpful to understand some lower-level circuit knowledge and working principles. If you want to connect more easily, please don’t Choose this package | Arduino introductory learning kit, the package contains 13 sensor modules, the wiring can be plugged directly according to the color of the line, all the tutorials and components are included, and it is ready to use | Arduino advanced learning kit, the package contains 17 sensor modules, the wiring can be plugged directly according to the color of the line, all the tutorials and devices are included, and it is ready to use |
| Compatible IDE | Mind+ | Mind+ | Mind+ | Arduino IDE/Mind+ | Arduino IDE/Mind+ | Arduino IDE/Mind+ |
Note: If you want to know more about the detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view
If you have a strong learning ability and require a more cost-effective product , you can choose the main control board + sensor package, so you can get more sensors but no combined tutorials (only a separate tutorial for each sensor):
- DFRduino UNO R3 OR microbit + 27 Pcs Sensor Set for Arduino
- DFRduino UNO R3 OR microbit + 37 Pcs Sensor Set for Arduino
Study/design IoT related projects
-Recommended controller
| SKU | DFR0321 | DFR0489 | DFR0478 | DFR0575 |
| Microcontroller | CC3000 | ESP8266 | ESP32 | ESP32 |
| Power supply interface | USB or DC2.1 | USB/3.7VLipo | USB / 3.7VLipo | USB |
| USB Powered or External (V) | 7 - 12 | 3.3/ 5.0 | 3.3/5 | 3.5 - 6.5 |
| Operating Voltage (V) | 5V | 3.3V | 3.3V | 3.3V |
| Digital pins | 14 | 10 | 10 | 4 |
| Analog pins | 6 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Compatible IDE | Arduino IDE 1.6+ | Arduino IDE 1.6+ | Arduino IDE 1.6+，Mind+ | Arduino IDE 1.6+，Mind+ |
| Download Mode | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Lipo Charger Support | × | √ | √ | √ |
| Dimension(mm) | 75*54 | 58*29 | 58*29 | 35*34 |
| Applicable User | Professional users | Senior High school and above | Senior High school and above | Senior High school and above |
| User Scenario | IOT Design | Learning/IoT design | Learning/IoT design | Small size IoT design |
| Key Features | On board 2.4G PCB Antenna and SD card slot. | Can be connected to Wifi for IoT design, ESP8266 has a 10-bit ADC, ESP32 is an upgraded version of ESP8266 | With Bluetooth wifi dual modules, low-power microcontroller, can be directly applied to low-power IoT projects | The reduced version of FireBeetle ESP32, the board size is reduced, the IO pins of the board are also reduced |
Note: If you want to know more about the detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view
Make a robot
Romeo series controllers perfectly solve the problem of stacking various power supplies and motor drives in the robot production process. The board integrates Arduino main control, power supply system and dual DC motor drives, so if you want to build quickly and conveniently A robot, Romeo controller must be the best choice.
-Recommended controller
| Microcontroller | Atmega328 | ATmega32U4 | ATmega328 | ATmega328 |
| SKU | DFR0004 | DFR0225 | DFR0305 | DFR0351 |
| Motor drive | L298P | L298P | L298P | TB6612FNG |
| Digital Ports (IO/PWM） | 14/6 | 23/12 | 14/6 | 8/4 |
| Analog Ports | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
| Download Mode | A-B USB cable | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Dimension（mm） | 100 x 80 | 89×85 | 94×80 | 47.1×38.5 |
| input voltage（Motor） | 6V~20V DC | 6V~20V DC | 5V~23V DC | 6.5V~10V DC |
| Applicable User | Robot lovers | Robot lovers | Robot lovers | Robot lovers |
| User Scenario | Quick prototype of a simple robot | Quick prototype of a robot that can be remotely controlled by Xbee or APC2200 | Quick prototype of a robot that can be remotely controlled via Bluetooth or APC2200 | Quick prototype of a desktop-level micro-robot that can be controlled by Bluetooth |
| Key Features | Expands IO ports to 3PIN ports; Five programmable independent buttons on board; The onboard two-channel DC motor drive and power supply system can build a robot quickly and easily | In addition to the features of the V1 version, Xbee socket and APC220 radio frequency module socket are added, which can remotely control the robot through Xbee or APC220 | In addition to the features of the V1 version, the APC220 RF module socket and Bluetooth are added, and the robot can be remotely controlled through APC220 or Bluetooth | Onboard two-channel DC motor drive and power system of motor and steering gear; ultra-small size, Bluetooth remote control robot, suitable for desktop-level micro-robot design |
Note: If you want to know more about the detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view
Many sensors used
Mega is the king of performance in the Arduino series of controllers, and the price is relatively high. If you have insufficient pin resources or insufficient memory when using UNO in your design, choose Mega.
-Recommended controller
| Microcontroller | ATmega1280 | ATmega2560 | ATmega2560 |
| SKU | DFR0003 | DFR0191 | DFR0323 |
| Operating Voltage | 5V | 5V | 5V |
| Digital Ports (IO/PWM） | 54/15 | 54/15 | 54/15 |
| Analog Ports | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Download Mode | A-B USB cable | A-B USB cable | Micro USB |
| Vin | 5v/3-16V | 5v/3-16V | 5 - 23V |
| Applicable User | The difficulty of use is similar to UNO, you can use it if you have a foundation | The difficulty of use is similar to UNO, you can use it if you have a foundation | There is a certain degree of difficulty in using Bluetooth, which requires a certain foundation and patience |
| User Scenario | Project design for simultaneous use of multiple sensors | Project design for simultaneous use of multiple sensors | Project design for simultaneous use of multiple sensors |
| Key Features | 54 digital ports，16 analog ports, and 4 UARTs. Suitable for designs that use many sensors. | DFRduino Mega2560 expands Flash twice based on 1280. Suitable for designs that use many sensors. | Bluno Mega2560 adds a Bluetooth module based on DFRduino Mega2560. Suitable for designs with many sensors and Bluetooth. |
Note: It is best to use it with Mega expansion boardIO Sensor Shield For Arduino Mega.
Note: If you want to know more about the detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view
Design or Project
In some designs or projects, a small and powerful master control is usually required. The Arduino Nano is designed to solve this problem. It reduces the size while taking into account the resources and functions on the board. While using you can choose to directly connect the sensor to the controller pin, or plug it into the PCB board of your own design.
-Recommended controller
| Microcontroller | Atmega328 | ATmega32u4 | Atmega328 | Atmega328 | Atmega328 |
| BootLoader | UNO | Leonardo | UNO | UNO | UNO |
| SKU | DFR0010 | DFR0213 | DFR0296 | DFR0159 | DFR0132 |
| Operating Voltage | 5V | 5V | 5V | 5V | 3.3V |
| Digital Ports (IO/PWM） | 14/6 | 21/7 | 12 | 14/6 | 14/6 |
| Analog Ports | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Download Mode | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB | FTDI downloader | FTDI downloader |
| Vin | 6.5V~12V | 6.5-12V | 7 - 12V | 3.6-8V | 3.6-8V |
| Dimension | 47*18.5mm | 45*20mm | 53*19mm | 33*18mm | 33*18mm |
| User Scenario | Users interested in Combining your own circuit to do more advanced project design | Users interested in Combining your own circuit to do more advanced project design | Users interested in Combining your own circuit to do more advanced project design | Users interested in Combining your own circuit to do more advanced project design | Users interested in Combining your own circuit to do more advanced project design |
| Key Features | Compatible with Arduino uno, although the pin resources are slightly less than the Dreamer Nano, but if you haven't used Leonardo, it is recommended. | The controller is Leonardo, which is more suitable for the design of interaction with the computer. | The UNO is made into Nano size, with integrated Bluetooth function, which is suitable for the design that needs to interact with Bluetooth. | Compared with Nano, Pro Mini has a smaller size. It removes the onboard downloader. If you want to download a program, you need an external FTDI downloader. which is ideal for products that do not require replacement code when the design is complete, such as some handheld game consoles. | The parameters are basically the same as the Pro Mini 5V version, except that the working voltage of this one is 3.3V. If the sensor in your system works at 3.3V, you can choose this one. |
Note : If you want to know more detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view
Ultra-small design
Some wearable designs require the controller to have an ultra-small size, the problem is that while the size is greatly reduced, the onboard resources will also be reduced, so the recommended controllers here are some Controller with ultra-small size and less IO resources.
-Recommended controller
| Microcontroller | ATmega32u4 | ATmega328 | ESP32 | ATmega328 |
| SKU | DFR0282 | DFR0339 | DFR0575 | DFR0351 |
| Operating Voltage | 5V | 5V | 3.3V | 5V/3-5V |
| Digital Ports (IO/PWM） | 10/4 | 4/2 | 4 | 8/4 |
| Analog Ports | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Download Mode | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Dimension | 20223.8mm | 28.8*33.1mm | 35*34mm | 45*38.5mm |
| Applicable User | Designs requiring No need for Bluetooth and wifi | Designs requiring Bluetooth | IoT design | Desktop level robot |
| User Scenario | Wearable device or other ultra-small size design | Wearable device or other ultra-small size design | Wearable device or other ultra-small size design | Desktop-level robot or other ultra-small design that interacts with motors |
| Key Features | Small size, two sets of power ports. | Small in size and can be used with Bluetooth. | Integrated wifi and bluetooth. When choosing this model, please confirm whether the controlled sensor is compatible with ESP32. This model is recommended if wifi is used in the design. | Onboard two-channel DC motor drive and power supply system; ultra-small size, Bluetooth remote control robot, suitable for desktop micro robot design. |
Note：If you want to know more detailed parameter information, please directly search the corresponding product SKU or click the product name to view
Beelle Related design：Music IQ Led Lights 、Beelle BLE Related design：Jumping Paper Frog
FAQ
Driver installation problem
F1.How to install the driver？
Q1.There is a corresponding driver installation tutorial in the wiki of each product. It is recommended to download and install the corresponding driver according to the description in the wiki. In addition, you can watch this tutorial directly:Mindplus Install Driver
Program download problem
F1.I have installed the driver, but the device manager still cannot find the port and cannot download the program?
Q1.Open the device manager, plug and unplug the board to observe whether the device manager interface will refresh. If the device manager page does not refresh, it means that the data cable used has no data transmission function. Give it a try with another data cable.
F2.There is no problem with the driver, and the corresponding port can be selected when downloading the program code, but an error will be reported when downloading the program code?
Q2.Please confirm that the code has no errors; confirm the board model is selected correctly; whether the serial port is occupied (the D0 and D1 ports of the Arduino series controller cannot be connected to anything when downloading the program code); when using the Bluetooth controller, make sure that Bluetooth is disconnected when downloading the program code.
Expansion Shield problem
F1.What is the use of the expansion board?
Q1.The expansion board is divided into IO expansion board and functionality expansion board. The IO expansion board expands the pins of the controller, making it more convenient to use with sensors. All Gravity series sensors in the DF mall can be easily plugged into the expansion board; the function expansion board adds corresponding functions. For example, the Arduino motor drive expansion board adds the ability to drive the motor for the Arduino controller.
F2.Do I have to use an expansion board when using the controller?
Q2.We recommend using the expansion board according to the needs and functions. Using the expansion board will greatly reduce the wiring difficulty when using the sensors. If you do not use the expansion board, please confirm you can solve the sensor wiring problem by yourself. Especially when using Micro:bit or controlling the sensor, it must be used with the control board.
Other:ARDUINO COMMON PROBLEM