Minimal Driver for RGB LEDs Perfect for RC Vehicles and More

If you’d like to add RGB lighting to your RC car, aerial vehicle, or anything else (LEGO model, Christmas lights, even your actual car), doing so isn’t that difficult, but involves a number of steps that make it non-trivial. As an alternative, FLY&I came up with the BitsyLED package. The firmware runs on most Arduino-compatible boards, and a configurator tool that allows you to set up a lighting pattern visually on your computer.

The firmware is set up by default to run on an ATtiny84 microcontroller, with five individual lighting ranges selected via an RC PWM signal, analog input, or timer; or they can simply be set to always on. Three individual lighting strands can be controlled — each of which can support up to 10 LEDs, or more depending on the hardware you’re using. The design includes a custom board for the ATtiny84 that is not on sale directly, but can be downloaded or ordered through OSH Park. Alternatively, the Arduino Pro Mini is also supported, which offers enhanced features over the custom board.

The configurator software is demonstrated in the video below. It enables you to visually lay out LED positions and input methods, letting you implement exactly the lighting pattern that you desire on your next project with minimal fuss!