Robo Pico: Simplifying Robotics with Raspberry Pi Pico

A robotics base board for the Raspberry Pi Pico. Pop your Pico into the socket, and you have a 2-channel DC motor driver, four servo ports, seven Grove ports, a buzzer, RGB LEDs and buttons ready to go, with no breadboard or jumper wiring needed. Compatible with the Raspberry Pi Pico 2, Pico and Pico W, and it can be programmed with CircuitPython, MicroPython or C/C++.

Please note: this is the Robo Pico board only. A Raspberry Pi Pico and USB cable are not included.

Motors, Servos and Power

The onboard motor driver can run 2 brushed DC motors or a single bipolar/unipolar stepper motor. Each channel handles 1 A continuous and 1.5 A peak (for less than 5 seconds). Motor test buttons let you spin each motor forward or backward at full speed without writing any code, and motor status LEDs show which way each channel is driving.

The board can be powered from any of the inputs, and uses the highest voltage one: the Pico's USB port, a single-cell LiPo/Li-Ion battery via the JST connector, or the VIN screw terminal (3.6-6 V). The built-in charger tops up a connected LiPo/Li-Ion battery through the Pico's USB port, with over-charge and over-discharge protection. An on/off switch cuts power to the whole board, including the Pico.

• Motor and servo supply voltage follows the input power source (when running from USB, expect around 0.4 V less than the USB voltage)

• Connecting a LiPo and VIN at the same time is not recommended

• If the board won't turn on with a battery connected, charge the battery to reset its protection circuit

Built-in Inputs, Outputs and Expansion

• 7x Grove ports for sensors and modules, supporting digital, analog, I2C, SPI and UART

• 1x Maker port (JST-SH 4-way), compatible with Qwiic, STEMMA QT and Grove (with a conversion cable); shares GP2/GP3 with Grove 2

• 2x NeoPixel-compatible RGB LEDs on GP18

• 2x programmable push buttons on GP20 and GP21

• Piezo buzzer on GP22 with a mute switch

• Reset button, so you can restart the Pico without unplugging power

• 13x status indicator LEDs for GPIO pins (per Cytron), each lighting when its pin is high

• All Pico pins broken out on two 20-way female headers

• Optional battery voltage sensing on GP28 (ADC2) by soldering the jumper on the back (reads VBAT/2; shares GP28 with Grove 7)

Board layout

Specifications

• Compatible microcontrollers: Raspberry Pi Pico 2, Pico and Pico W (not included)

• Power input (USB, LiPo or VIN): 3.6-6 V

• Power sources: Pico USB, single-cell LiPo/Li-Ion (JST connector) or VIN screw terminal

• Built-in 1-cell LiPo/Li-Ion charger (charges via the Pico USB port)

• Motor driver: 2 channels, brushed DC

• Motor current per channel: 1 A continuous, 1.5 A peak (less than 5 seconds)

• Motor driver PWM frequency: 20 kHz max

• Motor pins: M1A GP8, M1B GP9, M2A GP10, M2B GP11

• Servo ports: 4x RC servo (3-pin), signals on GP12, GP13, GP14, GP15; servo power = supply voltage

• Grove ports: 7x; total 3.3 V output current for Grove ports 300 mA max

• Maker port: 1x JST-SH 4-way (PiicoDev / Qwiic / STEMMA QT compatible)

• Mounting holes: 4x 4.8 mm and 4x M3 (3 mm)

• Dimensions: 88 x 72 mm

Package Includes

• 1x Robo Pico

• 4x Grove to Female Header Cable

• 1x Transparent Phillips Head Screwdriver

• 1x Silicone Rubber Feet (Pack of 4)

Raspberry Pi Pico and USB cable not included.

Resources

• Robo Pico Datasheet