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Learn how to leverage CopperPilot to calculate power budgets, analyze component power
consumption across different operating modes, and select appropriate batteries for your
custom hardware designs. This tutorial demonstrates how to conduct comprehensive power
analysis that would typically take hours of datasheet research in just minutes.

Overview

Power budgeting is one of the most critical yet often overlooked aspects of hardware design.
Many projects hit a snag deep into the design phase when you realize your power budget is
off—the battery won’t last through a full use cycle, or your power supply can’t handle the
peak current draw. By the time you discover these issues, you may have already committed to
a layout or even manufactured boards.

CopperPilot helps you avoid these pitfalls by automatically researching component datasheets,
analyzing power consumption across different operating modes, validating usage patterns against
real-world statistics, and recommending appropriate battery solutions that fit your physical
constraints.

Project Context: Custom Boardroom Camera

In this tutorial, we’re designing a custom boardroom camera—similar to a meeting owl, but
completely custom-made. The device includes:

• ESP32-CAM module: Handles Wi-Fi connectivity and video streaming
• WM8960 audio codec: Drives speakers and microphone for audio I/O
• Battery backup: LiPo battery for power during meetings
• Wi-Fi streaming: Continuous video and audio transmission during active use

The device operates in two main modes:

• Idle mode: Listens for wake commands over Wi-Fi (most of the day)
• Active mode: Streams video and audio during meetings (1-2 hours per day)

The challenge: Will the battery last through an entire meeting? Can the USB power supply
handle the peak current draw? These are questions that need answers before committing to
the design.

Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Share Component Details

Start by sharing the details of your main components with CopperPilot. Reference the
specific components in your design and explain the use case:

• ESP32-CAM module for video streaming
• WM8960 audio codec for speakers and microphone
• Voltage regulator for power management
• Expected usage patterns (idle listening vs. active streaming)

Example prompt: “I’m designing a boardroom camera with an ESP32-CAM and WM8960 codec.
It mostly stays idle, listening for wake commands over Wi-Fi, then streams video and audio
for one to two hours during meetings. Help me calculate the power budget and select an
appropriate battery.”

Step 2: CopperPilot Conducts Research

CopperPilot automatically begins researching your components:

• Gathers datasheets for the ESP32-CAM, WM8960 codec, and voltage regulator
• Looks up power consumption specs and current draw across different operating modes
• Analyzes both idle and active power states
• Identifies peak transient currents during startup

This process typically takes an hour of manual datasheet navigation—CopperPilot completes
it in minutes, and it’s not just pulling random numbers. The analysis mirrors how a power
engineer would assess the system.

Step 3: Power Consumption Breakdown

CopperPilot breaks down power consumption for each component across various operating modes:

ESP32-CAM Power Consumption

• Deep sleep: Minimal power consumption
• Modem sleep: 20-25 milliamps (Wi-Fi listening mode)
• Idle with Wi-Fi: Continuous listening for wake commands
• Video streaming (flash off): 120-180 milliamps
• Video streaming (flash on): Higher current draw
• Peak transient during startup: 280 milliamps

WM8960 Audio Codec Power Consumption

• Idle mode: Minimal power draw
• Recording mode: Current draw during microphone capture
• Playback mode: Current draw varies with volume level
• Different volume levels: Power consumption scales with output power

Step 4: Usage Pattern Validation

CopperPilot asks follow-up questions to gauge actual usage patterns:

• How many hours per day will the device be active?
• What is the expected meeting duration?
• What is the typical utilization pattern?

But here’s where it gets really clever: Even though you might estimate 1-2 hours per day,
CopperPilot doesn’t just take your word for it. It researches actual meeting room utilization
statistics to validate your assumptions:

• Typical office meeting room utilization: 30-50%
• Average meeting duration: 30-45 minutes
• Peak usage days: Tuesday through Thursday

This real-world validation ensures your power calculations are based on realistic usage
patterns, not optimistic estimates.

Step 5: Power Calculations

CopperPilot calculates power consumption across the entire day:

• Idle mode (19.5 hours): 154 milliwatts continuously during Wi-Fi listening
• Active mode (4.5 hours): Approximately 1 watt during video streaming
• Combined video and audio: 1.5 watts total during active use
• Daily energy consumption: 8.51 watt-hours per day
• Average current at 5V: 71 milliamps

Peak current analysis: During meetings with both video and audio active,
the peak current is 241 milliamps. This means a USB supply providing 3 amps has an 85%
safety margin—nowhere near its limit. This gives you confidence that your power supply
design is robust.

Step 6: Usage Scenario Planning

CopperPilot creates three realistic usage scenarios to help you plan for different
utilization levels:

• Low utilization: Minimal daily usage
• Medium utilization: 4.5 hours active, 19.5 hours idle per day (recommended)
• High utilization: Maximum expected usage

Each scenario includes detailed power calculations, helping you understand the range of
power requirements your design must accommodate.

Step 7: Thermal Analysis

Beyond just power consumption, CopperPilot calculates heat dissipation in your voltage
regulator. In this case, the heat dissipation is completely negligible, so no heat sink
is needed. This kind of analysis prevents over-engineering and helps optimize your BOM cost.

Step 8: Battery Selection

With power requirements calculated, CopperPilot helps you select an appropriate battery.
Since your PCB measures 2.6 inches by 1.2 inches, you need a LiPo battery that fits
within these physical constraints.

CopperPilot searches through battery catalogs and presents realistic options, comparing
them on:

• Thickness: Must fit within your PCB dimensions
• Capacity: Battery life in milliamp-hours
• Physical fit: Dimensions compatibility
• Runtime: How long the battery will last

Selected solution: The LP70 series with 2,500 milliamp-hours and 7
millimeters thick fits perfectly within the dimensions. The battery life is 1.09 days,
which means it can last a full workday and charge overnight. Peak runtime during a
meeting is 41 minutes, aligning with typical meeting durations.

CopperPilot also compares other options:

• 2,000 mAh version: Thinner design option
• Ultra-thin 3mm version: For high-volume manufacturing considerations

Step 9: Design Recommendations

Beyond just calculations, CopperPilot reviews your schematic and provides actual design
recommendations:

• Charging circuit: Notices if you’re missing a charging circuit and
  recommends a TP4056 charging IC for the battery
• Boost converter: Suggests using an MT3608 boost converter to maintain
  5 volts during battery operation
• Power management: Ensures seamless transition between USB power and
  battery power

This is the kind of feedback you’d expect from a senior engineer reviewing your designs—
catching missing components and suggesting proven solutions.

Key Benefits

• Comprehensive Component Research: CopperPilot automatically gathers and
  analyzes datasheets from multiple sources, saving hours of manual research
• Multi-Mode Power Analysis: Breaks down power consumption across all
  operating modes (sleep, idle, active, peak) just like a power engineer would
• Real-World Validation: Researches actual usage statistics to validate
  your assumptions and ensure realistic power calculations
• Scenario Planning: Creates multiple usage scenarios (low, medium, high)
  to help you plan for different utilization levels
• Thermal Analysis: Calculates heat dissipation to prevent over-engineering
  and optimize BOM costs
• Battery Catalog Search: Searches through battery catalogs to find options
  that fit your physical constraints
• Design Review: Reviews your schematic and provides recommendations for
  missing components (charging circuits, boost converters)
• Time Savings: Accomplishes in 10 minutes what would take half a day:
  component research, power calculations, real-world validation, battery selection, and
  design recommendations

Power Budgeting Best Practices

• Start early: Calculate power budgets before committing to layout or
  component selection
• Be specific about usage patterns: Provide realistic estimates of how
  long and how often the device will be active
• Consider all operating modes: Don’t just calculate peak power—analyze
  sleep, idle, and active modes
• Account for peak transients: Ensure your power supply can handle startup
  currents and other transient events
• Plan for multiple scenarios: Calculate power budgets for low, medium,
  and high utilization to understand the full range
• Validate assumptions: Let CopperPilot research real-world usage
  statistics to validate your estimates
• Consider physical constraints: When selecting batteries, provide PCB
  dimensions and other physical limitations
• Review design recommendations: Pay attention to CopperPilot’s suggestions
  for missing components like charging circuits
• Include safety margins: Ensure your power supply has adequate headroom
  (aim for at least 50% safety margin)
• Document your calculations: Keep records of power budgets for design
  reviews and future reference

When to Use Power Budgeting

• Before selecting power supplies or batteries for your design
• When designing battery-powered devices
• When working with components that have variable power consumption
• Before committing to PCB layout to ensure adequate power routing
• When optimizing for power efficiency
• During design reviews to validate power supply sizing
• When troubleshooting power-related issues in the lab
• Before manufacturing to ensure power requirements are met

Beyond Power Budgeting

While this tutorial focuses on power budgeting for a boardroom camera, CopperPilot’s power
analysis capabilities apply to any hardware project:

• IoT devices: Battery life optimization for edge devices
• Portable electronics: Power management for handheld devices
• Embedded systems: Power supply sizing for microcontrollers and peripherals
• Power supplies: Validation of regulator selection and thermal design
• Energy harvesting: Matching power sources to consumption requirements
• Wearable devices: Ultra-low power design for extended battery life

CopperPilot transforms power budgeting from a time-consuming manual process into an automated,
comprehensive analysis that catches critical issues before they become expensive problems.
In about 10 minutes of conversation, CopperPilot accomplishes what would have taken half a
day: component research, power calculations, real-world validation, battery selection, and
design recommendations. This showcases what AI for hardware design should look like.

This demo walks through the full chip design cycle for a 16×16 INT8 systolic-array TPU,
completed in a single Vivado session with CopperPilot. The flow starts with planning,
moves through RTL generation and simulation, and ends with synthesis report analysis,
timing-oriented fixes, and architecture-level performance framing.

Overview

Instead of jumping straight into Verilog, CopperPilot starts with a spec-first approach
inside Vivado. It studies similar designs, defines interfaces, plans modules, proposes a
verification strategy, and documents edge cases such as stalls, overflow, signed arithmetic,
and back-to-back input behavior.

Workflow

1. Spec-first planning: Generate a written engineering spec before touching
   RTL, including architecture choices like an output-stationary flow.
2. Implementation and first pass test: Create core modules (processing
   element, 16×16 array, buffers, top module, and testbench), then run simulation.
3. Fast debug loop: Parse tool errors, fix issues, and re-run compile/sim
   quickly without leaving the design environment.
4. Waveform and activity inspection: Use Vivado xsim to observe both math
   correctness and compute wavefront behavior across the array.
5. Synthesis and report-driven refinement: Choose out-of-context synthesis,
   inspect full reports, then apply targeted timing-aware fixes.

Key Technical Highlights

• 16×16 INT8 systolic array with 256 processing elements and DSP58 mapping visibility.
• Activity observability with a 256-bit activity marker and active-MAC count per cycle.
• Edge-case validation for identity, all-zero, stress inputs, mid-run stalls, and immediate back-to-back data.
• Synthesis quality improvements by replacing asynchronous reset patterns and adding multiplier pipelining.
• Post-fix flow shows cleaner DSP inference and healthier timing paths for implementation readiness.

Outcome

By combining specification, implementation, verification, and synthesis analysis in one loop,
CopperPilot helps teams move from concept to hardware-ready design faster while keeping the
engineer in control of architectural decisions. Performance scales with clock frequency, and
this 8-bit class design can be positioned in the TinyML range while remaining parameterizable
for larger targets.

Learn how to build a walkie-talkie hat for TinyCore, an ESP32-powered development board.
This tutorial demonstrates how to use CopperPilot to ideate, design, and validate hardware
using the ESP-NOW protocol with a microphone and speakerphone.

Overview

TinyCore is an impressive ESP32-powered development board with a wealth of built-in features.
In this project, we’ll create a walkie-talkie hat that utilizes the ESP-NOW protocol for
wireless communication, requiring a microphone and speakerphone.

What You’ll Learn

• How to use CopperPilot to ideate and design hardware projects
• Component selection and sourcing from KiCad libraries
• Wiring up analog microphones and speakers with amplifiers
• Schematic design and PCB layout with CopperPilot
• Design review and validation of your PCB
• Auto-routing and manual routing techniques

Project Steps

1. Ideation: CopperPilot helps you start ideating on the project and lays out
   components on a template PCB.
2. Component Selection: CopperPilot searches through KiCad to locate components,
   proposing options including a straightforward setup with an analog mic, speaker, and amplifier.
3. Schematic Design: Components are sourced from KiCad and integrated into the
   schematic, with symbols inserted and updated in both the schematic and PCB views.
4. Wiring: CopperPilot consults datasheets to figure out wiring specifics for
   the microphone and speaker, connecting them with the necessary support components like resistors
   and bootstrap capacitors.
5. PCB Layout: Components are positioned on the PCB, and routing is performed
   using a mix of auto-routing and manual routing techniques.
6. Design Review: CopperPilot performs a design review, identifying and helping
   fix issues such as unwired input/output paths.

Key Components

• Analog microphone
• Speaker
• Amplifier
• Support components (resistors, bootstrap capacitors)

This tutorial demonstrates the complete workflow of ideating, designing, and validating hardware
with CopperPilot, from initial concept to a finished PCB design ready for manufacturing.

Learn how to build a DHT11 temperature sensing module using CopperPilot. This tutorial
demonstrates the complete workflow from initial research and component selection through
schematic design, design review, and PCB layout.

Overview

This tutorial walks you through creating a temperature sensing module using the DHT11
sensor. CopperPilot helps you research the component, understand its requirements from
datasheets, design the schematic, and create a complete PCB layout ready for manufacturing.

What You’ll Learn

• Using CopperPilot for deep research on components and their datasheets
• Generating comprehensive block diagrams for your design
• Retrieving symbols and footprints from KiCad libraries
• Understanding component requirements (pull-up resistors, voltage ranges, etc.)
• Automated and manual wiring techniques
• Conducting schematic-level design reviews with continuity testing
• Setting appropriate trace widths for power and signal lines
• PCB layout and routing strategies

Project Steps

1. Research and Planning: Start by providing CopperPilot with a template
   or reference image. CopperPilot conducts deep research, reading datasheets and generating
   a comprehensive plan including a detailed block diagram showing how to construct the module.
2. Understanding Requirements: CopperPilot extracts detailed specifications
   from datasheets including voltage ranges, temperature ranges, current requirements, and
   critical design considerations like the need for a pull-up resistor on the DHT11’s data line.
3. Component Integration: CopperPilot retrieves all necessary symbols and
   footprints from KiCad libraries and integrates them into your schematic. Changes are
   presented as visual diffs for easy review.
4. Schematic Wiring: After positioning components to your preference,
   CopperPilot analyzes datasheets and provides detailed wiring plans. You can choose to
   wire automatically or manually with CopperPilot’s guidance.
5. Design Review: CopperPilot performs a comprehensive schematic-level
   design review using its continuity tester tool. Tag specific components (like the DHT11
   and input connector) to enable targeted review, verifying that wiring adheres to
   datasheet specifications.
6. PCB Layout: Import footprints into the PCB and use the 3D rendering
   tool to verify correct configuration. Arrange components logically, placing related
   components close together.
7. Trace Width Configuration: CopperPilot analyzes datasheets to recommend
   appropriate trace widths (e.g., 0.6mm for power lines, 0.25mm for data lines). Configure
   these settings in KiCad’s PCB editor before routing.
8. Routing and Finishing: Choose between auto-routing and manual routing
   to complete connections. Fill ground planes and perform a final design review to ensure
   everything is correct.

Key Components

• DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor
• Pull-up resistor for data line
• Input connector (power and signal)
• Supporting components as needed

Key Features Demonstrated

• Deep research capabilities with internet and datasheet analysis
• Automatic block diagram generation
• Symbol and footprint integration from KiCad libraries
• Visual diff presentation of changes
• Continuity testing for design verification
• Datasheet-driven trace width recommendations
• 3D rendering for PCB verification

This tutorial showcases CopperPilot’s ability to guide you through the entire hardware
design process, from initial research to a finished PCB design ready for manufacturing,
ensuring your design adheres to datasheet specifications every step of the way.

This tutorial walks through an FPV RC car build using CopperPilot as the project hub. You will move between schematic decisions, component context, and firmware notes without losing state.

Start in Research by capturing the drivetrain requirements: motor controller, battery range, radio link, and camera module constraints. Save the rationale so later design changes do not erase why you picked a part.

In Design, connect pin functions across the ESC, receiver, and microcontroller. CopperPilot helps you spot conflicts early—UART vs PWM mixes, insufficient regulator headroom, or GPIO shortages when you add extras.

Use the walkthrough video below as a supporting reference for the full build flow.

After assembly, move into Run to track firmware bring-up and test logs. When something fails on the bench, ask CopperPilot to relate the symptom back to schematic sections and recent changes.

FPV projects iterate quickly. Treat each revision as a named checkpoint so the copilot can diff what changed between “works in the garage” and “fails on the track.”

Learn how to use CopperPilot to explore pin functions and alternate functions for microcontrollers.
This tutorial focuses on the RP2040 as an example, which boasts a myriad of pins, many of which have
multiple functions. CopperPilot can help you create datasheet summaries and automatically assign
pin functions and alternates to your schematic.

Overview

Many microcontrollers, like the RP2040, have pins with multiple functions that aren’t always
assigned by default in symbol libraries. Clock pins and various other pins may sport different
functions that need to be properly configured. CopperPilot streamlines this process by analyzing
datasheets and automatically assigning pin functions and their alternates.

What You’ll Learn

• How to create datasheet summaries for microcontrollers
• Automatically assigning pin functions and alternate functions
• Understanding different pin function categories (power, clock, USB, GPIO, ADC)
• Reviewing changes via visual diffs
• Accessing and verifying pin functions in KiCad’s interface

How It Works

1. Create Datasheet Summary: Prompt CopperPilot to create a datasheet summary
   for your microcontroller (e.g., “Create a datasheet summary for the RP2040”). CopperPilot will
   sift through the datasheet and generate a comprehensive table outlining all the pins, their
   functions, signal type, voltage, and criticality. This provides a quick overview of all available
   pin functions.
2. Review Citations: CopperPilot provides a list of citations showing where it
   pulled information from within the datasheet, giving you confidence in the accuracy of the summary.
3. Assign Pin Functions: Instruct CopperPilot to take the datasheet summary and
   assign pin functions and alternates to your component. CopperPilot initiates a series of tool
   calls to assign functions including:
   • Power and control lines
   • Power inputs and outputs
   • Clock inputs and outputs
   • USB interface pins
   • GPIO pins
   • ADC pins
4. Review Summary Table: CopperPilot presents a neat table summarizing all the
   work it has done, showing which pin functions have been assigned across different categories.
5. Visual Diff: CopperPilot provides a diff that visually highlights any changes
   made to your schematic, making it easy to see what was updated.
6. Verify in KiCad: After reloading the schematic, you can verify that pin
   functions have been properly assigned. All pin functions and alternates are accessible through
   KiCad’s interface. You can double-click pins to review their functions, and all alternate
   functions are available via dropdown menus.

Key Features

• Automatic pin function assignment from datasheet analysis
• Comprehensive pin function tables with signal types and voltages
• Citation tracking for datasheet references
• Visual diff highlighting changes
• Full integration with KiCad’s pin function system

This tutorial demonstrates how CopperPilot streamlines the process of assigning pin functions,
saving you time and ensuring accuracy when working with complex microcontrollers that have many
pins with multiple functions.

Imagine you’re designing your PCB in KiCad, and you want the typical wiring diagram for
a component. You simply hover over it, hit Command+K, and click on typical wiring diagram.
A quick chat window appears and you’re presented with the diagram for your design.
That’s CopperPilot! Check us out at CopperPilot.ai.

Overview

Reference diagrams let you pull typical wiring and other datasheet-based diagrams straight
into your workflow. Without leaving KiCad, you hover over a component, invoke CopperPilot
with Command+K, and choose “typical wiring diagram” (or similar). CopperPilot reads the
datasheet and presents the diagram in a quick chat window, so you can keep designing with
the right reference in context.

What You’ll Learn

• Quick access to reference diagrams via Command+K from your schematic
• Getting typical wiring diagrams derived from the component datasheet
• Viewing the diagram in an in-context chat window without leaving your design

If you’d like to try CopperPilot, we’re running an early access program—check us out at
CopperPilot.ai.