Raptor-C with FALCON Application - Product Manual

siliXcon Raptor-C Motor Controller Firmware Application: FALCON

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Quick Start with Quick-Setup Pad

Don't want to read the full manual? If you have the Quick-setup pad accessory, you can get the motor running in minutes without installing any software.

What you need

• Raptor-C controller
• Battery (matching the controller's voltage rating)
• BLDC/PMSM motor (matched to controller power rating)
• Quick-setup pad (supplied with your sample)

Hardware preparation

1. Connect power leads from the controller to the battery and motor. Ensure the motor power matches the controller specifications. Mount the motor safely on a bench. Do not use a power supply.
2. Plug the two JST connectors labeled "Control I/O 1" and "Power" from your controller into the Quick-setup pad.
3. Verify the "DC voltage present" LED is active on the pad. If not, check battery connection.
4. Turn on the rocker switch. The "Is ON" and "IO+5V present" LEDs should illuminate. The controller's on-board LED should indicate no error.

Motor identification

WARNING: The identification procedure pushes up to half of the controller's rated current through the motor coils. Ensure your motor can handle this thermally.

1. Ensure the motor can spin freely.
2. Press and hold the A/Identify motor button for 5 seconds until the procedure starts (signaled acoustically).
3. Wait for the confirmation melody indicating success.
4. The motor parameters are now saved. Repeat this step only when changing to a different motor type.

Choose a function preset (Acoustic menu)

1. Press and hold the B/Choose preset button for 5 seconds to enter the acoustic menu.
2. While in the menu:
   • Press A repeatedly to cycle through current (power) levels: 12.5%, 25%, 37.5%, 50%, 67.5%, 75%, 87.5%, 100%. Each level is signaled with a distinct melody.
   • Press B repeatedly to cycle through function presets:

Beeps	Preset	Description
1	Aircraft	Uni-directional prop control with freewheel (standard BLDC ESC behavior)
2	RC Car	Combined brake and reverse. Negative = brake; release then negative again = reverse
3	Torque	Bidirectional symmetrical, mapped to current (torque)
4	Voltage	Bidirectional symmetrical, mapped to voltage (dynamic/acrobatic)
5	Speed	Bidirectional symmetrical, mapped to speed closed loop (governor)

3. After 5 seconds of no button presses, the menu exits and saves your choices (confirmation melody).

Try the throttle

• Use the potentiometer on the Quick-setup pad, or connect a servo PWM / analog signal.
• After changing function, the input is disarmed. Move the throttle to the neutral position first to arm.

Restore factory settings

Press and hold both A and B buttons simultaneously for 5 seconds to discard all settings and return to factory defaults.

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Table of Contents

1. Product Overview
2. Physical Characteristics
3. Electrical Specification
4. Connector Pinout
5. Accessories and Mounting
6. Connecting to the Controller (SWTools)
7. FALCON Application Overview
8. State Machine
9. Initial Configuration
10. Input Configuration
11. Control Modes
12. Safety Features
13. Emergency Stop and Prop Docking
14. Function Presets (Quick Setup)
15. CAN Communication
16. LED Status Indicator
17. Troubleshooting

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1. Product Overview

The Raptor-C is a compact, high-performance brushless motor controller from the siliXcon SC controller family. It is available in two form factors:

Raptor-C Fan	Raptor-C Flat
Active fan-cooled (53.0 x 116.6 x 51.4 mm, 440 g)	Compact flat form factor (37.5 x 116.6 x 51.4 mm, 330 g)

Applications

• Compact multirotor and quadcopter drone propulsion
• Military micro-UAV and small tactical drone drives
• Aerial survey, mapping, and inspection platforms
• Defense perimeter security and surveillance drones
• First-responder and search-and-rescue aerial systems
• Electronic warfare and signal relay UAV powertrains

Part Number: 25xxx1060

The Raptor-C uses the 25xxx1060 product variant (100 V transistors).

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2. Physical Characteristics

Raptor-C Fan

• Width: 53.0 mm
• Height: 116.6 mm
• Thickness: 51.4 mm
• Weight: 440 g

Raptor-C Flat

• Width: 37.5 mm
• Height: 116.6 mm
• Thickness: 51.4 mm
• Weight: 330 g

Mechanical Reference

Position	Name
1	Motor phase lead wires
2	Battery + lead wire
3	Battery - lead wire
4	Mounting surface
5	Product label
6	Status LED
7	Signal connectors - JST JWPF

The controller should be installed by placing the mounting surface (4) on a flat metal surface and securing it with four screws. The status LED (6) indicates error states.

3D Models and Drawings

• Raptor-C Fan: Drawing (PDF)
• Raptor-C Flat: Drawing (PDF)

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3. Electrical Specification

Input Voltage Rating

Parameter	Value
Transistors	100 V
Maximum working voltage	84 V
Full limitation voltage	92 V
Critical error voltage (max)	100 V
Li-ion battery nominal voltage	72 V
Li-ion series cells count	20S
Minimum working voltage	18 V
Threshold voltage	16 V
Critical error voltage (min)	12 V

DC Bus Capacitance

Voltage variant	Capacitance
10 (100 V)	1350 uF

Output Current and Power Rating (VECTOR driver)

Parameter	Raptor-C Flat	Raptor-C Fan
Maximum continuous power dissipation	100 W	80 W
Peak phase current (10 sec)	280 A (198 Arms)	280 A (198 Arms)
Peak power (10 sec)	20.4 kW @ 84 V	20.4 kW @ 84 V

Note (Fan edition): Continuous ratings assume fan installed, air path not obscured, air temperature 20 deg C.

Fixed Current Limits

Parameter	Value
RMS current limit	300 Arms
Burst current limit	600 A

Environmental Specification

Parameter	Value
Operation temperature (no limitation)	-20 deg C .. 60 deg C
Operation temperature (with power limitation)	-20 deg C .. 80 deg C
Humidity	5% .. 85% (not tested)
Ingress protection	IP40

Higher ingress protection rating possible on demand.

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4. Connector Pinout

Power Connections

The Raptor-C uses free silicone lead wires (10 mm2) for power:

• Battery+: Red lead wire
• Battery-: Black lead wire
• Motor phase A, B, C: Lead wires

Terminate with connectors appropriate for your application.

Signal Connectors (JST JWPF)

Power Connector (3-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Brown	Internal supply input (KEY)
2	Yellow	Power on/off control
3	Black	Power ground

Control I/O 1 Connector (4-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Black	Signal ground
2	Blue	Battery temperature sensor 2 (in_btemp2)
3	Green	Analog throttle input (in_analog) / Battery temperature sensor 1 (in_btemp1)
4	Red	5 V supply for sensors

Control I/O 2 Connector (8-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Orange	10 V supply for throttle potentiometer
2	Yellow	PWM throttle input (in_ppm_ch)
3	Blue	E-stop digital input (in_estop)
4	Green	Quick-setup pad button (in_quick_setup)
5	White	3 V supply
6	Black	Signal ground
7	Black	Signal ground
8	Red	5 V supply for sensors

Digital OUT1 Connector (2-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Brown	Contactor/relay drive +
2	Green	Contactor/relay drive -

Motor Sensor Connector (8-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Green	Hall sensor V / SIN encoder
2	Blue	Hall sensor U / COS encoder
3	Yellow	Hall sensor W / COM
4	White	Motor temperature sensor (NTC)
5	Red	5 V supply for motor sensors
6	Brown	Encoder B / data
7	Black	Sensor ground
8	Violet (Orange)	Encoder A / CLK / Prop dock reference sensor

CAN Connector (3-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Black	Communication ground
2	Yellow	CAN bus high (status messages, VCU control)
3	Green	CAN bus low

USB Connector (4-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	White	USB data + (SWTools connection)
2	Green	USB data -
3	Black	USB ground
4	Red	USB 5 V

UART COM Connector (4-pin)

Pin	Wire Colour	FALCON Function
1	Black	Communication ground
2	White	UART transmit
3	Blue	UART receive
4	Red	5 V supply

All signal inputs are galvanically isolated from BATT-.

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5. Accessories and Mounting

Mating Connectors (Signal)

Connector	Part Number
DOUT	JST 02T-JWPF-VSLE-S
DIN	JST 02R-JWPF-VSLE-S
Motor sensor	JST 08R-JWPF-VSLE-D
Control I/O 2	JST 08T-JWPF-VSLE-D
Control I/O 1, UART	JST 04T-JWPF-VSLE-S
Power	JST 03T-JWPF-VSLE-S
CAN	JST 03R-JWPF-VSLE-S
USB	JST 04R-JWPF-VSLE-S

Note: Power connections (battery and motor phases) are free silicone lead wires (10 mm2). Terminate them with connectors appropriate for your application.

Crimp Tools

• Receptacle contact 22-26 AWG: SWPR-001T-P025
• Tab contact 22-26 AWG: SWPT-001T-P025
• Crimp tool: WC-JWPF
• Removal tool: EJ-JWPF

Mounting

• 4x M4 or M5 screws (M4 through-hole, M5 threaded in heatsink)
• For through-hole mounting, minimum thread depth is 1.5x screw diameter
• Apply thermal grease to mounting area for improved cooling (e.g. Electrolube HTC or AG termopasty HPX)

Connector Set

siliXcon can provide a complete set of mating connectors for prototyping. Signal JST connectors come pre-crimped with 10 cm cables. Contact siliXcon customer support for details.

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6. Connecting to the Controller (SWTools)

What is SWTools?

SWTools is the software package for configuring, monitoring, and managing siliXcon controllers. With SWTools you can:

• Configure parameters
• Observe state variables in real-time
• Execute commands
• Upgrade firmware
• Save/load configuration files
• View real-time data with the built-in scope

Download SWTools from: https://silixcon.com/download-sw-tools/

Recommended Connection: CAN Bus

The recommended interface is CAN using a Kvaser or PeakCAN USB dongle.

Hardware setup:

Wire the CAN dongle to the Raptor-C CAN connector:

• CANH (pin 2, yellow wire)
• CANL (pin 3, green wire)
• COMGND (pin 1, black wire)

Alternative: USB

USB can be used but is not recommended for operation because:

• USB is galvanically connected to BAT-, creating interference and safety risks
• To communicate during operation, connect battery first, then USB

USB is suitable for:

• Downloading logs without power
• Uploading configuration without power
• Quick bench testing

Powering On

1. Connect the battery to the AS150 connectors
2. Apply power to the POWER pin (pin 2 of the Power connector) depending on your power-on variant:
   • Constant on: Controller powers on when battery is connected (KEY resistor installed)
   • Flip-flop: Momentary pulse on POWER pin toggles on/off
   • Activation input: Continuous high on POWER pin keeps controller on
3. The status LED should illuminate indicating the controller is alive

First Connection in SWTools

1. Open SWTools
2. Select your interface (e.g. kvaser or pcan) and configure the CAN bitrate (default: 500 kbit/s)
3. The controller should appear in the device list at its address (default: 0)
4. You can now browse the parameter tree, observe states, and configure the application

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7. FALCON Application Overview

FALCON is the firmware application running on your Raptor-C. It is designed for RC vehicles, drones, and other remotely controlled vehicles.

Key Features

• Servo PWM and analog throttle inputs with configurable signal conditioning
• Multiple control modes: voltage, current (torque), voltage with freewheel, speed closed loop
• Emergency stop with optional prop docking and position hold
• Quick-setup pad for initial configuration without software
• Function presets for common use cases
• Automatic driver re-initialization after errors
• CAN bus status messages and external VCU control

Enabling FALCON

IMPORTANT: To enable FALCON, set the configured parameter to 1. Otherwise the controller is disabled at the application level. This prevents accidental activation with an unidentified motor.

In SWTools terminal:

set /configured 1

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8. State Machine

The controller always operates in one of the following modes. Lower numbers = higher priority.

The current mode is readable via the /mode state variable.

Value	Mode	Description
0	MODE_STOP	Driver or common block error. Check /driver/error and /common/error.
10	MODE_NOCONFIG	configured is 0 or -1. Set to 1 to proceed.
90	MODE_INVALID_SIGNAL	Input signal is out of range or invalid (sig_throttle is NaN).
94	MODE_FREEWHEEL	Freewheel engaged via CAN control message (control_mode = 0).
95	MODE_ESTOP	Emergency stop is activated.
96	MODE_DOCKING	Prop docking in progress.
97	MODE_DOCKED	Prop is docked and held.
100	MODE_IDLE	Throttle command is at zero.
110	MODE_ACC	Accelerating (positive throttle).
115	MODE_REVERSE	Reversing (negative throttle).
120	MODE_BRAKE	Braking (combined brake/reverse mode).
200	MODE_OVERRIDEN	Driver overridden via Driver API or run command.

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9. Initial Configuration

Step 1: Connect and Power On

See Section 6.

Step 2: Verify Firmware

Check that the SWID contains FALCON. In the SWTools terminal:

get /common/swid

Step 3: Configure the Motor Driver

Before enabling FALCON, configure the low-level motor driver. At minimum:

• Set motor pole pairs
• Run motor identification (auto-detection of motor parameters)

Refer to the driver documentation for your motor type.

Step 4: Enable FALCON

set /configured 1

Step 5: Verify Input Signal

Check that your throttle input is recognized:

get /io/sig_throttle

The value should respond to your throttle input with values between -1 and 1.

Step 6: Save Configuration

save

This persists all parameters to non-volatile memory.

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10. Input Configuration

FALCON supports two throttle input sources. PWM takes priority when both are valid.

Input Sources

Parameter	Path	Description
in_ppm_ch	/io/in_ppm_ch	Servo PWM input channel. Set to -1 to disable.
in_analog	/io/in_analog	GPIO ID for analog input. Set to 0 to disable.
in_estop	/io/in_estop	GDIN/DIN ID for E-stop input. Set to 0 to disable.
in_quick_setup	/io/in_quick_setup	GDIN ID for Quick-setup pad button. Set to 0 to disable.
in_btemp1	/io/in_btemp1	GPIO ID for battery temperature sensor 1. Set to 0 to disable.
in_btemp2	/io/in_btemp2	GPIO ID for battery temperature sensor 2. Set to 0 to disable.

Signal Conditioning Chain

• /pwm_input/ - Converts captured pulse width (us) into normalized sig_pwm with timeout-based loss-of-signal detection
• /analog_input/ - Converts raw mV from GPIO into normalized sig_analog with out-of-range detection
• /csc/ - Applies deadzone, hysteresis, and low-pass filtering on the selected signal

If both inputs are valid, PWM has priority. If PWM becomes invalid, analog is used as fallback.

Typical Wiring (Servo PWM)

Connect your RC receiver servo output to the default PWM input pin:

• Signal wire to the appropriate GPIO pin (check in_ppm_ch default for your hardware)
• Power from IO+5V (red) on Control I/O 1
• Ground to IOGND (black) on Control I/O 1

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11. Control Modes

Forward Drive Mode (/ctl_mode)

Value	Name	Description
1	VLT	Voltage mode
2	CUR	Current (torque) mode
3	VLTFW	Voltage with freewheel mode

Reverse Mode (/ctl_reverse_mode)

Value	Name	Description
-1	Use ctl_mode	Same as forward mode
1	VLT	Voltage mode
2	CUR	Current (torque) mode
3	VLTFW	Voltage with freewheel mode

Brake Mode (/ctl_brake_mode)

Used when combined brake and reverse is active. Set the driver command mode for braking.

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12. Safety Features

safetyopts (bitwise parameter)

Bit	Name	Description
0	Startup disarm	After startup, throttle is ignored until signal is valid and at zero. Then the system arms.
1	Runtime disarm	On invalid signal or error, the system disarms. Throttle must return to zero to re-arm.

drvopts (bitwise parameter)

Bit	Name	Description
0	Combined brake and reverse	Enables RC car-style combined brake/reverse logic.
1	Invalid signal E-stop	Triggers E-stop when input signal becomes invalid (NaN).
2	Zero signal E-stop	Triggers E-stop when input signal is zero.

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13. Emergency Stop and Prop Docking

E-stop can be triggered by: invalid input signal, zero input signal, or dedicated digital input.

Ramp-down Stage

Parameter	Path	Description
ramp	/estop/ramp	Brake ramp exponent (0-1). Higher = faster braking.
max_cmd	/estop/max_cmd	Maximum brake command during ramp-down (0-1).
voltage_thr	/estop/voltage_thr	Motor voltage threshold (%) to transition to hold stage. Set to 0 to disable hold.

Hold Stage

Once motor voltage drops below voltage_thr:

• Short circuit brake (if hold_max_cmd = 0): Motor is short-circuited passively.
• Active position hold (if hold_max_cmd > 0): Voltage-based position controller engaged.
• Prop docking: If a reference sensor is connected, rotor moves to absolute reference position before holding.

Parameter	Path	Description
hold_max_cmd	/estop/hold_max_cmd	Max voltage for position hold. 0 = short circuit brake.
hold_gain	/estop/hold_gain	Position hold controller gain.

Prop Docking Sensor

For the SC controller family (Raptor-C), the reference sensor connects to the ENCA/CLK pin on the motor sensor connector (pin 8).

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14. Function Presets (Quick Setup)

These presets configure FALCON for common use cases. They are also available via the Quick-setup pad acoustic menu.

Preset 1: Aircraft (Default)

Uni-directional prop control with freewheel. Standard BLDC ESC behavior.

• Use default settings as-is.

Preset 2: RC Car with Braking

RC car with combined brake and reverse. Negative input = brake. Release then re-apply negative = reverse.

• Set drvopts bits 0 and 1 (value = 3)
• Set /pwm_input/center to 1500 and/or /analog_input/center to 2500
• Set ctl_mode to 2 (current mode)
• Set ctl_reverse_mode to 3 (voltage with freewheel)

Preset 3: Bidirectional Current (Torque) Mode

Symmetrical bidirectional control mapped to current.

• Set /pwm_input/center to 1500 and/or /analog_input/center to 2500
• Set ctl_mode to 2

Preset 4: Bidirectional Voltage Mode

Symmetrical bidirectional control mapped to voltage. Good for dynamic testing.

• Set /pwm_input/center to 1500 and/or /analog_input/center to 2500
• Set ctl_mode to 1

Preset 5: Bidirectional Speed Closed Loop

Symmetrical bidirectional with speed governor.

• Set /pwm_input/center to 1500 and/or /analog_input/center to 2500
• Set ctl_mode to 17 (voltage + speed loop)

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15. CAN Communication

FALCON broadcasts periodic status messages and accepts external control commands over CAN bus.

Status Messages

The primary status message is broadcast at CAN ID 0x600 + controller address and contains:

• Current mode
• Throttle signal value
• Motor speed
• Error flags

External VCU Control

An external Vehicle Control Unit can command the controller via CAN ID 0x5F0 + controller address, enabling:

• Throttle override
• Freewheel command
• E-stop trigger

Refer to the full CAN message documentation for byte-level layouts.

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16. LED Status Indicator

The status LED on the Raptor-C indicates the controller's operational state:

• Solid on: Normal operation
• Blinking patterns: Various error states

Refer to the LED status table in the full hardware documentation for detailed blink codes.

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17. Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Controller does not power on	No power on POWER pin	Check power connector wiring and power-on variant
Mode = 0 (MODE_STOP)	Driver error	Check /driver/error and /common/error states
Mode = 10 (MODE_NOCONFIG)	FALCON not enabled	Set /configured to 1
Mode = 90 (MODE_INVALID_SIGNAL)	No valid throttle input	Check input wiring, verify sig_pwm or sig_analog responds
Motor does not spin	Safety disarm active	Ensure throttle is at zero first, then arm; check safetyopts
SWTools cannot find device	Interface issue	Verify CAN wiring (CANH/CANL not swapped), check bitrate, check address
USB communication unstable	EMI from motor phases	Use CAN interface instead; USB is not recommended during operation

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Document Information

• Hardware: siliXcon Raptor-C (SC family, 25xxx1060)
• Firmware: FALCON application
• Generated from: siliXcon documentation portal

For the latest information, visit the online documentation or contact siliXcon customer support.