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Beetle - The Smallest Arduino Microcontroller
The Beetle is one of the smallest Arduino Leonardo-compatible boards available, built around the ATmega32U4 microcontroller running at 16MHz. Despite its tin...
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The Beetle is one of the smallest Arduino Leonardo-compatible boards available, built around the ATmega32U4 microcontroller running at 16MHz. Despite its tiny size, it delivers the full functionality of an Arduino Leonardo with 10 digital pins, 5 analogue pins, and 4 PWM outputs.
With a built-in Micro USB connector, you can program and power the Beetle directly — no external programmer needed. Simply select "Arduino Leonardo" in the Arduino IDE and upload your code. The ATmega32U4 comes pre-loaded with the Arduino Leonardo bootloader.
Key Features
- ATmega32U4 @ 16MHz – Full Arduino Leonardo compatibility
- Ultra-Compact Size – One of the smallest Arduino boards available
- Micro USB – Direct programming and power via USB
- 10 Digital Pins – Including 4 PWM outputs
- 5 Analogue Pins – Built-in ADC inputs
- Pre-Loaded Bootloader – Ready to program out of the box
- Native USB – Can act as a keyboard, mouse, or HID device
Ideal For
- Wearable electronics and e-textiles
- DIY and disposable project builds
- Workshops and educational use
- Space-constrained embedded projects
- Budget-friendly prototyping
Package Contents
- 1× Beetle Arduino Leonardo-compatible board
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- ADC
- An analogue-to-digital converter reads a changing voltage and turns it into a number the microcontroller can use. It matters when connecting analogue sensors such as light, sound, or variable-resistor sensors.
- Bootloader
- Small starter software on a microcontroller that lets new code be uploaded before the main program runs. Knowing how to enter bootloader mode matters when you need to program the board or recover it after a faulty sketch.
- e-textiles
- Electronic textiles are fabrics or clothing that include electrical parts such as conductive thread, sensors, LEDs, or small controllers. This matters because parts for e-textiles need to survive bending, sewing, and sometimes washing.
- HID
- Human Interface Device is a USB device class used for keyboards, mice, gamepads and similar controls. If a board supports HID over USB, it can act like an input device to a computer without needing a custom driver.
- IDE
- Short for Integrated Development Environment, a program used to write, run and manage code. It matters because some learners prefer a traditional coding workspace instead of a guided notebook-style lesson.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- native USB
- Native USB means the microcontroller itself handles USB communication, rather than using a separate USB-to-serial chip. This matters for programming, debugging, and projects that need the board to act directly as a USB device.
- PWM
- Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.
Find this product in
Supplier page — dfrobot.com
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DFR0282 beetle atmega32u4 arduino compatible board schematics v1
Schematic · 80.4 KB · Click any page to view full size
DFR0282 beetle atmega32u4 arduino compatible board ce v1
Pinout · 635.3 KB · Click any page to view full size
DFR0282 beetle atmega32u4 arduino compatible board rohs v1
Pinout · 475.2 KB · Click any page to view full size
Resources & Downloads
Guides, code examples, and more
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
