Since we released the Wio Tracker 1110 Dev Kit and SenseCAP Card Tracker T1000-E, we’ve gotten a lot of feedback from the community to include a smaller, more affordable Meshtastic powered product. And our answer is the XIAO ESP32S3 for Meshtastic & LoRa. Sized as small as your thumb, and priced at only $9.9, it‘s the smallest dev kit for prototyping your first Meshtastic and LoRa/LoRaWAN projects.

XIAO ESP32S3 + Semtech SX1262 LoRa

Featuring the powerful thumb-sized XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Board and a Wio-SX1262 Extension Board, the XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Kit for Meshtastic & LoRa is a super mini LoRa dev kit supporting LoRa (862-930MHz) with a 5km LoRa range. It also supports WiFi, BLE for wireless communication with a range of 100m+. Built on the XIAO ESP32S3, the kit comes with a built-in power management systems, and can be expanded via IIC, UART, and other GPIO interfaces. Compatible with Arduino IDE, it’s available for pre-order now at $9.9, with an estimated shipping in November, 2024.

Key Features of XIAO ESP32S3 for Meshtastic and LoRa Dev Kit

• Meshtactic works out of the box: Pre-flashed with Meshtastic firmware, it is ready to work once powered on.
• Outstanding RF performance: Supports LoRa(862-930MHz) 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and BLE 5.0 dual wireless communication, support 2~5km(LoRa) and 100m+(Wi-Fi/BLE) remote communication when connected with U.FL antenna.
• Thumb-sized Compact Design: 21 x 18mm, adopting the classic form factor of Seeed Studio XIAO, suitable for space-limited projects.
• Powerful MCU Board: Incorporate the ESP32S3 32-bit, dual-core, Xtensa processor running at up to 240MHz, mounted multiple development ports, Arduino / MicroPython supported.
• Elaborate Power Design: Includes a Type-C USB interface and lithium battery charge management.
• Same Hardware for Multiple Applications: Can be developed as a Meshtastic node or router, a single-channel LoRaWAN gateway, or a LoRa & LoRaWAN sensor.

Applications of XIAO ESP32S3 for Meshtastic & LoRa

1.  Tap into Meshtastic for Off-Grid Communication

Meshtastic is an open-source, off-grid, decentralized LoRa mesh network designed for affordable, low-power devices. This XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Kit offers a flexible and cost-effective solution for Meshtastic developers. You can build a Meshtastic device at an affordable price and use it as an emergency communication tool, similar to the SenseCAP T1000-E, but simpler in function. Moreover, thanks to the amazing Seeed Studio XIAO Product Ecosystem, it’s compatible with the XIAO Expansion Board and the Grove Expansion Board for adding screens, sensors, and over 300+ Grove modules, allowing you to customize your unique Meshtastic devices. You can even design your own casing.

2.  Configure It as a LoRa/LoRaWAN Sensor Node

It can be set up as a LoRa node, enabling the XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Kit to connect with various sensors and transmit data using LoRaWAN. This offers flexibility for different applications, like home automation. Essentially, the XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Kit can serve as a data collection and transmission node, allowing for communication and control among smart home devices.

3.  The Most Cost-Effective Single-Channel LoRa/LoRaWAN Gateway

Thanks to the powerful Semtech SX1262 LoRa Chip, you can turn it into a single-channel gateway, making it the most cost effective single-channel LoRaWAN gateway in the world. It receives LoRa packets on a specific setting and share them with the LoRaWAN network. By using the XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Kit, you can set it up to connect to The Things Network or Chripstack. This kit is great for those who want to learn about LoRa technology and connect to a LoRa Network Server (LNS).

Some Useful Links

Here are some guides for you to get started:

1. Get Started for Meshtastic
2. Get Started for LoRa
3. Connect to TTN
4. Connect to Chripstack

Pre-Order Now at $9.9

Available for pre-order now at just $9.9, the XIAO ESP32S3 Dev Kit is one of our solutions to provide the community more affordable and flexible products for you to build your LoRa-based IoT projects. Stay tuned for more updates on our Meshtastic-powered and LoRaWAN products. If you have any ideas or suggestions about our Meshtastic-compatible products, feel free to share them in the comments!

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