R&D · OPEN-SOURCE SECONDARY DEVELOPMENT
OpenDuck
A second-generation robot prototype based on the open-source OpenDuck project — preserving the core skeleton while redesigning the exterior and firmware.
About · 01
A Second-Generation Build on the Open-Source OpenDuck
Starting from the GitHub open-source OpenDuck project, the Skytech R&D team has kept the core skeleton — shoulder joint modules, 3D-printed chassis and servo layout — while redesigning the exterior, motion control firmware and software stack to deliver a robot prototype tailored for B2B customers.
01
Skeleton Retained
Shoulder joint modules, 3D-printed torso, servo configuration and mechanical drivetrain follow the OpenDuck open-source design — with engineering upgrades (structural reinforcement, harness routing, thermal management) to meet spec.
02
Exterior Redesigned
A new industrial / minimalist / modular industrial design language. We support brand-customised exteriors (colour, logo, texture, pattern) and ship the full chain from SKU design through 3D-printed mass production.
03
Firmware & SDK Owned
In-house firmware on ROS2 / Micro-ROS / STM32, motion-control algorithms, Python / C++ SDKs, OTA remote updates, sensor fusion (IMU + camera + ultrasonic) and developer APIs for B2B integrators.
04
White-Label Delivery
Three flexible engagement models: (a) purchase our reference prototype; (b) customise exterior & software to your spec; (c) joint development of a fully bespoke product. Pick what fits your budget and timeline.
Hardware · 02
Mechanics · Electronics · Sensors
The core skeleton follows the OpenDuck open-source design. We deliver the engineering upgrades and the custom exterior.
Shoulder Joint Module
3D-printed (PLA+) + aluminium reinforcement + digital servos
Torso Structure
Modular 3D-printed parts, serviceable assembly
Mainboard
STM32 + ESP32 dual-MCU, Micro-ROS bridge
Sensors
9-axis IMU · camera · ultrasonic · encoder servos
Power System
11.1V Li-Po + BMS, 60–90 min runtime
Comms
WiFi / BLE / USB-C / JTAG debug
Bill of Materials · 02.5
What we’re building with — Full BOM
Below is the complete Bill of Materials for the current OpenDuck v1 prototype. The component choices balance unit cost, lead-time, supplier accessibility and field-replaceability. We swap parts depending on use-case — talk to us for a custom BOM.
| Category | Component | Spec / Part | Qty | Supplier / Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | Shoulder joint housing | PLA+ 3D printed, reinforced with M3 inserts | 2 pcs | In-house print (Bambu Lab X1C) |
| Mechanical | Torso / chassis panels | PLA+ / PETG hybrid, modular snap-fit | ~10 pcs | In-house print (Bambu Lab X1C) |
| Mechanical | Aluminium joint bracket | 6061-T6, CNC machined | 4 pcs | Shenzhen CNC vendor (named only per QFC) |
| Actuator | Shoulder servo (high torque) | DS3235 digital servo, 35 kg·cm | 2 pcs | LewanSoul / Hiwonder (retail); OEM replacement: Dongguan Zhongyi |
| Actuator | Joint servo (standard) | MG996R digital servo, 11 kg·cm | ~5 pcs | Open-source market (Tower Pro / clone) |
| Electronics | Main MCU (low-level control) | STM32F405RGT6 — 168MHz Cortex-M4 | 1 pc | STMicroelectronics (authorized dist.) |
| Electronics | Wireless MCU (comms) | ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 (WiFi + BLE) | 1 pc | Espressif (authorized dist.) |
| Electronics | Custom mainboard PCB | 4-layer, 80×60mm, STM32 + ESP32 + IMU + BMS | 1 pc | In-house (JLCPCB 5-day fab) |
| Sensor | IMU (9-axis) | BNO085 — 9-DOF absolute orientation | 1 pc | Hillcrest Labs (CE-RED, FCC) |
| Sensor | Vision camera module | OV2640 2MP, 120° FoV | 1 pc | OmniVision (open-source market) |
| Sensor | Ultrasonic rangefinder | HC-SR04 (open-source market) | 2 pcs | Generic (Sparkfun / LC-Technology) |
| Power | Battery pack | 11.1V 3S 2200mAh Li-Po, XT60 | 1 pc | Tattu / CNHL (drone-class) |
| Power | BMS (Battery Management System) | 3S 20A balance BMS | 1 pc | Generic (Daly / equivalent) |
| Power | 5V / 3.3V buck regulators | MP1584EN + LM1117-3.3 | 1 + 1 | MPS + TI (authorized dist.) |
| Connectivity | USB-C port | USB 2.0, 16-pin SMD | 1 pc | Generic (Mouser / LCSC) |
| Connectivity | JTAG / SWD debug header | 10-pin 1.27mm ARM debug | 1 pc | Generic (Tag-Connect / equivalent) |
💡 Notes:
(1) Qty counts are for the current v1 prototype — production-run quantities scale per spec.
(2) Component brand & supplier names are verified as of 2026-09 — some may be substituted by authorised equivalents.
(3) The mainboard is fabricated in-house at our Dongguan manufacturing partner; assembly is performed on a Yamaha YSM20 SMT line.
(4) For custom BOM / cost-down review / regulatory prep, contact our R&D team.
Software · 03
Firmware · Control · Vision
Built on the ROS2 ecosystem — from low-level drivers through high-level applications, all developed in-house.
FIRMWARE
Low-level MCU Drivers
STM32 HAL + FreeRTOS — PWM servo control, IMU acquisition, battery BMS monitoring; RTOS ensures real-time control precision.
MIDDLEWARE
ROS2 Communication Layer
Micro-ROS bridges MCU and host computer. Topic / Service / Action communication models with distributed deployment support.
CONTROL
Motion-control Algorithms
Gait planning (ZMP / DDPG), balance control (PID + MPC), trajectory optimisation (MPC) for varied terrain.
VISION
Visual Perception
OpenCV / Open3D / MediaPipe — object recognition, face detection, depth estimation, SLAM mapping.
SDK
Python / C++ SDK
Full SDK documentation with sample code — integrators can quickly embed the robot into their own application scenarios.
OTA
Remote Updates
WiFi OTA firmware update with delta upgrade, rollback and A/B partitioning for safe over-the-air updates.
Progress · 04
Development Roadmap
From hardware assembly through software debugging — moving forward in steady phases.
PHASE 01 · DONE
Hardware Assembly & Verification
3D-printed structural parts, servos and aluminium joints fully assembled; mechanical structure passed static testing. ✅ Completed Aug 2026
PHASE 02 · IN PROGRESS
Firmware & Motion Control
STM32 low-level drivers + ROS2 communication + gait algorithms. Currently tuning PID control parameters. 🔄 Sep 2026
PHASE 03 · UPCOMING
Vision & SDK
Camera + vision algorithm integration, Python / C++ SDK release, partner integration support. 📅 Planned Nov 2026
PHASE 04 · UPCOMING
Custom Exterior & Walking Test
Customisable exterior ID, walking stability test, public unveiling of v1 prototype. 📅 Planned Dec 2026
R&D Team · 05
Our Capabilities
The Skytech R&D team spans mechanical, electronic, algorithmic, control and visual engineering.
01
Mechanical Design
3D modelling (SolidWorks / Fusion 360), 3D printing, FEA structural simulation, tolerance analysis, mechanical assembly.
02
Electronic Design
Schematics (Altium / KiCad), PCB layout, MCU selection, sensor integration, power design, EMC testing.
03
Firmware Development
STM32 / ESP32 / Arduino, FreeRTOS / Zephyr, Bootloader, OTA, low-power optimisation.
04
Robotics Algorithms
ROS2 / ROS, motion planning, SLAM, path planning, reinforcement learning, Sim2Real.
05
Vision / AI
OpenCV / PyTorch / MediaPipe — object detection, pose estimation, deep learning deployment (ONNX / TensorRT).
06
Product Engineering
Industrial design, CMF, mould development (injection / CNC), supply chain, mass-production transition (DVT / PVT / MP).
Meet the R&D Team
PM
Leo Liu
Mechanical Engineer
Pine
Project Assistance
Lynn Lin
Software Engineer
Demo.n
🤝 Hiring & B2B Collaboration
We’re hiring R&D engineers (mechanical / electronics / algorithm / vision). B2B partners are welcome to co-develop custom robot products with us.
Contact R&D →
Our Manufacturing Partner · 06
Built in partnership with our China manufacturing team
The OpenDuck prototype is being assembled at our long-term partner facility in Dongguan — Tianwei Electronics (东莞市天唯电子). On-site interviews with their team about the Skytech–Tianwei partnership are available on our China site, where you can also see the manufacturing floor and equipment in action.
Contact R&D · 07
Join R&D · Tell us about you
Whether you’re applying as an engineer, exploring a B2B partnership, requesting a press interview or seeking investment — leave your details and we’ll get back to you within 5 business days.