GEN-1 ARCHITECTURE
Apex Control One
• Hall-effect gimbals or wheel input
• USB-C
• small display
• programmable switches
• rechargeable battery
• module bay
• ELRS/CRSF-first radio path
• Apex Garage profile sync
APEX HARDWARE LAB — GEN 1
Build the controller first. Prove it. Then make it ours.
Gen-1 starts with proven off-the-shelf chips and radio modules so Apex can validate the user experience, safety logic and protocol layer without paying for custom silicon or expensive tooling too early.
APEX RULE
Own the system before owning the silicon.
Apex can own the PCB layout, firmware, enclosure, safety state machine, protocol adapters, telemetry model, configuration software and customer experience while using proven MCUs, sensors and certified/pre-certified RF modules. Custom chips only make sense after volume justifies them.
First radio path: ELRS / CRSF. Other adapters remain available through the radio-agnostic Control Bridge.
PROTOTYPE COST TRACKER
Keep Control One under $200.
$187
$13 under target
These are planning allowances for prototype budgeting, not supplier quotes. Actual parts and compliance costs must be verified before purchasing or selling hardware.
BUILD ORDER
Prototype before PCB. PCB before production.
01
Bench Controller
Use dev boards and off-the-shelf controls. Prove USB input, channel mapping and Control Bridge communication before designing a PCB.
02
ELRS / CRSF Prototype
Connect the controller to an ELRS-compatible radio path and verify mapped channels, telemetry and loss-of-link behavior on a bench setup.
03
Apex Core Mini
Build a reusable receiver/control prototype for ground or marine RC using standard outputs and the same safety state machine.
04
Custom PCB V1
Replace loose dev boards with an Apex PCB only after the electrical architecture has been proven.
05
Field Test
Test at reduced power with e-stop, override, boundary rules and logging before unrestricted operation.
06
Production Engineering
Shrink the board, improve enclosure, create test fixtures, document assembly, then handle compliance before public sale.
FIRST BENCH MILESTONE
Control One → Control Bridge → ELRS/CRSF → bench receiver.
The first success condition is not a polished retail controller. It is a safe bench prototype where Apex reads physical inputs, maps channels, passes them through the Control Bridge, confirms failsafe behavior and logs telemetry without uncontrolled vehicle operation.