As the marine industry continues to embrace smart technologies, there's a growing demand for powerful, connected, and reliable embedded solutions that can handle everything from engine diagnostics to GPS data aggregation. Whether you're building a marine monitoring system, an onboard data logger, or an intelligent control unit, you need a development board that offers high performance, versatile connectivity, and robust CAN Bus communication.

Introducing the ESP32-S3 CAN Bus Board with NMEA 2000 Connector, a compact and powerful solution offered by Copperhill Technologies to meet the rigorous demands of modern marine electronics and IoT applications.

Why the ESP32-S3?

At the heart of this development board lies the ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N8R8 module, powered by a dual-core Xtensa® LX7 processor running at up to 240 MHz. With 8 MB of PSRAM and 8 MB of flash memory, the ESP32-S3 delivers the performance needed for compute-intensive tasks like edge AI, real-time data processing, and sensor fusion.

But the real value of the ESP32-S3 lies in its built-in connectivity:

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n) for seamless cloud communication

• Bluetooth 5 (LE) with long-range support for low-power wireless integration with external devices

This combination makes the board a natural fit for both terrestrial and marine IoT ecosystems.

Built-In CAN Bus for NMEA 2000 Integration

What sets this board apart is its integrated CAN Bus transceiver, pre-wired to an industry-standard NMEA 2000 Micro-C connector. NMEA 2000 is the de facto communication standard in marine environments, used to connect GPS receivers, engine monitors, autopilots, weather sensors, and more.

This plug-and-play compatibility eliminates the need for custom cabling or additional adapters—you can connect the board directly into your vessel's NMEA 2000 network and start transmitting or logging data immediately.

Whether you're creating a bridge between NMEA 2000 and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, developing a custom marine gauge, or building a centralized vessel data hub, this board provides the ideal hardware foundation.

Additional Hardware Highlights

The ESP32-S3 CAN Bus Board is not just powerful—it's also thoughtfully designed for ease of use and rapid development:

• RGB Status LED for customizable visual feedback and debugging

• BOOT and RESET buttons to simplify firmware flashing and troubleshooting

• USB Type-C connector for modern, reversible power and programming interface

• Compact form factor for easy installation in tight enclosures or embedded systems

Use Cases in Marine & Beyond

Here are just a few ways this board can be deployed:

• NMEA 2000 Data Logger: Capture and store vessel data to an SD card or stream it over Wi-Fi to the cloud

• Wireless Bridge: Transmit NMEA 2000 data over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to mobile apps or onboard displays

• Smart Sensor Gateway: Integrate additional environmental or engine sensors not natively supported by NMEA 2000

• Edge AI in Marine Applications: Perform onboard analytics such as engine fault detection or predictive maintenance

Although optimized for marine use, this board is equally suited to automotive, industrial, and agricultural environments where CAN Bus and wireless communication are essential.

Seamless Development with Arduino IDE and ESP-IDF

Whether you're a hobbyist or an embedded systems engineer, you'll appreciate the board’s full compatibility with the Arduino IDE 2.0 and Espressif’s ESP-IDF. Both platforms offer extensive libraries and examples for rapid prototyping and deployment, especially when working with IoT protocols like MQTT, HTTP, or WebSocket.

Copperhill Technologies also provides documentation and code examples tailored to CAN Bus and NMEA 2000 applications to help you get started quickly.

Ready to Build Smarter Marine Systems?

If you're looking for a robust, high-performance development platform for marine electronics or CAN-based IoT systems, the ESP32-S3 CAN Bus Board with NMEA 2000 Connector checks all the boxes.

With this board, you’re not just buying hardware—you’re gaining a gateway into the future of connected marine technology.

Hands-on ESP32 with Arduino IDE: Unleash the power of IoT with ESP32 and build exciting projects with this practical guide

The ESP32 is a powerful and versatile microcontroller, ideal for those venturing into the world of IoT (Internet of Things). While it offers a wealth of capabilities—including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, camera support, and sensor interfacing—its initial configuration and integration with external components can be daunting for newcomers. Fortunately, the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) simplifies programming, code uploading, and access to ESP32’s rich feature set, making it easier for beginners to bring their ideas to life.

This book is designed to guide you through the fundamentals of sensing, networking, data processing, and real-world IoT applications using the ESP32. It begins with the essentials of working with ESP32 and Arduino IDE 2.0, providing step-by-step instructions for setting up your development environment.

You’ll then dive into hands-on projects, learning how to interface various sensors, as well as ESP32-compatible camera and display modules. These practical examples lay the groundwork for understanding more advanced topics, such as IoT networking protocols (e.g., MQTT, HTTP, WebSocket) and their roles in building connected devices.

As you progress, you'll apply your skills to build projects ranging from smart devices to data loggers and automation systems. Through these engaging applications, you’ll develop a solid understanding of how to design, prototype, and deploy your own IoT solutions.

By the end of this book, you’ll be equipped to:

• Confidently develop and troubleshoot ESP32-based projects

• Choose appropriate IoT communication protocols for your applications

• Build and deploy functional IoT systems with real-world relevance

Whether you're a student, hobbyist, or aspiring engineer, this book provides a practical, project-based pathway to mastering the ESP32 and its role in the ever-expanding world of IoT. More information...