STMicroelectronics STEVAL-FKI001V1

Overview

STEVAL-FKI001V1 from STMicroelectronics is a dual-radio development kit integrating Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) and sub-1 GHz LPWAN connectivity for Sigfox™ applications. It features the WS2118-00 module with BlueNRG-132 SoC (Arm® Cortex®-M0, +8 dBm BLE output, -88 dBm RX sensitivity) and S2-LPQTR transceiver (826–958 MHz, +16 dBm output, -130 dBm sensitivity, 0.1–500 kbps air data rate), operating from 2.0–3.6 V across -40 °C to +85 °C.

For engineers reviewing the STEVAL-FKI001V1 datasheet, STEVAL-FKI001V1 pinout, STEVAL-FKI001V1 application, or STEVAL-FKI001V1 equivalent, this board enables rapid prototyping of battery-powered IoT edge nodes requiring concurrent BLE commissioning and long-range Sigfox uplink, with Arduino Uno V3 and JTAG debug compatibility, dual-band antennas, and ultra-low-power RF/MCU operation.

Technical Context

The board implements coexistence-aware dual-radio operation: BlueNRG-132 handles 2.4 GHz BLE for local device setup, sensor configuration, and firmware updates, while the S2-LP transceiver manages sub-1 GHz LPWAN transmission using FSK/ASK/OOK modulation schemes and built-in protocol engine for automatic ACK, retransmission, and timeout handling.

Power management is centralized via the LDLN030G33R LDO (3.3 V output) and STM32L151CBU6 microcontroller, enabling low-duty-cycle RX/TX modes, coin-cell battery support, and energy-harvesting readiness - validated by measured 7 mA RX and 10 mA TX (@ +10 dBm) current consumption on the S2-LP side.

Key Specifications

Availability

STEVAL-FKI001V1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for LPWAN gateway validation, BLE-to-Sigfox edge node development, and industrial sensor network prototyping requiring stable component supply, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle continuity.

Supply support for STEVAL-FKI001V1 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, designing and manufacturing microcontrollers, sensors, power ICs, and wireless solutions for industrial, automotive, and IoT markets.

This kit belongs to ST's STEVAL evaluation platform family, engineered specifically to accelerate time-to-proof-of-concept for multi-protocol wireless IoT systems combining short-range BLE with long-range sub-1 GHz LPWAN standards.

FAQ

Does STEVAL-FKI001V1 support over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates via Sigfox?

No. The S2-LP transceiver on this board supports only uplink transmission per Sigfox Class 0/1 specifications; it lacks downlink capability required for OTA updates. Firmware updates must be performed via BLE or USB interface using the onboard STM32L151CBU6 bootloader.

Can the BlueNRG-132 and S2-LP operate simultaneously without interference?

Yes - the board implements hardware-isolated RF paths with separate antennas and dedicated GPIO control lines. Coexistence is further ensured by software-controlled time-division scheduling in provided ST example code, preventing simultaneous TX/RX on overlapping frequency bands.

What power sources are supported besides USB?

The board accepts 2.0–3.6 V DC via the J6 battery header (compatible with CR2032 or Li-SOCl₂ cells) or external supply through the VBLUE net. Onboard LDLN030G33R LDO regulates input to 3.3 V, supporting <10 µA shutdown current for energy-harvesting use cases.

Is Arduino shield compatibility limited to specific sensor types?

No - the Arduino Uno R3 footprint supports any standard shield, including ST's X-NUCLEO-IKS01A3 (environmental), X-NUCLEO-IHM03A1 (motor control), and VL53L0X-based ToF shields. All digital/analog/pwm pins map directly to STM32L151CBU6 GPIOs as defined in ST's UM2122 reference manual.