What Is It?

The Midnight Make Programmer is the USB programming tool used to upload custom firmware to supported Midnight Make kits, including the μBee Drone Kit and the Pocket Bot.

It connects your computer to the standard 6-pin programming header on your Midnight Make kits, allowing you to modifying our example programs, upload your own code, restore the original code, or completely replace it.

The Midnight Make Programmer is not tied to a single kit. One Programmer can be reused across multiple supported Midnight Make Products.

A USB-C to USB-A data cable and a standard 6-pin ISP programming cable are included.

Specifications

The Programmer is a LUFA-based, AVRISP MkII-compatible programmer designed for Microchip (formerly Atmel) AVR microcontrollers.

It works with familiar AVR development tools, including

• AVRDUDE
• Microchip Studio
• AVR-GCC

The Programmer communicates with the target microcontroller using the standard AVR ISP interface.

Technical features include:

• AVRISP mkII-compatible programming interface
• USB-A connection to computer
• Support for programming FLASH memory, EEPROM, and configuration fuses
• Reusable across supported Midnight Make kits
• No assembly or soldering required

What's Included?

• 1 x Midnight Make Programmer
• 1 x USB-C to USB-A data cable for connecting to your computer
• 1 x 6-pin ISP programming cable for connecting to a supported Midnight Make kit

Who Is This For?

The Midnight Make Programmer is intended for anyone who wants to go beyond the pre-loaded demonstrations included with a Midnight Make kit.

You will need the Programmer if you want to:

• Upload a different example program
• Modify an existing program
• Write and upload your own firmware
• Experiment with sensors, motors, LEDs, radios, or control algorithms
• Restore the original Midnight Make firmware
• Work directly with the AVR microcontroller
• Use Midnight Make kits as general-purpose development platforms

For beginners, the Programmer provides a path from running existing example code to making small changes and eventually writing complete applications.

For experienced developers, it provides direct access to the target AVR microcontroller using standard programming tools and workflows. There is no proprietary editor, locked bootloader, or restricted programming environment.

What Skills Do I Need?

No assembly or soldering is required.

There is a one-time computer setup process to install required software and, on some systems, the correct USB driver.

Some familiarity with the following is helpful:

• Installing desktop applications
• Working with files and folders
• Using a terminal or command prompt
• Configuring your PATH environment variable
• Building or compiling a software project

Detailed instructions are provided for each step, including driver setup, software setup, connecting the cables, compiling a project, and uploading firmware.

Once setup is complete, programming a kit only requires connecting a Programmer and running the provided upload command.

Compatibility

The Midnight Make Programmer is designed for supported Midnight Make products that include a compatible 6-pin AVR ISP programming connection.

Currently supported products include:

• μBee Drone Kit (with battery)
• μBee Drone Kit (no battery)
• Pocket Bot

Additional compatible Midnight Make products may be added in the future.

The Programmer may also work with other AVR-based hardware that uses a standard ISP connection, but only Midnight Make products are officially documented and supported.

Where Are the Instructions?

Programmer setup instructions are available here.

Instructions for using the Programmer are available here.