Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Software Version List
  3. How to Startup
    1. Preparation of the software
      1. Downloading OS image
      2. Building OS image
    2. How to flash
      1. Flashing OS image into microSD card
      2. Flashing loader
    3. How to boot
  4. How to Check Functions
    1. Software support list
    2. CAN
    3. Audio
    4. GPIO
    5. I2C
    6. USB3.0
    7. UART
    8. Thermal
    9. NVMe M.2 SSD
    10. Pi Camera
    11. Pi Display
    12. Pi Active Cooler
  5. Tips
  6. Known Issues & Restrictions
  7. Support

Introduction

This is the Debian based BSP page for Sparrow Hawk.

Software Version List

Software Version
Debian 13
Linux kernel 6.18.20
U-Boot 2026.04
Arm Trusted Firmware 2.14.0

How to Startup

If you want to download OS image, please start 3.1.1. Downloading OS image.

If you want to build OS image, please start 3.1.2. Building OS image.

Preparation of the software

Downloading OS image

Download OS image from GitHub

Next, jump to 3.2. How to flash.

Building OS image

# You need to prepare docker envrionment on your Host PC
./build_image/build_with_docker_sparrow-hawk.sh <DEBIAN_VERSION>
ex.) ./build_image/build_with_docker_sparrow-hawk.sh 13

or

# Note: Build requirements can be confirmed from build_image/Dockerfile.
sudo ./build_image/build_debian_13_for_sparrow-hawk.sh <DEBIAN_VERSION>
ex.) sudo ./build_image/build_debian_13_for_sparrow-hawk.sh 13

Next, jump to 3.2. How to flash.

How to flash

Flashing OS image into microSD card

Linux case

gzip -cd sparrow-hawk-debian-13-based-bsp.img.gz | sudo dd of=<device file> bs=1M status=progress && sync

ex) gzip -cd sparrow-hawk-debian-13-based-bsp.img.gz | sudo dd of=/dev/sdi bs=1M status=progress && sync

Windows case

  1. Extract gzip image using 7zip or similer software.
  2. Flash extracted image into microSD card using Etcher, win disk imager, and so on.

Flashing loader

Please update the loader (u-boot) using the loader file (flash.bin) included in the Debian OS image (rootfs).

  1. Insert microSD card prepared in Section 3.2.1 into microSD card slot (CN1 ), then power on the Sparrow Hawk board
  2. Update the QSPI memory from U-Boot as shown below, then reboot the system. 
    load mmc 0:1 ${loadaddr} flash.bin && sf probe && sf update ${loadaddr} 0 ${filesize} && reset

Note:

How to boot

  1. Ensure that the fan is properly installed.
  2. Insert the SD card into CN1 which is bottom of the board.
  3. Open terminal application and open serial device.
  4. Press SW1 to power on the board.
  5. After booting U-Boot, please press any key while showing “Hit any key to stop autoboot:” to enter U-Boot shell.
  6. Input the following command into U-Boot shell and press enter key. If you connect camera a nd/or display, please choice the following button and input command.
  1. If command and environment is correct, Linux kernel log will output.
  1. Log in using the following login ID and password.
    • sparrow-hawk login: rcar
    • Password: rcar

 

To make the bootcmd set in 5 of 3.3. How to Boot persistent across reboots, run saveenv as shown below. After saving the environment, reboot the system once. From the next boot onward, this bootcm d will be used automatically, and you can skip 4 and 5 in 3.3. How to Boot.

saveenv
reset  # Execute this only the first time

How to Check Functions

Software support list

Function Status
CAN Supported
Ethernet Supported
Audio(Output/Input) Supported
Display Port Supported
GPIO Supported
I2C Supported
JTAG Supported
USB3.0 Supported
UART Supported
Thermal Supported
NVMe M.2 SSD Supported
Pi Camera Supported
Pi Display Supported
PCIe Endpoint Support planned (2026)
Pi Active Cooler Supported
GPU Support planned (Jul 2026)
AI Accelerator(CNN-IP) Support planned (2026)
Desktop(GUI) Support planned (Jul 2026)

Note:

CAN

Loop back

  1. Connect the following pins of CONN2
    Connect Pin1(CAN1L) - Pin2(CAN0L) and Pin5(CAN1H) - Pin6(CAN0H)
  1. Execute following commands on Linux:
sudo ip link set can0 up type can restart-ms 100 bitrate 1000000 dbitrate 5000000 fd on
sudo ip link set can1 up type can restart-ms 100 bitrate 1000000 dbitrate 5000000 fd on
candump can0 -n 16 &
cangen can1 -I i -L i -D i -f -n 16
candump can1 -n 16 &
cangen can0 -I i -L i -D i -f -n 16

Audio

GPIO

Toggle GP2_12(Pin11 on Pin Header)

  1. Connect LED or Oscilloscope to the board
    • ex) LED
    • LED
      • Please install a resistor to prevent damage to the LED. In the Connection image, it i s used a 1kΩ resistor.
  2. Execute following command 
    python3 /usr/bin/example-apps/toggle_gpio_GP2_12.py

For more examples, please see also https://github.com/brgl/libgpiod/raw/refs/heads/master/bindings/python/examples

I2C

USB3.0

UART

Loop back

  1. Connect UART TX and RX(pin 8 and pin 10) on PinHeader.
  1. Execute following commands: 
    stty -F /dev/ttySC2 -echo
cat /dev/ttySC2 &
echo Hello > /dev/ttySC2 && sleep 1
killall cat

Thermal

NVMe M.2 SSD

Note:

 

Pi Camera

Note:

Note:

 

  1. Connect Raspberry Pi Camera V2 and/or Raspberry Pi Camera V3 to J1 and/or J2 connector.
  2. Change bootcmd variable on U-Boot shell referring 5 of 3.3. How to boot.
  3. Test camera
    • On-board test(Need to connect Display)

Pi Display

Note:

Note:

 

  1. Setup
    • Connect Raspberry Pi Touch Display 2 cable to the J4 connector.
    • Connect the Power (red wire) to pin 2 of CN7 and the Ground (black wire) to pin 6 of CN7 .
    • Pi Display
  2. Change bootcmd variable on U-Boot shell referring 5 of 3.3. How to boot.
  3. Display will work correctly after changing above.

Pi Active Cooler

Tips

  1. How to expand the rootfs
    • Please run the following command on your board. Rootfs is expanded to use whole storage. 
      sudo expand-rootfs.sh
sudo reboot

Known Issues & Restrictions

Please see here.

Support

FAQ: https://github.com/orgs/rcar-community/discussions/categories/faq

Q&A Forum: https://github.com/orgs/rcar-community/discussions/categories/q-a