servo 360 degree

360° (continuous-rotation) servo A 360° servo is effectively a geared DC motor with continuous-variable speed and direction control — it does not provide absolute angle positioning. It uses the same PWM control signal as a regular hobby servo, but the pulse width controls motor speed and direction instead of shaft angle. (Commonly used as a power source for modified robots and drivetrains.)

Control notes

  • Typical PWM time base: ~20 ms period (50 Hz). Pulse width (high time) is usually in the ~0.5–2.5 ms range; 1.5 ms is the neutral/stop point for many servos.
  • Behavior for continuous-rotation servos:
    • Pulse < center (e.g., 0.5 ms → 1.5 ms): forward rotation. The smaller the pulse, the faster the forward speed (0.5 ms → fastest forward).
    • ~1.5 ms: stop / neutral.
    • Pulse > center (e.g., 1.5 ms → 2.5 ms): reverse rotation. The larger the pulse, the faster the reverse speed (2.5 ms → fastest reverse).
  • Some servos use narrower ranges (e.g., 1.0–2.0 ms). Always check with a servo-tester or measure the actual response for the specific model.

Example mapping (typical)

  • 0.5 ms — fastest forward
  • 1.0 ms — moderate forward
  • 1.5 ms — stop
  • 2.0 ms — moderate reverse
  • 2.5 ms — fastest reverse

Arduino tip: use Servo.writeMicroseconds(x) to send precise pulse widths (e.g., 1000–2000 µs) and calibrate the stop point for your servo.

Pulse (ms) Pulse (µs) Angle (°) degree
0.5 ms 500 µs 0 fastest forward
1.0 ms 1000 µs 45 moderate forward
1.5 ms 1500 µs 90 stop
2.0 ms 2000 µs 135 moderate reverse
2.5 ms 2500 µs 180 or -90 fastest reverse

ref