u/GiraffeObjective3805

I want to use stm32N6 as it has csi for a camera and a npu for computer vision and it would be cool to test out its CV capabilities on a drone. Since its based on a new architecture a lot of vendor support is broken/buggy and I am wondering if I should use zephyr instead of hal, right now I just have motor control working, I plan to implement CSI camera next (imx219), then NPU, after that will be standard flight control additions like imu and wireless module ect. but the main complexity will be CSI and NPU. I heard Zephyr has better N6 support but its NPU is undercooked so I may have to do a hybrid approach for the NPU specifically.

I have been working in embedded fw/sw for 2.5 years, my company has limited mentorship which has given me imposter syndrome, I learned how to interface with screens, csi, i2s, octo spi ect along with the more common protocols and have gotten cool projects working using hal at work. Listening to my manager come up to a Principle Engineer that sits near me to ask questions got me thinking.

I think I am realizing I should understand the core aspects of embedded really deeply for when edge cases come up. Even more so now with AI tools where hallucinations can happen. I learned a good amount of peripherals, seen the benefits of dma ect, I think its time I stop chasing how to get every type of screen, camera, wifi module ect. working and instead learn the core aspects of embedded, master dma, bootloaders, memory, how to handle pushing a microcontroller to its limit gracefully, master rtos ect. So that one day when a bazaar issue comes up I could be the one getting asked instead of getting peripheral, also at some point peripherals are similar enough to where I can just learn them on the project.

This post may seem dumb and I apologize in advance but without much mentorship I was kinda scattering around but now I think I am set on what to focus on, and I think my time learning will be more efficient than before.

tldr.
After building some cool projects I realized learning the core reusable aspects very deep is what will really make the difference, not chasing peripherals.