# Adafruit AirLift Shield - ESP32 WiFi Co-Processor
## Overview
Give your Arduino project a _lift_ with the [Adafruit AirLift Shield](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4285) - a shield that lets you use the powerful ESP32 as a WiFi or BLE co-processor. You probably have your favorite Arduino-compatible ([like the Metro M4](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382) or the classic [Metro 328](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2488)) that comes with its own set of awesome peripherals and lots of libraries. But it doesn't have WiFi or BLE built in! So let's give that chip a best friend, the ESP32. This chip can handle all the heavy lifting of connecting to a WiFi network and transferring data from a site, even if it's using the latest TLS/SSL encryption (it has root certificates pre-burned in).
Having WiFi managed by a separate chip means your code is simpler, you don't have to cache socket data, or compile in & debug an SSL library. Send basic but powerful socket-based commands over 8MHz SPI for high speed data transfer. You can use any 3V or 5V Arduino, any chip from the ATmega328 and up (although the '328 will not be able to do very complex tasks or buffer a lot of data). It also works great with CircuitPython, a SAMD51/Cortex M4 minimum required since we need a bunch of RAM. All you need is the SPI bus and 2 control pins plus a power supply that can provide up to 250mA during WiFi usage.
The ESP32 also supports BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), though not simultaneously with WiFi. Many of our CircuitPython builds include native support for ESP32 BLE. You use a few control pins and the RXI and TXO pins to talk to the ESP32 when it's in BLE mode.
We placed an ESP32 module on a shield with a separate 3.3V regulator, and a tri-state chip for MOSI so you can share the SPI bus with other shields. We also tossed on a micro SD card socket, you can use that to host or store data you get from the Internet. Arduinos based on the ATmega328 (like the UNO) cannot use both the WiFi module and SD library at the same time, they don't have enough RAM. Again, we recommend an M0 or M4 chipset for use with Arduino, M4 for CircuitPython!
Comes fully assembled and tested, pre-programmed with ESP32 SPI WiFi co-processor firmware that [you can use in CircuitPython to use this into WiFi co-processsor](https://github.com/ladyada/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI). We also include some header so you can solder it in and plug right into your Arduino-compatible, but you can also pick up a set of stacking headers to stack above/below your board.
We've tested this with all our Metros and it should work just fine with them except the [Metro M4 Airlifts](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4000) (because they already have WiFi!). **For use in Arduino** , the '328 and '32u4 you can do basic connectivity and data transfer but they do not have a lot of RAM so we don't recommend them - use the Metro M0, M4 or similar, for best results! **For CircuitPython use** , a Metro M4 works best - the M0 series does not have enough RAM in CircuitPython.
[The firmware on board is a slight variant of the Arduino WiFiNINA core, which works great!](https://github.com/adafruit/nina-fw) At this time connection to Enterprise WiFi is not yet supported.
- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-airlift-shield-esp32-wifi-co-processor/pinouts.md)
## Primary Products
### Adafruit AirLift Shield - ESP32 WiFi Co-Processor
[Adafruit AirLift Shield - ESP32 WiFi Co-Processor](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4285)
Give your Arduino project a _lift_ with the Adafruit AirLift Shield - a shield that lets you use the powerful ESP32 as a WiFi co-processor. You probably have your favorite Arduino-compatible ([like the Metro M4](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382) or the classic
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4285)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4285/guides)
## Featured Products
### Shield stacking headers for Arduino (R3 Compatible)
[Shield stacking headers for Arduino (R3 Compatible)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/85)
_“How could something so simple be so useful?” _
We heard once that in the 4th millennium B.C. some guy asked the person who invented the wheel that question. The person who invented the wheel’s answer, we were told, was...
Out of Stock
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[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/85/guides)
### Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51
[Adafruit Metro M4 feat. Microchip ATSAMD51](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382)
Are you ready? Really ready? Cause here comes the fastest, most powerful Metro ever. The **Adafruit Metro M4** featuring the **Microchip ATSAMD51**. This Metro is like a bullet train, with its 120MHz Cortex M4 with floating point support. Your code will zig and zag...
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[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3382)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3382/guides)
### Adafruit METRO M0 Express - designed for CircuitPython
[Adafruit METRO M0 Express - designed for CircuitPython](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3505)
Metro is our series of microcontroller boards for use with the Arduino IDE. This new **Metro M0 Express** board looks a whole lot like our [original Metro 328](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2488), but with a huge upgrade. Instead of the ATmega328, this Metro...
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[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3505)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3505/guides)
### Adafruit METRO 328 Fully Assembled - Arduino IDE compatible
[Adafruit METRO 328 Fully Assembled - Arduino IDE compatible](https://www.adafruit.com/product/50)
We sure love the ATmega328 here at Adafruit, and we use them _a lot_ for our own projects. The processor has plenty of GPIO, Analog inputs, hardware UART SPI and I2C, timers and PWM galore - just enough for most simple projects. When we need to go small, we use a
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/50)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/50/guides)
## Related Guides
- [Adafruit Metro M0 Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-metro-m0-express.md)
- [Adafruit Metro M4 Express featuring ATSAMD51](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-metro-m4-express-featuring-atsamd51.md)
- [Arduino Tips, Tricks, and Techniques](https://learn.adafruit.com/arduino-tips-tricks-and-techniques.md)
- [Bluefruit LE Connect for iOS and Android](https://learn.adafruit.com/bluefruit-le-connect.md)
- [Make It Talk](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-talk.md)
- [MQTT in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/mqtt-in-circuitpython.md)
- [Arduino Lesson 12. LCD Displays - Part 2](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-arduino-lesson-12-lcd-displays-part-2.md)
- [CircuitPython Hardware: PCA9685 DC Motor & Stepper Driver](https://learn.adafruit.com/micropython-hardware-pca9685-dc-motor-and-stepper-driver.md)
- [Currying in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/partials-in-circuitpython.md)
- [CPU Temperature Logging with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/cpu-temperature-logging-with-circuit-python.md)
- [OLED TRON Clock](https://learn.adafruit.com/oled-tron-clock.md)
- [How to Choose a Microcontroller](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-choose-a-microcontroller.md)
- [Esenciales para CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/esenciales-para-circuitpython.md)
- [Adafruit PN532 RFID/NFC Breakout and Shield](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pn532-rfid-nfc.md)
- [Porting an Arduino library to CircuitPython: VL6180X Distance Sensor](https://learn.adafruit.com/porting-an-arduino-library-to-circuitpython-vl6180x-distance-sensor.md)
- [Creating and sharing a CircuitPython library](https://learn.adafruit.com/creating-and-sharing-a-circuitpython-library.md)
- [Let’s Put LEDs in Things!](https://learn.adafruit.com/lets-put-leds-in-things.md)