diff --git a/firmware/platformio.ini b/firmware/platformio.ini
index 1a54271..dca0d84 100644
--- a/firmware/platformio.ini
+++ b/firmware/platformio.ini
@@ -9,16 +9,16 @@
 ;   (TX/RX)           (RX16/TX17)
 ;
 ; Build:
-;   pio run -e esp8266-camera    (ESP8266 D1 Mini — camera bridge)
-;   pio run -e esp32-mqtt        (ESP32 Dev Board — MQTT bridge)
+;   pio run -e esp8266-camera        (ESP8266 — GoPro camera bridge)
+;   pio run -e seeed_xiao_esp32c6    (XIAO ESP32-C6 — MQTT bridge)
 ;
 ; Upload:
 ;   pio run -e esp8266-camera --target upload
-;   pio run -e esp32-mqtt --target upload
+;   pio run -e seeed_xiao_esp32c6 --target upload
 ;
 ; Filesystem:
 ;   pio run -e esp8266-camera --target uploadfs
-;   pio run -e esp32-mqtt --target uploadfs
+;   pio run -e seeed_xiao_esp32c6 --target uploadfs
 
 [common]
 lib_deps =
@@ -43,25 +43,34 @@ build_flags = ${common.build_flags}
 board_build.flash_mode = dio
 board_build.f_cpu = 160000000L
 build_src_filter =
-    +<../lib/>
-    +<esp8266-camera-bridge.cpp>
     -<*.cpp>
+    +<esp8266-camera-bridge.cpp>
+    +<../lib/>
 
-; ── ESP32: MQTT Bridge ─────────────────────────────────────
-; Flashed onto ESP32 Dev Board. Connects to travel router,
-; publishes MQTT to Pi hub. Reads camera status from ESP8266
-; over UART2 (RX16/TX17). No direct camera communication.
+; ── XIAO ESP32-C6: MQTT Bridge ─────────────────────────────
+; Flashed onto a Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32-C6. Connects to the
+; travel router, publishes MQTT to the Pi hub. Reads camera
+; status from the ESP-01S over UART (Serial1: RX=D7, TX=D6).
+; No direct camera communication.
+;
+; ESP32-C6 requires the pioarduino fork of platform-espressif32
+; (mainline espressif32 lagged on the Arduino-core 3.x the C6
+; needs). USB-CDC-on-boot is required for Serial over native USB.
+;
+; Upload fallback if it can't connect: hold B (BOOT), tap
+; R (RESET), release B, then re-run upload.
 
-[env:esp32-mqtt]
-platform = espressif32
-board = esp32dev
+[env:seeed_xiao_esp32c6]
+platform = https://github.com/pioarduino/platform-espressif32/releases/download/stable/platform-espressif32.zip
+board = seeed_xiao_esp32c6
 framework = arduino
 monitor_speed = 115200
-upload_speed = 921600
 lib_deps = ${common.lib_deps}
 build_flags = ${common.build_flags}
     -D CONFIG_ARDUINO_LOOP_STACK_SIZE=8192
+    -D ARDUINO_USB_MODE=1
+    -D ARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT=1
 build_src_filter =
-    +<../lib/>
-    +<esp32-mqtt-bridge.cpp>
     -<*.cpp>
+    +<esp32-mqtt-bridge.cpp>
+    +<../lib/>
diff --git a/firmware/src/esp32-mqtt-bridge.cpp b/firmware/src/esp32-mqtt-bridge.cpp
index 7945b86..fa78fff 100644
--- a/firmware/src/esp32-mqtt-bridge.cpp
+++ b/firmware/src/esp32-mqtt-bridge.cpp
@@ -19,10 +19,10 @@
  *   ESP32 → ESP8266:  {"type":"cmd","command":"ping"}\n
  *
  * Hardware:
- *   - ESP32 Dev Board (or D1 Mini ESP32)
- *   - UART2: RX=GPIO16, TX=GPIO17 (connected to ESP8266)
+ *   - Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32-C6
+ *   - Serial1: RX=D7, TX=D6 (crossed to the ESP-01S TX/RX)
  *   - Shared GND between boards
- *   - LiPo → 3.3V buck → VIN on both boards
+ *   - 5V rail → XIAO 5V/VIN; ESP-01S on its own 3.3V buck
  */
 
 #include <Arduino.h>
@@ -80,13 +80,19 @@ bool saveConfig() {
 }
 
 // ────────────────────────────────────────────
-// UART to ESP8266 (HardwareSerial2)
+// UART to ESP-01S (HardwareSerial1)
 // ────────────────────────────────────────────
-// ESP32 UART2: RX=GPIO16, TX=GPIO17
-// Connect: ESP32 RX(16) ← ESP8266 TX
-//          ESP32 TX(17) → ESP8266 RX
+// XIAO ESP32-C6 Serial1: RX=D7, TX=D6 (Serial = native USB CDC)
+// Connect: XIAO RX(D7) ← ESP-01S TX
+//          XIAO TX(D6) → ESP-01S RX
 
-#define UART_ESP8266 Serial2
+#define UART_ESP8266 Serial1
+#define UART_RX_PIN  D7
+#define UART_TX_PIN  D6
+
+// Camera-online indicator → green channel of the RGB STAT LED.
+// (Full RGB/OLED status-panel bring-up is not implemented yet.)
+#define STAT_LED_PIN D1
 
 void sendCmdToESP8266(const String& command) {
   JsonDocument doc;
@@ -187,7 +193,8 @@ bool connectMQTT() {
     JsonArray caps = doc["capabilities"].to<JsonArray>();
     caps.add("start_stop"); caps.add("status");
     String payload; serializeJson(doc, payload);
-    mqtt.publish("remoterig/cameras/announce-" + clientID(), payload.c_str(), true);
+    String announceTopic = "remoterig/cameras/announce-" + clientID();
+    mqtt.publish(announceTopic.c_str(), payload.c_str(), true);
     Serial.println("[MQTT] Announced for registration");
   }
 
@@ -204,14 +211,14 @@ void setup() {
   Serial.println("\n[BRIDGE] ESP32 MQTT Bridge v1.0");
 
   bootMs = millis();
-  pinMode(2, OUTPUT); // built-in LED
-  digitalWrite(2, LOW);
+  pinMode(STAT_LED_PIN, OUTPUT); // RGB STAT LED — green = camera online
+  digitalWrite(STAT_LED_PIN, LOW);
 
   loadConfig();
 
-  // UART to ESP8266
-  UART_ESP8266.begin(115200, SERIAL_8N1, 16, 17); // RX=16, TX=17
-  Serial.println("[UART] ESP8266 link on RX16/TX17 @ 115200");
+  // UART to ESP-01S
+  UART_ESP8266.begin(115200, SERIAL_8N1, UART_RX_PIN, UART_TX_PIN);
+  Serial.println("[UART] ESP-01S link on Serial1 (RX=D7, TX=D6) @ 115200");
 
   // Connect to travel router — the ONLY network we touch
   Serial.printf("[WIFI] Connecting to: %s\n", cfg.wifi_ssid.c_str());
@@ -278,7 +285,7 @@ void loop() {
       
       if (online != cameraOnline) {
         cameraOnline = online;
-        digitalWrite(2, online ? HIGH : LOW);
+        digitalWrite(STAT_LED_PIN, online ? HIGH : LOW);
       }
 
       if (cfg.camera_id.length() > 0) {
@@ -297,13 +304,13 @@ void loop() {
       }
     }
     else if (type == "ack") {
-      Serial.printf("[UART] ESP8266 ack: %s\n", (doc["cmd"] | "?").c_str());
+      Serial.printf("[UART] ESP8266 ack: %s\n", doc["cmd"] | "?");
     }
     else if (type == "pong") {
       Serial.printf("[UART] ESP8266 pong (uptime=%d)\n", doc["uptime_ms"] | 0);
     }
     else if (type == "error") {
-      Serial.printf("[UART] ESP8266 error: %s\n", (doc["msg"] | "?").c_str());
+      Serial.printf("[UART] ESP8266 error: %s\n", doc["msg"] | "?");
     }
   }