This project is my first attempt at building a portable cyberdeck using a Raspberry Pi 4 and a Pelican 1150 case. It’s designed to be fully self-contained, with water-resistant ports, onboard battery power, and cooling fans. My main focus was to create a sleek, functional system for running various scripts and tasks, such as BadUSB attacks, while keeping everything compact and portable. In the future, I plan to add assembly instructions to the wiki and more wiring diagrams and schematics.
- 7-inch display: Built-in for portable use
- Running Kali Linux: Ideal for cybersecurity tasks
- Active cooling system: 1x 30mm fan and 2x 18mm fans provide airflow when the case is open
- 3 USB ports: 2 internal, 1 external for peripherals
- SD card reader: Built-in for easy storage access
- HDMI output: External port for connecting to a larger display
- USB-C charging: Convenient power supply for both the Pi and the screen
- Cat5 Ethernet port: External network connection for wired access
- Audio jack: For headphones or external audio
- Status LEDs:
- Charging indicator
- Raspberry Pi on/off
- Screen on/off
- 3 additional customizable LEDs
- Switch for screen power: Automatically turns the screen off when the case is closed
- Keyboard: Integrated for ease of use
- Storage compartments: Holds SD cards and USB drives under the keyboard
- Fully-contained battery: Powers both the Raspberry Pi and screen for portable operation
- Water-resistant design: Sealed and protected when closed
- Overheating: Cannot operate with the lid closed for extended periods due to heat buildup
- No trackpad: There's no way to control the cursor in the OS without an external mouse
- Boot issue: Raspberry Pi won’t boot from the SD card reader
- Status LEDs: The LEDs are too bright (can be fixed by using different resistors)
- Charging inconvenience: The keyboard has to be removed to access the charging port
- Internal cable management: Very poor, leading to a cluttered interior
- Waterproofing: The build does not maintain the Pelican case’s original waterproof rating
- Glue used for assembly: Insert/faceplate is fastened using glue, which could be improved
- Charging limitations: Only supports standard USB charging, not USB-C PD; USB-C port is not bi-directional (input only)
- Custom 18650 battery pack: Build a battery pack to fit the case better, provide a longer runtime, and support USB-C PD input and output
- Inductive charging: Incorporate some form of wireless charging just because
- Slightly bigger case: Upgrade to a larger case for better component fit and expansion
- New cooling design: Implement a thermoelectric cooling system to allow operation with the lid closed
- Mechanical Keyboard: Add some form of mechanical keyboard, maybe QAZ
- Add a trackpad: Include a built-in trackpad for easier navigation
- Improved waterproofing: Make the unit fully submersible when closed and water resistant when open
- Upgrade to Raspberry Pi 5: Consider switching to a Raspberry Pi 5 for improved performance
- Use fasteners instead of glue: Replace glued components with screw fasteners for a cleaner, more durable assembly
- Use SSD for booting: Switch to an SSD for faster and more reliable booting
- Design custom PCB: Create a custom PCB for improved wire management and cleaner internal layout
- More improvements to come: This project is evolving, and additional upgrades are planned for future versions
Some of the links may have changed, so the parts may not be identical. Everything looks the same on the listings, but these parts were all ordered over a year ago.
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Pelican Case: Pelican 1150 Case or alternative link
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Water-resistant Panel Mount I/O (sold by Power Signal Data Connector Store on AliExpress):
- External HDMI Port or alternative link
- External USB Port or alternative link
- External USB-C Port or alternative link
- External RJ45 Port or alternative link
These can be ordered in any color and configuration, but I ordered mine in black with metal nuts. All connectors are ports, but soldering versions are available.
- Display: 7-inch 1024x600 HDMI Display or alternative link
- Keyboard: 7-inch Tablet Keyboard or alternative link – You can also find versions with a trackpad, but the keyboard base may need modification.
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- 3.5mm Audio Jack: Panel Mount 3.5mm Audio Jack (3-pin) or alternative link
- Fans:
- Rocker Switches: Small Round 2-pin Rocker Switches or alternative link
- Lid Switch: Refrigerator Door Light Switch (Normally Closed) or alternative link
- Internal USB Ports: USB to USB 3.0 Dual Panel Mount or alternative link
- SD Card Extender: Micro SD to SD Card Extender or alternative link
Note: For some reason, the Pi won't boot from an SD card plugged into this. I'm currently using it with a USB to Micro-USB adapter for reading SD cards, but it works intermittently. You may want to find an alternative.
- Brass Standoffs: Brass Standoffs or alternative link – Any small standoff that fits the Pi’s holes should work fine. I inserted mine into the 3D printed part using a soldering iron.
- LEDs and Resistors:
- 5mm LEDs or alternative link – Any standard 5mm LED will work; mine were pulled from a DIY Pi kit.
- 390 Ohm Resistors or alternative link – Used for the LEDs. You may want to use a higher resistance as these are quite bright.
- Diode: 3A Diode (supports 5V) or alternative link – This is used to prevent the charging LED from being powered by the battery bank, so it only turns on during charging. This setup prevents the USB-C port from being used as a power source, as noted in the issues section.
- Cables:
- Micro HDMI to HDMI or alternative link
- Micro HDMI to Mini HDMI or alternative link
- USB A to USB A or alternative link – I made my own, but this should work.
- RJ45 Male to RJ45 Male or alternative link – I made my own, but this should work.
- Wiring and Heatshrink: I used spare 22AWG wire and heatshrink, but you can find similar materials here and here for the USB-C and micro USB connections (Pi, screen, and charging). You may need some non-USB-C PD cables and ends to solder up.
- 3D Printed Components: All parts are printed with Polymaker PETG, but any standard filament should work.