RC Drone

[Life of Brian]

I'm not dead! I've just... been away. However, I am still up to my usual shenanigans:



Notice any familiar parts in this project? The controller looks an awful lot like some of my portables, doesn't it?

[vskid]

Sweet, I've been watching your progress on Facebook, glad it turned out good (what happened to the Arduino?).
I think if you elevated the camera and moved it to the back, it would be easier to see and drive it just using the camera. Even if the car was just barely in the picture, the reference would help a ton. I even have the side mirrors on my car set up so my car is just barely visible, so I can get a better idea of where stuff is relative to my car.

[Life of Brian]

I need to get a G.I. Joe or something and put him in the car seat so you can look over his shoulder while he drives

I plan on adding an Arduino brain to this project eventually, but I need to polish up my code a bit. I just bypassed the inputs from the receiving chip on the car's circuit board and gave it inputs from the Arduino. It worked, but only for the forward and left directions. I suspect poor coding. Hey, I'm still learning! It will be fun having a fully autonomous drone with a remote viewing screen. I plan on giving it two modes - autonomous mode and then manual override mode for those times I need to take over and get it out of a stuck corner or something. I could make the Arduino monitor if there are any inputs from the remote control and then pass those instructions on to the car; otherwise, it would resume autonomous roaming. Maybe make it seek people out and then honk at them?

[Ashen]

Pretty cool little project there man, I may have to try this someday when boredom strikes.

[ShockSlayer]

That's cool, I like the wireless camera thing, you still got the links to where you bought them?

SS

[jdmlight]

That's pretty fun. As far as mounting the camera goes, you could put the decorative shell of the car back on and put the camera approximately in the driver's seat, so that you see the hood of the car from the screen. (the windshield might have to be removed/replaced with clear plastic depending on whether it's painted or not) Then the camera would be hidden, and I think that'd give it a good point of reference.

[Life of Brian]

That's cool, I like the wireless camera thing, you still got the links to where you bought them?

SS

Right here, although it looks like the price has gone up a few bucks since I bought mine. I'm pretty certain there are identical ones on Deal Extreme for a bit less, but I didn't want to wait multiple weeks for it to arrive. Plus I got free shipping anyway so that's cool.

[ShockSlayer]

Looks awesome, and cheap, I have to get some now.

SS

[Haunted360]

I like.

I will try this some time too...

[Life of Brian]

They're super easy to take apart, and have a 7805 on board so that's convenient. The camera comes with a 9v battery connector as well as its own power supply, which gives you a lot of options with minimal alteration. The antenna on the receiver is fun to play with - it swivels and bends in several ways, giving your project a touch of class and coolness Just drill a large-ish hole and file a couple of grooves for the little tabs to slot into to help hold it in place, secure it with some high temp hot glue, and you're in business. I love the static you get before tuning the receiver just right - very retro.

It's about time I mod my RC Drone with a NiMH battery pack I've had laying around for forever - I keep blasting through these AA batteries! Maybe I'll make a new thread when I start experimenting with Arduino control.

[Tchay]

This gives me so many ideas!!!!

Oh, add a joystick and it will be the ultimate real life action game!

Imagine doing this for remote control planes, etc.

Great job LOB.

[jdmlight]

This gives me so many ideas!!!!

Oh, add a joystick and it will be the ultimate real life action game!

Imagine doing this for remote control planes, etc.

Great job LOB.

Heh. This would be super awesome on an RC plane. It'd be the ultimate flight sim.