This project will share with you how to make an ESP8266 drone (this drone can climb walls) and how it works.
We all know what the function of a drone is, which is to fly. If I told you this drone can climb walls or dive underwater like a submarine, you might find it a bit magical. The author states that the drone introduced below can do that!
A video demonstration and code download are available at the end.
Required Components
(Let’s first take a look at the main components of the drone)
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ESP8266 -
MPU6050 Acc/Gyro Module -
Brushed Motor -
Propeller -
500 mAh Lipo 3.7v -
Si2302 Mosfet (5x) -
Pencil
If you’re an electronics enthusiast, you’ll find you have all the components listed below -:)
Tools Used
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Soldering Iron
A drone needs a frame, motors, propellers, electronic speed controllers, and a battery.
Flight Controller
The flight controller (also known as FC) is the brain of the aircraft. It is a circuit board with a series of sensors that can detect the movement of the drone and the commands from the user. If you tell it to move forward, the flight controller will adjust the speed of the rear motors to move it forward.
ESP8266 Module
To communicate with the drone, we need a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection, so we use the ESP8266 Wi-Fi module, which has built-in Wi-Fi that we can use for communication.
ESP8266 is open-source, interactive, programmable, low-cost, simple, and smart Wi-Fi hardware.
As for the flight range of the drone, tests have shown a range of about 70 meters using a Samsung phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot and remote controller.
MPU6050
MPU6050 IMU, a low-cost device containing a gyroscope and accelerometer.
We will use the MPU-6050 and the ESP8266 module to make a drone.
Coreless Motor
Coreless motors are miniature motors used for quadcopters and drones. These motors are coreless, meaning there is no metal core in the rotor, and they can achieve high speeds at lower loads. These motors are suitable for micro drones, quadcopters, or mini projects.
Propeller
The purpose of the propeller is to generate thrust and torque to keep the drone flying.
Schematic of the ESP8266 Drone Flight Controller
Schematic diagram of the receiver control module based on ESP12e (ESP8266).
Circuit Connection
Connect the circuit according to the schematic diagram above, paying attention to the connection details of each component.
Frame
The frame provides structure and rigidity; it is the mounting location for all components.
Here, a wooden pencil is chosen and shaped into a quadcopter form.
If you have a 3D printer, you can print a better frame.
Assembling the Drone
This is the drone frame made with a pencil; please see the photo.
To connect the motors, we need to place the motors on the frame arms.
Installing All Motors
Two motors rotate clockwise, and two motors rotate counterclockwise (see diagram). If a motor does not rotate in the correct direction, simply reverse the polarity of the motor.
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Check the battery and voltage -
Check that all propellers are securely connected -
Check all motor mounts
Remember to disconnect the battery after flying and reconnect it before flying.
Software Section
It is recommended to use the Arduino IDE: if you want to edit (i.e., the SSID and password of the WiFi network – Android hotspot)
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Install Arduino IDE -
Install ESP8266 Board -
Install ESP8266WiFi.hlibrary
Copy the code and modify your WiFi SSID and password in the code (the code can be downloaded at the end):
#include<Wire.h>
#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
#include <WiFiUdp.h>
The code is too long, so it won't be pasted here for easy reading; you can download it at the end.
The aboveDrone_FInal.ino file can be downloaded at the end.
Open the Arduino IDE, copy the code fromDrone_FInal.ino and paste it into the Arduino IDE.
Edit your network’s SSID and password by modifying the following two lines in the code.
WiFi.begin("Diyprojectslab", "romeooo"); //ssid or pass
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In the Arduino IDE, go to “Tools”>”Board”> select “NODEMCU 1.0 (ESP – 12E module)” -
Go to Tools, select Port -
Change the Wi-Fi name and password from the code above -
Now click the upload button to upload the above code -
If everything goes smoothly, you should see the blue LED on the ESP8266 start blinking every second.
Android App Setup and ESP8266 Drone Testing
You only need to download the App file attached to this step to your Android phone. (Can be downloaded at the end)
This Android application is developed using Processing for Android App.
A wall-climbing project based on the NodeMCU flight controller and Android application control has been completed. Below is a demonstration of the drone’s effect:
Original links:
1）https://www.diyprojectslab.com/make-esp8266-drone-wallclimb-drone/
2）https://www.hackster.io/diyprojectslab/make-a-quadcopter-using-esp8266-this-quadcopter-can-climb-e46e4a
Project Author: DIY Projects Lab
Source: DF Maker Community, Big Fish Robot
END
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