Fun with the CrazyFlie 2.1 drone

Started Mar. 22, 2022

Abstract or project description

I am going to explain the process of how drones operate and how using specific software makes it possible to code a pre-programed route for the drone to follow so it can fly autonomously. For example, I am going to attempt to code a pre-programed route for the CrazyFlie 2.1 drone to fly around the whole inside of my house. The main goal is to use the camera to detect if the multiple house plants are healthy or not depending on what colour they look. The pre-programed route will be specifically designed for my house as I can code for the drone to hover above each plant for where they are in the house. This will allow the camera underneath the drone capture an image of the house plant. For this to be possible, an additional hardware deck needs to be added to the drone itself. For example, the flow deck which has a sensor that can measure the distance between the drone and the ground with high precision. This one of the necessary sensors required so the drone can fly autonomously. Another important piece of hardware is the Crazyradio antenna, which will allow the computer to constantly be connected and send instructions to the drone as it hovers and flies around. I will be explaining my thought process of how I was able to make to make this project work successfully.

Powered Sled

Started June 23, 2021

Abstract or project description

Abstract - In this research paper I am going to describe the process by which I was able to program and use an Arduino UNO microcontroller and a potentiometer to control my powered sled, as a replacement to a transmitter and receiver, which is an essential component to control the motor speed. Since I live in Switzerland, where there is an abundant amount of snow, I decided to construct a sled with a relatively big wooden propeller mounted on the back which would result in the person sitting on the sled to be pushed forward. However, multiple electronic components are required, such as a brushless motor, batteries, an emergency stop button, and a motor driver.  Typically, this last component is implemented using an ESC (electronic speed controller), a transmitter (fig. 1) and a receiver (fig. 2) which allows the person operating the sled to control the speed of the motor by applying more or less power to the transmitter gimbal which sends signals to the receiver connected to the ESC. Given the high cost of the overall price of a transmitter and reviver, which is about $450, I was prompted to look for a cheaper substitute. Hence, I decided to investigate the feasibility of an Arduino microcontroller for this purpose. In fact, the Arduino, combined with a potentiometer, costs about $40, which is distinctly cheaper compared to the original price of $450. This paper will describe the process of implementing the powered sled using an Arduino microcontroller to successfully drive the vehicle’s motor.