This post will be the first test to see if this is interesting to anyone other than me. I will describe in it general structure, technologies and devices used.

UPD: video added.

First, a short video to attract attention. The sound comes from the tank's speaker.

Where it all began

In addition to the chassis, two voltage regulators were purchased for commutator motors, a camera tripod with two servos, a webcam with hardware support for mjpeg and an external WiFi card TP-LINK TL-WN7200ND. A little later, a portable speaker, a Creative SoundBlaster Play USB audio speaker and a simple microphone were added to the list of devices, as well as a couple of USB hubs to connect all this to the control module, which became the Raspberry Pi. The turret from the tank was dismantled; steering it was very inconvenient, since all standard mechanics were built on conventional engines without feedback.

Let me make a reservation right away that the photos were taken when the tank was almost ready, and not during the manufacturing process.

Power and Wiring

I stuffed the largest Li-Po battery that would fit into the battery compartment. It turned out to be a two-cell 3300 mAh battery in a hard case, which is usually used in model cars. I was too lazy to solder, so a standard one was used for all the connections. bread board in increments of 2.54. Later, a second one appeared on the top cover and a cable that connected them. For each of the two engines I had my own voltage regulator, which, as a bonus, provides stabilized power of about 5.6 volts. The Raspberry and WiFi card were powered from one regulator, power from the second went to the servos and a USB hub with peripherals.

Gotta make it move

# servod --min=70 --max=230 --p1pins=7.11
Now, if you write the lines 0=230 and 1=230 to /dev/servoblaster, the tank will rush forward.

Probably enough for the first time. If you like the article, I will slowly write details in the following posts. And finally, a few more photos, as well as a freshly shot video. True, the quality was not very good, so I apologize in advance to the aesthetes.

An Arduino tank with bluetooth control is a great example of how easily and without special knowledge you can turn an ordinary radio-controlled tank into a cool toy controlled from an Android device. Moreover, you don’t even have to edit the code, it will do everything specialized software. You may have read my previous article on converting a radio-controlled car model into control. With a tank, everything is almost the same, only it can also rotate the turret and change the elevation angle of the barrel.

To begin with, I present short review possibilities of my craft:

Now let's take everything in order.

Arduino tank with bluetooth control - hardware.

The most important thing in hardware is chassis, that is, body. Without the tank itself, nothing will work out for us. When choosing a case, pay attention to the free space inside. We will have to place an impressive number of components there. I came across this option, and we will work with it.

Donor for our project.

Initially it was faulty. I wanted to restore it, but being horrified by the build quality of the working board, I decided that a remake would be more reliable. And I’ll delight the children with an old gadget controlled in a new way.

Dimensions: 330x145x105 millimeters excluding the barrel. The hull is equipped with four motors: two for propulsion, one for the turret and one for the barrel. Initially, the tank was able to shoot rubber bullets, but the mechanism was broken, so I simply cut it off the barrel. After this, there was enough space to place the filling.

Download and install the program from the official website and install, you can simply unpack the portable version. Next, open my project file in it and click on the firmware button at the top of the interface (seventh from the left).

FLProg interface

ArduinoIDE will open, but you know how to work in it 😀 .

Arduino tank with bluetooth control - connection diagram

We connect peripheral elements to the board, in our case bluetooth, bridges and LEDs, according to the project.

List of used pins

The list shows the Arduino pin numbers and their purpose. Everything is commented. The motion and turret control contacts with the barrel are connected directly from the bridges, no additional body kit is required. Connecting the analog input for measuring voltage must be done through a resistive divider since the on-board voltage of the arduino is FIVE VOLT!!! This is very important; when the threshold voltage of the microcircuit is exceeded, the controller is sent to another world. So be careful. In my case two were used li-ion battery 18650 format, divider with 1 KOhm and 680 Ohm resistors. If your operating voltage is different from mine, then go to any online calculator to calculate the resistive divider and calculate it yourself, based on the fact that its output voltage should be equal to five volts. If you doubt your abilities, then you don’t have to use voltage measurement on the battery at all; it will work just the same. I stopped driving like that - it's time to charge.

LEDs, if any, must be connected through current-limiting resistors.

Arduino tank with bluetooth control - program for tablet or smartphone.

As in the previous model, we will use a program for Android devices called HmiKaskada. I'm posting free version this program, which can be downloaded from YandexDisk. My project is made in a paid version and it is not compatible with the free version of the program. So further material is devoted to creating a project in the free version.

Control Interface

IN finished project There is also a battery level indicator on the tablet, and this is a base for the project. So let's get started...

First, let's create a project with one working screen; we won't need any more. Next, we will connect our bluetooth module to the tablet. To do this, go to edit the list of servers and click the plus in the upper right corner. We select our bluetooth from the list and give it a name. Now it's set up and ready to go. The next step is to install the backing for the work area. To do this, go to the “other - background” menu of the main workspace and load the interface image. You can use mine or create your own image. In fact, it will work without setting the background, it is only for beauty.

Now let's move on to the placement of controls. Go to the “setters” menu and drag the button to the work area. In the button menu, click on the address and enter, for example, 1#0.12. Where 1 is the address of the Arduino board, and 12 is the address of the variable from the project. Variables used in the project can be viewed in the project tree.

List of flag addresses

Setting up the battery charge indicator is exactly the same. We create a storage register in Integer format in the Arduino project and assign its address to the indicator. For example 1#10, customize the indicator to your taste.

When all the controls are created, configured and located in their places, click on start the project. The Android will connect to the tank, and you can enjoy the work done.

Arduino tank with bluetooth control - assembly.

Assembling the craft took about two hours of my time, but the result exceeded all expectations. The tank turned out to be quite nimble and responds to commands instantly. I had to tinker with the gearbox that drives the tank tracks. It fell apart, but fortunately for me the gears were not damaged and a little glue, grease and straight hands brought it back into operation. The standard battery had to be replaced with two 18650 li-ion batteries connected in series in a holder. The final supply voltage was 6 - 8.4 volts, depending on the battery charge level. We also had to replace the motor driving the turret; it was short-circuited.

Replaced the diodes on the headlights of my toy. The low-current yellow ones were absolutely not pleasing and were soldered onto bright white ones from lighters with flashlights :) Now this tracked miracle is comfortable to drive even in complete darkness. Photos before and after:

Wonderful)

The result of the final assembly does not look very neat, I decided not to spend additional time on designing shields and laying wires. And so everything works great.

This is how the “filling” turned out

Arduino tank with bluetooth control - conclusion.

As can be seen from the above material, there is no smell of digging in the code when creating a tank controlled by Bluetooth. We also don’t need any advanced knowledge of electronics. All operations are intuitive and aimed at beginners. Initially, the HMIKaskada program was developed as an alternative to expensive industrial HMI panels, but it was also useful in creating a toy. I hope that I helped you dispel the myth about the difficulty of creating multitasking projects on Arduino.

I will be glad to receive any kind of comments on the article, as well as comments. After all, I am also learning with you...

The main part of the robot is the chassis from the radio-controlled tank and other components, their list will be written below. This tank is the author’s first project on the Arduino platform, and he was pleased that he used it. The author used materials and books from the Internet.

Materials and tools:
- Tank chassis
- Arduino Uno
- Jumpers and breadboard
- Integrated motor driver SN754410NE
- Conventional servo drive
- Ultrasonic range finder
- 9V battery with connector for it
- D type batteries
- USB cable for Arduino
- Base for chassis
- Screwdrivers
- Thermal gun and glue for it
- Soldering iron and solder

Step one. Tank chassis.
The author took the chassis from an old Abrams tank purchased at a flea market. The resulting tank was disassembled so that the chassis could be removed from it. It is not at all necessary to use the same tank; any radio-controlled one will do. Moreover, the original motor left much to be desired, so I had to assemble my own; its assembly will be in the next step. Having prepared the chassis, the author attached the base to them with hot glue. It doesn’t matter where it will be fixed, but it was decided to glue it in the center.

Step two. Engine driver.
To control the engine, the SN754410NE driver is used, the author used it because it was available, you can take any similar one.
Connecting the driver to Arduino is as follows:

All GND pins are connected to the GND pins of the breadboard.
- Driver pins 1 and 16 to 9 and 10 of Arduino.
- Pins 2 and 7 of the driver are connected to pins 3 and 4 of the Arduino (they are responsible for controlling the left motor).
- Driver pins 10 and 15 are connected to Arduino pins 5 and 6 (they are responsible for controlling the right motor).
- Pins 3 and 6 are connected to the left motor, and 14 and 11 to the right motor.
- Pins 8 and 16 must be connected to power on the Bredboard, the power source is a 9V battery.

Step three. Installing a rangefinder.
The ultrasonic sensor allows the robot to avoid obstacles in its path while moving. The sensor is located on a standard servo and will be mounted on the front of the robot. At the moment when the robot notices an obstacle within 10 cm, the servo will begin to turn in both directions, thereby searching for a passage. Arduino reads information from the sensor and decides which side is more favorable for further movement.
First of all, a servo drive is attached to the sensor. The author secures the servo drive so that it can only rotate 90 degrees in each direction, in other words, the full rotation of the servo drive will be 180 degrees.

The sensor has three contacts GND, signal and 5V. The 5V power is connected to the Arduino's 5V power supply, GND to GND, and the signal to pin 7 of the Arduino.

Step four. Nutrition.
Arduino receives power through a 9V battery, it is connected to the appropriate connector. The motors are powered by four D-type batteries, which are installed in the battery holder. To receive power to the motors, the holder wires are connected to the board on which the SN754410NE motor driver is already installed.

Step five. Robot assembly.
After completing all the previous steps, it is time to put all the parts together. First of all, the Arduino is attached to the base of the tank. After this, an ultrasonic range finder is attached to the front of the robot using hot glue. Then, the author attaches the batteries next to the Arduino. Batteries can be installed on any part of the tank. After installing all the components, all the wires were pulled up and power was applied to the board to ensure proper assembly.

Step six. Program code.
After completing the assembly of the tank, it is time to write a program for it. The program should show the robot when to move and when to pause in order to avoid a collision with an obstacle. When writing code from the author

Let's build a radio-controlled tank with a first-person view that can be controlled from a distance of up to 2 kilometers! My project was based on a remote control rover, it is easy to build, easy to program and a great project for hobbyists!

The bot is very fast and agile, not to mention the fact that it has two powerful engines! It will certainly outrun a human, no matter what surface the race is on!

The bot is still a prototype, even after months of development.

So what is FPV?
FPV, or First Person View, is a First Person View. We usually see FPV while playing games on consoles and computers, such as racing games. FPV is also used by the military for surveillance, defense, or to monitor protected areas. Hobbyists use FPV in quadcopters for aerial filming and just for fun. This all sounds as cool as the cost of building a quadcopter, so we decided to build something smaller that rides on the ground.

How to manage this?
The bot is based on an Arduino board. Since Arduino supports a wide variety of add-ons and modules (RC/WiFi/Bluetooth), you can choose any of the communication types. For this build we will use special components that will allow control over long distances using a 2.4Ghz transmitter and receiver that controls the bot.

There is a demo video in the last step.

Step 1: Tools and Materials

I buy most of my parts at local hobby stores, the rest I find online - just look for deals with best price. I use a lot of Tamiya solutions and my instructions are written with this feature in mind.

I bought spare parts and materials from Gearbest - at that time they were having a sale.

We will need:

• Arduino UNO R3 clone
• Pololu Dual VNH5019 Motor Shield (2x30A)
• Pin dads
• 4 spacers
• Screws and nuts
• Signal transmission module (transmitter) 2.4 Ghz - read more in step 13
• Receiver 2.4 Ghz for at least two channels
• 2 Tamiya Plasma Dash / Hyper dash 3 motors
• Tamiya Twin Motor Gearbox Kit (stock motors included)
• 2 Tamiya universal boards
• Tamiya track and wheel set
• 3 lithium polymer batteries 1500mAh
• First-person camera with support for remote direction and zoom control
• transmitter and data receiver for FPV 5.8Ghz 200mW
• Bottle of superglue
• Hot glue

Tool:

• Multitool
• Screwdriver Set
• Dremel

Step 2: Assembling the Twin Gearbox

Time to unpack the gearbox. Just follow the instructions and everything will be fine.

Important note: use 58:1 gear ratio!!!

• lubricate the gears before assembling the box, not after
• do not forget about metal spacers, otherwise the box will creak
• use 58:1 gear format, it is faster than 204:1

Step 3: Improving the motors

The gearbox comes with motors, but in my opinion they are very slow. Therefore, I decided to use Hyper dash motors in the project, instead of Plasma Dash, which consume more energy.

However, Plasma Dash motors are the fastest in Tamiya's 4WD motor series. The motors are expensive, but you get the best product for the money. These carbon coated motors spin at 29,000 rpm on 3V and 36,000 rpm on 7V.

The motors are designed to work with 3V power supplies and increasing the voltage, although it increases performance, reduces their service life. With the Pololu 2x30 Motor Driver and two lithium polymer batteries, the Arduino program must be configured to maximum speed 320/400, you will soon find out what this means in the code step.

Step 4: Motor Drivers

I have been interested in robotics for a very long time and I can say. that the best motor driver is Pololu Dual VNH5019. When it comes to power and efficiency, this is the best option, but when we talk about price, he is clearly not our friend.

Another option would be to build the L298 driver. 1 L298 is designed for one motor, which is the best solution for motors for high strength current I'll show you how to build your own version of such a driver.

Step 5: Assembling the Tracks

Use your imagination and configure the tracks to your liking.

Step 6: Screw the spacers and attach the FPV

Again, use your imagination and figure out how to position the struts and camera for the first person view. Secure everything with hot glue. Attach the upper deck and drill holes for mounting the FPV antenna and for the installed spacers, then secure everything with screws.

Step 7: Upper Deck

The purpose of creating the upper deck was to increase free space, since the FPV components take up a lot of space on the bottom of the drone, leaving no room for the Arduino and motor driver.

Step 8: Install Arduino and Motor Driver

Simply screw or glue the Arduino into place on the top deck, and then attach the motor driver on top of it.

Step 9: Install the receiver module

It's time to connect the Rx module to the Arduino. Using channels 1 and 2, connect channel 1 to A0 and 2 to A1. Connect the receiver to the 5V and GND pins on the Arduino.

Step 10: Connect the Motors and Batteries

Solder the wires to the motor and connect them to the driver according to the channels. Regarding the battery, you will need to create your own connector using a JST male connector and DINA male connectors. Please look at the photos to better understand what will be required of you.

Step 11: Battery

Take the battery and determine the location where you will install it.

Once you find a location for it, create a male adapter to connect to the battery. The 3S 12V Li-po battery will power the FPV camera, motor and Arduino, so you will need to create a connector for the motor power line and the FPV line.

Step 12: Code for Arduino (C++)

The code is very simple, just download it and everything should work with the VNH motor driver (make sure to download the driver library and put it in the Arduino libraries folder).

The code is similar to Zumobot RC, I just replaced the motor driver library and configured some things.

For the L298 driver, use the standard Zumobot program, just connect everything according to how it is written in the library.

#define PWM_L 10 ///left motor
#define PWM_R 9
#define DIR_L 8 ///left motor
#define DIR_R 7

Just download the code and proceed to the next step.

Files

Step 13: Controller

On the market there is different types controllers for radio-controlled toys: for water, earth, air. They also operate on different frequencies: AM, FM, 2.4GHz, but at the end of the day they are all just regular controllers. I don't know exactly the name of the controller, but I know that it is used for aerial drones and has more channels compared to land or water ones.

On this moment I'm using Turnigy 9XR Transmitter Mode 2 (No Module). As you can see, the name says that it is moduleless, which means that you choose which 2.4GHz communication module to build into it. There are dozens of brands on the market that have their own features of use, control, distance and other various features. Now I'm using FrSky DJT 2.4Ghz Combo Pack for JR w/ Telemetry Module & V8FR-II RX, which is a little expensive, but just look at its specifications and goodies, then the price will not seem so high for all this stuff. Plus the module comes immediately with the receiver!

And remember that even if you have the controller and modules, you will not be able to turn it on until you have batteries that match the controller. Either way, find a controller that suits you and then you'll decide on the right batteries.

Tip: If you're a beginner, seek help from local hobby shops or find ham radio enthusiast groups because this step is no joke and you'll need to shell out a significant amount of money.

Step 14: Check

First turn on the bot, then turn on the transmitter module, after that the receiver module should indicate successful binding by flashing the LED.

Beginner's Guide to FPV

The part installed on the bot is called the FPV transmitter and camera, and what you have in your hands is called the FPV receiver. The receiver connects to any screen - be it LCD, TV, TFT, etc. All you need to do is insert batteries into it or connect it to a power source. Turn it on, then change the channel on the receiver if necessary. After that, you should see on the screen what your bot sees.

FPV signal range

The project used an inexpensive module capable of operating at a distance of up to 1.5 - 2 km, but this applies to using the device in an open space if you want to receive a signal greater strength, then buy a higher power transmitter, for example 1000mW. Please note that my transmitter only has 200mW power and was the cheapest I could find.

There's only one last step left - to have fun controlling your new spy tank with camera!