Here’s How You Can Make Remote Control Car With Autopilot And Camera

It can indeed be exciting building your own Remote Controlled Car equipped with a camera to take you places from the comfort of your room itself. What if the car also featured an autopilot mode? Well, if you intend to make remote control car yourself, you’ve come to the right place!

Want to make remote control car? Follow these simple steps to build a powerful camera RC car!

When you set out to make a remote control car, ensure that you follow all steps listed in this DIY article and you’ll be racing ahead with your RC cam car in no time!

The advantages of RC Camera Car with autopilot flight control

There are numerous advantages of building an RC car with camera and autopilot system. First, such a car can enable you to take incredible shots from unusual angles in a manner never before possible- the creative options for photography this way are literally limitless!

What’s more, you will be able to shoot in dangerous environments as well where normal videography wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. The camera car can get you inside narrow spaces or help you keep close watch on elusive animals while filming them, for example.

The autopilot feature comes with its own benefits. You can specify the trajectory using the navigation system and the camera car will faithfully follow the path! This car uses innovative technology from a drone and helps you see the world with new eyes!

 What equipment do you need?

You will need the following parts when you make remote control car:

1. FPV Camera: This is a First Person View Camera, popularly used with drone technologies. The camera provides a first person view to the observer/controller from the platform it is itself mounted on. In our case, the FPV camera would provide a live video feed of the action in front of it on our mobile phone. Get yours here:

2. The Receiver and Transmitter circuits: You’ll need the receiver and transmitter modules to communicate with the RC car while operating it. Consider getting the following Invento remote controller model that performs great:

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B01MS5BL20/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=indilife-21&camp=3638&creative=24630&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01MS5BL20&linkId=c76ec1ccf0c1a32ef8026d4655da5c7e

If you prefer a slightly more expensive model, which also boasts an amazing LCD screen,  choose this model instead:

https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B01MTAX7O1/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=indilife-21&camp=3638&creative=24630&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01MTAX7O1&linkId=b5b6cf532f7eb180aed943244ce6d66e

3. APM flight controller is needed for the controlling capabilities desired. You’ll find the ideal  models for this purpose (APM 2.8 flight controller) on Amazon and other e-commerce stores.

4.  Motors: We need geared 12 volt dc motors (4) to drive the car with requisite power.

5. Servo Motor: You’ll need one servo motor to steer the car in the desired direction.

6. Wooden plank: We need a flat wooden ply board to function as the chassis holding the different parts together.

7.  Batteries: These will be the power source for the motors. Ensure you use a battery of sufficient capacity to ensure operability for a long time without recharging/replacing batteries.

8.  Brushed ESC: This is an amazing speed controller that plays an important role in helping the car run!

9. Other parts: Ensure you have the nuts, bolts, bearings, screws, etc in addition to a drilling machine, soldering iron, and screwdrivers- such tools will come in handy when building the car.  Also keep glue, black tape, epoxy, and other such adhesives ready.

Building the car step by step

So, here’s how to make a rc car with camera:

1. Begin by taking the wooden plank and cut it into the desired shape. Drill in holes and attach sleeves for the motors on the four corners. Firmly lock the motors in place and use bearings when attaching them.

Cut the wooden plank into the requisite shape  

Attach the motors to the metal sleeves on the corner of the planks

2. Bend a sturdy wire into a wide “U” shape and solder it to an iron nail in the middle. Bend the two ends of the wire in the form of hooks and attach them to the motor sleeves. Next, attach the servo motor to the central nail such that the servo’s motion should cause the motors to steer from side to side on the sleeves.

3. Lock the servo motor in its place with clamps on the wooden chassis towards the centre. Connect all four motors in a parallel combination.

Attach the central nail of the “U” shaped wire to the servo motor to make the steering mechanism 

4. Attach the receiver, batteries, brushed ESC, APM 2.8 flight controller, GPS module, and telemetry circuit on the chassis.  

Connect the Telemetry unit, receiver, GPS module, and steering servo to the APM controller

5. The steering servo motor, the receiver, the GPS, and the telemetry unit will all be attached to the APM controller and the intended places as marked on the controller itself.

6. Finally, attach the FPV camera module connected to the video transmitter. At the receiving end, connect your mobile phone to the receiver module. You wanted to know how to make a remote control car with camera, right? Well, this is it!  

Connect all components together to complete the assembly!

7. Once done, test the car on flat ground and also try out the return to launch point mode, wherein the car would return to the starting point using GPS.

You will be able to see a live feed of the scene before the camera on your mobile phone

8.  Now, it’s time to test out the telemetry point. Specify a trajectory (path) you want your rc car to undertake. Upload this as a takeoff mission on the user interface and the software would send the wave points to the car immediately. In no time, you’ll see your little cam car work out the path for you exactly as specified! Mission accomplished!

Ready? Get, Set, Go!

Isn’t it really easy to make remote control car fpv? For an even better FPV experience, switch to the VR (Virtual Reality) mode and enjoy the views your car presents the best possible way with VR goggles!

You could even specify a trajectory to be followed by your camera car

Conclusion

Who could have thought it would be so easy to make remote control car? Make no mistake, though- your RC car is no simple toy- it is equipped with cutting-edge technology including the APM flight controller, telemetric capabilities as well as live video feed straight to your mobile device several feet away.

Armed with a camera, your remote control car can offer breathtaking views of the world!

This is the perfect tool to take amazing shots of distant action taking place in dangerous environments. Just navigate your little cam car to the destination and enjoy beautiful views while you sip coffee. It will even make its way back to you immediately with the click of a button in case of an emergency!

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