syrnitram/recon-ground-drone

This is a hobbyist hardware project: a small, 3D-printed remote-controlled ground drone modeled after the recon drone from the video game Rainbow Six Siege. The creator started it in 2022 as a birthday gift and has now released all the files so others can build, modify, and improve it. It is a personal fan project with no affiliation with the game's publisher. The drone is controlled over WiFi from a browser on a phone or laptop. A small camera module called an ESP32-CAM is mounted on the drone and streams live video back to the same browser tab, so you can see what the drone sees while steering it with a virtual joystick on screen. The drone has two independently driven wheels, which allows it to turn in place, and it includes LED lights that mimic the running-light animation from the game. A servo motor opens and closes the light assembly to match the way the in-game drone deploys its lights. The creator is honest about the project's current state: it works, but it has two known problems that were never resolved. First, the drone tips forward when braking hard because the weight distribution is off. Second, the WiFi range is short and the connection drops quickly if you move more than a few meters away. A redesigned body meant to fix the balance issue was started but left unfinished. The creator is specifically inviting others to fork the project and tackle these problems. The repository includes the firmware code for the current ESP32-CAM version and an older Arduino legacy version, a web-based control interface with a virtual joystick, test sketches for isolated components, and 3D model files available as a download from the releases section. The CAD files are in SolidWorks format, and the README warns that the tolerances were tuned for an older, less precise printer and will likely need adjustment on modern machines. The hardware list is in a spreadsheet in the repository and requires components including the ESP32-CAM, a motor driver, DC motors, and a servo. This project is aimed at hobbyists comfortable with 3D printing and basic electronics.