Overview
Things
Story

Initial Idea
Things I used
The turret
Everything assembled
Project working

Published October 16, 2022 © GPL3+

RC Car with laser turret!

Arduino RC car, using a joystick shield and NRF24l01 modules.

IntermediateFull instructions provided778

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino Nano R3

Car microcontroller

Arduino UNO

Remote control controler

Funduino Joystick Shield V1.A

Shield to Arduino Uno (RC)

nRF24 Module (Generic)

NRF24L01+ module

DC Motor, 12 V

Move the car

Plastic wheel for motor

Wheels for motors

SG90 Micro-servo motor

Turret

Laser diode module

Laser

4.2v 18650 Batteries

Power source

Battery Holder, 18650 x 2

Hold 18650 batteries

USB-A to B Cable

To upload the program to Arduino Uno

USB-A to Micro-USB Cable

To upload the program to Arduino Nano

Jumper wires (generic)

Male/Female Jumper Wires

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Breadboard, 170 Pin

Story

Initial Idea

I already did a RC car using Arduino and it worked pretty well, but I think it needs something more.

Things I used

I used two NRF24L01+ modules to make the comunications between the car and the remote control. It has a impressed antenna on it's PCB and can reach a distance of 100 meters.

The NRF24L01+ module

I used a 4wd car chassis kit like that one:

The car chassis kit (include motors, wheels, screws and nuts)

For the remote control I used Arduino Uno and a Joystick shield.

The joystick shield (Funduino V1.A)

To control the car I'm using Arduino Nano and a L298n H-Bridge. To power everything, I'm using 18650 batteries like that one:

Batteries

The turret

After a moment of thinking, I decided to make a laser turret for the car using two servo motors, controlled remotely.

The turret

Everything assembled

This is how the car looks like after the assembling:

The car

This is how the control looks like:

The remote control

Project working:

Video of the project working

Project working

Code

//Include Libraries
#include <nRF24L01.h>
#include <RF24.h>
#include <SPI.h>
//Creates objects
#define A 2
#define B 3
#define C 4
#define D 5
#define E 6
int X = A0;
int Y = A1;

RF24 radio(9, 10);
const uint64_t pipe = 0xE6E6E6E6E6E6;
char msg[20] = "";

void setup() {
  //Define buttons of the shield as Input
  pinMode(A, INPUT);
  pinMode(B, INPUT);
  pinMode(C, INPUT);
  pinMode(D, INPUT);
  pinMode(E, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(A, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(B, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(C, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(D, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(E, HIGH);
  //Starts the RF module
  radio.begin();
  radio.openWritingPipe(pipe);
}

void loop() {

  if (digitalRead(A) == LOW) { //Moves the turret pointer up
    char msg[] = "up";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (digitalRead(C) == LOW) { //Moves the turret pointer down
    char msg[] = "down";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (digitalRead(B) == LOW) { //Moves the turret to left
    char msg[] = "leftturret";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (digitalRead(D) == LOW) { //Moves the turret to right
    char msg[] = "rightturret";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (digitalRead(E) == LOW) { //Shots
    char msg[] = "shot";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (analogRead(X) < 450) { //Turn left
    char msg[] = "left";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (analogRead(X) > 550) { //Turn right
    char msg[] = "right";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (analogRead(Y) > 550) { //Go forward
    char msg[] = "forward";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  if (analogRead(Y) < 450) { //Go backward
    char msg[] = "backward";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
  else { //Nothing happens
    char msg[] = "analgobut";
    radio.write(&msg, sizeof(msg));
  }
}

//include libraries
#include <nRF24L01.h>
#include <RF24.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include <Servo.h>
//Create objects
int RightMotorF = 2;
int RightMotorB = 3;
int LeftMotorF = 4;
int LeftMotorB = 5;
int laser = 8;
Servo turret1;
Servo turret2;
int pos1 = 90;
int pos2 = 90;
RF24 radio(9, 10);
const uint64_t pipe = 0xE6E6E6E6E6E6;
char data[20] = "";

void setup() {
  //Starts thee RF module
  radio.begin();
  radio.openReadingPipe(1, pipe);
  radio.startListening();
  //Servo motor pins
  turret1.attach(6);
  turret2.attach(7);
  //Define motor pins as output
  pinMode(RightMotorB, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LeftMotorB, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(RightMotorF, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(LeftMotorF, OUTPUT);
  //Define laser as output
  pinMode(laser, OUTPUT);
}
void loop() {
  String msg = "";
  if ( radio.available() )
  {
    radio.read( data, sizeof(data) );
    Serial.println(data);
    msg = data;

    if (msg == "forward") //Go forward
    {
      digitalWrite(RightMotorB, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorB, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(RightMotorF, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorF, LOW);

    }
    else if (msg == "backward") //Go backward
    {
      digitalWrite(RightMotorB, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorB, LOW);
      digitalWrite(RightMotorF, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorF, HIGH);
    }
    else if (msg == "left") //Turn left
    {
      digitalWrite(RightMotorB, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorB, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(RightMotorF, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorF, LOW);
    }
    else if (msg == "right") //Turn right
    {
      digitalWrite(RightMotorB, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorB, LOW);
      digitalWrite(RightMotorF, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorF, LOW);
    }
    else if (msg == "rightturret") //Turret base turn right
    {
      pos1++;
    }
    else if (msg == "leftturret") { //Turret base turn left
      pos1--;
    }
    else if (msg == "up") //Turret pointer go up
    {
      pos2++;
    }
    else if (msg == "down") {//Turret pointer go down
      pos2--;
    }
    else if (msg == "shot") { //Shots laser 
      digitalWrite(laser, HIGH);
      delay(50);
      digitalWrite(laser, LOW);
      delay(50);
    }
    else if (msg == "analgobut") //If nothing happens
    {
      digitalWrite(RightMotorB, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorB, LOW);
      digitalWrite(RightMotorF, LOW);
      digitalWrite(LeftMotorF, LOW);
    }
    //Motors follow the position value
    turret1.write(pos1);
    turret2.write(pos2);
  }
}

Credits

bruno_opaiva

6 projects • 4 followers

RC Car with laser turret!

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Initial Idea

Things I used

The turret

Everything assembled

Project working:

Schematics

Transmitter circuit

Receiver Circuit

Code

Transmitter code

Receiver Code

Credits

bruno_opaiva

Comments

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RC Car with laser turret!

RC Car with laser turret!

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Story

Initial Idea

Things I used

The turret

Everything assembled

Project working:

Schematics

Transmitter circuit

Receiver Circuit

Code

Transmitter code

Receiver Code

Credits

bruno_opaiva

Comments

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