Smartphone Controlled FPV Car (No-Code)

What is this project about?

Build a smartphone-controlled FPV (First-Person View) car with real-time camera streaming. See what your robot sees and drive it from anywhere using your phone as the controller—built using Grablo, a visual programming platform.

Why did we decide to make it?

Building an FPV car traditionally requires setting up video streaming servers, creating mobile control interfaces, implementing motor control logic, and coordinating all systems together. Using Grablo's visual blocks, no traditional coding is needed.

What You'll Build

A complete smartphone-controlled FPV car featuring:

• Real-time camera streaming to your smartphone
• Intuitive joystick control via mobile dashboard
• Differential drive steering using wheel speed differences
• Outdoor capability using mobile hotspot

Demo

Quick Start

• Install software:Download and install Grablo on your Raspberry Pi
• Set up hardware: Wire components according to wiring diagram
• Get this project:Project Link
• Open Grablo app: On your smartphone browser
• Hit RUN: Enter Raspberry Pi IP address and drive!

💡 Want to build it yourself? Continue to Build Process

Build Process

Dashboard

Create Project & Dashboard

• Go to https://app.grablo.co
• Click "Create Project"
• Name your project
• Create a new dashboard

Add Widgets

• Camera Widget: Create a new camera with default settings.
• Joystick Widget: Create X and Y variables, assign to joystick. Keep min/max at -100/100.

💡 Tip: Adjust mobile dashboard layout for smartphone control. You can fine-tune it later on your phone.

Logic

Control 1: Start Camera

Start the camera once when the project begins.

• Condition (Once): Run once at startup
• Action (AI Camera): Start camera, leave AI Analysis empty

Control 2: Motor Control

Control wheel speeds based on joystick input.

• Condition (Always): Run continuously
• Action 1 (I/O Device Control): Set left motor speed → Y + (X × 0.4)
• Action 2 (I/O Device Control): Set right motor speed → Y - (X × 0.4)

💡 Tip: The 0.4 ratio prevents overly sensitive turning. Adjust to your preference (0.3~0.5).

That's It!

Congratulations! You've built a complete smartphone-controlled FPV car using only 2 simple controls and zero lines of code.

Expected Results

When you run your project:

• Camera feed: Appears in real-time on your phone
• Push forward: Car moves forward
• Push backward: Car reverses
• Steer left/right: Car turns using differential drive
• Release joystick: Car stops
• Outdoors: Works anywhere with Wi-Fi or mobile hotspot

Wiring Diagram

⚠️ Critical Notes:

• Keep Raspberry Pi and motor power supplies separate
• Connect common ground between Raspberry Pi and L298N

Video Tutorial

Watch the complete build process in action:

What's Next?

Expand your project:

• Distance sensor for collision avoidance
• Voice control (STT) and voice output (TTS)
• LED effects

Troubleshooting

No camera feed:

• Check camera connection and settings
• Try different camera index for USB camera

Car not responding:

• Verify GPIO wiring and battery charge
• Check Wi-Fi/hotspot connection

Steering feels wrong:

• Adjust X-axis ratio (0.3~0.5)
• Swap motor direction (True/False)

Resources & Support

• Website: https://grablo.co
• Web App: https://app.grablo.co
• Docs: https://doc.grablo.co
• Support: support@grablo.co