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WIFI-controlled Mini-Tank based on ESP8266 and Platformio

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grimmpp/mini-tank

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Mini Tank

This project is based on the 3D-printed parts of OTTO meets SMARS and contains an ESP8266 (NodeMCU) as controller including onboard WIFI support. The joystick or controller for the vehicle is a webpage which is deployed on the ESP8266.

How to configure, build and run it?

Prerequisites

  • Install e.g. VSCode
  • Install platformio in VSCode as extionsion
    • Hint: For only buliding this project platformio as commandline tool is sufficient.
    • platformio requires python.

Configuration

Before you can build the project you need to enter your WIFI credentials in src/wifiCreds.h so that the Mini-Tank can later on connect to your WIFI and is accessible within your WIFI. After you entered your WIFI credentials ensure you don't store them into the git history. Therefore enter the following command: git update-index --assume-unchanged src/wifiCreds.h

Build Project and Upload Binaries

Connect your ESP8266 to an USB Port. (The port will automatically be found.) The following command will then build the project and upload the binaries to the ESP8266. pio run -t upload

Using the Mini-Tank

Optionally you can check the command line output with the following command, if the ESP8266 is connected to an USB port. pio device monitor -b 115200
Take a device within your WIFI e.g. a smartphone and open the webpage http://mini-tank ('mini-tank' is per default set as hostname so that you don't need to find out the IP address.). A webpage containing a joystick will appear. (See documentatio below.)

JoyStick

The joystick is a webpage deployed on the ESP8266 and can be used from all devices in the same network and which have a browser installed.

Part List