XBee Controlled Boat

By CompuCat

The boat is cut out from a large block of styrofoam, but inside you will find the boat packed with electronics. In order to strengthen the boat and make it more durable, a coat of liquid plastic was applied. CompuCat also developed his own controller for wireless control.

A custom Arduino is the foundation of the electronics. Two servo headers on the board provide control for the main motor and steering. An expansion header is also attached to the board which makes it possible to connect a variety of sensors and other peripherals.

The controllers enclosure was made out of an Air Hogs controller. This is where XBee comes in. XBee 802.15.4 modules provide reliable communication between the boat and controller. An Arduino Pro mini is connected to the XBee, analog stick for steering, LEDs, and triggers buttons.

Screen Shot 2015-10-02 at 1.34.22 PM

Read more details about the project here.