Overview

This project involved designing and building a first-person view (FPV) racing drone from the ground up, rather than assembling a pre-built kit. Every subsystem, including the frame, the electronics, and the firmware configuration, was researched, selected, and integrated individually.

CAD Design & Frame Development

I designed the drone frame myself in CAD, working through several iterations to balance structural rigidity with weight. I 3D printed prototype components along the way, using each print to check fit and clearance before finalizing dimensions. After initial crashes revealed areas of the frame that needed reinforcement, I strengthened those sections in later iterations. I also designed a custom camera mount, which went through multiple iterations of testing to achieve the fit and positioning I wanted.

Challenges & Troubleshooting

The build did not work correctly on the first attempt. I diagnosed and repaired multiple hardware failures over the course of the project. During initial testing, I had to fix broken solder joints, diagnose motors that were spinning the wrong way, and replace a broken flight controller, ESC, and video transmitter. I also encountered software and configuration issues that caused the propellers to spin the wrong way or prevented the drone from flying correctly.

Testing & Results

After resolving the hardware and configuration issues, I commenced a series of test flights to validate the build. The drone flew successfully and reached speeds exceeding 130 miles per hour, while remaining highly maneuverable and capable of performing multiple consecutive 360° rotations in a single maneuver. In one test, I completed nine consecutive rotations, totaling approximately 3,240° of rotation. These results confirmed that the frame, electronics, and configuration were all working together as intended.

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Overview

This project is an automatic plant-watering system that monitors the soil's moisture level and activates a water pump based on readings from the moisture sensor. The system is adaptable to different types of plants and uses a compact, modular design that can fit naturally into a home environment. By maintaining a more consistent moisture level than a fixed watering schedule, the system helps provide the plant with the conditions it needs for healthy growth.

Design Process

I designed a custom enclosure with two separate compartments: one for a fully enclosed, waterproof water container and another sized to hold the perfboard containing the electronic components. The enclosure was designed to protect the electronics and internal components from the plant's watering environment while keeping the system compact and organized. I also designed and 3D printed the enclosure to fit the components together into a single modular system.

Electronics & Programming

I integrated a soil moisture sensor with a microcontroller and wired an electrically controlled water pump as the system's output, connecting each component so the microcontroller could read the sensor data and trigger the pump directly. I programmed the control logic to read moisture data from the sensor and trigger the pump automatically once levels drop below a defined threshold, then shut off the pump once the adequate moisture level was restored.

Challenges & Improvements

One of the main challenges was making the system waterproof while still allowing the electronics to remain accessible. I also discovered that the wiring diagram I initially created was incorrect, requiring me to troubleshoot the connections and correct the design before the system worked properly. I improved the watering system by reducing the amount of water released by the pump and increasing how consistently it watered the plant. Instead of releasing a large amount of water a few times a day, the system now provides smaller amounts of water more consistently, keeping the soil closer to its ideal moisture level.

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Overview

This project is a series of breadboard-based circuits built to develop a fundamental understanding of electronics ahead of larger embedded systems, like the drone and watering system.

Learning Objectives

My goal was to understand the fundamentals of voltage, current, and resistance well enough to design and troubleshoot circuits confidently.

Breadboard Fundamentals

Working repeatedly on a breadboard taught me how to read and plan circuit layouts, manage power rails, and keep wiring organized enough to debug quickly when something didn't work. I use breadboards to prototype circuits and test ideas before finalizing projects on perfboard, where the components are permanently soldered into place.

Programming

I program microcontroller projects to control and read from the circuits, connecting the hardware side of electronics with the software controlling it. I use the Arduino IDE to write, edit, and test code for these microcontroller projects.

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