Aerial-Ground Surveillance Robot Using Arduino and Quadcopter Integration

This project presents a hybrid surveillance system that combines a two-wheel drive (2WD) land vehicle with a quadcopter drone for integrated land and aerial monitoring. Designed for engineering students, the project aims to provide a cost-effective, functional prototype suitable for real-time surveillance applications in security, agriculture, and disaster zones.

Introduction

With the growing demand for intelligent surveillance systems, this project explores a dual-mode robotic system capable of navigating on land and flying in the air. Such systems provide broader surveillance coverage, flexibility, and adaptability in dynamic environments.

Objectives

• Develop a mobile robotic platform with both land and aerial capabilities.
• Integrate live video feed systems for real-time monitoring.
• Enable remote wireless control using commonly available modules.
• Include basic automation such as obstacle avoidance and path following

Components Required

Land Vehicle Section:

• 2 x DC Geared Motors (12V, 300 RPM)
• 2 x Wheels + 1 Caster Wheel
• Motor Driver (L298N or L293D)
• Arduino Uno / Raspberry Pi
• Ultrasonic Sensor (HC-SR04)
• Chassis (Acrylic/Metal/3D-Printed)
• Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Module (e.g., HC-05 or ESP8266)
• 12V Li-ion Battery or 3S Li-Po Battery

Drone Section:

• 4 x Brushless Motors (A2212)
• 4 x ESCs (Electronic Speed Controllers)
• 4 x Propellers
• Quadcopter Frame
• Flight Controller (KK2.1.5 / APM / Pixhawk)
• MPU6050 Gyroscope/Accelerometer
• FPV Camera or ESP32-CAM
• Drone Battery (3S Li-Po)

Common Components:

• Voltage Regulators (7805 / LM317)
• GPS Module (optional)
• Jumper Wires, Breadboard, Switches

Methodology

Land Vehicle:

• Controlled via Arduino Uno.
• Motors driven using L298N driver.
• Ultrasonic sensor for obstacle detection.
• Commands received via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

Drone Section:

• Controlled via dedicated drone controller.
• Stability managed by MPU6050 and flight controller.
• FPV camera streams live video.

Switching Between Modes:

• Manual switch or software-based toggle to alternate between land and air operations.
• Power circuits are isolated using relays or MOSFETs to prevent interference.

Circuit Diagrams

• Block Diagram: Illustrates communication flow between land system, drone, and control unit.
• 2WD Motor Driver Circuit: Shows connection of motors, driver IC, Arduino, and power source.
• Drone Motor Connection: Displays ESCs wired to flight controller and battery.
• Ultrasonic Sensor Wiring: Demonstrates interfacing with Arduino for obstacle detection.

Results

Vehicle moves forward, backward, turns left/right via remote commands.

• Drone launches from ground platform and hovers/stabilizes in air.
• Live video feed is viewable on mobile/PC.
• Obstacle avoidance functional on ground.

Applications:

• Military base and border patrol
• Agricultural crop monitoring
• Disaster zone search and rescue
• Factory or industrial perimeter inspection

Advantages:

• Extended surveillance coverage with dual mobility
• Energy-efficient ground mode
• Cost-effective and modular design
• Easy to customize and upgrade

Conclusion

This 2WD Vehicle Drone project showcases how basic embedded systems, motor controls, and sensor integration can be combined into an innovative, dual-mode surveillance platform. The project enhances student understanding of electronics, control systems, wireless communication, and robotics—preparing them for real-world automation challenges.

Future Work

• Implement AI-based video processing
• Autonomous drone docking and charging
• Solar panel integration for energy sustainability
• Real-time location mapping via GPS and IoT platforms

Code Snippets

Arduino Code for 2WD Movement with Obstacle Avoidance:

#define ENA 9
#define IN1 8
#define IN2 7
#define trigPin 10
#define echoPin 11

void setup() {
pinMode(ENA, OUTPUT);
pinMode(IN1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(IN2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
long duration, distance;
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(2);
digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(10);
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
distance = duration * 0.034 / 2;

if (distance < 20) {
digitalWrite(IN1, LOW);
digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
} else {
digitalWrite(IN1, HIGH);
digitalWrite(IN2, LOW);
}
}

Drone Setup:

• Calibrate ESCs
• Mount MPU6050 and connect to flight controller
• Bind transmitter/receiver
• Configure flight modes using Mission Planner or KK2 display
• Check motor rotation and propeller direction before flight