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: