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drone962
Autonomous 3-inch micro-drone powered by custom ESP32 flight controller logic.
The Concept
Commercial drones are "black boxes." Drone962 strips away the pre-made flight controllers. It is a project to build an autonomous flight system from scratch using raw C++ code on the Arduino IDE, handling everything from sensor fusion to motor mixing manually.
Engineering Goal
To prove that complex flight stability logic can be achieved on affordable, general-purpose hardware (ESP32) without relying on dedicated flight controller boards like Betaflight or Pixhawk.
Hardware Manifest
The components powering the system.
ESP32 WROOM
Dual-core microcontroller handling PID loops and Wi-Fi telemetry.
ESP32 Camera
Compact camera module for live visual feedback and recording.
MPU6050
6-Axis Gyroscope & Accelerometer for real-time stabilization.
MX1508 Driver
Mini Dual H-Bridge PWM Motor Drive. More efficient than L298N.
Coreless Motors
High-RPM brushed DC motors for the 3-inch lightweight frame.
3.7v LiPo Battery
High-discharge power source optimized for 3-inch frames.
Why It's Special
Drone962 isn't just about flying; it's about understanding the physics and code behind the flight.
Raw C++ Autonomy
No pre-made flight controllers. We wrote the PID logic and sensor fusion algorithms from scratch to ensure total software control.
Integrated Vision
Equipped with an onboard camera module to capture aerial footage and support future computer vision tasks.
Featherweight Design
Optimized 3-inch frame with light components to maximize thrust-to-weight ratio and battery efficiency.
The Airframe: SHLTHS v1
The chassis is a custom unibody design fabricated at the Makers Space. Unlike standard carbon fiber plates, this frame utilizes the geometric freedom of 3D printing to create a rigid, vibration-dampening protective shell.
- ▹ Material: Industrial ABS Printed at high temperatures for maximum impact resistance and heat tolerance.
- ▹ Geometry: 3-Inch Micro Class Calculated specifically for 3" propellers to ensure zero drag and optimal thrust lines.
- ▹ Rapid Prototyping Iterated directly at the Makers Space, allowing for same-day design adjustments.
Drone Preview
Showcased at Makers Collective 2025.
Project Gallery
From prototyping to the Maker Collective exhibition.
The AirVerse Setup
The drone displayed alongside the software control interface at the Maker Collective event.
AeroPark Sentinel
Real-time command center for autonomous drone operations in parking lot enforcement and data collection.
FIELD UNIT 
FLIGHT CTRL 
PROPULSION 
SCANNING CAMERA 
parking space AeroPark Sentinel
A real-time, cyber-industrial command center built to monitor autonomous drone operations — from docked surveillance through aerial scanning to automated parking enforcement and data collection.
Hardware-Software Operation Loop
From docked surveillance to automated enforcement.
Stationary Mode
The drone remains docked, utilizing a long-range sensor to monitor the entrance.
Detection & Launch
Autonomous flight is triggered the moment a vehicle enters the premises.
The Scan
The drone positions itself above the vehicle to scan a roof or dashboard-mounted QR/Bar code.
Data Sync
Scanned codes are cross-referenced with the database to generate a unique Vehicle Profile.
Enforcement
The system automatically flags violations, including overstays and after-hours entries.
Feature Modules
The command center application stack.
Live Operations Dashboard
- ▹ FPV Live Feed: High-definition video stream featuring an AR overlay.
- ▹ Telemetry HUD: Live tracking of battery, altitude, GPS, temperature, and signal strength.
- ▹ Manual Override: Emergency "Return to Base" and "Hover Mode" controls.
- ▹ Recent Scans: A continuous feed of vehicle detections and validations.
- ▹ Weather Conditions: Current environmental metrics to ensure safe flights.
Intelligence & Enforcement
- ▹ Active Violations: Live alerts for overstays and after-hours security breaches.
- ▹ Profile History: A fully searchable log detailing every vehicle entry.
- ▹ Violation Analytics: Data breakdowns covering compliance rates and frequent offenders.
- ▹ Quick Actions: Tools to generate citations, search profiles, and dispatch notifications.
Predictive Maintenance
- ▹ Component Health Status: Live tracking of propellers, batteries, motors, and cameras.
- ▹ Flight Minutes Tracking: Automated alerts dictating component replacement schedules.
- ▹ Weather Grounding: API integrations and configurable thresholds (wind, rain) that prevent unsafe launches.
- ▹ Inventory & History: Logs for spare parts tracking, scheduled services, and firmware updates.
Analytics
- ▹ Data Visualization: Comprehensive reporting and historical data analysis.
Live Demonstrations
Field tests and vision pipeline validation.
Tap a video to expand
Cyber-Industrial Integration
AeroPark Sentinel connects the ESP32-S3 aerial unit to a web-based command center. The drone handles detection and scanning in the field; the dashboard handles validation, profiling, and enforcement — end to end, without manual handoff.
- ▹ Autonomous Response Vehicle detection at the entrance triggers immediate drone launch — no operator input required.
- ▹ Vision Pipeline ESP32-S3 CAM captures QR/Bar codes mid-flight and streams decoded identifiers to the command center.
- ▹ Automated Enforcement Scanned profiles are cross-referenced in real time; overstays and after-hours entries are flagged instantly.
Project Gallery
AeroPark Sentinel development and deployment.
AeroPark Sentinel Unit
The autonomous drone platform configured for parking lot enforcement and vehicle scanning operations.