We built a Self-Driving RC Boat (ArduPilot Rover)

This is a pessimistic best of of my latest project. A self-driving boat that is powered by ArduPilot.
If you really care about the details you can head over to Instructables and look at the full documentation.
www.instructables.com/Buildin...
While you are at it you might also want to consider voting for it in the "Make It Move" contest.
You can now also find me on Instagram
/ basement_engineering
Here is the background music i used:
Hotshot by Scott Holmes freemusicarchive.org/music/Sc...
Algorithms by Chad Crouch
freemusicarchive.org/music/Ch...

[@rpdigital17]

Almost like yellow submarine.

[@polarbear5464]

Keep on creating new projects! Nice work!

[@Roman-rz3qj]

One of the best hilarious videos on YT. Killed it.

[@ibrahimdhaisam4394]

I'm working on a similar project. Very helpful information. thankyou so much.

[@MikeInTheWoods]

Watched this because I was looking for a reference on connecting servos to rudders. Found a hilarious channel as a bonus

[@HandymanMark]

You're a funny and Charming dude. Please continue to make videos to keep the masses entertained

[@nevillecreativitymentor]

🤣🤣🤣🤣 That was hilarious and ... KUDOS to your project.

[@highvolttamilas1455]

That's really awesome

[@wowis1325]

Hi guys, what a great project. I myself am very enthusiastic about letting a boat drive autonomously. Now I am building such a boat myself and have no idea whether I will succeed. Thank you for your video. Many greetings from Germany, Wolfgang

[@BasementEngineering]

Danke Wolfgang, I'm also Front Germany. I can tell you that it will take a couple of failed attemtps (as with any electronics Project:D). But if you are prepared to fail and go through a couple of design changes on the way you will eventually get there:).

[@robertofelipecuevaperalta7656]

Hey, did you manage to implement it correctly?

[@ConveyorMan]

Nice video and thanks for sharing.

[@ApacheFPV]

Very very cool, I plan on building something like this but with a modified jet ski hull that has a cutout in the center of the bottom that is capable of deploying a weighted box to the depths that is controlled by a pulley connected to a brushless motor, the box can have whatever in it, a cam, sensors, it could even deploy a fifish if you want. I plan on making it infinite range if I can figure out how to control with a Starlink connection paired with solar panels. Id love nothing more than to wake up in Kansas, pour myself a cup of coffee and log into an autonomous boat i left in the ocean months ago to see what its up to and possibly deploy a camera and see some wildlife, it sounds like science fiction but I know it could be possible.

[@ACYONE98]

Super cool project!

[@BasementEngineering]

Thanks mate. It was also pretty fun to make😁

[@-walf-0659]

Awesome project!, stumbled along this while doing research to make my fully 3d printed boat autonomus, That outro tho was the best one I’ve seen in a while

[@BasementEngineering]

Fully 3D printed sounds interesting. I'm always afraid of leaky prints. Did you have to cover it in Epoxy or did it just work? And thanks for the nice feedback on the Outro😁

[@k2_robotics]

I hit the like button just for that cold water swiming recovery! 😉

[@elgringoheinze6146]

Well done👍👏

[@stefanf.5439]

Greate work, this was for sure alot of work and you gained alot of knowledge.

[@BasementEngineering]

Yes it was, but in retrospective it was a great way to spend the 2020 summer. I have never been to so many different lakes before (I only showed a few in the video).

[@tilmanaboeck6706]

@@BasementEngineering Especially on how not to do it ...

[@emresalgin7195]

Nice dass du das Projekt zu Ende geführt hast Jan 💪

[@polarbear5464]

Wait thats my name lol

[@BasementEngineering]

Ein Dank geht raus an das Team. Immerhin haben wir's damals durchgezogen 😁

[@ianbenedictpongcol5427]

Great work man! I have a similar project just like these but its a trash collecting USV. We haven't tested it yet due to Covid-19 last March until now. I'm happy to see other people do it just like you! I checked the Instructibles post and yeah man, i learned a lot. Hoping I can do this project again on my own, if i had only the money to buy the components.

[@BasementEngineering]

Hey, that sounds like a great application for a self driving boat. Maybe you can pick it back up when times get better. I was lucky to have an almost finished boat and many of the components needed to finish it in my basenent. I still had to spend an additional 200€ to order the rest. I was also finishing this project after our local Anti-Covid-Measures had been relaxed so I was actually able to visit my old university. Don't let these tough times bring you down. There is always a place in this world for good ideas and the projects that come along with them. They might take some time to become a reality. I wish you all the best and stay creative:).

[@ianbenedictpongcol5427]

@@BasementEngineering Thanks man! Stay safe there!

[@erok268]

make that a drink cooler, and add the"follow me" feature, best canoe cooler ever.

[@yousefaldahami]

Thank you for amazing motivation vedio

[@DIYwithBatteries]

Cool stuff Dude :D keep going.... 👍

[@BasementEngineering]

Thanks Mate:)

[@jaziobedejaunis7907]

Nice work . For the brain component part does it need to be coded ?

[@Rogerbeck42]

Radio Controlled Sail Boat Racing: I'm 80 years old and don't have the mental or physical means to put an idea into reality. We race radio controlled sailboats around marks (buoys) that are thrown out onto a pond (with a string and 8oz weight attached - the string allows us to pull these marks in after racing) around which we sail - start gate, upwind mark, and downwind mark. Ideally we would like the course set up perfectly upwind to downwind. With having to throw them out onto the pond, this perfect race course rarely happens - if ever. Here's my thought: set up a boat type platform that would remotely go out to a spot on the pond, stay on that spot until we wanted to change it, and come back to shore when we were done. This platform would sit within a circle (about 12 inches in dia.) that was made up of 2 1/4 inch swimming noodles (orange or yellow in color) stacked (epoxied together) three high. Epoxy works well with this foam. Google DF95 and EC12 to get an idea of what we race. Your thoughts. Roger Beck

[@BasementEngineering]

Hey Roger, that should absolutely work. Ardupilot boats have a mode called "loiter", which keeps them in position even if there is strong winds or currents. A very simple simple Ardupilot boat, maybe just a piece of foam with a plastic container on top for the electronics and two motors on the bottom should do the trick. However, I dont know how acurate loiter mode is. It might move around within a radius of a couple of meters.

[@kwhp1507]

Found you from instructables. I hope to see much more from you in the future

[@BasementEngineering]

I will try my best:) but the next few months will unfortunately be dedicated to studying and working as I just started my masters degree.

[@nadir2362]

Wow what a project!! Can I get full details about this project and how I can build this? Please

[@mikeconnor1402]

Awesome project. I tried to make an autonomous boat to take me out to my sailboat on a mooring and then return to the dock for other sailors to use. It is made using a zodiac (inflatable dory). Like you, I had some success and learned a lot. I tested it on the lake and a strong wind took it way out - so I had to rescue it. I really love you electronics and controls. If you are interested - I would be happy to fund a similar project with you sometime. I understand you are back at school getting your masters. Good luck with school. You will do well in the world. Thanks again

[@BasementEngineering]

Thank you very much for your kind comment. Your boat sounds like a great solution. Never thought of an autonomous lake shuttle. Unfortunateley, I am booked out. Im working two part time jobs while being a full time student. But I am happy to assist with electronics knowledge:)

[@ezekielmonfero2646]

i want to buid my own autonomous boat, how did you connect the 2 servos and 2 motors?

[@brad3378]

Please come back to KZbin!

[@giovanamarques8000]

Great! I'm also working on an autonomous RC boat in Brazil. Did you also include an echosounder on yours?

[@TheCasseth]

Pode depois passar os detalhes do projeto? Tenho vontade de começar algo similar e queria conversar sobre peças e compras aqui no BR.

[@BasementEngineering]

Hey, the boat ist currently pretty much a blind brick. It has absolutely no external sensors. However, I am planning to equipt it with an echosounder in the future, to turn it into a seabed scanner. This was actually a which of the local Biologists to be able to quickly and cheaply map the everchanging lake.

[@ismaelwouters1717]

hey there, I'm using ardupilot for a project and im getting an issue tht i cant seem to fix. When i test the motors, they dont spin and i get this error: vehicle did not respond to command mav_cmd_do_motor_test any ideas? cant seem to find any fixes online. cheers!

[@flyinlo1474]

I need your input. I am trying to find out if it is feasible to make an autonomous Airboat that will house a multibeam echo sounder for bathymetric surveys in rivers, lakes and ponds and tallings ponds. An airboat would be necessary so that it would not hang on vegetation, sticks, etc. The boat would need to be large enough to handle mildly choppy water, strong enough to move across rivers with minimum current. Fast enough to move up to 16 km/h and enough power to last about 30-60 minutes. Is this even possible? If 2 props are used then you can use differential turning, but props must be positioned so they no not force the front of the boat in the water. A gas motor might be much more efficient for running time vs battery power.

[@akashv1866]

Hello, Can I get the STL files for this hull ? In instructables only blueprint is given ,I wanted the CAD design of this hul. And if its hydrodynamic calculations are available that too would be helpful for me.

[@ilanalvarado6645]

this could help you: make stabilizers and drainage in case water gets it drain automatically

[@mugiraharjo6270]

Add ultrasonic sensor, make sure no collition with any obstabcle.

[@yannickvorwerk-1stracer-49]

I thought your accent was german but wasnt sure... then i read Kenterprise und war mir sicher XD

[@dj-king1208]

Ich wollte genau das selbe kommentieren xD

[@Manzz2]

Yes

[@DavidGutierrezhi]

BROOS PLS HELP. how do i enable reverse on a boat using mission planner? i need use reverse thrust on ch 6 pls some help some one..

[@kimjong-un4954]

5:08 7:16 I can see why it ended being too heavy... I would recommend to go with 3D printed hull and foam packing for weight reduction.

[@thebluepill1496]

I was Kentertained bu your Kengenuity!

[@BasementEngineering]

Love it😄

[@Semsem-qq8bk]

Can you please explain the RGB LEDS animation code !?

[@ThatDarkSquid]

*give him all your money.*

[@sentrymental5679]

Pls make more rc videos!!! 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Tampsey]

where are you from ?

[@learngcgcmshplc4422]

Super funny genius

[@kogger8519]

Hey, you forgot to embed a sonar for building seabed 3D maps. Would you like to get one?

[@mil-fpv4931]

2:57 Why weren't you allowed to purchase from AliExpress? Who made that desicion and why? Which country are you from and what is your uni?

[@luki4160]

Ich weiß nicht was aber irgendwas fasziniert mich mit diesen Autopilot rc Booten etc.

[@BasementEngineering]

Es hat einfach was, wenn man das Gerät endlich soweit hat, dass es selbst fahren kann. Und es wird immer spannender, je weiter das Boot raus auf den See fährt. Kann ich nur empfehlen:D

[@tpjs]

lol... i know that lake... actually wanted to build something simmilar (for it and other lakes), but for a slightly different purpose

[@josedavidbautistadiaz9412]

How do you get rid of the heat generated inside the ip67 box?? You are using a fan but how do you get that heat out??

[@BasementEngineering]

For now I have never had the Brain Box on for more than an hour at a time. The inside is definiteley warm, but it doesn't overheat. The fan seems to do a good job spreading the heat, so it can slowly get out through the walls of the box.

[@BeOurBee]

Watching the video, live reactions: "We wanted to measure algae..." Me: That's going to be the hardest problem. "Using a nice 3D printed adapter piece" Me: Why not just cut a piece of plastic? "Two fully 3D-printed rudders" Me: Why? Marine plywood is stronger, cheaper, and is quicker to cut. "I quickly designed some 3D printed stumps which go over the broken propellers and took freaking AGES" Me: Just buy a new propeller. "I quickly fixed this issue by switching from rudders to differential thrust" Me: Okay that's genuinely better. "I had to swim in 12 degrees cold water" Me: Why do an autonomous boat project without having an actual boat for things like this? ... Me: Did they ever work on the algae sensors? Cool project! It's got that classic University vibe of being over-ambitious from the start and then being scaled back and abandoned before graduating and forgetting about it.

[@edmundJung]

how was the video feed? kind of interested in it

[@BasementEngineering]

It was quite good. But i did not do any long range missions, so it only had to transmit over abdistance of 200m max.

[@viswadeepkopalli6160]

*in phil swift's voicr" Is the puny lithium battery not enough ? Replace it with the good old car batter, heavy like a rock and breaks heads in seconds.

[@rasgamer1213]

10:26 😂

[@predictivefeaexpertise1117]

Dear Friend! I recommend You to take fiberglass fabric, cut it to pieces and to wrap&glue fiberglass fabric pieces to the 3d printed propeller blades by Epoxy glue. I will make blades MUCH STRONGER !!!

[@BasementEngineering]

That is actually a great idea. Thanks mate:)

[@fshah7357]

Hye bro.. Do you have motor n servo connection at fc?

[@BasementEngineering]

The FC is connected to the battery and uses it's own 5V regulator, while the ESC's 5V regulator poweres the servos. So there is no 5 V connection between the FC and the Servos/ESCs only signal and ground.

[@eltigre6446]

I didn't see a link for the power distribution board?

[@Porouskilldeathratio]

that battery pack looks like a fucking IED

[@stephendavis1837]

LMFAO, glad to find your channel I legit do all my building in the basement

[@nous93]

Nice and big boat... with too small propellers.

[@granildennuellefrayzenm7620]

You should colab with rctestflight

[@BasementEngineering]

Maybe someday we could do an autonomous boat race. Or some kind of long range Challenge 🤔

[@edwardk1713]

I spit my drink out on the first person comment...

[@yusufgulenben]

I like your offensive jokes keep doing that videos

[@gamingforlive2150]

Did u say that ur name is jan?

[@BasementEngineering]

Yes indeed

[@gamingforlive2150]

@@BasementEngineering hahaha Hi Jan my Name is Jan ahhah Great I`ve Waited for This moment for YEARS!!!

[@meneeringenieur1866]

You don't have to throw everything that's in your hand...

[@heartypack6747]

Umm if seen this somewhere else

[@RaulDamon]

Were u inspired by the youtuber rctestflight he had this idea a couple of months before you

[@BasementEngineering]

You mean THE Ardupilot Preacher. Yes, his Box boat pushed me towards finally finishing my boat. I always tend to over-engineer things. He made a Box work and then went in to build a better boat, which is a much smarter way of doing things and I love it.

[@RaulDamon]

@@BasementEngineering thats really cool for engineers to be Inspired by each other

[@prolyan6190]

Dafür das du deutsch bist hast du eine gute englisch aussprache

[@BasementEngineering]

Dankeschön, dafür wird mein Deutsch immer mehr zu Denglisch😅

[@lokemansson7508]

Click bait

[@handmadeisbetter]

Funny story! And a nice project too. But please, stop this Michael Reeves behaving, it's annoying as hell.

[@BasementEngineering]

Thanks for the comment. I took a big part of my inspiration from Micheal Reeves content. I love how he managed to make the niche content of DIY electronics accessible to a broad range of people by brushing over most of the details and making his videos highly entertaining. I actually plan on doing all of my future content in that manner and keep the details over on intructables. My videos take an incredible amount of time and producing an entertaining video with bad humor is about a 1000 times more enjoyable for me. I also hope that this enables me to reach more people from non-tech backgrounds and get them into electronics projects. I totally understand that this humor is not for everyone.

[@Veazeysbanjo]

@@BasementEngineering You do you. I like the videos so far.