Autonomous 3-inch micro-drone powered by ESP32 microcontroller.
The Mission: Autonomous Defense & Surveillance.
AirVerse is an experimental autopilot software ecosystem designed to create fully autonomous drones. Drone962 is the flagship hardware prototype demonstrating this capability.
Unlike standard commercial drones that rely on "black box" flight controllers (like Betaflight or Pixhawk) and remote transmitters, this project is built to fly itself using raw C++ onboard logic written entirely from scratch.
Long-Term Goal: To develop a Defense Drone capable of automated security patrols and perimeter monitoring without human intervention.
Philosophy:
- No Black Boxes: We control every line of code.
- No Remote Needed: The drone makes its own decisions.
We are currently validating the core AirVerse architecture using the Drone962 hardware platform.
Active Development Focus:
- Hardware integration & power management
- Custom PID stabilization loops
- Autonomous motor mixing and control
We engineered the drone using specific components optimized for a lightweight, 3-inch frame architecture.
| Component | Model | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Microcontroller | ESP32 WROOM | Dual-core MCU handling the PID flight loops and Wi-Fi telemetry. |
| Vision System | ESP32 Camera | Compact module for live visual feedback (FPV) and surveillance recording. |
| IMU (Sensors) | MPU6050 | 6-Axis Gyroscope & Accelerometer for real-time stabilization. |
| Motor Driver | MX1508 | Mini Dual H-Bridge PWM Driver. Selected for higher efficiency compared to L298N. |
| Propulsion | Coreless Motors | High-RPM brushed DC motors tailored for the 3-inch frame. |
| Power | 3.7v LiPo | High-discharge battery providing the necessary current for lift. |
| Microcontroller | Vision System | IMU (Sensors) |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
| ESP32 WROOM | ESP32 Camera | MPU6050 |
| Motor Driver | Propulsion | Power |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
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| MX1508 | Coreless Motors | 3.7v LiPo |
Fabricated at the MakersSpace, the body uses high-temperature 3D printing and industrial ABS to form a rigid, vibration-dampening shell. Printed via UltiMaker Cura for the 3-inch class.
| 3D Printer / Machine | Materials Used | The Printing Process |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
  |
| FDM 3D Printer | Industrial ABS Filament | UltiMaker CURA Software |
- Material: Industrial ABS (Printed at high temperatures for maximum impact resistance).
- Geometry: 3-Inch Micro Class.
- Workflow: Rapid Prototyping (Iterated directly at the Makers Space).
AirVerse eliminates the human pilot. The flight logic is contained entirely within the ESP32 firmware:
- State Estimation: The MPU6050 continuously feeds acceleration and rotation data to the ESP32.
- PID Control: The software runs a PID Loop (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) to calculate the error between the current angle and the desired stable angle.
- Correction: The ESP32 adjusts the PWM duty cycle sent to the MX1508 driver to speed up or slow down specific motors, self-correcting the drone's posture.
- Surveillance: The video system runs on a dedicated ESP32-CAM module, completely independent of the main flight controller. This ensures that heavy Wi-Fi streaming does not cause lag or interruption to the critical PID flight stabilization loops.
Default Pin Configuration:
- Motor A (Left): GPIO 14 / 27
- Motor B (Right): GPIO 26 / 25
- SDA (MPU6050): GPIO 21
- SCL (MPU6050): GPIO 22
Note: Pin mappings may vary based on your specific PCB or wiring harness.
From prototyping to the Maker Collective exhibition.
| Detail View 1 | Detail View 2 |
|---|---|
 |
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| 3 inch drone's shell | 3 inch prototype |
Current Phase: Stability Prototype
- Hardware assembly (Frame, Motors, ESP32 integration).
- Sensor data reading (MPU6050).
- Perfecting the PID Tuning for stable hover.
Future Phase: Defense Initiative
- Next Gen: Porting stable logic to a 5-inch tactical airframe for increased payload capacity and flight time.
- Path Planning: Programming GPS waypoints for autonomous patrolling.
- Intruder Detection: Utilizing ESP32-CAM for simple motion detection.
- Swarm Capability: Allowing multiple AirVerse units to communicate.
EXPERIMENTAL HARDWARE: This drone is a prototype. It contains high-speed rotating parts and runs experimental code.
- ALWAYS remove propellers when uploading code or testing on the bench.
- LiPo Safety: Monitor battery voltage; do not over-discharge or puncture the cells.
- Fly Responsibly: Ensure you have a clear area away from people and obstacles when testing flight.
Showcased at Makers Collective 2025. Innovating Motion & Vision.