The Goddard Rover Prototype 1 is a core technology concept test to confirm Raspberry Pi 3A+ computers can be reliably used to create a functional remote controlled device. It proved to be a reliable platform to drive two 6V motors in a camera gimbal, two 6V motors in the wheel chassis, and two fans to cool the CPU and rig electronics. The operating system is Arch Linux ARM on all devices, communication is over standard Wi-Fi 2.4GHz transmissions (typical in homes and businesses), and have fail-safe recovery abilities should there be field interference.
The Arducam OV5647 5Megapixel camera streams video accessible on Wi-Fi using a fixed IP address that can be easily recorded on a local Wi-Fi receiving device such as a mobile phone, tablet, or other portable device, as well as LAN surveillance capturing systems. The Remote Control has a one minute record button that can be stopped if capture needed is shorter than a minute. Two other buttons allow a snapshot picture of the Rover camera video image or a snapshot capture of the Remote Control screen.
Rover Specifications:
- Speed: 1 Mile Per Hour, 1.6 Kilometers Per Hour, smooth surfaces
- Average Battery Charge Life: 50 minutes, constant running.
- Remote Control Range Distance: Over 250 feet.
- Due to weight distribution factors, level surfaces are a limitation because the Rover can easily tip over mole and ant hills.