Gh0stlyKn1ght
Robotics • Security • Autonomy
Research Log

Phase 1 Overview

Phase 1 builds foundational skills in robotics and autonomy—from microcontrollers and basic sensing to early experiments in ground vehicles, ROS2 exploration, and UAV concepts. The goal isn’t speed; it’s depth. Slow, steady progress documented through a research log.

Focus

Depth over speed—document every step, failure, and insight so autonomy and security skills actually compound over time.

Structure

Phase 1 research roadmap

I’m tackling four projects in this phase, each with a couple logs to capture what worked and what didn’t.

01
Project 01
Autonomous Rover Foundations
Purpose

Learn how robots behave in the real world before moving into ROS2, perception, or drones.

What you’ll cover
  • Motors, sensors, microcontrollers
  • PID basics (drift, overshoot, tuning)
  • Line following or waypoint navigation
  • Simple autonomy logic
  • Real failure modes (slip, jitter, battery sag)
Logs
  • Log 1: Rover build + baseline behavior
  • Log 2: PID experiments + resulting drift
  • Log 3: Navigation test + failures + insights
Cost

$65–150

Why it matters

Nearly all autonomous systems start here — even self-driving car engineers.
02
Project 02
Embedded Security Workflow
Purpose

Build early habits analyzing firmware and low-level access.

What you’ll cover
  • Reading firmware
  • Serial communication inspection
  • Basic fuzzing
  • Simple attack surfaces (overflow, logic abuse)
  • What a “secure microcontroller workflow” looks like
Logs
  • Log 1: Firmware extraction + tooling
  • Log 2: Serial behavior + fuzz tests
Cost

$25–50

Why it matters

This is Phase 4 in miniature — embedded systems are the beating heart of robots and drones.
03
Project 03
ROS2 Basics + Networking
Purpose

Learn how modern robotics systems communicate.

What you’ll cover
  • Nodes, topics, services
  • rqt_graph, ros2 topic echo, ros2 bag
  • DDS traffic fundamentals
  • Simple message spoofing in simulation
  • Observability (what’s happening under the hood)
Logs
  • Log 1: ROS2 environment setup + first nodes
  • Log 2: DDS inspection + replay/spoofing experiment
Cost

$75–100

Why it matters

This is the core of future robotics, drones, and autonomous systems.
04
Project 04
UAV Ground School (Simulation)
Purpose

Learn drone logic safely and cheaply.

What you’ll cover
  • ArduPilot SITL
  • Mission planning
  • GPS loss simulation
  • Failsafe behavior
  • Telemetry protocol basics (MAVLink)
Logs
  • Log 1: SITL setup + first autonomous mission
  • Log 2: GPS-loss failsafe experiment
Cost

$0 (simulation only) or $60–80 if you later buy a Pixhawk to experiment offline

Why it matters

UAVs are a prime research testbed for autonomy, safety, and real-world system reliability.