Gh0stlyKn1ght
Robotics • Security • Autonomy
Phase 1 · Project 01

Autonomous Rover Foundations

Starting simple: build a rover, watch how it really behaves, and tighten up motion before I layer on ROS2, perception, or drones. This is where I get my hands dirty and learn from the mess.

← Phase 1 Research Log

Plan
Scope
What I'm focusing on
  • Motors, sensors, microcontrollers
  • PID basics (drift, overshoot, tuning)
  • Line following or waypoint navigation
  • Simple autonomy logic
  • Failure modes: slip, jitter, battery sag
Cost

$65–150

Why it matters

This is where I get intuition. Everything else I build will behave better if I understand the basics here.

Logs
In progress
Log 1: Rover build + baseline behavior

Document the build, wiring, and first drives. Capture the weird behaviors before I start tuning.

Log 2: PID experiments + resulting drift

Show my tuning steps, the drift I see, and before/after paths. Call out oscillations and how I try to fix them.

Log 3: Navigation test + failures + insights

Run navigation tests, note the failures, and list the fixes. Capture what makes the rover feel reliable.