Raspberry Pi Cars

2019-06-25 0 By Tim

Capturing data on available Raspberry Pi Cars/Robots.

Name	Price	Drive	Camera	App?
Adeept Mars Rover	$95	1	OpenCV
SunFounder Video Car M G	$90	2; 3 servo	USB Camera	y
UCTRONICS Car Kit	$80	4	incl. battery	y
Adeept RaspTank	$85	2; 5 servo	fixed; with arm	n
Yahboom Ultimate V M	$127	4	yes	y
Freenove 3 Wheeled	$70	2; 3 servo	USB Camera	y

Final Choice: $90 Sunfounder https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ANIY3EC/

Assembly was smooth except for the “release tension on front steering wheels”. Also, not that the battery holder supplied works best with “button” type batteries, not the “flat” type – although the “flat” type does work. And, be aware the photos make the wiring seem “neater” than in real life – in one case, by leaving off a required cable completely in the photo. Finally, note this uses a USB camera, and that cable is “hard-wired” into the camera body.

Android application does work on older Samsung S4, does not work on S8. The server and client applications just work.

This version has separate boards – a step-down DC-DC converter module and a L298N DC motor driver and a PCA9685 16 Channel Servo driver. Each are available individually.

Note: an”alternative” Sunfounder “Smart Video” car – https://smile.amazon.com/SunFounder-Raspberry-Programming-Ultrasonic-Following/dp/B07R4ZFXT8/ a newer version. Instead of the L298N and step-down DC board, it uses a “Robot HATS” and a TB6612 Motor driver. The lack of a link for “Robot HATS” is not a mistake – it cannot be found for individual sale. So, if you have build-something-by-yourself plans, this is not a good kit to use.

Power boards: https://elinux.org/RPi_Expansion_Boards#BattBorg

Small complete project: https://hyperglitch.com/articles/hgterm and https://github.com/NeonHorizon/lipopi using Adafruit Powerboost

Raspberry 4 intro – https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/raspberry-pi-4-on-sale-now-from-35/

Python GPIO testing library: https://github.com/MomsFriendlyRobotCompany/fake_rpi