Autonomous Tank Request for Info

Hi,

I'm new here and having a little trouble sifting through all the information available. I am hoping to use a Arduino (or Raspberry Pi?) as a controller for an RC tank Chassis (powered by a 6v scooter battery) to, eventually, make an autonomous vehicle which will act as a chassis to carry various sensors, projects etc around the countryside!
However I cannot seem to locate a good source of information (ie basic step by step) on the best ways of building the hardware as I am not sure how to check if the RC servos are compatible or I need some sort of relay between them, finding sensors and using them and finally the best programming language for this sort of project.

Any help pointing me in the direction of good information for the above or even better blogs, how to's, or diary's of similar projects would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks In Advance

Sandy

I am not sure how to check if the RC servos are compatible

Compatible with what?

or I need some sort of relay between them

Between them and what? You will need to power the servos with the appropriate power supply. You will connect that power supply's ground to the Arduino ground. Then you can control the servos from the Arduino.

finding sensors and using them

Open any manufacturer's catalog to sensors and just order a few. Of course, if you know what you wanted to sense, it might make sense to order a sensor that can sense that.

and finally the best programming language for this sort of project.

Cobol.

Of course, the Arduino can only be programed using C++, so that automatically makes it the best language.

Thanks Paul, lots of clear answers. Any recommendations where I might find more?

Beagle1:
Any help pointing me in the direction of good information for the above or even better blogs, how to's, or diary's of similar projects would be greatly appreciated.

The NASA rovers have been driving around the countryside on Mars for a few years. Interestingly they didn't opt for a tracked vehicle. They decided that a rocker-bogie suspension would work better for getting over rough terrain.

I'll give it a shot:-

Beagle1:
.....to carry various sensors, projects etc around the countryside!

What sort of sensors?
What distances around the countryside?
What size will this tank be and what weight will it need to carry?

However I cannot seem to locate a good source of information (ie basic step by step) on the best ways of building the hardware

You'll be lucky to find a ready-made step-by-step guide to building your project. You really need to work out all of the details, then design a custom solution. We might be able to help, but not without plenty more information.

I am not sure how to check if the RC servos are compatible or I need some sort of relay between them

Same question as Paul here - compatible with what? What will the servos be used for?

finding sensors and using them

We can't help with a source of sensors if you don't say what sort of sensors, or at least, what they will have to sense.

and finally the best programming language for this sort of project.

We only speak C++ here, since this is an Arduino-only forum. (So naturally it's the best language. :slight_smile: )

We're more than happy to help if you can tell us more about what you want.
For instance, have you worked out what sort of motors you'll use to drive the tank? So far you've only said "powered by a 6v scooter battery".
If it's to be autonomous as you said, have you put any thought into how it will navigate, avoid obstacles, etc.

An autonomous vehicle that can travel around the countryside is a huge project for a beginner, and will take an enormous amount of very careful planning if you're to succeed.

Don't forget a fair amount of cash...

take a kook at something like "http://library.solarbotics.net/circuits/bot.html"

As people have built thousands of hobby bots, maybe you could use google to find a bot similar to the one you want to build and post a link to it. Have you already chosen the tank chassis you are going to use? A DIY tank chassis would be a project in itself. You may want to start with a four wheel skid steer first as they are not as complex as a tank setup.

To get started quickly, there are a lot of small tracked robots available. Many are set up for you to bolt on your own sensors, so you are buying a basic chassis only. Pololu makes som great ones in the $100-$300 range.

Autonomous is going to be the big challenge. Unless your budget is in the millions, you can't let a tank roam around outside a controlled environment. What happens when it's on the othe side of the hill and hits a person?