College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Electrical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Electrical Engineering
Date
7-2026
Primary Advisor
Dale Dolan, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Additional Advisors
Vladimir Prodanov, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
This report documents the design, modular testing, and challenges faced while developing an autonomous terrain-mapping robot intended to navigate to a destination waypoint and deliver a small payload for search-and-rescue applications. The system combines a LiDAR sensor, an IMU sensor, and a Raspberry Pi 3B as the onboard processor, and an ESP32 microcontroller interfacing with motor drivers over a four-wheel chassis. A companion mobile application was developed to enable remote control and monitoring of the robot over a WiFi hotspot connection. A lithium-ion battery pack supplies power to all onboard components, with power budgets verified against component datasheets. Testing progresses incrementally from manual motor control to direct ESP32 command verification to LiDAR mapping visualization. Hardware setbacks, including chassis modifications and a faulty Raspberry Pi unit, constrained the timeline significantly and shifted focus toward core movement and obstacle-avoidance functionality over full sensor integration. While autonomous navigation was not achieved, results demonstrated functional motor control, remote operation via the mobile app, and LiDAR-based sensing, establishing a foundation for autonomous waypoint navigation.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eesp/748