My friend and I are building a fully autonomous fixed-wing drone from scratch, both the aircraft
itself and all of the software that will eventually let it fly on its own. The plane runs an
ESP32-S3 alongside the standard RC receiver, giving it an onboard brain capable of taking over
from the pilot and executing autonomous flight.
Everything is written in ESP-IDF, and I'm challenging myself to avoid plug-and-play libraries,
mainly around device drivers and flight control logic, building the system around PID loops for
roll, pitch, and eventually GPS-guided heading.
The photos below will document the build as the aircraft and flight controller come together.
The first breadboard test of the flight controller, with the ESP32-S3 and supporting sensors wired up to confirm everything works before moving to a permanent board.
The assembled flight controller PCB, with the ESP32-S3 and supporting components soldered in place.
HITL testing, final installation, and flight test photos are coming as the project progresses.