Overview

BlackBoxSeeker was my first independent robotics project: an autonomous mini-vessel designed to navigate between predefined waypoints.

I built the prototype from scratch using a GPS, compass, servo-actuated rudder, and an Arduino Mega. The hardware was assembled from commercially available components and repurposed motors.

The navigation software ran on the Arduino and followed a sequence of predefined waypoints:

  • GPS measurements were used to estimate the distance to the active waypoint.
  • Motor speed was adjusted linearly according to the remaining distance.
  • The vessel paused for three seconds at each waypoint.
  • A compass supplied the heading used to control the rudder servos.

Lessons learned

The first compass installation was too close to the motors and GPS electronics, which introduced magnetic interference into the heading measurements. Moving the compass to the front of the vessel substantially improved the readings and highlighted the importance of sensor placement during system integration.