Research on “Wi-Fi Controlled Solar Based Robotic Vehicle”

Abstract

Wi-fi controlled solar panel based robotic vehicle can be used for observing an area and can be used for security purposes. In this solar panel project, solar power- based robotic vehicle is integrated with ESP-camera module. This robotic vehicle movement can be controlled using Wi-fi technology for remote operation. These commands that are sent are used to control the movement of the robot which gives instructions for either to move the robot forward, backward, left or right etc. It uses a microcontroller to achieve its desired operation. This robot car has a camera module that can be used as security surveillance and solar panel for charging the battery. The ESP camera module will be streaming live on the server of the given IP address.

Introduction

This project integrates solar power, Wi-Fi communication, and robotics to create a sustainable, remotely-operated robotic vehicle. It operates without traditional power sources, reducing environmental impact and offering applications in surveillance, agriculture, disaster management, and remote exploration.

Key Components & Features:

• ESP32 Microcontroller: Enables Wi-Fi-based control.

• 12V Solar Panel & Rechargeable Battery: Provides renewable, sustainable power.

• ESP Camera Module & Servo Motor: Allows real-time video surveillance with remote camera rotation.

• DC Motors & L298N Driver: Enable basic vehicle mobility.

Literature Insights:

• Wi-Fi control offers superior range and scalability over Bluetooth.

• Solar energy, though weather-dependent, supports sustainable autonomous operation.

• Combined systems face challenges in power management, signal reliability, and hardware limitations.

Research & Testing Results:

• Solar energy generation meets or exceeds motor demand at peak sunlight.

• Wi-Fi control is effective within ~10 meters; delays increase with distance.

• Higher motor speeds drain batteries faster; efficient path planning saves energy.

• Obstacle avoidance adds to energy usage but enhances navigational safety.

Performance Metrics:

• Solar Efficiency: ~15–18%

• Wi-Fi Range: Up to 20 meters

• Battery Life: 60–120 minutes per charge

• Control Delay: 50–250 ms

Optimization Suggestions:

• Use MPPT controllers, mesh networks, low-power microcontrollers, and AI for navigation to boost performance.

• Hybrid power systems and smarter pathfinding can enhance endurance and reliability.

Future Scope:

• Adopt high-efficiency or tracking solar panels.

• Integrate 4G/5G for wider coverage.

• Implement AI for autonomy.

• Add multi-sensors for broader application (e.g., environmental monitoring).

• Develop modular designs for flexibility and upgradability.

Conclusion

This project successfully demonstrates a solar-powered, Wi Fi-controlled electric vehicle, built using an ESP32 microcontroller. The system efficiently harnesses solar energy to power the vehicle, while the Wi-Fi remote control enables wireless operation which is have the inbuilt Wi-fi. The integrated ESP 32 camera provides real-time monitoring, making it suitable for security, agriculture, or exploration applications. By combining renewable energy, wireless control, and smart surveillance, this project highlights the potential of low-cost automation.

References

[1] A. Rizwan, M. Khan, and S. A. Qureshi, \"Design and Implementation of Wi-Fi Controlled Car Using Node-MCU,\" International Journal of Computer Applications, vol. 165, no. 9, pp. 21–24, May 2017. [2] A. Saini and A. Mittal, \"Web Controlled Robot using Raspberry Pi,\" in Proc. 2019 9th International Conference on Cloud Computing, Data Science & Engineering (Confluence), Noida, India, 2019, pp. 728–731. [3] R. Kumar, S. Singh, and V. Verma, \"Solar Powered Surveillance Robot,\" International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, vol. 6, no. 5, pp. 501–504, May 2016. [4] P. Jain, R. Dubey, and M. Saxena, \"Development of Solar Powered Autonomous Robotic Vehicle,\" in Proc. 2020 International Conference on Intelligent Computing and Control Systems (ICICCS), Madurai, India, 2020, pp. 840–844. [5] M. Ali and A. Hafeez, \"IoT Based Solar Powered Smart Robot for Agriculture Applications,\" International Journal of Advanced Research in Electrical, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 1021–1026, 2021. [6] V. Sharma, R. Mehta, and S. Gupta, \"IoT-Based Wi-Fi Controlled Solar Robot for Remote Terrain Exploration,\" Journal of Robotics and Automation, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 56–60, 2022.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Punith Kumar G, Mani Deepak S, Likith P, Sandeep B M, Ramya R. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.