Hello,
On the subject of Arduino autopilots, I humbly submit my own
winter project creation. I built two pilots - one for
wheel and one for tiller - based on my own code built from the "
Jack Edwards autopilot".
My rendition uses an ESP32 as the brain, with a wifi/HTML interface so it can be controlled from any
phone, including PID tuning and deadband adjustment from inside the interface. This is a dead simple compass-only pilot, like an ST2000 or similar, and I have tested it on an
Islander 36 and a Northwest 21.
Total
project cost is approximately $150 for each version. I included a
parts list with links on my GitHub page here:
https://github.com/jeff-burright/Autopilot_ESP32_wifi/tree/main.
The code is still subject to tweaks, but my code allows easy over-the-air updates so owner customization is easy.
Short video of the tiller version in action this weekend:
Video of the
wheel version while I waggled the
compass at the
dock:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7anuzTAU0g8
Pic of HTML interface:
https://imgur.com/7R8gE5P.jpg
Some photos of the
hardware on the two boats are attached. Note that the external
battery was just for testing, and the version installed on the
boat is tied to the 12V system. In addition to
phone control, the big
boat version has an LCD
screen and a big red button stuffed into an old instrument round, an IR
remote control, and a
rudder feedback
sensor to improve efficiency. Note that I changed the wheel
motor box from what's pictured to have the whole box flip up on a hinge rather than using a tension pulley. The pulley didn't
work as well as I'd hoped, but the hinge box works well so far.
Hooray for lowering the bar on
marine autopilots!
Use at your own risk, no guarantees, yadda yadda.