A Fully 3D-Printed FPV RC Tank That You Can Build Yourself — Complete with Controller!

Radio-controlled cars have been available since at least the mid-‘60s, and the fundamental concepts remain largely unchanged to this day. An RC transmitter, in the form of a controller, sends radio signals to the receiver in the vehicle. Those radio signals are modulated so that, for example, a “drive forward” command is distinct from a “turn right” command. But, while the principles remain unchanged, every component involved in the process has been dramatically improved over the decades. If you want to take advantage of those advances, MorrisI4 has a tutorial explaining how to build your own 3D-printed FPV RC tank that includes a controller.

First-person view (FPV) cameras are one of the best improvements to RC technology. This makes it possible to transmit a live video feed from a camera attached to the RC vehicle to your controller or ground station. Considering how long the range is for modern transmitters, an FPV setup can be very helpful when the vehicle is out of sight. That does, however, mean that your camera has to be capable of transmitting a signal and your ground station or FPV goggles need to be able to receive that signal. The actual vehicle control is handled by affordable transceiver modules. The nRF24L01 transceiver modules used in this project cost less than $6 each and have a range of up to 800 meters.

To tackle this project, you will need a 3D printer, as virtually all of the mechanical parts, including the tank tracks, are 3D-printed. The tracks are driven by a pair of geared DC motors, which are controlled by an Arduino Uno through an L298N dual H-bridge motor driver. The Arduino receives commands from the nRF24L01 transceiver module. The Arduino also controls a small hobby servo motor that is used to pan the camera. That camera is a cheap FPV camera that has a built-in radio transmitter and antenna. Power comes from a trio of small 3.7V 600mAh LiPo batteries.

The controller is also 3D-printed, but contains an Arduino Nano instead of an Arduino Uno. That sends signals via the NRF24L01 transceiver module. Two joysticks are used for control. There are also two potentiometers, though those aren’t required for this RC tank. Power comes from four AA batteries. To actually see the video feed, you’ll need either FPV goggles or an FPV receiver connected to a portable TV or a laptop through an A/V-to-USB converter. With that, you’ll be able to see exactly what your RC tank is doing in real-time!