Mar 2021
Wooops. I bought a 3D printer
1:4 Scale Perseverance Model
A 1:4 scale RC model of NASA's Perseverance Mars rover, started in 2021 as a COVID-19 isolation project. Designed in Fusion 360 and 3D-printed in PLA on a Creality Ender-3 V2, it features a fully functional rocker-bogie suspension system with six independently driven wheels. The electronics are built around an ESP32 with custom motor drivers, servo control, GPS, an IMU, and a radio controller — making it a fully remote-controlled miniature rover.
Build Log
Apr 2021
What to print?
Jul 2021
Frame
Aug 2021
Design
Sep 2021
Wheel mount
Oct 2021
Electronics
Nov 2021
Rocker-bogie differential
Nov 2021
Bottom plate
Nov 2021
Rocker-bogie legs
Jan 2022
Printing the wheel mold
Jan 2022
Casting the wheel silicone mold
Feb 2022
Wheel casting
Feb 2022
Wheel spokes
Jun 2022
Spokes and hub paint job
Jun 2022
Wheel assembly
Aug 2022
It's alive! (first test run)
May 2023
Outside test run
Electronics & Parts
ESP32
TB6612FNG motor drivers
6× DC gear motors
PCA9685 servo driver
4× MG996R servos
NEO-6M GPS
Ultrasonic sensor
MPU6050 IMU
FLYSKY radio controller
Fusion 360 (design)
Creality Ender-3 V2 (printer)
PLA plastic