Intelligent Task

Overview

Intelligent tasks are a cutting-edge application of drone technology. In this project, you will learn how to develop an AI-based visual tracking and recognition system.

What You’ll Learn

• AI vision technology
• Deep learning model deployment
• Target tracking algorithms
• Intelligent task design

Materials Needed

Item	Quantity	Notes
Drone with camera installed	1	ESP32-S3
Computer	1	With VS Code + ESP-IDF environment
USB Cable	1	For programming
Trained AI models	Several	MobileNet, YOLO, etc.

Step 1: Understand AI Vision

AI vision uses deep learning models to enable:

• Image classification
• Object detection
• Face recognition

Choose lightweight AI models suitable for the ESP32-S3, such as MobileNetV2, YoloV5s, etc.

Step 2: Model Deployment

Use TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers or the ESP-DL library to deploy your trained model to the ESP32-S3.

Optimize the model to reduce computation and memory usage, ensuring it can run in real time on the ESP32-S3.

Step 3: Code Implementation

void faceTracking() {
    // Capture image
    camera_fb_t *fb = esp_camera_fb_get();
    if (!fb) return;

    // Image preprocessing
    preprocessImage(fb->buf, fb->width, fb->height);

    // Model inference (face detection)
    detection_result_t result;
    runFaceDetectionModel(&result);

    // Handle inference result
    if (result.num_faces > 0) {
        // Compute the center of the face
        int face_x = result.faces[0].x + result.faces[0].width / 2;
        int face_y = result.faces[0].y + result.faces[0].height / 2;

        // Control the drone to track the face
        trackTarget(face_x, face_y);
    }

    esp_camera_fb_return(fb);
}

Step 4: Compile, Flash and Test

1. Compile and flash the code
2. Test functions such as face tracking and object recognition
3. Observe whether the drone can track targets accurately

Troubleshooting

Slow model inference

• Use a smaller model
• Optimize the preprocessing pipeline

Low recognition accuracy

• Improve the training data
• Adjust the model parameters

Achievement

Congratulations! You have implemented an AI-based intelligent task system — a cutting-edge application of drone technology!

Next Steps

In the next project, you will integrate everything you have learned to complete the ultimate challenge: a fully autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance system.