Airsoft Mines?! Pt 5 - Project Update, Features, Current Progress, and Future Milestones
Hey everyone!
It’s been a while since my last update on the 3D-printed SK550 airsoft landmine project, but I’ve been hard at work refining the design and adding features. The project is in the final stretch, and I'm excited to share some details with you all. I'd also love to hear feedback on where things stand and what could be improved as I wrap it up.
Current Status of the Project:
The landmine is almost ready for prime time, and I've implemented some key features to give it versatility and tactical effectiveness during games.
Key Features:
1. Arming Delay
The mine has a customizable arming delay, allowing players to set the time before the mine becomes active after being armed. This can be set in 5-second increments between 60 to 180 seconds. The purpose of this is to give players enough time to safely retreat and ensure it only activates when intended.
2. Blackout Mode
This feature is designed for stealth. When enabled, all visual LED indicators are turned off, and the OLED display will be dimmed, making the mine difficult for opponents at night or in dark environments, particularly useful for those using night vision goggles (NVGs). It adds a tactical element, allowing you to deploy it in high-stakes, low-visibility situations without giving away your position.
3. Deactivation Timer
The deactivation timer is another customizable setting. You can program the mine to deactivate/disarm after a set amount of time, which can be useful for limited engagements or objective-based games. It could also be used to deny the enemy access to an area, and after the deactivation timer elapses your team and take up that area and catch the enemy by surprise! Additionally it can help ensure you don't leave active mines scattered around after gameplay.
4. Statistics
The OLED screen provides real-time statistics, such as:
- Battery Life: How much charge you have left to ensure your mine remains operational.
- Uptime: How long the mine has been turned on. Hopefully this combined with the battery life will give a general idea of how long the battery will last under your “normal” usage
- Number of Activations: Great for keeping track of how effective your mine placement was after the game.
5. Testing Functions
To make sure everything works before game day, I've added several testing features. PIR test mode allows you to test the detection range and angles of the sensors. Bluetooth Test Mode allows you to test the range of your bluetooth connection. It gives you confidence in how the mine will behave on the field
Bluetooth Interface:
One of the biggest updates in the project has been integrating Bluetooth functionality. Through the interface, you can:
‐ Arm/Disarm: You can arm or disarm the mine remotely from a Bluetooth-capable device, allowing for strategic placement and retrieval without manually interacting with the mine.
- Command Detonation: For more control, you can trigger the mine manually via Bluetooth, ideal for ambushes or specific objectives.
- Check Settings: The interface allows you to see all the current settings (e.g., arming delay, blackout mode).
- Lost Most: if you forget where you placed your mine, you can activate Lost Mode. This disarms the mine, disables Blackout Mode and alternates flashing the LED indicator red and green.
Future Milestones:
While the project is nearing completion, there are a few key milestones left:
- Weather Resistance: I’m working on making the design more weather-resistant for outdoor games in harsh conditions.
- Redesign of Electronics Plate/Cover(again): The electronics plate will be updated to fit the ESP32, buttons, and OLED more efficiently.
- Power Optimization: I’ll be measuring the power consumption to either reduce it or incorporate a larger battery, along with redesigning the battery port and cover.
- PCB Design: To make assembly easier and more reliable, I plan to design a custom PCB for the ESP32 that includes connections for LEDs, buttons, OLED, PIR sensors, and servos.
- Long-Range Capabilities: If the community shows interest, I’ll integrate a LoRa chip for long-range communication (up to 2km) and design a custom handheld controller.
That’s where the project stands! If anyone has feedback on what’s been done or suggestions on the upcoming milestones (particularly about the LoRa integration), I’d love to hear it.
Thanks for following the project so far, and stay tuned for the future updates!