Remote-controlled Perseverance rover

robotics
electronics
3d-printing
A 1/6-scale Perseverance inspired rover with R/C control.
Published

March 30, 2026

Overview

This project is a remote-controlled Perseverance-style rover replica, inspired by and initially based on Dejan’s excellent build guide from HowToMechatronics: DIY Mars Perseverance Rover Replica.

First assembly, ready for test drive.

First assembly, ready for test drive.

My build keeps the same high-level ideas (multi-wheel drive, steering geometry, rocker-bogie suspension), but it includes a number of modifications and substitutions that fit my parts bin, goals, and lessons learned.

Highlights

  • Chassis: rocker-bogie suspension (inspired by the original design)
    • There’s an excellent Youtube video about the design and story behind it and the inventor Donald Bickler.
  • Drive: 6-wheel drive with independent motor control
  • Steering: corner-wheel steering with Ackermann-style geometry
  • Control: remote control (radio receiver → microcontroller)

Modifications to the original design

I decided to build it in scale 1:6 instead of 1:4 which Dejan did. This had way more implications than I originally expected, not the least because I had to re-design (and not only scale) a number of components to fit servos, motors and other hardware that cannot be arbitrarily scaled..

Steering joints

I found that the joints for the corner wheels were a bit wobbly, and instead of only being held by the bolt connected to the servo horn, I had them rest on a flat bearing. This way, the weight of the rover is supported by the bearing and not by the bolt, which improved reliability. Additionally it allowed an indirect coupling to the servo with some flex, which reduced the wear on the servo gears. [drawing of new design coming soon].

Remote control software

I rewrote the control software for fun, not for any particular reason other than I wanted to understand it in depth.

As seen in the wild

As seen in the wild

Credits & references