› M11 Hardware
Full Stack Bot
Everything from M7 and M9, plus wheels and a power source — your bot moves on its own.
Competency: Vision + Sensors + Decision logic + Movement + Independent power
What you're building
The camera and servo from M7, the sensor network from M9, and now a chassis with drive motors and its own battery — no cable tethering it to a laptop. Your bot sees, senses, decides, and moves, all under its own power.
Decision Tree: What Do You Have?
⚡ Do you already have a motor driver from M7 (L298N or TB6612FNG)?
Reuse it — skip the motor driver line item below and put that budget toward a better chassis or battery.
🔋 Do you have rechargeable batteries or a power bank already?
AA NiMH packs and USB power banks both work for the Budget tier. Skip the dedicated LiPo purchase.
🛠️ Comfortable soldering and doing basic mechanical assembly?
Go Premium — the metal-gear chassis needs a little more assembly but holds up far better under real use.
🎯 Tight Budget Tier (~$48)
A basic 2-wheel-drive chassis, an L298N driver (reuse from M7 if you bought one), and AA batteries for power.
Chassis + Motors + Wheels
2WD kit with DC gear motors and wheels included
2WD Smart Car Robot Chassis Kit
Why this one: Cheapest complete kit — acrylic/plastic base, two DC motors, two wheels, one caster.
Motor Driver
Power
4×AA Battery Holder + Rechargeable NiMH Batteries
Why this one: Cheapest untethered power option, rechargeable so you're not buying disposables every week.
Wiring (if you don't already have it)
💚 Budget Tier Total: ~$48
Assumes you reuse the microcontroller, camera, servo, and sensors from M7/M9. Drops to ~$22 if you also reuse an M7 motor driver.
⭐ Recommended Tier (~$108)
A sturdier 4WD chassis for better traction, an efficient motor driver, and a rechargeable LiPo pack with a proper voltage regulator.
🚗 Chassis: 4WD Robot Car Kit
Four-wheel drive means far better grip and climbing ability than 2WD — worth it once you're adding weight from sensors and a camera mount.
⚡ Motor Driver: TB6612FNG
More efficient than the L298N — less heat, longer battery life, same wiring pattern.
🔋 Battery: 2S LiPo Pack + Charger
Rechargeable, lightweight, and holds voltage steady under motor load far better than AA batteries.
LiPo batteries need careful charging — always use the included balance charger and never leave charging unattended.
🔌 Voltage Regulator (Buck Converter)
Steps the LiPo's voltage down to a safe, steady 5V for your microcontroller and sensors.
⭐ Recommended Tier Total: ~$108
Best balance for a bot that actually gets used week after week — better traction, longer battery life, cleaner wiring.
What If Something's Unavailable?
❌ Chassis kit out of stock?
Any "2WD" or "4WD smart car kit" from a different brand works the same way — look for one that includes motors, wheels, and mounting screws.
❌ LiPo battery feels risky or unavailable?
Drop to the Budget tier's AA battery pack. It's heavier and needs more frequent recharging, but it's simpler and doesn't require balance charging.
❌ Motor driver too expensive?
Reuse the L298N from M7 or the Budget tier here — it's less efficient than the TB6612FNG but functionally identical for M11.
❌ IMU too advanced for now?
Skip it — M11's core lesson (sensors + decision logic + movement) works without it. Add it later as an upgrade.
Next Steps
- 1Pick your tier (Budget / Recommended / Premium).
- 2Add items to your cart using the links above.
- 3While parts arrive, make sure your M9 sensor network is still wired and reading correctly — M11 builds on top of it.
- 4When parts arrive, head to Software Resources for the motor control library setup, then start the M11 build.
› Questions?
Stuck or need help?
Check the Learning Guides for wiring diagrams and troubleshooting, join our Discord community, or email support@hibot.space.
View Guides