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ESP32-CAM LoRa

Overview

This project captures JPEG images on an ESP32-CAM module and transmits them over LoRa using RYLR896/RYLR998 AT-command modules. A Python base station receives, reassembles, and saves the images.

Features

Section titled “Features”
  • Reliable image transfer — windowed ACK protocol with Base64 encoding and CRC16 verification.
  • Multiple capture triggers — periodic, on-demand via LoRa command, and motion detection (JPEG size heuristic).
  • Remote control — send commands from the base station: capture, status, ping, configuration changes.
  • OTA updates — HTTP OTA over WiFi, with hardware button trigger. Dual app partition slots for safe rollback.
  • BLE WiFi provisioning — configure WiFi credentials from a phone app.
  • QEMU testing — full pipeline runs in emulation with a fake camera and LoRa loopback queue.

Hardware requirements

Section titled “Hardware requirements”
ComponentDescription
ESP32-CAM (AI-Thinker)OV2640 camera, 8MB PSRAM, onboard flash LED
RYLR896 or RYLR998LoRa module with AT command interface
ESP32-CAM-MBUSB carrier board (optional, simplifies flashing)
Second RYLR moduleConnected to the base station PC via USB-to-serial

Software requirements

Section titled “Software requirements”
  • ESP-IDF v5.x (build toolchain)
  • Python 3.10+ with pyserial (base station)
  • Espressif’s QEMU fork (optional, for emulation testing)

Quick start

Section titled “Quick start”

  1. Build for QEMU (no hardware needed):

    Terminal window
    cp sdkconfig.defaults.qemu sdkconfig.defaults
    idf.py build

  2. Run the loopback test — see QEMU Testing guide.

  3. Flash to real hardware — see Flashing guide.

  4. Set up the base station — see Base Station guide.

Project structure

Section titled “Project structure”
esp32-cam/
├── main/
│   ├── main.c              # Entry point and startup sequence
│   ├── cam_lora.h          # Camera-to-LoRa pipeline task
│   ├── lora_rylr.h         # RYLR AT command driver
│   ├── lora_transfer.h     # Fragmentation and transfer protocol
│   ├── motion_detect.h     # JPEG size heuristic motion detector
│   ├── ota_example.h       # HTTP OTA update framework
│   ├── ota_trigger.h       # GPIO0 button OTA trigger
│   ├── ble_prov.h          # BLE WiFi provisioning
│   ├── wifi_manager.h      # WiFi connection management
│   ├── remote_log.h        # Syslog over UDP
│   ├── uart_dio_example.h  # UART on custom GPIO pins
│   └── test_image.h        # Embedded 64x64 JPEG test image
├── components/
│   └── fake_camera/        # Camera emulation for QEMU
├── tools/
│   ├── lora_receiver.py    # Python base station
│   └── img2cam.py          # Image conversion utility
├── partitions_ota.csv      # OTA partition table
├── sdkconfig.defaults      # Hardware build config
└── sdkconfig.defaults.qemu # QEMU build config