Seeking Recommendations for a Programmable Drone for Autonomous Navigation and Target Identification

[ANURAGSAHU07]

Hi everyone,
I’m working on a project requiring a programmable drone that can:

Autonomously navigate indoor spaces (e.g., room-to-room).
Identify specific targets using onboard computation and an average-quality camera.
Looking for:

Programmable (Python/C++ support).
Modular for upgrades.
Affordable (hobbyist/student budget).
Considering Bitcraze Crazyflie 2.1, but open to better options. Any suggestions?

If you’ve worked on similar projects or have recommendations, please let me know! Any advice on hardware, software, or tools would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks in advance!

[gemenerik]

The Crazyflie 2.1 is a great choice for your project because it offers a powerful combination of programmability, modularity, and affordability. It supports autonomous navigation in indoor spaces using various positioning systems like ultra-wideband (Loco Positioning) optical flow (Flow deck), or ToF ranging with the Multi-ranger deck. For deep learning applications, the AI Deck adds the GAP8 processor and a camera, enabling real-time image processing and neural network inference directly on the drone.

The platform is highly programmable, making it easy to develop autonomous behaviors. Its modular design allows for hardware upgrades through the expansion deck ecosystem. Being open-source, it has an active community and plenty of resources, all while remaining cost-effective compared to larger drone platforms. If you need a small, customizable, and well-supported drone for indoor autonomy and computer vision, get the Crazyflie 2.1!