The remote-controlled rover · explores

Go out into the world and move.

Pioneer is how the world stops being something you watch and becomes somewhere you can drive. A small tracked rover, steered by the Atlas already in your hand, out past the edge of the screen and into the room.

▸ Open the Pioneer Builder Flash a Pioneer
Chip
ESP32‑S3
Drive
DRV8833 + 2 motors
Power
1S LiPo
Control
ATLAS over BLE
New · online multiplayer

Pioneer Derby.

The rover you built is entering the arena. Kart races, battle modes, and chat lobbies, against real people, right in your browser. The track is being paved, and this is where the lights go green.

Visit the pit lane →
01

How it drives

Pioneer carries no controller of its own. The Atlas you already have is the remote.

  1. Pioneer powers up and advertises over Bluetooth under its own two-word name.
  2. An Atlas in Pioneer mode finds it, connects, and streams drive commands.
  3. Two motors, one per track, let it turn in place and spin, not just go straight.
  4. If the link drops, Pioneer stops itself at once. It only moves while an Atlas is talking to it.
Read the LED. white at boot, teal heartbeat while it waits for an Atlas, green when one is connected and driving it.
02

Name your Pioneer

Every Pioneer comes up with a unique two-word name, like Turtle Blue, so two of them never collide on the air.

A fresh board names itself from its own hardware ID. When you flash it from the browser, you can pick the name yourself from a list of hundreds. The flasher writes your choice straight into the board, so the same firmware can wear any name with no rebuild. Name and flash one →
03

Build one, flash it, drive it

// BUILD

Build one in 3D

The Pioneer Builder is an interactive 3D tool that lays out the rover, generates a bill of materials, shows the wiring, and gives you firmware to match your build.

Open the builder →
// FLASH

Flash the firmware

Name your rover and flash an ESP32-S3 straight from the browser. No Arduino IDE, no command line, just a USB cable and a supported browser.

Open the flasher →
// DRIVE

Drive it with Atlas

Pioneer pairs with the Atlas you already own. Pick Pioneer mode on the handheld, connect, and the dial becomes a throttle and a steering wheel.

Meet Atlas →