R2D2 Copilot For an E-Bike

14 Sep 2026

Intro

I have been converting my e-bike into a cargo bike so I can use it for grocery runs or trips to the Dollar store. The bike is a step-through folding bike so I can put a large cargo container on the back without having to worry about having to swing my leg over it. I have installed heavy duty baskets on both the front and back, but they are not a fashion statement. When I was a kid, having a basket on your bike was the opposite of a cool bike, and I still retain that perspective, so I wanted to fool around with an idea to add a robot copilot to the cargo bike. The objective is simply to add a geek factor to the bike to distract from the uncool look of the baskets.

The way this project relates to the "Make a Connection" theme is that the robot will incorporate a rearview camera that transmits its video wirelessly to a phone mounted up front.

The e-bike isn't exactly an X-Wing fighter, but R2 is pretty flexible.

Design

The majority of the considerable design time was mostly in designing a robot in an R2D2 style that includes a mobile camera and a way to mount everything in a way that retains cargo carrying utility. One aspect of this is that only the head and shoulders of the robot would be sticking out of the cargo container and the hidden part of the body would not be inside, leaving the internal space available for cargo.

the camera portal in the robot head is a shape that encroaches on the wide angle lens view from the camera, but necessary for aesthetics and the image is still useful.

R2D2 Design

Camera

The GRANDnavi MTDVR01 bicycle dashcam sports 1080P video, IP66 weatherproofing and a micro SD card slot. It has video stabilization and good low-light performance. It supports Wi-Fi access and there is a Viidure app that allows remote viewing and control.

When it powers up it automatically starts recording, creating a new video file every 60 seconds to ensure that not much is lost if the camera loses power. The files are stored in .ts format which some viewer apps can read. VLC is supposed to be able to view ts files, but my version doesn't. However if the files are transferred via WiFi they get converted to MP4.

If you want to control the camera or take still pictures or view the video while it is recording, there is an app that works very intuitively. It even controls image rotation. So far it has been a pretty solid little camera.

I could hook the phone up to a HUD (as shown in some previous work) which is an interesting idea but that involves getting all set up, you couldn't just turn on and go.

Demo of the Wireless Rearview Bike Camera

Discussion

This quirky project is a test of whether I am young and bold enough to ride it in public. Unfortunately rehab of my broken wrist will take many months before I can use my fingers properly and there is a schedule for when I can subject my arm to stress. This makes it surprisingly hard to do electronic assembly or mechanical assembly for that matter. The fact that most of the many hours this project took were spent on mechanical CAD was fortunate because I can do that one-handed. I am happy with the design and that I was actually able to complete the project. I will have to touch up the paint job when my hand is steadier.

I wanted to get this published today (around the original contest deadline) so members who were looking forward to reading about the projects would have something to read and I have some other projects on the go that I need to spend time on.

The jury on the e-bike robot is still out, but feedback so far is that it is cool and even awesome.