ESP32 By Example

The complete ESP32 Microcontroller Learning Course.

About the course

This comprehensive course consists of a custom ESP32 MCU board and sensors, a reference book, hands-on projects, and a complete online guide to master hardware, code, and connectivity.

Hands-On Curriculum

Learn through practical examples that guide you step by step. Each lesson teaches you an essential ESP32 concept and immediately reinforces it with a real working project.
Practical Video Lessons

Follow along with simple video walkthroughs that show you exactly how to wire components, write code, upload sketches, and troubleshoot common issues.
Build Real IoT Projects

Apply your knowledge by creating fully functional ESP32 projects — from WiFi control to sensor monitoring and cloud-connected applications that you can showcase or expand.

About the creator

James Solderitsch

Dr. Jim Solderitsch is an educator, software architect, systems developer, and cybersecurity researcher with a focus on cyber-physical systems. He currently serves as an Adjunct Professor in Computing Sciences at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

Course curriculum

1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 1
3. Installing IDE
4. Adding ESP32 Board Support
5. USB Drivers and Board Connection
6. Uploading First Sketch and Simple Examples
7. Mini Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 2
3. Understanding Digital Output
4. Blinking Multiple LEDs
5. Using delay() vs. millis()
6. Button-Controlled LED
7. Mini-Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 3
3. Reading Buttons
4. Debouncing and Input Delay Issues
5. Using Button Libraries
6. Handling Multiple Buttons
7. Tap Handler using All buttons
8. Mini Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 4
3. ESP32 PWM
4. PWM with analogWrite()
5. Mini Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 5
3. OLED and I2C
4. Installing the Display Library
5. Displaying Static Text
6. Displaying EEK component data
7. Echo Serial Monitor Input to OLED
8. Mini Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 6
3. What is MPU6050?
4. Installing MPU6050 Library
5. Reading Accelerometer and Gyroscope Data
6. Displaying EEK Orientation on OLED
7. Installing MPU6050_Light Library
8. EEK Gesture Tester
9. Mini Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 7
3. Capstone Based on Partial Solution
4. Capstone Design Requirements
5. Suggested Project Ideas
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 8
3. ESP32 WiFi Modes
4. Connecting to WiFi
5. Creating a Basic Web Server
6. Web-Based LED Control
7. Network Time Protocol for ESP32
8. WiFiManager Library
9. WiFiManager Example
10. UDP Server
11. Dual Wifi Modes
12. Mini Project
13. Full UDP Demo Video
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 9
3. Introduction to MQTT
4. AWS Connection Features
5. AWS IoT Core Account Setup
6. EEK AWS Connection Example Using Arduino Pub/Sub Client
7. Mini Project
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 10
3. What is Arduino IoT Cloud
4. Arduino IoT Cloud Account Creation Process
5. Arduino IoT Cloud HelloWorld
6. Arduino IoT Cloud Hello World Experience
7. Arduino IoT Cloud Dashboard setup for HelloWorld Experience
8. Mini Project Room Monitor
9. Mini Project Fall Detector
10. Arduino Cloud Fall Detector with trigger behaviors
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 11
3. EEK Bluetooth and Gamepad Setup
4. Simple EEK Gamepad Button and Joystick Sketch
5. EEK D-PAD and JoySticks
6. Mini Project: EEK and Full Gamepad with PWM
1. Introduction
2. Tello Edu Model in Flight
3. Resources for EEK Module 12
4. Drone Controller Background
5. Drone Flight Precautions
6. Drone Programmatic Control
1. Introduction with Embedded Video
2. CYD Simulator Being Flown with PCB EEK Controller
3. Resources for EEK Module 13
4. Tello API Implementation in Simulator
5. Cheap Yellow Display as Simulator
6. Testing CYD Simulator with Packetsender
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 14
3. Simple Automatic Flight
4. Breadboard Tello-Sim flying a stored flight plan mission
5. Distance-Based Flight Commands
6. Switching control programs between Tello and Tello-Sim
7. Simple Gamepad-Based flight control
8. Simple Gamepad Control of Breadboard Tello-Sim Using Breadboard EEK
9. Simple Gesture-Based flying using MPU6050
10. MPU-Based Simple Flight Control with Breadboard Tello-Sim and Early PCB EEK design
11. Testing with Tello/Tello-Sim
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 15
3. Full Gamepad-Based flight control with Velocity Commands
4. Real Time Control with Gamepad
5. Full EEK Button and MPU6050-Based flight control
6. MPU Flight Demo with Breadboard Simulator
7. Testing with CYD Tello-Sim or Real Tello
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 16
3. Explore EEK recorded flights and playback
4. MPU Controller With Serial Monitor Showing Flight Replay
5. Add more flight plan actions to EEK gamepad actuators
6. EEK GamePad Test with manual and automatic flight
7. Implement Simultaneous EEK button actions
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 17
3. Python Getting Started
4. Python EEK Scripting
5. Running a Python Flight Plan
6. Drone and Sim Property Binding
7. Changing Tello-Sim SSID with Python
8. Binding to a Real Tello SSID
9. ESP32 Firmware Updates using Python
10. Python Drone Scripting
11. Tello Sim Flown with Python Socket code (no audio)
12. DJITelloPy and Tello-Sim
13. Using the DJITelloPy Library to fly the Tello-Sim
1. Introduction
2. Resources for EEK Module 18
3. EEK and DroneBlocks Simulator
4. Simple Python Code to Fly the DroneBlocks Simulator
5. Python Example Where DroneBlocks Sim code can fly the Tello-Sim
6. EEK Used to Fly Droneblocks Simulator
7. EEK and CrazyFlie Control through EEK and Python
8. Overview of CrazyFlie Hardware
9. CrazyFlie Takeoff and Land Demo Using Python Code
10. CrazyFlie Flight Demo using EEK for Control Commands
11. CrazyFlie EEK Manual Flight Actions Attempt With Glitches
12. CrazyFlie EEK Manual Flight Actions Attempt Success
13. Voice Control with Deepgram Speech API
14. DeepGram Speech API Python Flying CYD Tello-Sim via EEK
15. ChatGPT and Drone Control
16. ChatGPT Natural Language Control over DroneBlocks Simulator
1. Introduction
2. Some Project Ideas
3. CYD Tello-Sim acting as Robot Responder to Yes/No questions
4. CYD Tello-Sim Responding to Speech Flight Commands

Ready to Start Building with ESP32?

Gain practical skills through real examples and complete projects you can apply immediately.

Purchase this course on Elektor Shop

ESP32 By Example

About the course

Hands-On Curriculum

Practical Video Lessons

Build Real IoT Projects

About the creator

James Solderitsch

Course curriculum

Module 1 – Getting Started with the ESP32 & EEK

Module 2 – Digital Output – LEDs and GPIO

Module 3 – Switches and Input Handling

Module 4 – EEK and PWM

Module 5 – OLED and Display Output

Module 6 – Motion Sensing with the MPU6050

Module 7 – Capstone Project – EEK in Action

Module 8 - WiFi and Web Control with ESP32

Module 9 - Cloud Concepts using EEK

Module 10 - Hands-on: Arduino IoT Cloud and EEK

Module 11 - BlueTooth and EEK GamePad Integration

Module 12 – Why Drones?

Module 13 – Drone Simulator Concepts

Module 14 – Simple Drone Flight Control

Module 15 – Real-Time Drone Flight Control

Module 16 – Drone Control Mini-Projects

Module 17 – Middleware and Python Scripting

Module 18 – Python Applications for Drone Control

Module 19 – Capstone EEK Control Project and Presentation

Ready to Start Building with ESP32?