ESP32-CAM

The ESP32-CAM enables visual reconnaissance capabilities for Espilon agents.

Overview

The ESP32-CAM is an ESP32 module with an integrated OV2640 camera sensor, providing:

• 2MP image capture
• Video streaming
• Motion detection
• SD card storage
• Built-in LED flash

Recon Module Required

Camera features require the Recon module to be enabled at compile time.

Specifications

Component	Specification
MCU	ESP32-S (240MHz dual-core)
Flash	4MB
PSRAM	4MB (required for camera)
Camera	OV2640 (2MP)
Resolution	Up to 1600x1200 (UXGA)
SD Card	MicroSD slot (up to 4GB)
LED	Built-in flash LED (GPIO 4)
Price	~$8-15 USD

Supported Boards

AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM

The most common and recommended variant:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [OV2640 Camera]                            │
│      ┌───┐                                  │
│      │   │                                  │
│      └───┘                                  │
│                                             │
│  ┌───────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │            ESP32-S Module             │  │
│  │                                       │  │
│  │  [Antenna]                            │  │
│  └───────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                                             │
│  [SD Card Slot]        [Flash LED]          │
│                                             │
│  GND 3V3 U0R U0T GND VCC                   │
│   │   │   │   │   │   │                    │
└───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴───┴────────────────────┘

M5Stack ESP32 Camera

Alternative with better form factor:

• Built-in battery holder
• Grove connector
• Better antenna design
• Higher price (~$20)

Pinout

AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM

Pin	Function	Notes
5V/VCC	Power input	5V recommended
GND	Ground
U0T	UART TX	For flashing
U0R	UART RX	For flashing
GPIO 0	Boot mode	Pull LOW to flash
GPIO 4	Flash LED	Active HIGH
GPIO 33	Red LED	Active LOW

Camera Pins (Internal)

These are fixed and cannot be changed:

GPIO	Camera Function
32	PWDN
0	RESET
5	XCLK
18	SIOD
23	SIOC
36	Y9
37	Y8
38	Y7
39	Y6
35	Y5
34	Y4
21	Y3
19	Y2
22	VSYNC
25	HREF
26	PCLK

SD Card Pins

GPIO	SD Function
14	CLK
15	CMD
2	DATA0
4	DATA1 (shared with Flash LED)
12	DATA2
13	DATA3

SD Card and Flash LED Conflict

GPIO 4 is shared between the flash LED and SD card DATA1. You cannot use both simultaneously.

Available GPIOs

Limited GPIOs available for external use:

Available: GPIO 1, 3 (UART0), GPIO 12, 13, 14, 15 (if not using SD card)
Reserved: All camera pins, SD card pins

Hardware Setup

Required Components

• ESP32-CAM module
• USB-to-Serial adapter (FTDI, CP2102, CH340)
• Jumper wires
• 5V power supply (USB or external)

Wiring for Flashing

Connect USB-to-Serial adapter to ESP32-CAM:

USB-Serial          ESP32-CAM
──────────          ─────────
   5V  ────────────── 5V
   GND ────────────── GND
   TX  ────────────── U0R (GPIO 3)
   RX  ────────────── U0T (GPIO 1)

   GND ────────────── GPIO 0 (for flashing only)

Boot Mode

GPIO 0 must be connected to GND during power-up to enter flash mode. Disconnect after flashing.

Flashing Procedure

1. Connect GPIO 0 to GND
2. Power cycle the board (disconnect and reconnect power)
3. Flash the firmware:

   idf.py -p /dev/ttyUSB0 flash
   

4. Disconnect GPIO 0 from GND
5. Power cycle again to boot normally

Power Supply

Power Requirements

The ESP32-CAM requires stable 5V power. USB-Serial adapters often cannot supply enough current.

Recommended power options:

Source	Current	Recommended
USB-Serial 3.3V	300mA max	No
USB-Serial 5V	500mA max	Marginal
External 5V PSU	1A+	Yes
USB power bank	1A+	Yes

ESP-IDF Configuration

Enable Recon Module

cd espilon_bot
idf.py menuconfig

Navigate to:

Espilon Configuration
  ├─ Module Selection
  │   └─ [X] Enable Recon Module
  │
  ├─ Recon Configuration
  │   ├─ Camera Model: AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM
  │   ├─ Default Resolution: VGA (640x480)
  │   ├─ JPEG Quality: 12 (0-63, lower = better)
  │   └─ Enable PSRAM: [X] (required)
  │
  └─ Network Backend
      └─ [X] WiFi (recommended for camera)

Camera Settings

Setting	Options	Recommendation
Resolution	QQVGA to UXGA	VGA (640x480) for balance
JPEG Quality	0-63	10-15 for good quality
Frame Size	Various	Match resolution
Brightness	-2 to 2	0 (default)
Contrast	-2 to 2	0 (default)

Build and Flash

# Build
idf.py build

# Flash (with GPIO 0 grounded)
idf.py -p /dev/ttyUSB0 flash

# Monitor
idf.py monitor

Commands

capture

Capture a single image:

c3po> send cam_agent capture

Response:
{
  "success": true,
  "size": 45320,
  "resolution": "640x480",
  "format": "JPEG",
  "data": "<base64_encoded_image>"
}

Save to file:

c3po> send cam_agent capture --save image.jpg
[*] Image saved to image.jpg (45320 bytes)

capture_settings

Adjust capture settings:

# Set resolution
c3po> send cam_agent capture_settings resolution VGA

# Set quality (0-63, lower = better)
c3po> send cam_agent capture_settings quality 10

# Enable flash
c3po> send cam_agent capture_settings flash on

# Adjust brightness (-2 to 2)
c3po> send cam_agent capture_settings brightness 1

stream_start

Start video streaming:

c3po> send cam_agent stream_start

Response:
{
  "success": true,
  "stream_url": "http://192.168.1.42:81/stream",
  "fps": 10
}

Streaming Bandwidth

Video streaming requires significant bandwidth. Use VGA or lower resolution over WiFi.

stream_stop

Stop video streaming:

c3po> send cam_agent stream_stop
[*] Stream stopped

motion_detect

Enable motion detection:

# Start motion detection
c3po> send cam_agent motion_detect start

# With sensitivity (1-100)
c3po> send cam_agent motion_detect start 50

# Stop motion detection
c3po> send cam_agent motion_detect stop

When motion is detected, the agent sends an alert:

{
  "type": "motion_alert",
  "timestamp": "2025-01-10T14:30:45Z",
  "image": "<base64_encoded_image>"
}

flash_led

Control the flash LED:

# Turn on
c3po> send cam_agent flash_led on

# Turn off
c3po> send cam_agent flash_led off

# Flash briefly (for capture)
c3po> send cam_agent flash_led pulse

Use Cases

Remote Surveillance

Deploy ESP32-CAM agents for visual monitoring:

graph LR
    CAM1[ESP32-CAM 1] -->|WiFi| C2[C2 Server]
    CAM2[ESP32-CAM 2] -->|WiFi| C2
    CAM3[ESP32-CAM 3] -->|WiFi| C2
    C2 --> OP[Operator]

Setup:

1. Configure agents with unique IDs
2. Position cameras at monitoring points
3. Use capture for periodic snapshots
4. Use motion_detect for event-triggered capture

Physical Security Assessment

Test physical security controls:

• Identify camera blind spots
• Test motion sensor coverage
• Document access points
• Capture evidence during pentest

Documentation

Capture visual evidence during assessments:

# Capture and save with timestamp
c3po> send cam_agent capture --save evidence_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S).jpg

Performance

Resolution vs Speed

Resolution	Pixels	Typical Size	Capture Time
QQVGA	160x120	5-10 KB	~100ms
QVGA	320x240	15-25 KB	~200ms
VGA	640x480	40-60 KB	~400ms
SVGA	800x600	60-80 KB	~600ms
XGA	1024x768	80-120 KB	~1s
UXGA	1600x1200	150-250 KB	~2s

Streaming Performance

Resolution	FPS (WiFi)	Bandwidth
QQVGA	25-30	~500 Kbps
QVGA	15-20	~1 Mbps
VGA	8-12	~2-3 Mbps
SVGA	5-8	~4-5 Mbps

Optimization

For reliable operation, use VGA or lower resolution with quality 12-15.

Troubleshooting

Camera Not Detected

Symptoms: "Camera init failed" error

Solutions:

1. Check PSRAM is enabled in menuconfig
2. Verify camera ribbon cable is secure
3. Try power cycling
4. Check 5V power supply is adequate

# Verify PSRAM
idf.py menuconfig
# Component config -> ESP32-specific -> Support for external, SPI-connected RAM

Poor Image Quality

Symptoms: Blurry, dark, or noisy images

Solutions:

1. Clean camera lens
2. Adjust JPEG quality (lower number = better)
3. Adjust brightness/contrast
4. Ensure adequate lighting or use flash

c3po> send cam_agent capture_settings quality 8
c3po> send cam_agent capture_settings brightness 1

Brownout/Reboot

Symptoms: Device reboots during capture or streaming

Cause: Insufficient power supply

Solutions:

1. Use external 5V 1A+ power supply
2. Add 100uF capacitor across power pins
3. Reduce resolution/quality
4. Disable flash LED

WiFi Disconnects During Stream

Symptoms: Stream drops after a few seconds

Solutions:

1. Reduce resolution
2. Reduce frame rate
3. Move closer to access point
4. Use external antenna (if available)

Limitations

Hardware Constraints

• Limited GPIOs available
• SD card conflicts with flash LED
• No UART during camera operation
• PSRAM required (not all boards have it)

Performance Constraints

• Single camera only
• No hardware video encoding
• WiFi bandwidth limits streaming
• Power hungry during capture

Security Considerations

Operational Security

• Camera captures can reveal operator location
• Streaming traffic is high and detectable
• Flash LED is visible
• Consider privacy and legal implications

Comparison

ESP32-CAM vs USB Webcam

Feature	ESP32-CAM	USB Webcam
Standalone	Yes	No (needs PC)
Remote	Yes (WiFi)	No
Power	5V	USB
Cost	~$10	~$20+
Quality	2MP	1080p+
Form Factor	Compact	Larger

When to Use ESP32-CAM

• Remote/wireless deployment
• Battery-powered operation
• Covert placement
• Budget constraints

When to Use Alternative

• High quality video needed
• Wired connection available
• PC-based operation acceptable

Resources

• AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM Wiki
• OV2640 Datasheet
• ESP32 Camera Driver

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