Researched by Riley Hart · based on SunFounder GalaxyRVR build guide and docs · we may earn a commission
The GalaxyRVR is a six wheel Mars rover kit you drive from your phone. This guide breaks the build into 49 small steps, each with its own drawing, the exact screws to use and the mistake most people make on that step.
Plan for 3 to 4 hours. Build the body and legs first, then the board and battery, motors and wheels, sensors, camera and solar roof. No soldering and no coding. A parent and a kid can do it together in one afternoon.
Same 49 steps on your phone, one at a time. Tick what you should see, and if something looks off, the AI coach checks a photo of your build.
Open the box on a big table. Sort the screws, nuts and plates into small piles so each one is easy to find.
Tip: A muffin tin or a few small bowls make the screw piles easy.
Check: Screws and nuts are in separate piles.
Common mistake: Pouring every bag out together. Keep screws in their bags until you sort them by size.
Check every bag, plate and board is there. Screws come with a few spares, so do not worry about a missing one.
Check: Every bag, plate and board is there.
Common mistake: Counting screws one by one. Bags have spares, so only check plates, boards and motors.
Screw the two blue brackets onto plate A and plate B with four M3x6 screws.
Check: Plates A and B form the box shaped body.
Common mistake: Grabbing M3x10 screws. This step uses the short M3x6 ones.
Fix plate D to a leg with an M3x10 screw, a metal washer and a self-locking nut.
Tip: Use self-locking nuts and metal washers here. Plain M3 nuts and spring washers are for the motors later.
Check: Plate D is attached to the leg.
Common mistake: Using a plain nut. Leg joints need the self-locking nut and the metal washer.
Fix plate C to the other leg the same way: M3x10 screw, metal washer, self-locking nut.
Check: Both legs have their small plate.
Common mistake: Mounting plate C facing the wrong way. It should mirror plate D on the first leg.
Fix the leg to the side of the body with an M3x25 screw, a metal washer and a self-locking nut.
Tip: Check the small arrows printed on the parts all point the same way, toward the front.
Check: The leg hangs from one side of the body.
Common mistake: Mixing up M3x25 and M3x14 screws. Lay one next to the drawing to check the length.
Repeat on the other side with an M3x25 screw, metal washer and self-locking nut.
Check: Legs hang from both sides.
Common mistake: Building the second side the same as the first. It is a mirror copy, not a copy.
Fix plate E on top with an M3x10 screw, metal washer and self-locking nut.
Check: Plate E sits across the top.
Common mistake: Overtightening the nut. The joint has to move later, so stop when it is snug.
Connect the top bar to the leg with an M3x10 screw, metal washer and self-locking nut.
Check: The top bar links both sides.
Common mistake: Linking the bar to the wrong hole. Use the end hole of the leg, like the drawing.
On both sides, join plate F with an M3x14 screw, two acrylic washers and a self-locking nut.
Check: Both plate F joints are on.
Common mistake: Forgetting the acrylic washers. Without them the joint rubs and squeaks.
Tighten the self-locking nut fully with the cross wrench, then loosen it a little so the plate can swing. Do this on every joint from the last 7 screens.
Tip: This is what lets your rover climb bumps like NASA rovers. Stiff joints mean it gets stuck.
Check: Each leg swings by itself when you lift the body. Nothing wobbles loose.
Common mistake: Leaving joints tight. A stiff leg makes the rover tip over on bumps.
Stick one Velcro sticker on the battery and the matching one inside the body.
Check: Both stickers are on.
Common mistake: Putting the Velcro too close to the edge. Keep it centered so the battery sits flat.
Press the battery onto the Velcro inside the body, with its wire free so it reaches the board above.
Check: The battery sits firm and the wire reaches up.
Common mistake: Burying the battery wire under the battery. Leave it free so it reaches the board.
Screw four M3x8+6 standoffs onto the top plate, then fix the R3 board on them with four M3x6 screws.
Check: The board sits flat on four posts.
Common mistake: Screwing the standoffs in crooked. Turn them by hand first, then finish with the tool.
Line up all the pins of the GalaxyRVR shield with the R3 board and press it straight down.
Tip: Look along the side before pressing. A pin outside its hole bends and stops the rover working.
Check: No pins are showing outside the black sockets.
Common mistake: Pressing the shield at an angle. One bent pin can stop the whole rover.
Plug the battery wire into the port marked BATTERY on the shield.
Check: The plug clicks in at BATTERY.
Common mistake: Plugging the battery into a motor port. It goes only into BATTERY.
Fix each motor to its leg with two M3x25 screws, a spring washer and an M3 nut. Do all six.
Tip: Motors use plain M3 nuts and spring washers, not self-locking nuts and metal washers.
Check: All six motors are fixed and do not wiggle.
Common mistake: Using self-locking nuts on the motors. Motors take plain M3 nuts and spring washers.
Plug the three left side motor wires into the left ports A, B and C, routing the wires along the top bar.
Tip: Front motor to A, middle to B, back to C. If a wheel spins the wrong way later, swap its plug.
Check: Three plugs in LEFT.
Common mistake: Leaving plugs half in. Push until the plug sits flat in the port.
Plug the right side motor wires into the RIGHT ports in the order D, E, F.
Check: Three plugs in RIGHT.
Common mistake: Using the left ports twice. Right motors go only in D, E and F.
Use the cable ties to hold the motor wires against the frame, away from the wheels.
Tip: Loose wires get caught in the wheels and snap. Reviewers hit exactly this.
Check: No wire can touch a wheel.
Common mistake: Pulling ties so tight they pinch the wire. Snug is enough.
Push a shaft adapter onto each motor, then fix the wheel with an M2.3x20 screw. Do all six.
Check: Six wheels on. Each spins by hand.
Common mistake: Skipping the shaft adapter. The wheel will wobble and fall off.
Screw two M3x28 standoffs onto the front of the body with M3x6 screws.
Check: Two tall posts stand at the front.
Common mistake: Using the shorter standoffs. These are the tall M3x28 ones.
Fix the two IR obstacle sensors on M3x8+6 standoffs at the front with M3x6 screws.
Check: One sensor on each front corner.
Common mistake: Mounting a sensor upside down. Both LEDs should face forward.
Connect each sensor to the shield with a 3-pin wire: left sensor to IR LEFT, right sensor to IR RIGHT.
Tip: Match the pin labels: OUT, + and GND on the sensor to the same labels on the cable.
Check: Both sensors are wired.
Common mistake: Swapping left and right. The left sensor goes to IR LEFT.
Plug the 4-pin wire into the back of the ultrasonic module (the one with two round eyes).
Check: The wire is in.
Common mistake: Forcing the plug. It only fits one way, so flip it if it resists.
Fix it to plate G with two R3080 rivets: push the rivet in, then press its pin to lock. Plug the wire into SONAR.
Check: The two eyes look forward. Wire plugged into SONAR.
Common mistake: Not pressing the rivet pin. Push the rivet in, then press its pin until it locks.
Peel the backing off the sticky side of both RGB light strips.
Check: Both strips are sticky side up.
Common mistake: Touching the sticky side. Fingerprints stop it from sticking well.
Stick one strip on each side inside the body and plug both into the RGB LED ports.
Check: Two strips on. Both plugged into RGB LED.
Common mistake: Sticking the strips before checking the cable reaches the port. Hold it in place first.
Screw plate H (the camera bracket) to the top front with two M3x6 screws, its two arms standing up.
Check: Plate H stands up at the front.
Common mistake: Mounting plate H backwards. Its two arms stand up at the front.
Plug the USB-C cable into the shield to charge, then slide the power switch to ON. You need power for the next step.
Tip: The servo setup needs power. The rover's preloaded program does the work.
Check: A red charge light is on. The green power light is on.
Common mistake: Skipping this step. The servo needs power to center itself next.
Plug the small servo motor's wire onto pin 6: brown to GND, red to 5V, orange to 6. It turns to its center by itself.
Tip: This puts the servo at exactly 90 degrees, so the camera points straight once mounted.
Check: The servo twitches and stops.
Common mistake: Plugging the servo in backwards. Brown goes to GND.
Push the servo arm on pointing straight along the servo body, then fix it with the smallest screw from the servo pack. Then slide the power switch to OFF.
Check: The arm is fixed. The power light is off.
Common mistake: Turning the servo by hand after it centered. Push the arm straight on without twisting.
Fix the servo into plate I with two R2056 rivets.
Check: The servo sits inside plate I.
Common mistake: Putting the servo in with its gear on the wrong side. Match the drawing.
Attach plate I to plate H with M1.5x3 screws on the servo arm and an R3065 rivet on the other side.
Check: The camera mount tilts up and down.
Common mistake: Using big screws on the servo arm. These are the tiny M1.5x3 screws.
Plug the 5-pin wire into the camera adapter board and the other end into CAMERA on the shield.
Check: Wire plugged into CAMERA.
Common mistake: Plugging the camera wire into a sensor port. It goes into CAMERA.
Fix the adapter board to the mount with three R3055 rivets.
Check: The adapter sits on the mount.
Common mistake: Snapping the adapter on loose. All three rivets must lock.
On the ESP32 CAM: lift the little latch, slide the camera ribbon in, close the latch, then stick the camera down.
Tip: The ribbon is fragile. Lift the latch gently with a fingernail.
Check: The ribbon is held by the closed latch.
Common mistake: Pulling the latch too hard. It is tiny and snaps easily. Lift it with a fingernail.
Push the ESP32 CAM into the adapter, lined up exactly like the drawing. Check every pin is in a socket.
Tip: SunFounder warns about this one: backwards means no video later.
Check: Camera board lines up with the adapter. Antenna on the ticked side.
Common mistake: Putting the ESP32 CAM in backwards. It is the top reason for no video.
Fix the acrylic plate under the body with M3x6 screws and snap its edges in.
Check: The bottom is closed.
Common mistake: Trapping a wire under the bottom plate. Check all wires are inside before you close it.
Screw four M3x30+6 standoffs onto the corners of the shield.
Check: Four tall posts on the board.
Common mistake: Mixing up standoff sizes. These are the tallest ones, M3x30+6.
Fix plates J and K across the posts with M3x6 screws.
Check: Two bars across the posts.
Common mistake: Fitting J and K before the posts are tight. Tighten the posts first.
Use the foam tape to stick plate L under the solar panel, wire through the middle.
Check: Plate L is stuck under the panel.
Common mistake: Covering the hole with tape. The solar wire has to pass through the middle.
Snap the roof onto the bars, fix it with an M3x6 screw, tape the wire down with fiber tape and plug it into SOLAR.
Check: The roof is on. Wire plugged into SOLAR.
Common mistake: Leaving the solar wire loose. Tape it down so it never touches a wheel.
Plug in the USB-C cable (a 5V 2A phone charger works). A full charge takes about 2 hours.
Check: A red charge light is on. The orange battery lights blink.
Common mistake: Using a fast laptop charger. A plain 5V 2A phone charger is safest.
Unplug the charger. Slide the power switch to ON, slide the mode switch to the left, and press Reset once.
Tip: For driving, the mode switch always stays on the left. Right is only for uploading code.
Check: Green power light on. The light strips flash green.
Common mistake: Mode switch on the right. Right is only for uploading code, left is for driving.
On your phone, install RoboPilot from the App Store or Google Play. Older kits use SunFounder Controller, which works the same way.
Check: The app is installed.
In your Wi-Fi settings join GalaxyRVR. The password is 12345678. When it says No internet, tap Stay connected.
Check: Connected to GalaxyRVR.
Common mistake: Switching back to home Wi-Fi when the phone says No internet. Tap Stay connected.
Open the app and tap Go into. The camera view fills the screen. Push the joystick gently.
Tip: Small pushes mean slow. Start slow until you know how it turns.
Check: Live camera view. It drives when you push the joystick.
Common mistake: Pushing the joystick all the way. Start with small pushes.
In the app pick Avoid mode, put it on the floor and watch it steer around walls. Then try Follow.
Tip: Bumps into walls? Put a box 20 cm in front of each IR sensor and turn its small screw until its light comes on.
Check: It turns before hitting a wall.
Common mistake: Testing Avoid mode on a dark rug. The IR sensors work best on light, flat floors.
Same 49 steps on your phone, one at a time. Tick what you should see, and if something looks off, the AI coach checks a photo of your build.
Drive into another room using only the camera view. No peeking.
Build a track from books and pillows and time your best run.
Park it on a sunny windowsill and let the solar panel top up the battery.
Drawings by robotsforthat. SunFounder GalaxyRVR is a trademark of SunFounder. We are not affiliated with SunFounder.