once again, thanks!
I really appreciate it!
I will absolutely keep in touch - I will probably post everything on github in the end, so any cooperation is great. I also have an old 220AC so anything to give it a few more years of life is good.
This is the module I am using ($7 so very cheap for good cam and an ESP module from banggood ) https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-cam-ai-thinker-pinout/
I think if you're pulling from the 220s battery you'll be fine for wifi (at least I hope so), I understand the capacitor now - I think there will be a lot of noise from the motors so a cap is probably good if you're powering the esp through it. worst case, I found some LiOn batteries construction for the mower at twice the Ah for the same size and weight
I read on one of the other forums that you have to set it into manual mode first and then you could actually control the wheel motors directly, Im not sure about the actual mower-motor though.
regarding hedgehogs - great initiative! I plan to use the built-in AI stuff from Azure since they have good packages for vision from streams, but that is phase 3 - first phase is to get the mower talking, phase 2 is connecting HA and planning when not raining and such, phase 3 is altering the mowing runs using AI.
look forward to talking soon!
/Jock