3D: Random

One of the ways to use return functions in your CoDrone Mini programs is with random. This is almost exactly what it sounds like: after importing the random library, you can create a variable that will store a random number. This is what that will look like:

random_number = randint(1, 10)

In this case, the variable is called  random_number and a number between 1 and 10 is being called, or used, later on in the program.

Try it out now! Use the random library to print out a random integer from 1 to 10. Once you see that, adjust the ranges within the parentheses to get different random numbers.

from random import randint

random_number = randint(1, 10)

print(random_number)

One of the ways you can see return values with your CoDrone Mini is through its LED and number randomization. Quick review from the LED lesson: an LED produces color as a combination of red, green, and blue. All of these values range from 0 to 255 corresponding to the color’s intensity, with 255 being the highest. 

For this program, import the CoDrone Mini, time, and random libraries, and then create the drone object and pair to CoDrone Mini. Next, create a for loop that will run three times.

In the loop, create variables that will get a random number between 0 and 255 for red, blue, and green. Those three numbers are combined together to change the LED’s color. For example, if your program returned RGB values of 13, 246, and 197, your CoDrone Mini’s LED would turn aqua.

Next, have your drone take off, wait briefly, and then return the red, green, and blue random numbers with a brightness of 100. This should change the color of your drone’s LED. After that, have the drone land.

Try this program out, and once you see what happens, you can add more flight movements in between takeoff and landing!

import CoDrone_mini

import time

from random import randint


drone = CoDrone_mini.CoDrone()

drone.pair()


for i in range(3):

    red = randint(0,255)

    blue = randint(0,255)

    green = randint(0,255)


    drone.takeoff()

    time.sleep(0.05)

    drone.LED_color(red,blue,green, 100)

    drone.land()

You know that game that starts with “I’m thinking of a number…” and you have to guess which number the person is thinking of? You’re going to play that with your drone!

After importing libraries (CoDrone, direction, time, and random), creating the drone object, and pairing, have your drone take off. Next, create a variable called  throttle and set its value to 20.

Create a variable called  number that will store and return a number between 1 and 10. Next, create a while loop. Create a variable called  guess that will prompt the user to input a number between 1 and 10, and will then store that value. Within the while loop, set up conditionals. If their guess is too low, the drone should throttle down. If their guess is too high, the drone should throttle up. If their guess is just right, the drone should do a flip. The program should also include a print statement for when the user guesses a number that is not between 1-10 and a break if they want to quit the program. Finally, the drone should land.

Your final program should look something like this:

import CoDrone_mini

from CoDrone_mini import Direction

import time

from random import randint


drone = CoDrone_mini.CoDrone()

drone.pair()

drone.takeoff()


throttle = 20

number = randint(1, 10)  # randomly choose a number between 1-10


while True:

    guess = int(input("Guess a number from 1 - 10... or enter 0 to quit: "))  # get input from user

    if guess == 0:

        break

    elif guess > 10 or guess < 0:

        print("Number is not between 1-10. Try again.")

    elif guess == number:

        print("Perfect!")

        time.sleep(0.05)

        drone.flip(Direction.FORWARD)

        break

    elif guess < number:

        print("Too low!")

        drone.set_throttle(-throttle)

        drone.move(1)

    elif guess > number:

        print("Too High!")

        drone.set_throttle(throttle)

        drone.move(1)

drone.land()

Challenge: Magic 8 Ball

In case you’re not entirely sure what a Magic 8 Ball is, it’s a toy that predicts your future when you ask it yes or no questions. Responses can be positive, negative, or unsure.

Turn CDM into a Magic 8 ball! Come up with 4 answers for each of the following: yes answers, maybe answers, or no answers. Then use the input() function to ask the user for a question. The program will randomly select one of those answers, and change the LED to either green, yellow, or red, accompanied by a flight movement.