How to Add a Loudspeaker to LiteWing ESP32 Drone for Wireless Audio Announcement

In this tutorial, we are going to show you how LiteWing, an ESP32-based drone, can be upgraded with a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) speaker system to enable the drone with loudspeaker real-time aerial announcements and audio interaction. Instead of using the drone speaker only for flying, we are transforming it into a smart communication platform capable of delivering voice alerts, event announcements, and interactive messages directly from the air. The best part is that no coding is required. The system works entirely via the BLE method, making it simple and ready to use. 
If you want to learn how to make a DIY Bluetooth speaker, check out the article titled “Build a Compact and Portable DIY Bluetooth Speaker.” By combining wireless communication and lightweight audio hardware, this setup makes it possible to use the drone announcements, campus activities, safety alerts, and creative applications.

What Is a Drone with Loudspeaker?

This drone with loudspeaker with a loudspeaker is a type of unmanned aerial vehicle that has a loudspeaker attached, giving it the ability to broadcast live voice broadcasts (like speakers), music (like CD players), and other types of audio information (like notifications, alerts, etc.) while flying through the air. The…

A drone that has an integrated wireless sound system has all of these components built right into the frame of the craft itself — providing a mobile public address system from any location within the drone’s flight range. This technology can easily be used in areas where traditional ground-level sound systems may not be able to reach their intended audience effectively.

Components Required for the BLE Speaker Drone

To add a drone speaker system to the LiteWing drone, a few basic hardware components are needed. These parts help in receiving wireless audio, amplifying the sound, and supplying proper power to the system. The list below shows all the components used in this project and their purpose.

Component	Function
LiteWing Drone	Receives wireless audio data via Bluetooth Low Energy from a mobile device
PAM8403 Audio Amplifier	Amplifies low-power audio signals to drive the external speaker
2-Watt 8Ω Speaker	Outputs audio for real-time announcements and voice playback
3.7V to 5V Boost Converter	Steps up battery voltage to provide stable power supply for the audio system components
Wires	Used to connect the Bluetooth module, amplifier, boost converter, and speaker together

Hardware Setup and Wiring Guide

The hardware setup involves connecting the drone with a Bluetooth speaker, audio amplifier, speaker, and boost converter to the LiteWing drone. Proper wiring and power connections are important to ensure stable audio output and safe operation during flight. In this section, we will explain how each component is connected and how the overall system is assembled, as shown in the image below.

The image shows the hardware connections for integrating a BLE speaker system with the LiteWing drone.

Step-by-Step Wiring Instructions

Follow these wiring steps carefully. Keep all wires as short as possible to minimise weight and signal interference on your drone announcement build:

Bluetooth Module → Amplifier (Audio Signal)
The PAM8403 amplifier through its yellow wire audio output, which connects to the amplifier's right channel audio input (R+) port. This is how you deliver a mono or stereo audio signal from your smartphone music stream to the amplifier side of the circuit.
Bluetooth Module → Amplifier (Power)
The red wire (VCC) and black wire (GND) of the JDY-62 module connect to the 5V output and GND of the boost converter, respectively, for the power supply. The JDY-62 and boost converter share this common 5V rail.
Boost Converter → Drone Power Pins
The VIN+ of the boost converter connects to the drone's VBUS pin (not the 3.3V pin—see Troubleshooting below). Then connect the GND of the boost converter to the GND of the drone. These connections will boost the LiPo battery voltage to a regulated 5V.
Amplifier → Speaker
The right speaker output terminals of the PAM8403 amplifier (R+ and R−) connect to the respective terminals of the 8Ω 2-Watt speakers. Audio systems need correct polarity for proper reproduction, which requires accurate phase alignment. 
Mount and Secure
The process of component installation starts with component mounting, which continues to the final stage of component security. The drone frame needs all components to be mounted and secured through double-sided foam tape or lightweight cable ties. Do not place wires in the path of propellers, motors, or airflow paths. Keep the total added weight below 26 grams (after the added weight has stabilised) for stable flying conditions.

 

Key Wiring Points at a Glance

• The JDY-62 Bluetooth module connects to the PAM8403 amplifier, which then drives the 2W speaker. In this connection, the red and black wires are used for the power supply, while the yellow wire carries the audio signal and is connected to the right audio input of the amplifier.
• A 3.7V to 5V boost converter powers the amplifier and speaker to ensure a stable voltage.
• All components are connected to the LiteWing ESP32 drone through the GND and VBUS pins for power.

This setup allows the drone to receive audio via Bluetooth and play it through the speaker while flying.

How the LiteWing BLE Speaker Drone System Works

The LiteWing drone with Bluetooth speaker system works by combining wireless communication, audio processing, and flight control to create an interactive aerial platform. Here’s how it functions step by step:

Wireless Audio Reception

The JDY-62 Bluetooth module acts as the audio receiver. When paired with a mobile device, it receives audio signals wirelessly using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). This allows you to stream drone announcements, music, or voice messages directly to the drone while it is flying.

Audio Amplification

The low-power audio signal received from the JDY-62 module is not strong enough to drive a speaker directly. The PAM8403 audio amplifier boosts this signal, ensuring that the output sound is loud and clear for real-time announcements.

Power Supply Management

The drone’s battery voltage (typically 3.7V) is stepped up to a stable 5V using the boost converter. The VIN+ of the boost converter is connected to the VBUS of the drone, ensuring that both the Bluetooth module and the amplifier receive consistent power for uninterrupted operation, even while the drone is flying.

Audio Output

The amplified signal is sent to the 2-Watt 8Ω speaker mounted on the drone. The speaker plays the received audio clearly, allowing the drone to deliver announcements, alerts, or interactive messages from the air. In real-world testing, the drone speaker is clearly audible at typical low-altitude flight heights, making this an effective solution for short-range aerial drone announcement applications such as event broadcasts and safety alerts.

Integration with the Drone

The entire audio system is lightweight and carefully integrated with the LiteWing drone with a loudspeaker. Wires connect the Bluetooth module, amplifier, and speaker, while the ESP32 flight controller continues to manage drone navigation. This ensures that the drone can fly normally while also functioning as a flying audio communication platform.

Working Demo

In the working video, you can see the LiteWing drone flying while playing audio in real time through the BLE speaker system. It clearly shows how the drone connects to a mobile phone via Bluetooth and broadcasts voice messages from the air. This video gives a practical view of the setup in action and helps you understand how the system performs.

In our article DIY Gesture Control Drone using Python with LiteWing and ESP32,  we built a gesture-controlled system ourselves using an ESP32 and MPU6050 sensor to wirelessly control a LiteWing drone via Bluetooth and Python, and you can try it yourself if you're passionate about innovative DIY tech projects.

Real-World Applications of a Loudspeaker Drone

The ability to broadcast audio from the air makes a loudspeaker drone uniquely versatile across a wide range of industries and use cases. Here are the primary applications of this drone announcement platform:

• Event announcements and public messaging
• Safety alerts and emergency notifications
• Tour guidance and interactive experiences
• Advertising and promotional campaigns
• Search and rescue communication
• Educational demonstrations
• Creative content and entertainment

Troubleshooting

Drone Restarting Issue

Connect the VIN+ of the boost converter to the drone’s VBUS pin instead of the 3.3V pin to prevent restarting problems. This is necessary because the 3.3V power line cannot supply enough current for the boost converter and audio components, which causes the drone to reboot. The VBUS pin provides a more stable and higher current power supply, allowing the system to operate smoothly.

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Drone resets on power-up	Insufficient current from 3.3V pin	Move boost converter VIN+ to VBUS pin
No audio output	JDY-62 not paired / wrong audio channel	Re-pair device; confirm yellow wire is on R+ input of PAM8403
Distorted or crackling audio	Insufficient supply voltage or ground loop	Verify boost converter output is 5V; ensure all GND connections share a common ground
Very low speaker volume	Volume control on PAM8403 turned down	Adjust the trimmer potentiometer on the PAM8403 module clockwise to increase gain
Drone unstable or drifting	Added weight unbalanced on frame	Redistribute speaker and module mass symmetrically; keep total added weight under 25 g

Frequently Asked Questions: Drone with Loudspeaker

⇥ 1. How much weight can the LiteWing drone lift?
The LiteWing drone can typically lift around 20 to 30 grams of additional payload, depending on battery and motor performance. For stable flight, it is recommended to keep the added weight as low as possible.

⇥ 2. Is a boost converter mandatory for this setup?
Yes, a boost converter is recommended because the drone battery provides around 3.7V, while the Bluetooth module and amplifier require a stable 5V supply for reliable operation.

⇥ 3. Can I use a different Bluetooth module instead of JDY-62?
Yes, you can use other Bluetooth audio receiver modules, but make sure they support audio output, work on low power, and are lightweight to avoid affecting the drone’s flight performance.

⇥ 4. Do I need to write any code to use the BLE speaker system
No, coding is not required. The system works directly through Bluetooth pairing, allowing audio to be streamed from a mobile device without any programming.

⇥ 5. What precautions should be taken while adding extra hardware?
Keep the added components lightweight, use proper soldering to make strong and reliable connections, ensure a stable power supply, and avoid blocking the propellers or airflow to maintain safe and stable flight.

⇥ 6. What Module Is The Best For A Drone Speaker?
The excellent Bluetooth audio modules available make them ideal choices for drone speakers, as they typically offer wireless audio streaming, very low power draw (3.3 to 5V) and very lightweight (important for maintaining flight performance). All Bluetooth audio modules provide standard analogue audio outputs, allow for Bluetooth pairing, and draw less than 100mA in their operating mode, so any one of these will work with your Bluetooth speaker build.

⇥ 7. What Amplifier Should Be Used For A Drone Speaker?
The PAM8403 Class D stereo amplifier would be the best option to power a drone speaker. It will operate on 5V power, has excellent power efficiency (Class D), has a weight of only a few grams, and provides 3W per channel (more than enough to power a two watt 8Ω speaker at outdoor listening levels). It also has a low idle current; therefore, this will help reduce the overall impact of the amplifier on a drone's flight time.

Related Tutorial: Similar to LiteWing ESP32 Drone

This series shows how to set up the LiteWing ESP32 DIY drone with Betaflight, control it using Python, and enable height hold for stable hovering, perfect for beginners and makers.