Mesh Detect 2

The Mesh Detect 2 is a purpose-built wireless detection platform from Colonel Panic's Hack Shack that combines two ESP32-S3 boards into one compact device. The Seeedstudio XIAO ESP32-S3 handles WiFi and Bluetooth scanning duties — sniffing FAA Remote ID drone broadcasts and identifying nearby BLE devices by their OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) — while the Heltec WiFi LoRa 32 V3 relays detection alerts across a Meshtastic mesh network via its SX1262 LoRa radio. The result is a self-contained sensor node that can detect drones and unknown wireless devices in the field and instantly push notifications to every node on the mesh.

The device ships fully assembled and pre-flashed with Remote ID sniffing firmware, so it works out of the box when paired with any Meshtastic network. Three distinct firmware options are available: an OUI Sniffer that triggers alerts when specific Bluetooth manufacturer IDs appear, a Deepwoods Device Detection mode that baselines known WiFi and Bluetooth devices and flags newcomers, and the flagship Drone Remote ID module that captures operator location, drone coordinates, signal strength, and FAA ID data. A built-in web interface lets operators visualize detections and perform FAA ID lookups in real time.

Because the hardware design and firmware are fully open source on GitHub, makers can extend the platform with custom detection routines, add new alert types, or integrate it into larger security and monitoring deployments. A PCB-only variant is available at $20 for builders who want to source their own components. The Mesh Detect 2 is well suited for security researchers, penetration testers, drone awareness projects, and anyone who needs passive wireless surveillance over a decentralized off-grid network.