Smart Cameras

MiBee Cam (ESP32-S3 Sense)

Home-grade AI-powered surveillance camera firmware. Tiny footprint, enterprise-class features.

Turns a $15 XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense board into a fully-featured network surveillance camera. No Linux, no cloud.

GitHub ↗
ESP-IDF v5.x/v6.0 XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense GPLv3

Features

  • Multiple capture modes — Continuous recording, timelapse, and dynamic timelapse (motion-adaptive, achieves up to 90% storage savings).
  • MJPEG over HTTP — Stream live video to any browser or client.
  • Dual-protocol NAS upload — WebDAV + HTTPS with automatic retry and exponential backoff.
  • Motion detection with webhook alerts — Configurable sensitivity, HTTP callbacks on detection events.
  • OTA firmware updates — Secure updates with SHA-256 verification.
  • 6-page responsive Web UI — Full camera control from any device.
  • Prometheus /metrics — Export camera telemetry for monitoring stacks.
  • ONVIF auto-discovery — Synology and Milestone compatible.
  • Audio capture + dual-track RTSP — MJPEG video + G.711 μ-law audio.

Quick Start

Build and flash

bash 
git clone --recursive https://github.com/Mi-Bee-Studio/seeed-esp32s3-cam.git
# Enter the directory
cd seeed-esp32s3-cam
idf.py set-target esp32s3
idf.py build
idf.py -p COM3 flash monitor

Hardware Requirements

  • Board: Seeed XIAO ESP32-S3 Sense
  • Storage: TF card (FAT32, Class 10 or higher)
  • Connection: USB-C cable for power and flashing
  • Power: 5V via USB-C (typical consumption <500mA)

Tech Stack

  • Framework: ESP-IDF v5.x / v6.0
  • SoC: ESP32-S3 (Xtensa LX7 dual-core)
  • Camera: OV5640 / OV2640 via XIAO Sense expansion
  • Protocols: MJPEG, RTSP, ONVIF, WebDAV, HTTPS, WebSocket
  • Language: C (ESP-IDF)
  • License: GPLv3

Documentation

Full build and configuration documentation is in the GitHub repository.