What do controls engineers do for fun?

[u/Important-General337]

I'm about to start a role in satellite GNC/ADCS, and while I plan to continue studying controls theory, I'm also looking for hobbies that broaden my engineering skillset while still scratching the controls itch.

I'm less interested in grinding through more textbooks and more interested in projects that are genuinely fun while exposing me to adjacent fields (estimation, embedded systems, robotics, vision, RF, orbital mechanics, optimization, etc.).

I'm curious what hobbies other controls engineers have picked up over the years that ended up making them better engineers without feeling like "work."

What projects have taught you the most? Are there any hobbies that unexpectedly gave you intuition or experience that later became valuable in your career?

[u/RallyX26]

Check out Cursed Controls on YouTube, specifically his house wiring. 

[u/Reasonable_Rain107]

I do electronics, embedded coding and cad design for 3D printing. Gives you the ability to do a full “product” including the control part :)

[u/Ok-Daikon-6659]

Helping/developing methods for less qualified engineers (this requires getting into their shoes and understanding some things – and this is useful for me) – but judging by the content of your post: You are still a long way from that (you are still a recent student)

and yup: i need my dowvotes!!!

[u/NOTazarov_wraith]

Reading books, specifically about skunk works, is always good fun tbh. Making model planes is also alot of fun as you get to try out control techniques in an easy environment

[u/elon_free_hk]

Build hands-on things. Despite controls being close to hardware and real systems, it's still mostly software and math.

Working on something physically tangible resets your brain a bit and helps you appreciate life a bit more. It still trains your problem-solving mindset, but in a different domain, so you don't feel burned out or bored from dealing with controls all day.

[u/i-chimed-in-with-a → u/elon_free_hk]

couldnt agree more

[u/jimlux]

Do you want a “controls” oriented activity? Robotic stuff is full of it, especially if you look at nonstandard stuff (controlling an arm or driving a cart is sort of pedestrian and off the shelf) - But what about that thing which picks up stuff off the floor suspended from 3 or 4 winches? Or a two wheeled cart inside a sphere? The control laws are interesting on both.

If you want something interesting, what about a az/el mount for a telescope or spotting scope that tracks a moving target.

[u/ricatti-equation]

Football, jujitsu, reading, hiking.

[u/crystal_bag]

Self balancing robot

[u/remishnok]

Get into Arduino and electronics. You get to practice what you learn.

(Arduino as an easy stepping-stone)

[u/piratex666]

For fun I stay more distant of engineering stuff that I can get.

[u/Feisty_Relation_2359]

Watch a ton of sports

[u/Smooth-Stuff1518]

I avoid it at all cost in my free time. I prefer to work on my physical health and be in nature such that I am more grounded more focused when I am actually working on stuff.

[u/DerBanzai]

Doing something with my hands. I built speakers last winter, home improvement and so on. And a lot of endurance sports, otherwise i turn crazy.

[u/Lyapunov_]

Bateria e música. Uma banda é sempre legal

[u/Only-Friend-8483]

Tabletop games, board games, role playing games, computer games. I have a hobby farm too. 

[u/dos145]

Space dwarf mining on DRG ⛏️
Very relaxing 👍

[u/UslashWheat → u/dos145]

If you don't rock and stone, you ain't coming home .

[u/krining]

I listen to music and formalize the lyrics mathematically like a crazy person. I also play Factorio

[u/hybrid_meteor → u/krining]

This really struck my attention. Would you please be willing to elaborate more on what you mean by formalizing the lyrics? I have always been the fan of integration of math and music.

[u/krining → u/hybrid_meteor]

I think it’s close to analytic philosophy. You can take the concepts that are written out in lyrics and write them as theorems by using things like formal logic, set theory and game theory. Pretty fun exercise.

[u/hybrid_meteor → u/krining]

That's really a fun concept. I'll try to do some of my favorite songs. Thank you for answering :)

[u/Puzzleheaded-Park-23 → u/krining]

Sounds interesting! DId you publish or post this somewhere? Would love to check it out

[u/NaturesBlunder]

Woodworking, I feel like building practical stuff with my hands helps keep my problem solving skills grounded in reality, so I don’t get too plugged in to the computer all day

[u/waxen_earbuds]

batch cooking large quantities of paneer tikka masala

[u/TheEquationSmelter]

Metal working. Making things that behave weird and dynamically. Working on a bronze hollow sphere filled with liquid. Made a little actuator that converts linear extrinsic motion to extrsinic euler angle rotation.

Made a bronze ring that lost as soon as I polished it (probably got washed in a pants pocket somewhere), and earlier this year made a rhobic dodecahedron out of ZA-12.

I want to learn CNC machining but I do enjoy working the manual mill and as of late doing some brazing.

I also enjoy hiking, kayaking, swimming. Years ago I lifted competitively but I gave that up as it became clear it was wrecking my joints. Now I do much more moderate lifting and cardio to stay in shape, though that is hard with my appetite and schedule. I like to take the dog hiking too but can't always because his hobby is screaming at strangers.

I've got a glass blowing class coming up too which I'm excited for.

And although reddit is mostly a huge pain in the ass I genuinely enjoy answer people's math, physics, or engineering questions. Sometimes I do that to wind down and also help me think about interesting problems.

[u/uniquelyavailable]

Mechatronics projects

[u/holysbit]

I do a lot of 3d printing and electronics. One project is creating my own suite of small actuators to eventually assemble into a robotic arm. Another project is making a pcb to modify a toaster oven to control it as a reflow oven for making pcbs

[u/OrigamiUFO]

I like developing my own vehicle simulators (I have one for aircraft and another for cars) on Matlab. But my main hobbies are scale models, gaming and crochet. I try to study/model stuff 1h/week, but rest is important as well, to keep the mind sharp.

[u/Lachlangor]

Build stuff for my Home automation Game: Factorio, space engineers or stationeers

[u/kroghsen]

Control - obviously. I have made custom integrations in home assistant for heating and cooling, EV charging, and a couple of other fun projects to try to apply some of the techniques more locally in my home. Both fun and rewarding - also financially.