Scripts for running VINS-GPU/ROS with ArduPilot

This repository contains a ROS workspace for using stereo-visual navigation with ROS and ArduPilot.

The end result is the ability to use non-GPS navigation with ArduPilot, using a stereo camera.

Components

Hardware:

Stereo Camera. Global shutter preferred (such as https://www.arducam.com/product/arducam-1mp2-wide-angle-stereo-camera-for-raspberry-pi-jetson-nano-and-xavier-nx-dual-ov9281-monochrome-global-shutter-camera-module/)
Nvidia Jetson Nano
ArduPilot flight controller (connected to UART on Jetson 40-pin header)

Software:

ROS Melodic
VINS-GPU Lite
MAVROS

How it works

The VINS_Lite_GPU (https://github.com/KopiSoftware/VINS_Lite_GPU) algorithm is used as a ROS module to take in stereo camera images and generate a pose in 3D space. This pose is sent to ArduPilot via MAVROS and the VISION_POSITION_ESTIMATE message. ArduPilot then uses these messages as a non-GPS navigation source.

Note the VINS_Lite_GPU used here is slightly modified from source - adding a odometry message compatible with MAVROS.

It is a "lighter" version of VINS-GPU (https://github.com/pjrambo/VINS-Fusion-gpu) which allows for better realtime performance on a Jetson Nano.

Installation

Follow the instructions at https://www.arducam.com/docs/camera-for-jetson-nano/multiple-cameras-on-the-jetson/how-to-use-stereo-camera-to-perform-location-with-visual-slam/#35-algorithm-related-dependencies-installation, noting the following changes:

Use git clone https://github.com/stephendade/Camarray_HAT.git repo in place of git clone -b ov9281_stereo https://github.com/ArduCAM/Camarray_HAT.git
Use git clone https://github.com/stephendade/Nvidia_Jetson_ROS_SLAM_VINS.git repo in place of git clone https://github.com/ArduCAM/Nvidia_Jetson_ROS_SLAM_VINS.git
Use this repository as your ROS workspace
Install MAVROS via sudo apt install ros-melodic-mavros ros-melodic-mavros-extras
Use systemctl stop nvgetty && systemctl disable nvgetty on the Jetson and reboot to disable the system console on the UART.

Configure

If not using the ArduCAM OV9281 stereo camera, edit jetson.launch to suit your stereo camera setup
Edit jetson.launch to point the to appropriate UART or UDP port for MAVROS.

Ardupilot will need the following parameters:

SCHED_LOOP_RATE  250 
VISO_DELAY_MS    150
VISO_ORIENT      0
VISO_POS_M_NSE   0.100000
VISO_POS_X       0.000000
VISO_POS_Y       0.000000
VISO_POS_Z       0.000000
VISO_SCALE       1.000000
VISO_TYPE        2
VISO_VEL_M_NSE   0.010000
VISO_YAW_M_NSE   0.100000

Running

Use launch.sh to run the ROS instance. If using a remote ROS node (for viewing, debugging, etc) edit the IP addresses in launch.sh as required.