MAVROS-Gazebo simulation(SITL) build and application + mavros setup (also applicable for real drones)

Need Ubuntu with ROS installed
Simple Joystick Controller code implemented

Result Clips - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Index

1. Installation - here

2. Joystick controller code - here

3. Fly without GPS - here

4. Change IMU rate for real drones / SITL - here / here

5. Making new PX4 model(airframe) for SITL - here

6. Making new Gazebo world and Gazebo model - here

7. Use mobile robots(Kobuki, Jackal) for Gazebo - here

Installation

Mavros and requirements

    $ sudo apt-get install ros-<distro>-mavros ros-<distro>-mavros-extras
    $ wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mavlink/mavros/master/mavros/scripts/install_geographiclib_datasets.sh
    $ chmod +x install_geographiclib_datasets.sh
    $ sudo ./install_geographiclib_datasets.sh
    
    $ cd ~/ && git clone https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot.git
    $ cd PX4-Autopilot
    $ git reset --hard 6823cbc
    $ git submodule update --init --recursive
    
    $ source PX4-Autopilot/Tools/setup/ubuntu.sh --no-sim-tools --no-nuttx

To run, set up the path and environments

    $ cd ~/PX4-Autopilot
    
    # important!!
    $ sudo apt install libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-dev ros-<distro>-gazebo-plugins
    
    $ export LANG=C.UTF-8
    $ export LC_ALL=C.UTF-8
    $ DONT_RUN=1 make px4_sitl_default gazebo

    # when undefined iginition error (gazebo: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgazebo_common.so.9: undefined symbol: ZN8ignition10fuel_tools12ClientConfi..........
    # $ sudo apt upgrade libignition-math4
    
    $ source Tools/setup_gazebo.bash $(pwd) $(pwd)/build/px4_sitl_default
    $ export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:$(pwd)
    $ export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:$(pwd)/Tools/sitl_gazebo
    $ roslaunch px4 mavros_posix_sitl.launch

To remember setup,

$ echo "export GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH=$GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH:/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/models" >> ~/.bashrc
$ echo "export GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH=/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot/build/px4_sitl_default/build_gazebo" >> ~/.bashrc
$ echo "export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot/build/px4_sitl_default/build_gazebo" >> ~/.bashrc
$ echo "export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot:/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo" >> ~/.bashrc
$ . ~/.bashrc

Note: failsafe, manual control lost

Install and run QGroundControl while running PX4-SITL
Vehicle parameter setup -> set COM_RCL_EXCEPT as 4 (only once)

Setting faster simulator

Referred this viedeo

    $ export PX4_SIM_SPEED_FACTOR=<how many times faster you want>

Execution

To run Gazebo with default setup, with ROS

    $ roslaunch px4 mavros_posix_sitl.launch

To control with simple square path,

    $ git clone <this repository>
    $ python <clone directory>/python_offb.py

Mission / Joystick Controller - supports Kobuki and Jackal

To use the other model with sensors => edit "models" param in mavros_posix.sitl.launch file
use Joystick to manually control -> it supports mode 1,2 and Position/Rate control
- Velocity/Attitude control are not supported anymore due to their error.

    $ git clone <this repository>
    $ python <clone directory>/scripts/mavors_joy_controller.py

From here, configs can be used to real drone

Fly without GPS - result clip here

Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) · PX4 User Guide - here

T265 Camera for PX4

Guide here
tf is needed when attached with different direction
- edit launch file

    <node pkg="tf" type="static_transform_publisher" name="tf_baseLink_cameraPose" args="0 0 0 0 1.5708 0 t265_pose_frame test 1000"/>
    <!-- when T265 is attached upward -->

VINS-Fusion for PX4 with Masking here

check here
Publish vision data e.g. VIO as geometry_msgs/PoseStamped type message into topic /mavros/vision_pose/pose
Change EKF2_AID_MASK parameter at QGroundControl
- Uncheck use GPS
- Check vision position fusion and vision yaw fusion, consider vision velocity fusion too.
Change EKF2_HGT_MODE parameter at QGC
- Set to Vision or Range (1D LiDAR, Altitude laser sensor)
Change EKF2_EV_POS_X, EKF2_EV_POS_Y, EKF2_EV_POS_Z at QGC
- tf body_T_cam

If using 1D LiDAR altitude sensor, Check
- EKF2_HGT_MODE, EKF2_RNG_AID, and SENS_TFMINI_CFG
- Also check EKF2_RNG_A_HMAX and EKF2_RNG_NOISE

Add user to dialout group

To use /dev/ttyACM as root admission

  # check the groups current user is engaged in
  $ id -Gn
  # add to dialout group
  $ sudo adduser $USER dialout

Change IMU rate for actual Drones

/fs/microsd/etc/extras.txt file from QGC's nutshell
Or place etc/extras.txt file in the SD card of Pixhawk as below or as this file
add HIGHRES_IMU for imu/data_raw and ATTITUDE for imu/data

  #!nsh
  mavlink start -b 921600 -d /dev/ttyACM0 -m onboard
  mavlink stream -d /dev/ttyACM0 -s PARAM_VALUE -r 200
  usleep 100000
  mavlink stream -d /dev/ttyACM0 -s ATTITUDE -r 100
  usleep 100000
  mavlink stream -d /dev/ttyACM0 -s HIGHRES_IMU -r 100
  usleep 100000
  mavlink stream -d /dev/ttyACM0 -s ATTITUDE_TARGET -r 100
  usleep 100000
  mavlink stream -d /dev/ttyACM0 -s ATTITUDE_QUATERNION -r 100
  usleep 100000
  mavlink stream -d /dev/ttyACM0 -s LOCAL_POSITION_NED -r 50
  usleep 100000

edit mavros/px4.launch file to same baudrate

  <arg name="fcu_url" default="/dev/ttyACM0:921600" />

Change IMU rate for SITL

for ROS Topics

Edit the rates in Firmware/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/rcS as here
and then rebuild the Firmware with $ DONT_RUN=1 make px4_sitl_default gazebo
or simply edit the rates in Firmware/build/px4_sitl_default/etc/init.d-posix/rcS as here

# API/Offboard link
mavlink start -x -u $udp_offboard_port_local -r 4000000 -m onboard -o $udp_offboard_port_remote
mavlink stream -r 100 -s LOCAL_POSITION_NED -u $udp_offboard_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s HIGHRES_IMU -u $udp_offboard_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s ATTITUDE -u $udp_offboard_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s ATTITUDE_QUATERNION -u $udp_offboard_port_local

for QGC Mavlink Inspector

Edit the same Firmware/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/rcS as here
and then rebuild the Firmware with $ DONT_RUN=1 make px4_sitl_default gazebo
or simply edit the rates in Firmware/build/px4_sitl_default/etc/init.d-posix/rcS as here

# GCS link
#################### -> This block is for Mavlink in QGC
mavlink start -x -u $udp_gcs_port_local -r 4000000
mavlink stream -r 50 -s POSITION_TARGET_LOCAL_NED -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s LOCAL_POSITION_NED -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 50 -s GLOBAL_POSITION_INT -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s HIGHRES_IMU -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s ATTITUDE -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s ATTITUDE_QUATERNION -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 100 -s ATTITUDE_TARGET -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 50 -s SERVO_OUTPUT_RAW_0 -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 20 -s RC_CHANNELS -u $udp_gcs_port_local
mavlink stream -r 10 -s OPTICAL_FLOW_RAD -u $udp_gcs_port_local

Or type below as here

  $ mavlink stream -u 14557 -s ATTITUDE -r 200
  $ mavlink stream -u 14557 -s HIGHRES_IMU -r 200
  $ mavlink stream -u 14557 -s LOCAL_POSITION_NED -r 200

engcang/mavros-gazebo-application

MAVROS-Gazebo simulation(SITL) build and application + mavros setup (also applicable for real drones)

Result Clips - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Index

1. Installation - here

2. Joystick controller code - here

3. Fly without GPS - here

4. Change IMU rate for real drones / SITL - here / here

5. Making new PX4 model(airframe) for SITL - here

6. Making new Gazebo world and Gazebo model - here

7. Use mobile robots(Kobuki, Jackal) for Gazebo - here

Installation

Note: failsafe, manual control lost

Setting faster simulator

Execution

Mission / Joystick Controller - supports Kobuki and Jackal

From here, configs can be used to real drone

Fly without GPS - result clip here

Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO) · PX4 User Guide - here

T265 Camera for PX4

VINS-Fusion for PX4 with Masking here

Add user to dialout group

Change IMU rate for actual Drones

Change IMU rate for SITL