Exploration-algorithms

How to build, install and run open-source exploration algorithms
The repo provides ready-to-go Docker image
Algorithms are:
- NBVP - Receding Horizon "Next-Best-View" Planner for 3D Exploration
- GBP - Graph-based Path Planning for Autonomous Robotic Exploration in Subterranean Environments
- GBP2 - Autonomous Teamed Exploration of Subterranean Environments using Legged and Aerial Robots
- MBP - Motion Primitives-based Path Planning for Fast and Agile Exploration using Aerial Robots
- AEP - Efficient Autonomous Exploration Planning of Large-Scale 3-D Environments
- UFOExplorer - UFOExplorer: Fast and Scalable Sampling-Based Exploration With a Graph-Based Planning Structure
- FUEL - FUEL: Fast UAV Exploration Using Incremental Frontier Structure and Hierarchical Planning
- DSVP - DSVP: Dual-Stage Viewpoint Planner for Rapid Exploration by Dynamic Expansion
- TARE - TARE: A Hierarchical Framework for Efficiently Exploring Complex 3D Environments
- RHEM - Uncertainty-aware receding horizon exploration and mapping using aerial robots
- GLocal - A Unified Approach for Autonomous Volumetric Exploration of Large Scale Environments Under Severe Odometry Drift
- OIPP - An Efficient Sampling-Based Method for Online Informative Path Planning in Unknown Environments
- PredRecon - PredRecon: A Prediction-boosted Planning Framework for Fast and High-quality Autonomous Aerial Reconstruction

List

1. Volumetric mapping purpose only

Name	Papers	Videos	Code	Main Group
NBVP	2016 ICRA		git	ETHZ-ASL
GBP	2019 IROS, 2020 JFR	youtube, youtube2, youtube3	Same with GBP2	ETHZ-ASL+RSL / NTNU-ARL
GBP2	2022 ICRA	youtube	git	ETHZ-ASL+RSL / NTNU-ARL
MBP	2020 ICRA	youtube, youtube2, youtube3	git	ETHZ-ASL / NTNU-ARL
AEP	2019 RAL	youtube	git	LiU-AIICS / KTH-RPL
UFOExplorer	2022 RAL	youtube	git	KTH-RPL
FUEL	2021 RAL	youtube	git	HKUST Aerial Robotics Group
DSVP	2021 IROS	youtube	git	CMU Robotics Institute
TARE	2021 RSS, 2021 ICRA	youtube	git	CMU Robotics Institute

2. Volumetric mapping + Considering pose estimation

Name	Papers	Videos	Code	Main Group
RHEM	2017 ICRA, 2019 Autonomous Robots	youtube, youtube2	git	NTNU-ARL
GLocal	2021 RAL	youtube	git	ETHZ-ASL

3. Volumetric mapping + inspection/coverage path planning

Name	Papers	Videos	Code	Main Group
OIPP	2020 RAL	youtube	git	ETHZ-ASL
PredRecon	2023 ICRA (arXiv yet)	youtube	git	HKUST Aerial Robotics Group

Option1: How to build and run with the ready-to-go `docker` image

Installation

0. Install docker, get image, and generate container

Unfold to see

If you do not have docker yet, install it

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com/ | sudo sh
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

##### NVIDIA-Docker, GPU
distribution=$(. /etc/os-release;echo $ID$VERSION_ID) \
   && curl -s -L https://nvidia.github.io/nvidia-docker/gpgkey | sudo apt-key add - \
   && curl -s -L https://nvidia.github.io/nvidia-docker/$distribution/nvidia-docker.list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nvidia-docker.list

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y nvidia-docker2
sudo systemctl restart docker

Get the ready-to-go docker image with dockerfile

make dockerfile with the contents:

FROM ghcr.io/engcang/exploration_sota:v1.0

# nvidia-container-runtime
ENV NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES \
    ${NVIDIA_VISIBLE_DEVICES:-all}
ENV NVIDIA_DRIVER_CAPABILITIES \
    ${NVIDIA_DRIVER_CAPABILITIES:+$NVIDIA_DRIVER_CAPABILITIES,}graphics

USER ubuntu
WORKDIR /home/ubuntu
CMD /bin/bash

Then, make the image with docker build -t exploration .

Generate a docker conatiner with run.sh file

make run.sh with the contents:

#!/bin/sh

XSOCK=/tmp/.X11-unix
XAUTH=/tmp/.docker.xauth
touch $XAUTH
xauth nlist $DISPLAY | sed -e 's/^..../ffff/' | xauth -f $XAUTH nmerge -

docker run --runtime=nvidia --privileged --gpus all --rm -it \
           --volume=$XSOCK:$XSOCK:rw \
           --volume=$XAUTH:$XAUTH:rw \
           --volume=$HOME:$HOME \
           --shm-size=4gb \
           --env="XAUTHORITY=${XAUTH}" \
           --env="DISPLAY=${DISPLAY}" \
           --env=TERM=xterm-256color \
           --env=QT_X11_NO_MITSHM=1 \
           --net=host \
           exploration:latest
           bash

Then run container as follows:
```
chmod +x run.sh
./run.sh
```

1. How to run

Unfold to see

In the docker,

cd ~/
ls #see .sh files there

# NBVP
./nbvp.sh

# GBP
./gbp.sh
!!Then, click "Start planner" in Rviz

# MBP
./mbp.sh
!!Then, click "Start planner" in Rviz

# AEP
./aep_gazebo.sh
./aep.sh lidar #with lidar sensor
./aep.sh rgbd #with rgbd sensor
rosservice call /mavros/cmd/arming "value: true"
rosservice call /mavros/set_mode "base_mode: 0 custom_mode: 'OFFBOARD'"

# FUEL
./fuel.sh
!!Start with "2D Nav Goal" in Rviz

# DSVP
./dsvp_tare_sim.sh
./dsvp.sh

# TARE
./dsvp_tare_sim.sh
./tare.sh

# OIPP
./oipp.sh
rosservice call /planner/planner_node/toggle_running "data: true"

Option2: How to build and run on your local computer

Installation

0. Common dependencies

ROS: all
OctoMap: NBVP, GBP, MBP, AEP, DSVP
Voxblox: MBP, GBP, OIPP

1. Install simulator (required)

Unfold to see

Note: When having PX4-SITL and RotorS Simulator at the same time

They both use libmav_msgs.so file with the same name but different source codes.
If you have both simulators, do not forget to change the name of either one temporally.
- PX4-SITL: PX4-Autopilot/build/px4_sitl_default/build_gazebo/libmav_msgs.so
- RotorS: <workspace>/build/rotors_gazebo_plugins/libmav_msgs.so

1-1. Install PX4-SITL - for AEP

Follow here

1-2. Install RotorS Simulator - for NBVP, GBP, MBP, OIPP

Because of the version issuse, I recommend to install as here

Get the code and build

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/ethz-asl/rotors_simulator --recursive
rm -r rotors_simulator/rotors_description
rm -r rotors_simulator/rotors_gazebo

cd ~/catkin_ws
git clone https://github.com/engcang/exploration-algorithms
mv exploration-algorithms/rotors_description src/rotors_simulator/
mv exploration-algorithms/rotors_gazebo src/rotors_simulator/

catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

1-3. Install Autonomous Exploration Development Environment - for DSVP, TARE

Follow here

2. Install algorithms

Note: When having NBVP, GBP, MBP at the same time

They use different versions of volumetric_mapping, rotors_simulator, mav_comm, eigen_catkin, eigen_checks, etc...

2-1. NBVP

Unfold to see

Install dependencies and get the code

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/ethz-asl/nbvplanner.git
cd nbvplanner
git submodule update --init --recursive

rm -r rotors # install it as above Section 1-2.
cd mav_comm && git pull origin master

Change CMakeLists.txt and build the code

cd ~/catkin_ws/src/nbvplanner/nbvplanner
wget -O CMakeLists.txt https://raw.githubusercontent.com/engcang/exploration-algorithms/main/nbvp/nbvplanner/CMakeLists.txt
cd ~/catkin_ws/src/nbvplanner/interface_nbvp_rotors
wget -O CMakeLists.txt https://raw.githubusercontent.com/engcang/exploration-algorithms/main/nbvp/interface_nbvp_rotors/CMakeLists.txt

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

2-2. GBP2

Unfold to see

Install dependencies and get the code

sudo apt install python-catkin-tools \
libgoogle-glog-dev \
ros-melodic-joy \
ros-melodic-twist-mux \
ros-melodic-interactive-marker-twist-server \
ros-melodic-octomap-ros

cd catkin_ws
git clone https://github.com/ntnu-arl/gbplanner_ros.git -b gbplanner2

wstool init
wstool merge ./gbplanner_ros/packages_ssh.rosinstall
wstool update

rm -r src/sim/rotors_simulator #install it as above Section 1-2.

Build

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

2-3. GBP1

Unfold to see

Clone and build the code

cd ~/catkin_ws
git clone https://github.com/ntnu-arl/gbplanner_ws.git
cd gbplanner_ws
git checkout origin/melodic
wstool init
wstool merge packages_https.rosinstall
wstool update

mv gbplanner_ws/src/* ~/catkin_ws/src/
cd ~/catkin_ws
rm -r src/sim/rotors_simulator # install it as above Section 1-2.

Change the path of Eigen in
- gbplanner_ros/gbplanner/include/gbplanner/params.h
- gbplanner_ros/gbplanner/include/gbplanner/gbplanner_rviz.h
- gbplanner_ros/gbplanner/include/gbplanner/geofence_manager.h
- gbplanner_ros/gbplanner/include/gbplanner/graph_manager.h
- gbplanner_ros/gbplanner/include/gbplanner/map_manager.h
- gbplanner_ros/gbplanner/include/gbplanner/rrg.h
```
//#include <eigen3/Eigen/Dense>
#include <Eigen/Dense>
```

Build

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

!Optionally, for use with OctoMap
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DUSE_OCTOMAP=1

2-4. MBP

Unfold to see

Get the code and build

git clone https://github.com/ntnu-arl/mbplanner_ws.git
cd mbplanner_ws
git checkout melodic-devel
wstool init
wstool merge packages_https.rosinstall
wstool update

mv mbplanner_ws/src/* ~/catkin_ws/src/
cd ~/catkin_ws
rm -r src/sim/rotors_simulator # install it as above Section 1-2.

Fix the code error
- exploration/mbplanner/mbplanner_ros/planner_common/src/params.cpp
- Line 847 (in MBParams::loadParams(std::string ns))
```
// Add
return true;
```
Change the path of Eigen in exploration/mbplanner_ros/planner_common/include/planner_common/visualizer.h
```
//#include <eigen3/Eigen/Dense>
#include <Eigen/Dense>
```

Build

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

!Optionally, for use with OctoMap
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DUSE_OCTOMAP=1

Trouble shooting for planner_common
- When opencv path errors from image_proc,
  - Change the directory of opencv in /opt/ros/melodic/share/image_proc/cmake/image_procConfig.cmake

2-5. AEP

Unfold to see

Install dependencies and build the code

sudo apt install ros-melodic-octomap* 
sudo apt-get install libspatialindex-dev
python2 -m pip install rtree

cd ~/catkin_ws/src/
git clone https://github.com/catkin/catkin_simple.git
git clone https://github.com/mseln/aeplanner.git
cd ..
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

## If PCL errors in rpl_exploration,
## change compiler to newer than c++14
## in line 4 for CMakeLists.txt of rpl_exploration

2-6. FUEL

Unfold to see

Install dependencies

sudo apt-get install libarmadillo-dev
sudo apt-get install libdw-dev
git clone https://github.com/stevengj/nlopt.git
cd nlopt
mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install

Get the code and change CMakeLists.txt of bsline_opt

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/HKUST-Aerial-Robotics/FUEL.git
cd FUEL/fuel_planner/bspline_opt
wget -O CMakeLists.txt https://raw.githubusercontent.com/engcang/exploration-algorithms/main/fuel/CMakeLists.txt

Change compiler into c++14 in all CMakeLists.txt files

#set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-std=c++11")
set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-std=c++14")

Fix the code error
- FUEL/fuel_planner/path_searching/src/kinodynamic_astar.cpp
- Line 654 (in int KinodynamicAstar::timeToIndex(double time))
```
// Add
return idx;
```

Build the code

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

2-7. DSVP

Unfold to see

Install dependencies and get the code

sudo apt install ros-melodic-octomap-ros libgoogle-glog-dev libgflags-dev

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/HongbiaoZ/dsv_planner.git
cd dsv_planner
git checkout origin/melodic

Fix CMakeLists.txt in dsv_planner/src/volumetric_mapping/octomap_world

#target_link_libraries(octomap_manager ${PROJECT_NAME} glog)
target_link_libraries(octomap_manager ${PROJECT_NAME} glog gflags)

Fix CMakeLists.txt in dsv_planner/src/dsvplanner/dsvplanner

find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS
  roscpp
  geometry_msgs
  visualization_msgs
  message_generation
  octomap_world
  tf
  kdtree
  std_msgs
  nav_msgs
  misc_utils
  graph_planner #ADDED
  graph_utils
)

Change the path of Eigen in
- dsv_planner/src/dsvplanner/dsvplanner/include/dsvplanner/drrt_base.h
- dsv_planner/src/dsvplanner/dsvplanner/src/drrtp.cpp
- dsv_planner/src/dsvplanner/dsvplanner/src/drrtp_node.cpp
```
//#include <eigen3/Eigen/Dense>
#include <Eigen/Dense>
```

Build the code

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

2-8. TARE

Unfold to see

Get and build the code

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/caochao39/tare_planner.git
cd ..

sudo apt remove libflags* ### as it is using OR-Tools

catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

2-9. OIPP - without Unreal, Gazebo instead (thanks to Dongkyu Lee)

Unfold to see

Get dependencies

sudo apt-get install python-wstool python-catkin-tools
sudo apt-get install ros-melodic-cmake-modules ros-melodic-control-toolbox ros-melodic-joy ros-melodic-octomap-ros ros-melodic-mavlink ros-melodic-geographic-msgs autoconf libyaml-cpp-dev protobuf-compiler libgoogle-glog-dev liblapacke-dev libgeographic-dev

cd ~/catkin_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/ethz-asl/mav_active_3d_planning
wstool init
wstool merge mav_active_3d_planning/mav_active_3d_planning_https.rosinstall
wstool update

rm -r rotors_simulator # install it as above Section 1-2.
rm -r yaml_cpp_catkin # prevent confliction

cd ..
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

Run Demos

1. NBVP

Unfold to see

Important: Put <plugin name="ros_interface_plugin" filename="librotors_gazebo_ros_interface_plugin.so"/> into Gazebo .world file

Run the demo

roslaunch interface_nbvp_rotors flat_exploration.launch

2. GBP2 - it does not work for me yet

Unfold to see

Run the demo

roslaunch gbplanner rmf_sim.launch
or
roslaunch gbplanner smb_sim.launch

3. GBP1

Unfold to see

Check map_config_file, if it is octomap or voxblox

<arg name="map_config_file" default="$(arg octomap_config_file)"/>
<arg name="map_config_file" default="$(arg voxblox_config_file)"/>

Run the demo

roslaunch gbplanner gbplanner_sim.launch
rosservice call /planner_control_interface/std_srvs/automatic_planning "{}"

4. MBP

Unfold to see

Check map_config_file, if it is octomap or voxblox

<arg name="map_config_file" default="$(arg octomap_config_file)"/>
<arg name="map_config_file" default="$(arg voxblox_config_file)"/>

Run the demo

roslaunch mbplanner mbplanner_m100_sim.launch
rosservice call /planner_control_interface/std_srvs/automatic_planning "{}"

5. AEP (no official demo provided, I added environments)

Unfold to see

Get config files and Gazebo models and build

git clone https://github.com/engcang/exploration-algorithms --recursive
mv exploration-algorithms/aep/ouster_gazebo_plugins ~/catkin_ws/src/
mv exploration-algorithms/aep/gazebo_env ~/catkin_ws/src/
mv exploration-algorithms/aep/rpl_exploraiton ~/catkin_ws/src/aeplanner/

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

Set Gazebo paths

cd ~/catkin_ws/src/gazebo_env/gazebo_maps/reconstruction
tar -xf recon3.tar.xz

gedit ~/.bashrc

!Then, edit GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH and GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH!

export GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH=:/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot/build/px4_sitl_default/build_gazebo:$GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH
export GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH=/home/$(whoami)/catkin_ws/src/gazebo_env/drone_models:/home/$(whoami)/catkin_ws/src/gazebo_env/gazebo_maps/reconstruction:/home/$(whoami)/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/models:$GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH

Run the demo

roslaunch rpl_exploration px4_sitl_gazebo.launch
# choose sensor
roslaunch rpl_exploration rpl_exploration.launch sensor:=lidar
roslaunch rpl_exploration rpl_exploration.launch sensor:=rgbd
# arming & offboarding
rosservice call /mavros/cmd/arming "value: true"
rosservice call /mavros/set_mode "base_mode: 0 custom_mode: 'OFFBOARD'"

6. FUEL

Unfold to see

Run the demo

roslaunch exploration_manager rviz.launch
roslaunch exploration_manager exploration.launch

Start with 2D Nav Goal in Rviz

7. DSVP

Unfold to see

Run the demo

roslaunch vehicle_simulator system_garage.launch
roslaunch dsvp_launch explore_garage.launch

8. TARE

Unfold to see

Run the demo

roslaunch vehicle_simulator system_garage.launch
roslaunch tare_planner explore_garage.launch

Trouble shooting

When

symbol lookup error: tare_planner/or-tools/lib/libortools.so: undefined symbol: _ZN6gflags14FlagRegistererC1IiEEPKcS3_S3_PT_S5_

Check if libortools.so is referring the right libraries

If reffering wrong, delete or rename the wrong libraries temporarily

ldd tare_planner/or-tools/lib/ldd libortool.so

! wrong output
libgflags.so.2.2 => sota_ws/devel/lib/libgflags.so.2.2 (0x00007f036830d000)
libglog.so.0 => sota_ws/devel/lib/libglog.so.0 (0x00007f03680dc000)

! after delete/rename wrong files
sudo ldconfig
ldd tare_planner/or-tools/lib/ldd libortool.so        

! correct output
libgflags.so.2.2 => tare_planner/src/tare_planner/or-tools/lib/./libgflags.so.2.2 (0x00007fe6749e0000)
libglog.so.0 => tare_planner/src/tare_planner/or-tools/lib/./libglog.so.0 (0x00007fe6747a3000)

9. OIPP without Unreal, Gazebo instead (thanks to Dongkyu Lee)

Unfold to see

Get modified files for running without Unreal but Gazebo instead

git clone https://github.com/engcang/exploration-algorithms --recursive
cd exploration-algorithms/oipp
mv active_3d_planning_app_reconstruction ~/catkin_ws/src/mav_active_3d_planning/
mv active_3d_planning_core ~/catkin_ws/src/mav_active_3d_planning/

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

Run demo

roslaunch active_3d_planning_app_reconstruction no_unreal_run_experiment.launch
rosservice call /planner/planner_node/toggle_running "data: true"

t-thanh/exploration-algorithms

Exploration-algorithms

List

1. Volumetric mapping purpose only

2. Volumetric mapping + Considering pose estimation

3. Volumetric mapping + inspection/coverage path planning

Option1: How to build and run with the ready-to-go docker image

Installation

0. Install docker, get image, and generate container

1. How to run

Option2: How to build and run on your local computer

Installation

0. Common dependencies

1. Install simulator (required)

Note: When having PX4-SITL and RotorS Simulator at the same time

1-1. Install PX4-SITL - for AEP

1-2. Install RotorS Simulator - for NBVP, GBP, MBP, OIPP

1-3. Install Autonomous Exploration Development Environment - for DSVP, TARE

2. Install algorithms

Note: When having NBVP, GBP, MBP at the same time

2-1. NBVP

2-2. GBP2

2-3. GBP1

2-4. MBP

2-5. AEP

2-6. FUEL

2-7. DSVP

2-8. TARE

2-9. OIPP - without Unreal, Gazebo instead (thanks to Dongkyu Lee)

Run Demos

1. NBVP

2. GBP2 - it does not work for me yet

3. GBP1

4. MBP

5. AEP (no official demo provided, I added environments)

6. FUEL

7. DSVP

8. TARE

9. OIPP without Unreal, Gazebo instead (thanks to Dongkyu Lee)

Option1: How to build and run with the ready-to-go `docker` image