itm_uav_ros_baby_pkg

A baby package for beginners to build his own UAV package.

Some required packages

• PX4-Autopilot official package for PX4 firmware for Pixhawk flight controller.
• Customized software-in-the-loop model from ITM sitl_gazebo. Please only copy the files that are required by your simulation.
• Some special customized message definitions (including msg/srv/action) from itm_ros_comm.
• ACADOS should be installed following the instructions from official website ACADOS.

Environment setup

create a script file in the work space, such as ros.sh with following codes

conda activate xxx # if you have some special conda environment
# note that, if you use another shell, please change zsh to your shell type accordingly
SETUP_FILE=devel/setup.zsh

if [ -f "$SETUP_FILE" ]; then
  source devel/setup.zsh
else
  source /opt/ros/melodic/setup.zsh
fi

# setup Gazebo env and update package path
BUILD_DIR={where you store PX4-Autopilot}/build/px4_sitl_default
SRC_DIR={where you store PX4-Autopilot}
export GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH=$GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH:${BUILD_DIR}/build_gazebo
export GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH=$GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH:${SRC_DIR}/Tools/sitl_gazebo/models
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:${BUILD_DIR}/build_gazebo

To implement

This package provides a simple implementation of MPC-based controller in ROS for a UAV working with PX4.

Note that, one should implement the trajectory reference node, which indicates the desired trajectory for MPC controller.

Process

1. At Terminal 1, go to the folder where you store PX4-Autopilot, then execute

   no_sim=1 make px4_sitl_default gazebo

2. Then in the second Terminal, source the environment, see above introduction, and launch the px4_sitl.launch file to call the simulation platform.

3. At the third and fourth Terminal, one can launch his trajectory generator and MPC controller, respectively.