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README.md

MAVROS

MAVLink extendable communication node for ROS with proxy for Ground Control Station (e.g. QGroundControl).

ROS API documentation moved to wiki.ros.org.

Features

  • Communication with autopilot via serial port, UDP or TCP (e.g. PX4 Pro or ArduPilot)
  • Internal proxy for Ground Control Station (serial, UDP, TCP)
  • mavlink_ros compatible ROS topics (Mavlink.msg)
  • Plugin system for ROS-MAVLink translation
  • Parameter manipulation tool
  • Waypoint manipulation tool
  • PX4Flow support (by mavros_extras)
  • OFFBOARD mode support.

Limitations

Only for linux. Depends on Boost library >= 1.46 (hydro on 12.04). Catkin build system required (tested with ROS Hydro Medusa, Indigo Igloo and Jade Turtle).

This package are dependent on ros-*-mavlink build from mavlink-gbp-release. Since 2014-06-19 it exists in Hydro and Indigo package index (so you can install via rosdep). Since 2015-02-25 exists for Jade too.

Connection URL

Connection defined by URL, you can use any supported type for FCU and GCS.

Supported schemas:

  • Serial: /path/to/serial/device[:baudrate]
  • Serial: serial:///path/to/serial/device[:baudrate][?ids=sysid,compid]
  • UDP: udp://[bind_host][:port]@[remote_host][:port][/?ids=sysid,compid]
  • TCP client: tcp://[server_host][:port][/?ids=sysid,compid]
  • TCP server: tcp-l://[bind_host][:port][/?ids=sysid,compid]

Note:

  • Ids from URL overrides value given by system_id & component_id parameters.
  • bind_host - default 0.0.0.0 - i.e. IP4 ANY
  • UDP default ports: 14555 @ 14550
  • UDP remote address updated every time with incoming packet on bind port.
  • TCP default port: 5760

Coordinate frames

MAVROS does translate Aerospace NED frames, used in FCUs to ROS ENU frames and vice-versa. For translate airframe related data we simply apply rotation 180° abount ROLL (X) axis. For local we apply 180° about ROLL (X) and 90° about YAW (Z) axes. Plase read documents from issue #473 for additional information.

All the conversions are handled in src/lib/uas_frame_conversions.cpp and src/lib/uas_quaternion_utils.cpp and tested in test/test_frame_conversions.cpp and test/test_quaternion_utils.cpp respectively.

Related issues: #49 (outdated), #216 (outdated), #317 (outdated), #319 (outdated), #321 (outdated), #473. Documents: Frame Conversions, Mavlink coordinate frames.

Programs

mavros_node -- main communication node

Main node. Allow disable GCS proxy by setting empty URL.

Run example (autopilot connected via USB at 921600 baud, GCS running on the host with IP 172.16.254.1):

rosrun mavros mavros_node _fcu_url:=/dev/ttyACM0:921600 _gcs_url:=udp://@172.16.254.1

gcs_bridge -- additional proxy

Allows you to add a channel for GCS. For example if you need to connect one GCS for HIL and the second on the tablet.

Example (SITL & QGroundControl):

rosrun mavros mavros_node _gcs_url:='udp://:[email protected]:14551' &
rosrun mavros gcs_bridge _gcs_url:='udp://@172.16.254.129'

Launch Files

Launch files are provided for use with common FCUs, in particular Pixhawk:

  • px4.launch -- for use with the PX4 Pro flight stack (for VTOL, multicopters and planes)
  • apm.launch -- for use with APM flight stacks (e.g., all versions of ArduPlane, ArduCopter, etc)

Examples:

roslaunch mavros px4.launch 
roslaunch mavros apm.launch fcu_url:=tcp://localhost gcs_url:=udp://@

Installation

Binary installation (debian)

Since v0.5 that programs available in precompiled debian packages for x86 and amd64 (x86_64). Also v0.9+ exists in ARMv7 repo for Ubuntu armhf. Just use apt-get for installation:

sudo apt-get install ros-jade-mavros ros-jade-mavros-extras

Source installation

Use wstool utility for retriving sources and catkin tool for build.

sudo apt-get install python-catkin-tools python-rosinstall-generator

# 1. unneded if you already has workspace
mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin init
wstool init src

# 2. get source (upstream - released)
rosinstall_generator --upstream mavros | tee /tmp/mavros.rosinstall
# alternative: latest source
rosinstall_generator --upstream-development mavros | tee /tmp/mavros.rosinstall

# 3. latest released mavlink package
# you may run from this line to update ros-*-mavlink package
rosinstall_generator mavlink | tee -a /tmp/mavros.rosinstall

# 4. workspace & deps
wstool merge -t src /tmp/mavros.rosinstall
wstool update -t src
rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src --rosdistro jade -y

# 5. finally - build
catkin build

Build error. if you has error with missing mavlink_*_t or MAVLINK_MSG_ID_* then you need fresh mavlink package. You may update from ros-shadow-fixed (binary installation) or redo script from step 3.

Important. The current implementation of mavlink does not allow to select dialect in run-time, so mavros package (and all plugin packages) have compile-time option MAVLINK_DIALECT, default is 'aurdupilotmega'.

If you want change dialect change workspace config:

catkin config --cmake-args -DMAVLINK_DIALECT=common

Contributing

  1. Fork the repo: fork
  2. Clone the repo (git clone https://github.com/mavlink/mavros.git);
  3. Create a remote connection to your repo (git remote add <remote_repo> [email protected]:<YourGitUser>/mavros.git);
  4. Create a feature/dev branch (git checkout -b <feature_branch>);
  5. Add the changes;
  6. Apply the changes by commiting (git commit -m "<message>" or git commit -a and then write message; if adding new files: git add <path/to/file.ext>);
  7. Check code style uncrustify -c ${ROS_WORKSPACE}/mavros/mavros/tools/uncrustify-cpp.cfg --replace --no-backup <path/to/file.ext>;
  8. Fix small code style errors and typos;
  9. Commit with description like "uncrustify" or "code style fix". Please avoid changes in program logic (separate commit are better than mix of style and bug fix);
  10. Run tests:
  • with catkin_make, issue catkin_make tests and then catkin_make run_tests;
  • with catkin tools, issue catkin run_tests;
  1. If everything goes as planned, push the changes (git push -u <remote_repo> <feature_branch>) and issue a pull request.

Glossary

  • GCS — Ground Control Station
  • FCU — Flight Control Unit (aka FC)
  • OBC — OnBoard Computer (your odroid or raspberry)

Links

  • MAVLink -- communication protocol
  • mavlink_ros -- original ROS node (few messages, no proxy)
  • Pixhawk -- Reference hardware platform
  • PX4 -- Reference implementation in the academic community
  • ArduPilot -- tested autopilot APM:Plane (default command set)
  • QGroundControl -- tested ground control station for Android, iOS, Mac OS, Linux and Windows
  • mavros_extras -- extra plugins & node for mavros