Quadcopter Controller

Deprecated: I'm keeping this up as it contains many good notes and code snippets for Android. Should you want a more complete and maintained platform, see https://github.com/dennisss/tansa

TODO:

• Move networking/xbee code out of 'creator'
• Abstract remote quadcopters as a ros node with a common command interface
• So, say have a Quadcopter class: a RosQuadcopter would be an implementation of that

Overview

• An implementation of many common quadcopter control and modeling things

• An onboard controller with XBee support

• A GUI for controlling quadcopters from an XBee connected computer

• Support for motion capture systems

  • Drivers included for OptiTrack Motive

• Position and attitude control based on

  • Minimum Snap Trajectory Generation and Control for Quadrotors by Daniel Mellinger and Vijay Kumar

Useful Commands

• For creating an access point on a linux machine (requires create_ap)

  • sudo create_ap -n wlp3s0 MyAP helloworld

• Starting up the controller

  • ROS_IP=192.168.12.1 ROS_HOSTNAME=192.168.12.1 ./scripts/keyboard_ctrl.py

• Checkout "Sharing internet connection over Ethernet" under https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NetworkManager

  Scenario: your device has internet connection over wi-fi and you want to share the internet connection to other devices over ethernet. Requirements: Install the dnsmasq package to be able to actually share the connection. You internet connected device and the other devices are connected over a suitable ethernet cable (this usually means a cross over cable or a switch in between). Steps: Run nm-connection-editor from terminal. Add a new ethernet connection. Give it some sensible name. For example "Shared Internet" Go to "IPv4 Settings". For "Method:" select "Shared to other computers". Save Now you should have a new option "Shared Internet" under the Wired connections in NetworkManager.

• See ext/cores/teensy3 for Teensy3 makefile example

• Programming AfroESCs: make program_tgy_afro_nfet.0 via usb pwm programmer

• A good read for multicast implementation

  • http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Multicast-HOWTO-6.html

Builds

Below are descriptions of each of the builds:

• dancer
  • High performance acrobatic quadrotor for perfroming live performances as a dancer
  • Currently uses a Teensy 3 as an onboard controller with I2C
    • Teensy libraries need to be downloaded @ https://github.com/PaulStoffregen/cores
      • On Archlinux this requires the arm-none-eabi-gcc package for compiling
    • ESCs used are the AfroESC 20A slims with I2C wiring
      • Teensy I2C Lib: https://forum.pjrc.com/threads/21680-New-I2C-library-for-Teensy3
    • Firmware for ESCS: https://github.com/balrog-kun/tgy
      • http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1955848
      • http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2032252

Libraries Used

• XBee Support via https://github.com/attie/libxbee3

  • Needs to be compiled with escaping mode enabled

• Arduino/Teensy version @ https://github.com/andrewrapp/xbee-arduino

• I2C Library: https://github.com/jrowberg/i2cdevlib.git

• I2C Teensy Addon: https://github.com/nox771/i2c_t3

• OGRE into QT5

  • http://www.ogre3d.org/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page=Integrating+Ogre+into+QT5

Drivers

• OptiTrack
  • Included is a driver for interfacing with OptiTrack Motive 1.9.0 via the NatNet SDK 2.9.0
  • Unix implementation of the NatNetClient with same interface as the SDK

Android

Included is a fully functional Android implementation of the controller which can turn any smartphone into a quadcopter controller (with some additional USB hardware).

• Disclaimer: this is active research code; safety and functionality are not guranteed. Please observe caution while testing.

• Android Phone powered Quadcopter (with ROS for remote control)

• Compatible with Android 6.0 stock. No root required.

• Connects to motors via a USB cable connected to an Arduino (see arduino/arduino.ino)

• Requires rosjava with android_core to be installed on the computer (you need to change app/build.gradle to point to these packages)

• Uses custom versions of libftdi and libusb (included)

• For compiling, you need to separately compile roscpp_android_ndk and place it in the ext folfer

• TODO: Add video streaming

  • Combine the native mvision code using the capture request to go to many places.
  • One of which should be like https://github.com/fyhertz/libstreaming