Control Team Files for Project Hex 20/21

• Take-off
• Navigation and Cargo Delivery
• Return and Landing
• Option to replete cargo

• Speed Trial
• Ground Marker Identification
• Area Search (Rectangular Area)

• Start using python and dronekit
• Start researching appropriate hardware
• Simple take-off and land
• Simple go to

The organisers will provide details of the routes from the Launch Point to the Drop Zone at the start of the demonstration event; as guidance for the teams, the approximate distances are expected to be: Route A: 4.0 km; Route B: 2.5 km; Route C:1.5 km The distance from the Drop Zone back to the Launch Point is expected to be less than 0.5 km. All distances quoted are the straight-line distances between Waypoints, and do not account for positioning manoeuvres or turn radio.

• Make different multi-colored test images
• Start developing based on test images
• Try different color detection methods and save results
• Try different target detection methods and save results

• 4 Ground Markers each with its own alphanumeric character (possibly color too)
• Must report back to the ground station the GPS co-ordinates, colour of the inner square and the alphanumeric character.

• Corner Detection?
• Edge Detection? (Last year's method)
• Color-filtering?
• Other options?

Install Mission Planner, so you can view your simulation.

Install Python 2.7 from the anaconda website. (Make sure that you note the install path)

Once installed, run the anaconda navigator, go to environments and create a new environment, making sure that Python 2.7 is selected.

After the environment has been created, run the anaconda powershell prompt, and type in the following:

conda activate name-of-the-environment-you-created

Make sure that (base) has now to changed to (name-of-your-environment), then type in:

pip install dronekit
pip install dronekit-sitl
conda install spyder-kernels=0.* 

Now you have installed dronekit on a python2.7 virtual environment!

To start programming run spyder(should have been installed with Anaconda).

Before you can start typing in code, you need to make sure that spyder is using the virtual environment you created.

To do that go to Tools->Preferences->Python interpreter, and select Use the following python interpreter.

Now browse to the location where anaconda is installed then go to envs/name-of-your-env/python.exe, for example:

C:/Projects/Anaconda/envs/Hex/python.exe

Test if it worked by running:

import dronekit, dronekit_sitl

If it executed with no problems then you're ready to start writing dronekit programs!

Make sure you install Mission Planner, so you can view your simulation.

Dronekit documentation

Dronekit-MissionPlanner Introduction videos

Check out the dronekit examples on this repo.

• Setting up an antenna tracker: http://ardupilot.org/antennatracker/index.html
• Forum post: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2942118-Build-a-Reliable-and-Cheap-Antenna-Tracker-this-Weekend-%C2%96-by-zs6buj
• Git: https://github.com/zs6buj/AntTracker

• UAS Challenge Rules and Guidelines: https://www.imeche.org/events/challenges/uas-challenge/team-resources/challenge-document-library
• Github Guide: https://guides.github.com/activities/hello-world/
• Git install guide: https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git
• ArduCopter: http://ardupilot.org/copter/
• Mission Planner: http://ardupilot.org/planner/
• Qgroundcontrol: http://qgroundcontrol.com/
• Data transmission system: https://github.com/rodizio1/EZ-WifiBroadcast
• Alternatively: https://github.com/HD-Fpv/Open.HD/wiki
• PixHawk LEDs: http://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-leds-pixhawk.html

• https://www.pyimagesearch.com/2015/05/04/target-acquired-finding-targets-in-drone-and-quadcopter-video-streams-using-python-and-opencv/

The project has a Visual Studio project ready to use. The only prerequisites are a local install of OpenCV.

Download the OpenCV Binaries for Windows and unpack them somewhere on your system. (e.g. C:\Program Files\opencv)

Set the OPENCV_DIR environment variable to the .\build\x64\vc15 folder inside your OpenCV installation directory. (e.g. C:\Program Files\opencv\build\x64\vc15)

Add the following entry to your PATH environment variable: %OPENCV_DIR%\bin

Environment variables can be set under Control Panel\System and Security\System\Advanced System Settings\Environment Variables....

The Visual Studio project will use the OpenCV install specified by your OPENCV_DIR environment variable.

• OpenCV Install: https://opencv.org/releases/
• Setting up OpenCV with Visual Studio 2017 (Windows): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi3HaBH8RC4
• Setting up OpenCV with Xcode (Mac): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o62iO8SssZk
• OpenCV 4.1.1 Tutorial: https://docs.opencv.org/4.1.1/d9/df8/tutorial_root.html
• opencv c++ image display source code:https://docs.opencv.org/2.4/doc/tutorials/introduction/display_image/display_image.html