Ground control station and optimization code from Tango on Quadrotors project - NTR 50759

For Ubuntu 16.04

1. Install ROS

2. Create a catkin workspace, or use an existing one

mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin init

3. Install voxblox in the workspace (https://github.com/ethz-asl/voxblox/blob/master/README.md#installation)

4. Get TORQ_GCS code In src

git clone https://github.com/genemerewether/torq.git

5. Install Scipy and numpy

sudo apt-get install libblas-dev liblapack-dev libatlas-base-dev gfortran 

Get pip

sudo apt-get install python-pip 

Install numpy and scipy:

sudo pip install numpy scipy

6. Install dependencies Install cvx opt dependencis

sudo apt-get install libsuitesparse-dev 
sudo apt-get install libxml2-dev libxslt1-dev

7. Install traj

cd ~/catkin_ws/src/torq/traj
sudo python setup.py install 
// OR:
sudo python setup.py develop 

8. Build px4 messages and torqgcs from catkin Get into the catkin workspace root (e.g. catkin_ws)

cd ~/catkin_ws
catkin build px4_msgs torq_gcs

Start a ros core

roscore

Source the workspace

cd ~/catkin_ws
source devel/setup.bash
cd src/torq/torq_gcs

Run Rviz with the config

rviz -d config/race_conops.rviz

Start a node

python nodes/unco_no_rviz.py

Images and more details are in this googlc document, but may mention data not available here. The basic steps, without images are included below.

1. Load waypoints

• In the RDP tab, click Load Waypoints
• Select file
  • Choose rand_waypoints_82_001.yaml in (in demo_data) 2.Click Simplify Waypoints
  • This will then initialise the trajectory in the planner - you should see it on the RViz display

3. Manipulate waypoints - Test the capability to change the trajectory with the waypoints

• Move with interactive markers in RVIz -Trajectories should update
• Right click markers and delete
• Right click markers and insert

4. Go into the UNCO Tab
5. Optimise time

• Choose a time penalty
• Click optimise
• Wait up to 10-20 seconds
• Trajectory should change, smooth and traj time should change
• Note this will take longer for trajectories with more waypoints
• You can try different weightings to see the effect

6. Scale total time -Input desired time

• Click Change Total Time
• Observe changes - will go faster, but path will be the same

7. Create take-off and landing
8. Click Setup Take-Off and Land

• Observer result
• Will set start position to the origin as default
• Right click waypoints and change type to entry or exit
• Take-off and landing will move

9. Create Laps

• Input number of laps
• Click Close Loop
• Click Create N Laps

10. Animate

• Click checkbox Animate
• Ensure the tf and mesh is being displayed in RViz

11. Save trajectory

• Click Save Trajectory
• It is recommended to load trajectories with the same planner gui as saved

12. Save waypoints

• Click Save Waypoints
• Will just save the waypoints for the given trajectory

13. Check performance

• Click Load Quad Params
• Find and select quad_params_nightwing.yaml (in demo_data)
• In the right table in UNCO, click (Re-calculate) under Max RPM
• The output will be in the table

14. Change Segment time

• Select segment and time under the Change Seg Time tab in the UNCO tab
• Click Change Seg Time
• This will change the time for that specific segment