Autonomous Wind Turbine Inspection Framework Enabled by Visual Tracking Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (VT-NMPC)

This repository contains the code and simulation files for the autonomous wind turbine inspection project. For this purpose, a time optimal path planner and a Visual tracking MPC is developed. Link to paper:

Installation instructions:

Install Ubuntu 18.04 and ROS melodic

Create SSH key for computer

Follow the following tutorial Create SSH key

Clone directory in the home folder

cd
git clone https://github.com/abdelhakim96/Wind-Turbine-Inspection

Download the PX4 folder from here: PX4 files download and place it inside the Wind-Turbine-Inspection folder

Clone the WTI_catkin inside the catkin_ws

cd catkin_ws
git clone git@github.com:abdelhakim96/WTI_catkin.git

Switch to the most recent branch using git checkout

Build workspace

cd catkin_ws
cd catkin_make

Download dependecies and setup px4:

sudo apt-get ros-mavros-mav-msgs 
cd Wind-Turbine-Inspection
./install_dependencies_and_setup_px4_modified.sh

note: ignore the errors related to python 2.7

Add alias for arming the drone and setting the mode to offboard.

sudo gedit ~/.bashrc

Add the following lines for

alias arm='rosrun mavros mavsafety arm'
alias disarm='rosrun mavros mavsafety disarm'
alias offboard='rosrun mavros mavsys mode -c OFFBOARD'

Starting the simulation:

cd Wind-Turbine-Inspection/WTI_px4_modified/shell_scripts/
./run_sitl_gazebo_withWrapper_terminator.sh matrice_100

Running the Inspection Planner

launch rqt_reconfigure trajectory

roslaunch dji_m100_trajectory m100_trajectory_v2_indoor.launch 

Activate traj_on

in the terminal arm the dorne and set the mode to offboard on by typing the following commands

arm
offboard

The drone will take off.

Next: launch the VT-MPC.

roslaunch quaternion_point_traj_nmpc quaternion_point_traj_nmpc.launch

Adding wind to the simulation

roslaunch dji_m100_trajectory windgen_recdata.launch

Running the whole inspection frame work:

The optimal sequence of points and surface normals are created in txt file format, which the NMPC uses to generate optimal control actions. The planner is run for a default wind turbine model.

To run the default planner:

• Bring the drone to the initial position (-3, 0, 3)
• Run the point and normal generator node

rosrun dji_m100_trajectory GP_statemachine

• change the mode to GP (Global Planner) and tick point to inspect checkbox

• change the mode to GP (Global Planner) and tick point to inspect checkbox

TODO

• clean the repo from unnecassary folders
• rename and the reorganize the nmpc controller structures
• Recheck the installation instructions and test it
• Add the inspection process launching instructions
• Add images to the simulation launch instructions
• Add description of the framework and simulation environment
• Add description of the different controllers
• Add description of the path planner