🧊 Asv.Mavlink

Introduction

The asv-mavlink library provides a robust interface for communication with MAVLink compatible vehicles and payloads. This library is designed to facilitate the interaction with drones and other devices using the MAVLink protocol, enabling users to send commands, receive telemetry data, and perform various operations.

Additionally, the library includes a CLI utility Asv.Mavlink.Shell for simulating, testing and code generation.

This library is part of the open-source cross-platform application for drones Asv Drones.

Installation

To install the asv-mavlink library, you can use the following command:

dotnet add package Asv.Mavlink --version <Version>

Documentation

Documentation can be found here

Example: Emulate ADSB reciever

This command starts a virtual ADS-B receiver that sends ADSB_VEHICLE packets at a specified rate for every vehicle defined in the configuration file.

Asv.Mavlink.Shell.exe adsb --cfg=adsb.json

Here's an example of ADSB utility being used with Asv.Drones.

Here's an example of ADSB utility being used with Mission Planner

Example: Packet code generation

Generate C# code for packet serialization\deserialization

Asv.Mavlink.Shell.exe gen -t=[mavlink-xml-file] -i=[mavlink-xml-folder] -o=[output-folder] -e=cs [path-to-liquid-template]/csharp.tpl

   /// <summary>
    ///  HEARTBEAT
    /// </summary>
    public class HeartbeatPayload : IPayload
    {
        public byte GetMaxByteSize() => 9; // Sum of byte sized of all fields (include extended)
        public byte GetMinByteSize() => 9; // of byte sized of fields (exclude extended)
        public int GetByteSize()
        {
            var sum = 0;
            sum+=4; //CustomMode
            sum+= 1; // Type
            sum+= 1; // Autopilot
            sum+= 1; // BaseMode
            sum+= 1; // SystemStatus
            sum+=1; //MavlinkVersion
            return (byte)sum;
        }
        public void Deserialize(ref ReadOnlySpan<byte> buffer)
        {
            CustomMode = BinSerialize.ReadUInt(ref buffer);
            Type = (MavType)BinSerialize.ReadByte(ref buffer);
            Autopilot = (MavAutopilot)BinSerialize.ReadByte(ref buffer);
            BaseMode = (MavModeFlag)BinSerialize.ReadByte(ref buffer);
            SystemStatus = (MavState)BinSerialize.ReadByte(ref buffer);
            MavlinkVersion = (byte)BinSerialize.ReadByte(ref buffer);

        }
        public void Serialize(ref Span<byte> buffer)
        {
            BinSerialize.WriteUInt(ref buffer,CustomMode);
            BinSerialize.WriteByte(ref buffer,(byte)Type);
            BinSerialize.WriteByte(ref buffer,(byte)Autopilot);
            BinSerialize.WriteByte(ref buffer,(byte)BaseMode);
            BinSerialize.WriteByte(ref buffer,(byte)SystemStatus);
            BinSerialize.WriteByte(ref buffer,(byte)MavlinkVersion);
            /* PayloadByteSize = 9 */;
        }
        ...
    }

CLI: Devices info

This command shows info about the mavlink device and all other mavlink devices that are connected to it.

Asv.Mavlink.Shell.exe devices-info -cs "tcp://127.0.0.1:7341"

You may also use some parameters in the command to customise the output

Usage: devices-info [options...] [-h|--help] [--version]

Command that shows info about devices in the mavlink network

Options:
-cs|--connection-string <string>    The address of the connection to the mavlink device (Required)
-i|--iterations <uint?>             States how many iterations should the program work through (Default: null)
-dt|--devices-timeout <uint>        (in seconds) States the lifetime of a mavlink device that shows no Heartbeat (Default: 10)
-r|--refresh-rate <uint>            (in ms) States how fast should the console be refreshed (Default: 3000)

Full possible command with all the parameters

Asv.Mavlink.Shell.exe devices-info -cs "tcp://127.0.0.1:7341" -i 400 -dt 20 -r 1000