Unreal Simulation Setup

Prerequisites

• installed git large file storage (https://git-lfs.github.com)

Install Unreal and Simbotic

Unreal

git clone -b 4.21 git@github.com:EpicGames/UnrealEngine.git
cd UnrealEngine
./Setup.sh
./GenerateProjectFiles.sh
make

(Option 1) Using Simbotic instead of AirSim

git clone --recursive git@github.com:VertexStudio/Simbotic.git

Environment variables:

export SIMBOTIC_UE4=/path/to/UE4_21
export SIMBOTIC_ROOT=/path/to/Simbotic

Generate project files and build:

cd $SIMBOTIC_ROOT
./generate.sh
./build_airsim.sh
./build.sh

Run sim:

./run.sh

Important: After launching Simbotic by calling run.sh you have to press play inside the running Unreal editor.

(Option 2) Using AirSim directly (instructions found here from https://microsoft.github.io/AirSim/docs/build_linux/)

Important: If you are using the most recent gpc-unreal branch (as per the clone above), your "using_airlib.mpb" file will be pointing to $(AIRSIM_ROOT) rather than $(SIMBOTIC_ROOT). If you wish to use Simbotic (in development) please see the above instructions. (AirSim is default in gpc-unreal as of Monday, Feb 4th, 2019, but we are pending a change over to use Simbotic when it is more feature complete)

Clone AirSim and build it: bash

   # go to the folder where you clone GitHub projects
   git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/AirSim.git
   cd AirSim
   ./setup.sh
   ./build.sh

Set your $(AIRSIM_ROOT) to be wherever you installed AirSim.

Once AirSim is set up by following above steps, you can,

1. Go to UnrealEngine folder and start Unreal by running UnrealEngine/Engine/Binaries/Linux/UE4Editor. When Unreal Engine prompts for opening or creating project, select Browse and choose 2. AirSim/Unreal/Environments/Blocks (or your custom Unreal project).
2. If you get prompts to convert project, look for More Options or Convert-In-Place option. If you get prompted to build, chose Yes. If you get prompted to disable AirSim plugin, choose No.
3. After Unreal Editor loads, press Play button. Tip: go to 'Edit->Editor Preferences', in the 'Search' box type 'CPU' and ensure that the 'Use Less CPU when in Background' is unchecked.

MADARA and GAMS

git clone -b gpc-unreal git@github.com:jredmondson/gams.git
export UNREAL_ROOT=/path/to/unreal
export SIMBOTIC_ROOT=/path/to/Simbotic
export SIMBOTIC_UE4=/path/to/unreal

Build

./scripts/linux/base_build.sh madara gams airlib clang

Important: Add the environment variables which are printed by the base_build script to your .bashrc or activation script.

Waypoint Demo

Launch Simbotic and press play inside the Unreal Editor.

$GAMS_ROOT/scripts/simulation/waypoints/waypoints.pl

Configuring Additional Demos

If you are using Option 1 (AirSim directly) you may wish to try other demos out. These are all experimental at the moment and are currently pending bug fixes and on-going development. However, you may:

1. Modify your ~/Documents/AirSim/settings.json file to add more or remove agents. The file looks like this:

{
  "SettingsVersion": 1.2,
  "SimMode": "Multirotor",
  "Vehicles": 
  { 
  "agent.0": 
        {
          "VehicleType": "SimpleFlight",
          "X": 0,
          "Y": 0,
          "Z": -2,
          "Yaw": -180
        }
   }
}