Multi UAV

A ROS package for multiple UAVs Simulation in Gazebo simulator.

Features

• Provide 3D simulation using Gazebo, ROS, MAVROS and PX4 firmware;
• Include a ROS Node to control each UAV use simple MAVROS commands;
• Include a ROS Node to control multiple UAVs in formation;
• The UAV model was set up with a camera;
• It is possible to visualize the UAV camera in RVIZ;

Installation

Following the steps above you are able to perform a simple setup of a Multi UAV simulation.

Install ROS and setup multi_uav package

This tutorial install on Ubuntu 20.04, the ROS Noetic version and current multi_uav package version.

Creating a ROS Workspace folder (don't change the folder name!)

Run on terminal:

mkdir -p ~/drone_simulator_ws/src

Installing ROS and multi_uav Package

Run on terminal:

cd ~/drone_simulator_ws/src
git clone https://github.com/maikbasso/multi_uav.git multi_uav
sh ~/drone_simulator_ws/src/multi_uav/scripts/install/install.sh

In the installation, the script can request your Linux user password and other user inputs.

Running a simulation

Run on terminal:

source ~/drone_simulator_ws/src/multi_uav/scripts/init/init_ws.sh
roslaunch multi_uav multi_uav.launch

Optional parameters:

- worldName: the name of the world in worlds folder;
- modelType: xacro or sdf;
- vehicle: iris, iris_fpv_camera, iris_depth_camera, solo, solo_fpv_camera, solo_depth_camera (only if using sdf model type);
- numberUAVs: the number of drones (0 to N drones). N increases until your PC supports;

Example:

roslaunch multi_uav multi_uav.launch vehicle:=solo modelType:=sdf numberUAVs:=5 worldName:=empty

Node examples

With the simulation running, run in a new terminal:

source ~/drone_simulator_ws/src/multi_uav/scripts/init/init_ws.sh

Then, run a example:

roslaunch multi_uav offboard_local_control.launch
	or
roslaunch multi_uav offboard_global_control.launch

Configuring a Ground Station

• Run on terminal:

sh ~/drone_simulator_ws/src/multi_uav/scripts/run/run_qgroundcontrol.sh

• Click on QGroundControl Icon;
• Click on "Comm Links";
• Click in Add;
• Insert all informations following the image bellow:

• Click on OK;
• A connection link appears on "Comm Links" tab, as in the image below:

• Close and open a ground station again. If a simulation is running the ground station connects automatically in each UAV.

Solving problems

Compiling on Raspberry Pi 3 B+ with Ubuntu 16.04

Firstly, you need to increase the virtual memory:

sudo fallocate -l 1G /swapfile
sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
sudo mkswap /swapfile
sudo swapon /swapfile

Now, install the additional ros packages:

sudo apt install ros-<version>-gazebo-*

Then, compile the project:

cd catkin_ws
catkin_make

If the PX4 build fails On Ubuntu

First remove the following packages:

sudo apt remove libgstreamer1.0-dev gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly -y

Then, install the packages again:

sudo apt install libgstreamer1.0-dev gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly -y