MAVSDK Initialization and AirSim settings for using SimpleFlight

[lmr2693]

Hello,

I'm quite green in my coding skills and CS knowledge. Any assistance is appreciated.

Issue: The mavsdk code is not connecting to the AirSim drone. I assume its a combo of AirSim json settings and the MAVSDK initialization code and perhaps the mavsdk_server.

Background: I'm on a drone project tasked with autonomously flying UAVs. I've been tasked with setting up a simulator to test the Team's MAVSDK-python code. We've chosen Unreal Engine with AirSim (on Windows) and successfully installed AirSim and run its example PythonClient code. Note that we are not using a controller, so I assume AirSim is defaulting to its built-in controller "SimpleFlight". Will that be a problem with mavsdk?

Text file with the settings and code pasted below: [Settings_Code.txt]

My startup steps are as follows:

1. For manually setting the mavsdk_server to 50051, I downloaded the mavsdk_server.exe file and saved it to the mavsdk bin folder. I manually ran the file as follows:
   

I exited the command prompt, and then double clicked the actual file. Now the file runs on a different port. Will this be a problem?

2. How should we set the Airsim settings.json file? Is it a problem that we are using AirSim's flight controller and not a PX4? We were hoping to not have to use anything that would require running linux.

Current AirSim settings:
{
"SettingsVersion": 1.2,
"SeeDocsAt": "https://github.com/Microsoft/AirSim/blob/master/docs/settings.md",
"SimMode": "Multirotor",
"LocalHostIp": "127.0.0.1",
"Vehicles": {
"SimpleFlight": {
"VehicleType": "SimpleFlight",
"DefaultVehicleState": "Armed",
"LocalHostIp": "127.0.0.1",
"ApiServerPort": 41451,
"AutoCreate": true,
"PawnPath": "",
"EnableCollisionPassthrogh": false,
"EnableCollisions": true,
"AllowAPIAlways": true,
"EnableTrace": false,
"RC": {
"RemoteControlID": 0,
"AllowAPIWhenDisconnected": false
}
}
}
}

3. To test AirSim, I manually ran mavsdk again (step 1 above), then left the command window open, and ran the MAVSDK code below.
   (Note: I was able to run AirSim with their PythonClient code.)

import mavsdk
import asyncio
from mavsdk import System

async def run():
drone = mavsdk.System(mavsdk_server_address='localhost', port=50051)
print("Using mavsdk server port 50051")

print("Waiting for drone to connect...")
await drone.connect(system_address = "udp://:14540")

async for state in drone.core.connection_state():
    if state.is_connected:
        print(f"Drone discovered!")
        break

print("-- Arming")
await drone.action.arm()
await asyncio.sleep(5)
print("Set init poit to 0 0 0")
await drone.offboard.set_position_ned(PositionNedYaw(0.60, -4.57, 0.0, 180))

print("Local coordinate system set")

print("Start offboard mode")
await drone.offboard.start()

print("Taking off now")
print("--First motion")
await drone.offboard.set_position_ned(PositionNedYaw(0.60, -4.57, -1.5, 180))
await asyncio.sleep(20)

await drone.offboard.set_position_ned(PositionNedYaw(0.60, -4.57, -0.25, 180))
await asyncio.sleep(5)

print("--landing now")
await drone.action.land()

await asyncio.sleep(7)

print("disarming the drone now")
await drone.action.disarm()

if name == "main":
loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
loop.run_until_complete(run())

The outputs are:

[JonasVautherin]

1. You are running an old MAVSDK (0.35, we are at 1.4.x)
2. By default MAVSDK listens on udp://:14540. I see a QgcPort option in AirSim, could you try setting it to 14540? Alternatively you could run mavsdk_server with arg mavsdk_server -p 50051 udp://:14550 to use the same port as QGC.

Assuming that AirSim runs on the same computer as mavsdk_server, once you change the port, mavsdk_server should detect a system.

[lmr2693]

1. Thanks for noticing. I'd downloaded the mavsdk_server_win32.exe file from an older issue post. Didn't notice how old the post was. Everything's running on v.1.4 now.

2. QgcPort did not work. :/

Going to install WSL2, PX4, and QGroundControl. If AirSim still an issue, may just scrap airsim and give gazebo a try.

I'll leave this thread open for a couple days, for if I have a question on PX4.

Thanks!

[JonasVautherin]

Did you manage to get AirSim to work with QGC, by the way? I mean AirSim should be sending to 127.0.0.1:14550 by default, so QGC should pick it up.