Multi-drone control

[aosama238]

I used the stack to build 5 x500 quads
then I made a launch file for takeoff
then another one for going to starting point for each drone
but for now I can't make any drone go in a specified trajectory's setpoint
which I put in a csv file
also i want them to start their trajectories at the same time
so my question if this is possible or someone did something like that before

stop_px4_offboard.sh
swarm_reposition_to_start.sh
swarm_start_paths.sh
swarm_takeoff.sh
sync_follower.sh
sync_missions.sh

[JacopoPan]

Hi @aosama238

could you please upload those files to a new repo or a fork of this one and cross-reference them here (it's difficult to comment on attachments)?

Have you tried modifying
https://github.com/JacopoPan/aerial-autonomy-stack/blob/main/aircraft/aircraft_resources/missions/test_mission.yaml

and running it (from each vehicle container) with

ros2 run mission mission --conops /aas/aircraft_resources/missions/test_mission.yaml --ros-args -r __ns:=/Drone$DRONE_ID -p use_sim_time:=true

Also, do you want to use a series of waypoints (as you would do in a mission plan with QGC) or different setpoints in offboard mode?

[aosama238]

I didn't try that
https://github.com/JacopoPan/aerial-autonomy-stack/blob/main/aircraft/aircraft_resources/missions/test_mission.yaml
also I want to use a series of setpoints in offboard mode which makes a trajectory for each vehicle
that setpoints is in .csv files
also I can't get to move all of the swarm at the same moment

[JacopoPan]

To use an offboard trajectory set point (with PX4, with a multirotor) you simply have to feed your desired reference using lines 329-339 (delete lines 331-334)

aerial-autonomy-stack/aircraft/aircraft_ws/src/offboard_control/src/px4_offboard.cpp

Lines 325 to 330 in 35bf969

	} else if (offboard_flag_ == 5) { // Quad trajectory (position) reference
	TrajectorySetpoint trajectory_ref; // https://github.com/PX4/px4_msgs/blob/release/1.16/msg/TrajectorySetpoint.msg
	trajectory_ref.timestamp = current_time_us;
	offboard_mode.position = true;
	trajectory_ref.position = {0.0, 0.0, -50.0};
	trajectory_ref.yaw = -3.14; // [-PI:PI]

(note that PX4Offboard::offboard_loop_callback is tied to a timer running at 50Hz)

All drones run their own container aircraft-container_1, etc. with their own IP on docker network (10.22.90.1, etc.)
To send (e.g. takeoff) commands to each one of them, you have to send it to all of them either via docker exec or ssh (as in a real deployment)

[JacopoPan]

E.g. a 3-drone mission would be:

NUM_QUADS=3 ./sim_run.sh

Once the drones are ready to arm, in a new terminal:

for i in {1..3}; do \
  docker exec -d aircraft-container-inst0_$i bash -c \
    "source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash && \
     source /aas/github_ws/install/setup.bash && source /aas/aircraft_ws/install/setup.bash && \
     ros2 run mission mission --ros-args -r __ns:=/Drone$i -p use_sim_time:=true"; \
done

Alternatively, for just a simple takeoff to altitude:

for i in {1..3}; do \
  docker exec -d aircraft-container-inst0_$i bash -c \
    "source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash && \
     source /aas/github_ws/install/setup.bash && source /aas/aircraft_ws/install/setup.bash && \
     ros2 action send_goal /Drone$i/takeoff_action autopilot_interface_msgs/action/Takeoff '{takeoff_altitude: 10.0}'"; \
done

[JacopoPan]

@aosama238 is this resolved?