Roadmap
- Verify drone instrumentation:
- Install OS - Jetpack 5
- Install ROS and setup workspace
- Setup the VRPN ROS package
- Setup the MAVROS package
- Verify communication between MAVROS and the Pixhawk
- Install the ROS control stack
- Verify communication between the ROS nodes and the Pixhawk
- Setup and test QGroundControl
- Test QGC with the telemetry radio
- Calibrate the flight controller
- Verify drone sanity flight (manual mode, at ISR-Tagus and/or Cybaer-lab):
- Gazebo simulation with the mission algorithm running on the onboard computer
- Indoor power on (no blades)
- Outdoor power on with blades (see if Pixhawk controller gains need to be changed)
- Range test
- Manual flight with data acquisition and ground monitoring
- Dummy weight lifting tests (see if Pixhawk controller gains need to be changed) (no onboard computer installed) - create thrust curve.
- PixHawk autonomous mission mode trials:
- Takeoff, hover, land (see if controller gains need to be changed)
- Typical mission for the controllers to be tested
- Off-board controller(s) running but not controlling vehicle (collected data used afterwards to see response of off-board controllers)
- First off-board waypoint simple controller, no MPC, Guassian and/or GM;
- Online off-board MPC mission for PirePuma algorithms;
- Repeat previous trials with improved missions or algorithms.