# oscillation_ctrl Repo containing oscillation damping controller for tether missions + instructions how to to set up WARNING: Currently repo is only for Ubuntu 18.04 and ROS Melodic, work is being made to be upgrade to Ubuntu 20.04 and ROS Noetic Cesar Rodriguez cesar.rodriguez@spirirobotics.com February 2022 Steps to recreate stable PX4 environment + working repo # Setup ## 1) Installing ROS Melodic ### Setup sources.list sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://packages.ros.org/ros/ubuntu $(lsb_release -sc) main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros-latest.list' ### Setup keys sudo apt install curl # if you haven't already installed curl curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/master/ros.asc | sudo apt-key add - ### Installation sudo apt update sudo apt install ros-melodic-desktop-full ### Environment setup echo "source /opt/ros/melodic/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc ### Dependencies sudo apt install python-rosdep python-rosinstall python-rosinstall-generator python-wstool build-essential Initilize rosdep: sudo apt install python-rosdep sudo rosdep init rosdep update ### PX4 Dependencies sudo apt-get install python-catkin-tools python-rosinstall-generator -y wstool init ~/catkin_ws/src ### MAVLINK rosinstall_generator --rosdistro melodic mavlink | tee /tmp/mavros.rosinstall ### MAVROS rosinstall_generator --upstream mavros | tee -a /tmp/mavros.rosinstall ### Create workspace and deps cd ~/catkin_ws wstool merge -t src /tmp/mavros.rosinstall wstool update -t src -j4 rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -y ### Install geographic datasets cd ~/catkin_ws sudo ./src/mavros/mavros/scripts/install_geographiclib_datasets.sh ### Build source cd ~/catkin_ws catkin build ## 2) PX4 Environment Development Install PX4 firmware and ROS melodic dependencies: git clone https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot.git --recursive git checkout 601c588294973caf105b79a23f7587c6b991bb05 bash ./PX4-Autopilot/Tools/setup/ubuntu.sh Install [PX4 Firmware](https://docs.px4.io/main/en/dev_setup/dev_env_linux_ubuntu.html#rosgazebo). Then: #### Download QGroundControl: cd to desired directory to install QGroundControl. For example, Desktop cd ~/ wget https://github.com/mavlink/qgroundcontrol/releases/download/v4.2.0/QGroundControl.AppImage chmod +x QGroundControl.AppImage #### Build Gazebo Sim cd ~/PX4-Autopilot make px4_sitl gazebo ## 3) Set up oscillation_ctrl ### Install xterm sudo apt-get update -y sudo apt-get install -y xterm ### Clone oscillation_ctrl cd ~/catkin_ws/src git clone https://git.spirirobotics.com/cesar.alejandro/oscillation_ctrl.git To get the specific version of mavros_msgs for oscillation_ctrl: cp -R ~/catkin_ws/src/oscillation_ctrl/px4_setup/rosinstall.txt /tmp/mavros.rosinstall wstool merge -t src /tmp/mavros.rosinstall wstool update -t src -j4 rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -y catkin build #### Now, we finish building the PX4 package cd ~/PX4-Autopilot DONT_RUN=1 make px4_sitl_default gazebo source Tools/setup_gazebo.bash $(pwd) $(pwd)/build/px4_sitl_default export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:$(pwd) export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:$(pwd)/Tools/sitl_gazebo roslaunch px4 posix_sitl.launch If this works, we can move on. ### Add files to _tools/sitl_gazebo_ copy (or add) files in _oscillation_ctrl/models_ and _oscillation_ctrl/worlds_ to _PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/models_ and _PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/worlds_ respectively cp -R ~/catkin_ws/src/oscillation_ctrl/models/* ~/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/models cp -R ~/catkin_ws/src/oscillation_ctrl/worlds/* ~/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/worlds ### Add files to _ROMFS/px4mu_common copy (or add) files in _oscillation_ctrl/airframes_ to _PX4-Autopilot/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes_ cp -R ~/catkin_ws/src/oscillation_ctrl/airframes/18.04/* ~/PX4-Autopilot/ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d-posix/airframes add model names to _CmakeLists.txt_ in same 'airframe' folder (with number... 4000_spiri and 4001_spiri_with_tether) add airframe name in _~/PX4-Autopilot/platforms/posix/cmake/sitl_target.cmake_ (no number!) ### Add necessary launch files this should not be a necessary step and will be changed in the future copy (or add) files from px4_launch directory to '~/PX4-Autopilot/launch' cp -R ~/catkin_ws/src/oscillation_ctrl/px4_launch/* ~/PX4-Autopilot/launch #### Change devel/setup.bash In catkin_ws (or any working directory) add to devel/setup.bash: CURRENT_DIR=$(pwd) cd ~/PX4-Autopilot source Tools/setup_gazebo.bash $(pwd) $(pwd)/build/px4_sitl_default export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:$(pwd) export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=$ROS_PACKAGE_PATH:$(pwd)/Tools/sitl_gazebo cd $CURRENT_DIR Finally, source your setup.bash file cd ~/catkin_ws source devel/setup.bash ## Jinja tether file - _spiri_with_tether.sdf.jinja_ can be altered to create desired tether model - changes need to be made in px4 directory and will only take effect after running: "make px4_sitl gazebo" - can do "DONT_RUN=1 make px4_sitl gazebo" to avoid starting px4 shell and gazebo - First two elements can be changed to tweak tether parameters - number_elements: number of segments tether will be composed of - tl: segment length (should be no shorter than 0.3 meters) - __IMPORTANT:__ in order for jinja file to work, the following needs to be added to the _CMakeLists.txt_ in the _~/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo_ folder. This creates a custom command to build the tether file whenever a change is done to it. COMMAND ${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/jinja_gen.py models/spiri_with_tether/spiri_with_tether.sdf} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/scripts/jinja_gen.py models/spiri_with_tether/spiri_with_tether.sdf VERBATIM _oscillation_ctrl/px4_setup/CMakeLists.txt has these changes therefore all that is needed is: cp -R ~/catkin_ws/src/oscillation_ctrl/px4_setup/CMakeLists.txt ~/PX4-Autopilot/Tools/sitl_gazebo/ # oscillation_ctrl info Info pertaining to oscillation_ctrl repo such as what the ROS nodes do, different ROS parameters, etc. ## ROS Nodes ### LinkState.py determines payload load angles and their rates (theta and phi) using Gazebo (needs to be made more robust), as well as determines tether length and keeps track of variables needed in case of a step or square test. __Publishes to__: /status/twoBody_status # no longer used but keeps track of payload and vehicle position /status/load_angles # payload angles (and states) relative to vehicle /status/path_follow # boolean to run trajectory test __Subscribes to__: none ### wpoint_tracker.py Sets original waypoints to be (in meters): [x=0,y=0,z=5]. This node listens to topic to keep track of desired waypoints. If any other node wants to change the waypoints, they publish to "reference/waypoints" and wpoint_tracker creates these new waypoints. __Publishes to__: none __Subscribes to__: /reference/waypoints ### ref_signalGen.py takes in desired position (xd) and determines smooth path trajectory. __Publishes to__: /reference/path # smooth path __Subscribes to__: /status/load_angles /mavros/local_position/pose /mavros/local_position/velocity_body /mavros/imu/data /mavros/state /reference/waypoints ### klausen_control.py determines forces on drone needed based on smooth path and feedback to dampen oscillations. From the forces needed, it publishes attitude commands. __Publishes to__: /command/att_target # attitude commands __Subscribes to__: /status/load_angles /reference/path /mavros/local_position/pose /mavros/local_position/velocity_body /mavros/imu/data ### path_follow.cpp sets the vehicle in OFFBOARD mode (PX4) and takes off to a set height for 25 seconds before starting to publish attitude and thrust commands. __Publishes to__: mavros/setpoint_position/local # needed to hover @ set height mavros/setpoint_raw/attitude # attitude and thrust commands __Subscribes to__: /command/att_target /command/bodyrate_command /mavros/state ## Launching simulation To launch a simulation, run the following command: roslaunch oscillation_ctrl oscillation_damp.launch This simulation is set to have a Spiri Mu hover at an alitude of 5 m. The launch file itself has two usable arguments: __model:__ spiri_with_tether # Spiri Mu with a tethered payload spiri # Spiri Mu without tethered paylaod headless_spiri_with_tether # headless mode: launches with no Gazebo GUI. This is the default model __test:__ none # default step # step input - default is 5 m square # square trajectory To run the simulation with a tethered payload headless mode and perform a step test: roslaunch oscillation_ctrl oscillation_damp.launch model:=headless_spiri_with_tether test:=step Whenever the oscillation_ctrl is used, the scripts are written such that the vehicle will hover for about 30 seconds in "Position Mode". This is used to take advantage of the takeoff procedure PX4 has, as this controller assumes the vehicle is already in flight when determining the necessary thrust. ## ROS parameters #### All these values will be under the '/status/' namespace during simulation __use_ctrl:__ needs to be set to false to take off. Once Spiri has reached desired altitude, it get be set to 'true' to use oscillation damping controller. This is needed as PX4 has a takeoff procedure which is neglected when using the oscillation damping controller due to attitude setpoints needed a thrust value __pload_mass:__ sets the payload mass in simulation without having to change the spiri_with_tether jinja file (which needs px4 package to be rebuilt in order to make changes) ## Frequent Issues Will populate this section with frequently faces issues