DroneEngage Installation
Preparing Raspberry
If you want to install Telemetry without Video then you can use RPI-Zero W. If you want to install Telemetry and Video streaming then you can use RPI-Zero W2 or and for multiple camera support please use RPI-4.
The following steps assume that you know how to install a raspberry-pi and have a raspberry-pi board up and running and accessible using SSH.
Important
System is tested on Raspberry Pi OS Lite (Legacy)
Download Binaries
Binaries are available at Binaries Download and are ordered by date. There is a version for each application. i.e. de_comm may have a different version than de_mavlink as each one has its own fixed and updates.
$ ssh pi@raspberrypi.local
$ wget https://cloud.ardupilot.org/downloads/RPI/01__29Aug2022/Drone_Engage_29Aug_2022.zip
$ wget https://cloud.ardupilot.org/downloads/RPI/01__29Aug2022/Drone_Camera_29Aug_2022.zip
Please check https://cloud.ardupilot.org/downloads/RPI to download latest version.*
Now you can see two scripts:
install_droneengage.sh for telemetry.
install_droneengage_camera.sh for camera
make sure that these scripts are executable by running
chmod a+x ./install_droneengage.sh
chmod a+x ./install_droneengage_camera.sh
now execute scripts
./install_droneengage.sh
./install_droneengage_camera.sh
after they finish you will a folder called drone_engage
/home/pi/drone_engage/de_comm Communicator Module.
/home/pi/drone_engage/de_mavlink Mavlink Module that communicates with FCB.
/home/pi/drone_engage/de_camera Camera Module that streams video and records video and images.
each folder contains config.module.json that you need to edit.
DE_COMM Configuration File
de_comm config.module.json Configuration File
You mainly need to enter two fields:
“userName” :”team@ardupilot.org”, “accessCode” :”1234”,
use your own account and access code from registration.
DE_MAVLINK Configuration File
you can enable wifi connection or serial connection form the settings:
"fcb_connection_uri":
{
"type": "udp",
"ip": "0.0.0.0",
"port":14445
},
// Using serial interface
//"fcb_connection_uri":
// {
// "type": "serial",
// "port": "/home/mhefny/ttyUSB23",
// "baudrate": 115200
// },
The wifi can be used also to connect to SITL on your laptop by running that sends UDP to 14445 on your RaspberryPI IP.
$ python3 ardupilot/Tools/autotest/sim_vehicle.py -j4 -v ArduCopter -M --map --console --instance 50 --out=udpout:RPI-IP:14445
or
//"fcb_connection_uri":
//{ "type": "udp",
// "ip": "0.0.0.0",
// "port":14445
//},
// Using serial interface
"fcb_connection_uri":
{
"type": "serial",
"port": "/home/mhefny/ttyAMA0",
"baudrate": 115200
},
Important
Only one connection should be active and the other should be commented by “//” or remove it form the file.
DE_CAMERA Configuration File
you mainly need to define cameras. bedefault there is a camera defined on /dev/video0 and given name “AI1”
"one_session_per_camera" : true,
"camera_list": [
{
"name": "AI1", "device_num": 0
"name": "AnotherCAM", "device_num": 1 // you can add additional cameras
} // name should be unique across all cameras.
],
Other parameters exists but they are not mandatory to change and you can just leave them as a start.
The following video describes installation procedures. It may differ from version to another, but the video includes the main steps.