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Understanding PX4/ROS Gazebo sim

asked 2019-04-04 14:06:34 -0600

hgridley gravatar image

I'm interested in developing some autonomous drone software for a fun personal project and I thought it would be good to do some simulations using Gazebo. After doing some research it seems like the best option is to use PX4 and Gazebo because it already has the models and lower-level flight control built in. However, I don't really understand what PX4 is and it seems like it is the flight software, which is what I wanted to develop.

I want to essentially use PX4 as the middleware between my flight software and the Gazebo sim (is this what PX4 does?). I was hoping I could develop my software using ROS and then basically publish control messages that PX4 would subscribe to and use to control the sim. Is this possible?

It kinda seems like PX4 is flight software that's already been developed and is just meant to be extended but I'm not looking to control a super complicated drone. I really just need an interface between the sim and my software or something that has low-level drone control already built in.

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answered 2019-10-17 16:40:22 -0600

Orhan gravatar image

updated 2019-10-17 16:49:28 -0600

Yes, and no;

PX4 is a complete flight stack which already has what you want to develop (a flight controller software). AFAIK, there's no only-middleware-type interface that exists, -which would be not practical-. All projects developed that are meant to be an interface that connects a low level flight controller to a high level software, are of course for the specific FCU software that they use.

What you need to do is, deciding on whether to use PX4/Ardupilot/another-flight-controller-software and their already developed simulation interfaces, or writing your own flight controller and your own interface that connects your own flight controller software to a high level program.

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Asked: 2019-04-04 14:06:34 -0600

Seen: 61 times

Last updated: Oct 17