5.1.1) QGroundControl Local Installation

Download and Install QGroundControl

To install a local copy of QGroundControl, please follow the download and install instructions provided by QGroundControl. Once installed execute QGroundControl. During the setup screens please choose the following options:

• Unit system: metric (please)

• Autopilot: ArduPilot

• Frame: Quad

Creating and Editing .plan Files

There is a separate page for creating and editing mission .plan files. Once the plan file file is saved locally (on the Experimenter's local computer), the plan file needs to be copied in the corresponding E-VM container (i.e., in the E-VM corresponding to the portable node associated with the UAV or UGV that will execute the mission). This can be done by using standard ssh tools: scp for Linux and MAC and putty or MobaXterm for Windows).

Monitoring the Progress of Vehicles during the Experiment in Development Mode

In addition to creating and editing mission files, QGroundControl can be used to monitor (and control) the vehicles under the control of the Experimenter during development. Note that the Experimenter does not have this kind of control over the vehicles during the deployment of the experiment in the testbed. 

In order to monitor the progress (and control) the vehicles during the experiment in development mode, the Experimenter needs to forward local TCP port 5670 to the OEO console TCP port 5760 using the ssh session to the OEO console. Only the portable nodes with vehicles that are to be monitored via QGroundControl need to have their port forwarded.

Once the port is forwarded, the Experimenter needs to create a connection from their QGroundControl instance to the local TCP port 5760:

• Open the QGroundControl application menu (purple Q in the upper left corner)

• Click Application Settings  -> Comm Links -> Add

• Fill in the fields as such:

  • Name: Remote Link

  • Type: TCP

  • Server Address: 127.0.0.1

  • Port: 5760

  • Check "Automatically Connect On Start" (to avoid frustration later)

• Click OK, then click on the link to highlight it (it will turn bright yellow), then click "Connect" on the bottom.

Upon success, when the Experimenter returns to the flight screen, a brand new shiny drone will sit quietly on its launching pad, next to the Animal Health Building, waiting for action. Cool, huh?

However, in the event the connection failed, here are a few things to check:

• Is the local TCP port 5760) forwarded to the OEO Console port 5760? 

• Is the vehicle emulator running in the Experiment? Resetting the experiment will restart the vehicle emulation (and place the vehicle on the launching pad)

• Is the OEO Console MAVProxy Running? While on the OEO Console attach to the screen running the MAVProxy process (screen -r mavproxy)  and check the vehicle for any obvious errors. You can stop (screen -r mavproxy -X quit) and restart the mavproxy (/root/startMavproxy.sh) in case the mavproxy process fails.

• If all else fails, please contact the AERPAW forums for support.