How to install and integrate Ardupilot with ROS2 and gazebo garden? - In just 15 steps

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How to setup Ardupilot for ROS2

This tutorial gives step by step guid to install and integrate ardupilot with the new ROS2 and gazebo garden

1) ROS2 Installation :

 - ROS2 in Windows 11
 - ROS2 in Ubuntu 22.04
 - ROS2 in Ubuntu 20

2) Setup bashrc


$ gedit ~/.bashrc source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
$ source ~/.bashrc

3)Create Workspace for ros2 - ROS2 Workspace tutorial

$ sudo apt update 

$ sudo apt install python3-colcon-common-extensions 

$ colcon build

4)Modify bashrc

$ gedit ~/.bashrc export 

ROS_DOMAIN_ID=22 

export ROS_LOCALHOST_ONLY=1 

$ source ~/.bashrc

5)Install build dependencies

$ sudo apt install default-jre

$ cd

$ git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/ardupilot/Micro-XRCE-DDS-Gen.git
$ cd Micro-XRCE-DDS-Gen
$ ./gradlew assemble

6)Update bashrc

$ gedit ~/.bashrc
 export PATH=$PATH:~/Micro-XRCE-DDS-Gen/scripts
$ source ~/.bashrc
 
$ microxrceddsgen -version 

7)Setup Ardupilot build environment

$ cd

$ sudo apt-get update 

$ sudo apt-get install git 

$ sudo apt-get install gitk git-gui 

$ sudo apt-get install gcc-arm-none-eabi

$ git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/your-github-userid/ardupilot
$ cd ardupilot
$ git status
$ ./waf distclean
$ ./waf distclean
$ ./waf configure --board MatekF405-Wing
$ ./waf plane 

8)ROS2 - Ardupilot setup

$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install python3-vcstool 
$ vcs import --recursive --input  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot/master/Tools/ros2/ros2.repos src

$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ sudo apt update
$ rosdep update
$ source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
$ rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src
 # Ignore the rosdep warnings at the end if any

 9) Build package 

$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ colcon build --packages-up-to ardupilot_dds_tests 
$ colcon build --packages-up-to ardupilot_dds_tests --event-handlers=console_cohesion+
$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ source ./install/setup.bash
$ colcon test --packages-select ardupilot_dds_tests

 

10)SITL installation

$ cd ~/ardupilot
$ git pull
$ Tools/environment_install/install-prereqs-ubuntu.sh -y
$ ./waf clean
$ ./waf configure --board sitl
$ ./waf copter -v
 
$ cd ~/ardupilot/Tools/autotest

$ sudo pip3 install MAVProxy
$ mavproxy.py --version
 

11) Update bashrc

$ gedit ~/.bashrc
$ export PATH=$PATH:/path/to/mavproxy
$ source ~/.bashrc
 

12)First test

$ ./sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter -w

$ ./sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter --console --map

$ ./sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter -L KSFO --console --map 
STL tutorial:
https://ardupilot.org/dev/docs/using-sitl-for-ardupilot-testing.html#using-sitl-for-ardupilot-testing 

$ ./sim_vehicle.py -v ArduPlane -f quadplane --console --map --osd 

$ ./sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter -f quadcopter --console --map --osd 

 

13)Gazebo garden

$ gedit ~/.bashrc 

export GZ_VERSION=garden 

$ source ~/.bashrc 

$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ vcs import --input https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ArduPilot/ardupilot_gz/main/ros2_gz.repos --recursive src

 

$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
$ sudo apt update
$ rosdep update
$ rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -r

 14)Build ws

$ cd ~/ros2_ws
$ colcon build --packages-up-to ardupilot_gz_bringup 

 

15)Run simulation 

$ source install/setup.bash
$ ros2 launch ardupilot_gz_bringup iris_runway.launch.py

Examples available

  • Iris Runway (Copter)

ros2 launch ardupilot_gz_bringup iris_runway.launch.py

  • Iris Maze (Copter)

ros2 launch ardupilot_gz_bringup iris_maze.launch.py

  • WildThumper (Rover)

ros2 launch ardupilot_gz_bringup wildthumper.launch.py