UAARG Onboard Script

This repository holds the scripts for:

• Recording and logging images, positional information and messages
• Making pathing decisions based on current data and mission objectives
• Making inferences on images for object identification and location
• Communications between PixHawk controller board

How do I get set up?

This script is designed to run on a system with a USB or UART connection to a PixHawk Board, and a camera system. Some functions may not work if the above requirements are not met, but our systems should be designed in a robust way to allow most functions to still work.

For X86 or arm64 Systems (ie Desktop + Laptop Computers + RPi)

• Install Python3
• Optional Step: It's highly recommended, you create a virtual env before installing dependencies. Activate the virtual environment and proceed. OS specific steps are available in the docs [https://packaging.python.org/guides/installing-using-pip-and-virtual-environments/]
• Initialize all submodules git submodule update --init --recursive
• Install the required dependancies via pip install -r requirements.txt
• You should now be able to run testing python scripts and launch the application

For armv7l Systems (ie ODroid XU4)

• Install Python3
• Initialize all submodules git submodule update --init --recursive
• Install via apt sudo apt install opencv-python
• Download and install the pip wheels for torch and torchvision on armv7l
• Install the required dependancies via pip install -r requirements.txt
• You should now be able to run testing python scripts and launch the application

How to setup for auto-running on a rpi

To setup a systemd service so that shepard will automatically start and restart.

uaarg@raspberrypi:~/shepard $ sudo ln shepard.service /etc/systemd/system
uaarg@raspberrypi:~/shepard $ sudo systemctl enable shepard.service 
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/shepard.service → /etc/systemd/system/shepard.service.
uaarg@raspberrypi:~/shepard $ sudo systemctl start shepard.service

Then you can confirm that everything is working by running:

uaarg@raspberrypi:~/shepard $ sudo systemctl status shepard.service 
● shepard.service - Shepard
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/shepard.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Mon 2023-04-03 18:40:55 MDT; 8min ago
   Main PID: 2210 (python)
      Tasks: 9 (limit: 3933)
        CPU: 15min 59.449s
     CGroup: /system.slice/shepard.service
             ├─2210 python /home/uaarg/shepard/main.py
             ├─2220 python /home/uaarg/shepard/main.py
             ├─2221 python /home/uaarg/shepard/main.py
             └─2222 python /home/uaarg/shepard/main.py

How to Solve Permission Errors on Linux

• If you have permission errors accessing ports, you may need to add your user to the 'tty' and 'dialout' groups
• sudo usermod -a -G tty {your username}
• sudo usermod -a -G dialout {your username}
• You will then need to logout and login completely to update your permissions

Contribution guidelines

• Write tests so that functionality can be easily reviewed at a later date
• Create a new branch if working on implementing a new feature that will need review or multiple commits
• Add new required packages to requirements.txt

We have several tools setup, please use them. These are:

• ./scripts/lint.sh Run a linter over all python files
• ./scripts/fmt.sh Run a formatter over all python files

Also, keep in mind that the tests and linter is run on every commit and/or PR in our CI.

Who do I talk to?

• UAARG Imaging Leads, Autopilot Leads, and VP Technical should be able to help you with any questions