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

uaarg / shepard

readme