How to enable commander and navigator modules in uav toolbox

Hello, I have some question about uav toolbox.

As far as I understand, when I want to upload my custom position&attitude controller in uav I have to upload custom startup script and it kills some modules to prevent collision with my custom controller algorithm which are Commander module and Navigator Module, etc.

There are methods that enable suppressed modul, MAVLINK, but there are no introduced method to re-enable Commander module and Navigator Module.

If I cannot enable commander and navigator module, then does it mean I cannot upload planned mission and select vehicle type when I upload my custom flight algorithm?

Is there any method upload my custom algorithm without any functional loss?

Thank you very much.

Answer 1

[Ankur Bose]

Till R2021a, we provide the custom startup script to disable commander and navigator modules to avoid potential interference of these modules with Simulink designed controller. If you are looking forward to upload missions to vehicle, all the functionalities might not work without commander and navigator.

To enable commander, navigator (and consequently all modules on PX4), you can migrate to using the default startup script rcS with a few modifications from the custom startup script. To enable use of rcS:

1. Modify the rcS script that is available in 'ROMFS/px4fmu_common/init.d' path to add the line at the end 'px4_simulink_app start'. This line starts the Simulink module on Pixhawk.
2. make clean the firmware. Run Hardware setup screens to build PX4 Firmware.
3. Remove the custom startup script from SD card.
4. Upload firmware from hardware support package. You should get all modules from PX4 now.

In R2021b, we have provided an additional workflow to automate this process.

[종원 이]

Thanks a lot for replying.

For summary your answer,

To activate Designed Controller -> custom startup script should be uploaded to prevent collision -> This makes disable commander and navigator modules

And, To activate commander and navigator modules,

default startup script should be uploaded -> able commander and navigator modules.

However, My question is that is there way upload my designed Controller while both commander and navigator modules are alive. I think fix some code will be unavoidable but is there some way not to collide commander and navigator with my custom flight controller?

Or, Does MATLAB planned to do, make it possible to upload user's own flight controller without any loss of basic functions?

Appreciate a lot for replying

[Ankur Bose]

Hi,

Sorry I did not clarify this before and also missed one important modification to rcS. In summary, what you are asking "upload my designed Controller while both commander and navigator modules are alive" is possible and that's what I wanted to give you a solution in my previous answer. So let me clarify again.

You can use rcS to run the controller you designed in Simulink and also have commander, navigator enabled. This can be done as follows:

1. Add 'px4_simulink_app' module in rcS. This app contains the Simulink generated code for your designed controller and hence enabing this app in rcS will run your controller.
2. Disable the default PX4 controller. This I had forgot to mention before. You need to disable default PX4 controllers so that they dont interfere with your controller. You can disable the default controller for your aiframe at rc.fw_apps or rc.mc_apps.
3. make clean the firmware and build the PX4 from hardware setup screens.
4. Remove custom starup script from your Pixhawk so that your modified rcS kicks in.

[Hasan Khanzada]

i also have the same Question and need further clarity on this:

There is one confusion in your reply. If i have choosed option Design Flight Controller Algorithm in Simulink during Hardware setup process and in subsequent steps Select default startup script rCS then:

by default Only Position, Attitude and Rate Controller will be disabled while rest of the modules will remain enables (Including Commander and Navigator) ?

or

Do i need to make additional changes to rcs to keep Commander and Navigator Modules enabled ?

[Ankur Bose]

The commander and navigator modules are never disabled. If you chose "Design Flight Controller Algorithm in Simulink", only the controllers modules are disabled