Docker files needed to build images for px4_sitl simulation in ROS2 and Gazebo

The ./work directory setup

run ./get_src.sh to clone each repo and add model to px4 gz world

Additional backup trial maze world is located in the /work/models/maze_sample directory

work/
┣ px4/
┣ ros2_ws/
┃ ┗ src/
┃   ┣ px4_msgs/
┃   ┣ px4-offboard/
┃   ┗ ros_gz/
┗ .gitignore

Please build ros_gz from source. see ros-gz

To build the image

docker compose build

To run multiple drones

./run_dev.sh

To access the shell of each service, in two different terminals run

Terminal 1: docker exec -u user -it px4_gz-px4_gz-1 terminator

To start px4_sitl and ros2 offboard control, split each terminator into 3 panels and run

1. cd px4 && make px4_sitl to build px4_sitl first. (This only need to be built once in one of the container shells)
   PX4_SYS_AUTOSTART=4001 PX4_GZ_MODEL=x500_lidar PX4_GZ_WORLD=maze_sample./build/px4_sitl_default/bin/px4 -i 1 to start px4_sitl instance 1 with x500 with added lidar plugin in gz-garden on a sample maze model (PX4_GZ_MODEL=x500 to run base x500 model). The 'PX4_GZ_WORLD' is a variable that can be set to the name of the world file to be used (options are: maze15x15_2openside, maze15x15_3openside, maze15x15_4openside, maze20ftx20ft_2openside, maze20ftx20ft_3openside, maze20ftx20ft_4openside).

2. MicroXRCEAgent udp4 -p 8888 to start DDS agent for communication with ROS2\

1. cd ros2_ws && colcon build to build ros2 workspace

2. source install/setup.bash to source the ros2 environment

3. From the built repository under px4_offboard, to run the offboard script, run ros2 run px4_offboard [script name] to communicate between the gazebo and ros2 envrionment and use offboard controls with px4.

• PX4_GZ_MODEL Name of the px4 vehicle model to spawn in gz
• PX4_GZ_MODEL_POSE Spawn pose of the vehicle model, must used with PX4_GZ_MODEL
• PX4_MICRODDS_NS Namespace assigned to the sitl vehicle, normally associated with px4 instances, but can be set mannually
• ROS_DOMAIN_ID Separate each container into its own domain (Is it still necessary since each SITL instance has a unique namespace?)

Tested versions:

• Ros: Rolling nad Humble
• Gazebo: Garden
• Docker: 24.0.7

• Install Docker CLI using the instructions on the Docker Installation Page.
• Note: Docker Desktop may interfere with Nvidia Drivers.

• Automatically install recommended drivers:

  sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

• Manually install recommended drivers: ubuntu-drivers devices To list recommended drivers

    sudo apt install nvidia-driver-<version>

• Nvidia Container Toolkit if encountering a ‘nvidia-container-cli’ initialization error, refer to the Nvidia Container Toolkit Installation Guide

• If encountering an error related to “actuator_msgs” during docker build:
  • Include actuator_msg package from source

• PX4 with ROS-Gazebo simulation overview: PX4 Dev Guide
• Previous Spring 2022 IEEE Autonomous UAV "Drone" Chase Challenge - Video
• Issues Tracking: [Github Issues]