Prerequisites
Before running any setup scripts, ensure Ubuntu (20.04 for ROS Noetic or 24.04 for ROS 2 Jazzy) is installed on the onboard computer with the correct user and hostname configuration. We will focus in ROS 2 Jazzy and Ubuntu 24.04, but the same principles apply to ROS Noetic and Ubuntu 20.04.
Ubuntu Installation
During the Ubuntu installation, use the following values:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Your name | uav |
| Your computer's name | uav1 (or uav2, uav3, etc.) |
| Pick a username | uav |
| Choose a password | f4f |
The hostname must follow the pattern uavN (e.g., uav1, uav2, uav35). This is used by the network configuration and validation scripts to derive the correct static IP address.
Networking Defaults
The UAVs connect to a dedicated WiFi network. See guides in WiFi guide.
Clone the Install Script
Once Ubuntu is installed and you have an internet connection, clone the install script repository:
mkdir -p ~/git
cd ~/git
git clone https://github.com/fly4future/install_script.git
The setup utility is run from this repository. All subsequent steps reference scripts inside it.
Review the UAV Proposal Document
Before installing sensors and additional software, consult the UAV proposal document (found in the project's Google Drive folder) for:
- A list of all sensors, to have an overview of the hardware setup and drivers that will need to be installed
- Any required additional software mentioned (SLAM, SW integration, etc.)
- Client-specific requirements
The UAV proposal document is a crucial resource for understanding the overall system architecture and ensuring that all necessary components are accounted for during the setup process. To be able to fill the values for example in the network configuration, you need to know which sensors are being used and what software will be installed, as this can affect the network setup and IP address assignments; the enviroment variables that need to be set; and the ROS packages that need to be installed.