This example demonstrates the basic mission operations provided by DroneKit-Python, including: downloading missions from the vehicle, clearing missions, creating mission commands and uploading them to the vehicle, monitoring the current active command, and changing the active command.
The guide topic :ref:`auto_mode_vehicle_control` provides more detailed explanation of how the API should be used.
Basic Mission Example: Flight path
The example can be run as described in :doc:`running_examples` (which in turn assumes that the vehicle and DroneKit have been set up as described in :ref:`installing_dronekit`).
In summary, after cloning the repository:
Navigate to the example folder as shown:
cd dronekit-python/examples/mission_basic/You can run the example against a simulator (DroneKit-SITL) by specifying the Python script without any arguments. The example will download SITL binaries (if needed), start the simulator, and then connect to it:
python mission_basic.py
On the command prompt you should see (something like):
Starting copter simulator (SITL) SITL already Downloaded. Connecting to vehicle on: tcp:127.0.0.1:5760 >>> APM:Copter V3.3 (d6053245) >>> Frame: QUAD >>> Calibrating barometer >>> Initialising APM... >>> barometer calibration complete >>> GROUND START >>> Mission Planner 1.3.35 Create a new mission (for current location) Clear any existing commands Define/add new commands. Upload new commands to vehicle Basic pre-arm checks Waiting for vehicle to initialise... >>> flight plan received Waiting for vehicle to initialise... ... Waiting for vehicle to initialise... Arming motors Waiting for arming... ... Waiting for arming... >>> ARMING MOTORS >>> GROUND START Waiting for arming... >>> Initialising APM... Taking off! Altitude: 0.0 Altitude: 0.11 ... Altitude: 8.9 Altitude: 9.52 Reached target altitude Starting mission Distance to waypoint (0): None Distance to waypoint (1): 78.8000191616 Distance to waypoint (1): 78.3723704927 ... Distance to waypoint (1): 20.7131390269 Distance to waypoint (1): 15.4196151863 >>> Reached Command #1 Distance to waypoint (2): 115.043560356 Distance to waypoint (2): 117.463458185 ... Distance to waypoint (2): 25.7122243168 Distance to waypoint (2): 16.8624794106 >>> Reached Command #2 Distance to waypoint (3): 100.45231832 Skipping to Waypoint 5 when reach waypoint 3 Distance to waypoint (5): 154.645144788 Exit 'standard' mission when start heading to final waypoint (5) Return to launch Close vehicle object
Tip
It is more interesting to watch the example run on a map than the console. The topic :ref:`viewing_uav_on_map` explains how to set up Mission Planner to view a vehicle running on the simulator (SITL).
You can run the example against a specific connection (simulated or otherwise) by passing the :ref:`connection string <get_started_connect_string>` for your vehicle in the
--connectparameter.For example, to connect to SITL running on UDP port 14550 on your local computer:
python mission_basic.py --connect 127.0.0.1:14550
The :ref:`source code <example_mission_basic_source_code>` is relatively self-documenting, and most of its main operations are explained in the guide topic :ref:`auto_mode_vehicle_control` .
In overview, the example calls adds_square_mission(vehicle.location.global_frame,50) to first
clear the current mission and then define a new mission with a takeoff command and four waypoints arranged
in a square around the central position (two waypoints are added in the last position -
we use :py:func:`next <dronekit.CommandSequence.next>` to determine when we've reached the final point).
The clear command and new mission items are then uploaded to the vehicle.
After taking off (in guided mode using the takeoff() function) the example starts the mission by setting the mode to AUTO:
print "Starting mission"
# Set mode to AUTO to start mission
vehicle.mode = VehicleMode("AUTO")The progress of the mission is monitored in a loop. The convenience function :ref:`distance_to_current_waypoint() <auto_mode_mission_distance_to_waypoint>` gets the distance to the next waypoint and :py:func:`Vehicle.commands.next <dronekit.CommandSequence.next>` gets the value of the next command.
We also show how to jump to a specified command using :py:func:`Vehicle.commands.next <dronekit.CommandSequence.next>` (note how we skip the third command below):
while True:
nextwaypoint=vehicle.commands.next
print 'Distance to waypoint (%s): %s' % (nextwaypoint, distance_to_current_waypoint())
if nextwaypoint==3: #Skip to next waypoint
print 'Skipping to Waypoint 5 when reach waypoint 3'
vehicle.commands.next=5
vehicle.commands.upload()
if nextwaypoint==5: #Dummy waypoint - as soon as we reach waypoint 4 this is true and we exit.
print "Exit 'standard' mission when start heading to final waypoint (5)"
break;
time.sleep(1)When the vehicle starts the 5th command (a dummy waypoint) the loop breaks and the mode is set to RTL (return to launch).
This example has no known issues.
The full source code at documentation build-time is listed below (current version on Github):
.. literalinclude:: ../../examples/mission_basic/mission_basic.py :language: python