Auto-Pilot the Parrot AR.Drone from Python (or Matlab or C)

This repository contains source code for building a stubbed version of the AR.Drone AutoPylot program, which allows you to auto-pilot the Parrot AR.Drone 1.0 or 2.0 from source code written in Python, on a computer running 64-bit Ubuntu 14.04.
This video gives you an idea of what you can do with the drone in Python, using this package (see below for instructions). As the video shows, the update rate is fast enough to enable interesting experiments. With the AR.Drone 2.0 and my Sony VAIO Pro laptop, I have obtained update rates of around 30 Hz.

If you're interested in a more graphical-interface approach, you might also look into ROS.

Please note that I am only supporting this project on 64-bit Ubuntu. I do not have the resources to support other OSs.

To get started, make sure your AR.Drone has the current firmware -- easiest way is to download the current version of FreeFlight from the AppStore.

If you have a Logitech Extreme 30 Pro joystick or

sudo apt-get install python-dev 

I set up the program so that the Logitech joystick axes work as follows:

The Logitech buttons are labeled 1 - 12 on the joystick. I set up the program to work with them as

follows:

I set up the program so that the PS3 axes work as follows:

I set up the program to work with the PS3 buttons as follows:

These button and axis configurations can be modified by editing gamepad.c

Change to the repository directory and type make. This will build the ardrone_autopylot executable, as well as compiling the SDK (probably with a lot of warnings about type mismatches). Once you've built the program you can run it by typing ./ardrone_autopylot in the directory where you built it. The autopylot.makefile is set up to use Python, but you can modify it for Matlab or C. For Python, you should first make sure that your PYTHONPATH shell variable is set to include the current directory: either on the command line, or (better long-term solution) in your .bashrc file, put the following instruction:

export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:.

The autopilot is intially off, so you are flying the AR.Drone manually. When you push the autopilot button (4 on the Logitech joystick, × on the PS3), control is transferred to the action function in autopylot_agent.py. Any subsequent joystick / gamepad action returns control to you, providing an emergency override. The function in autopylot_agent.py currently ignores the video and navigation data input and just makes the drone turn clockwise. (I've noticed that the program can take several seconds to report non-zero navigation data from the drone.) Note that the altitude and X/Y velocities are approixmate, and that the minimum reported altitude is around 230 mm. You can modify this function to do something more interesting.

The file autopylot_agent.m contains Matlab code equivalent to the Python code in autopylot_agent.py. To run the Matlab version, comment-out the Python lines (36-38) in autopylot.makefile, and un-comment the Matlab lines (45-47). you should have the following in your .bashrc file:

export MATLAB=/usr/local/MATLAB/R2013a # or whatever release you've installed



export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:$MATLAB/bin/glnxa64

You will also need the csh command, which is used by the Matlab Engine. To be sure you have this command, do sudo apt-get install csh in your Ubuntu shell.

If you prefer to program in C, comment-out the Python lines in autopylot.makefile, un-comment the C lines (50-51), and work with the code in autopylot_c_agent.c.

To run the example in the video, download greenball_tracker.py and this version of autopylot_agent.py. You will need OpenCV for Python, which you can install by following the instructions here.

Copyright and licensing information can be found in the header of each source file. Please contact me with any questions or suggestions.