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This code is copied (and only slightly modified) from https://github.com/DrTon/jMAVSim.
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I've created this repo so our lab has access to our version of this code.
Simple multirotor simulator with MAVLink protocol support
Requirements:
- Java 6 or newer (JDK, http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html)
Java3D and JOGL/JOAL jars, including native libs for Linux (i586/64bit), Windows (i586/64bit) and Mac OS (universal) already included in this repository, no need to install it.
Clone repository and initialize submodules:
git clone https://github.com/DrTon/jMAVSim
git submodule init
git submodule update
Compile:
cd jMAVSim
ant
Run:
java -cp lib/*:out/production/jmavsim.jar me.drton.jmavsim.Simulator
Some shells (e.g. tcsh) will try to expand *, so use \* instead:
java -cp lib/\*:out/production/jmavsim.jar me.drton.jmavsim.Simulator
On Windows use ; instead of : in -cp:
java -cp lib/*;out/production/jmavsim.jar me.drton.jmavsim.Simulator
jMAVSim uses java3d library for visualization. It was discontinued for long time, but now maintained again and uses JOGL backend. All necessary jars with java classes and native binaries (Linux/Mac OS/Windows) included in this repo, no need to install java3d manually. But need to make sure that java doesn't use any other deprecated version of java3d. For more info related to java3d see this article: https://gouessej.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/java-3d-est-de-retour-java-3d-is-back/
On Mac OS java may use deprecated version of java3d as extension, if you get following error:
JavaVM WARNING: JAWT_GetAWT must be called after loading a JVM
AWT not found
Exception in thread "main" java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: apple/awt/CGraphicsDevice
at javax.media.j3d.GraphicsConfigTemplate3D.<clinit>(GraphicsConfigTemplate3D.java:55)
...
Then add -Djava.ext.dirs= option to command line when starting:
java -Djava.ext.dirs= -cp lib/*:out/production/jmavsim.jar me.drton.jmavsim.Simulator
Serial port access is common problem. Make sure to hardcode correct port in Simulator.java:
serialMAVLinkPort.open("/dev/tty.usbmodem1", 230400, 8, 1, 0);
(Baudrate for USB ACM ports (that PX4 uses) has no effect, you can use any value)
Usually port is:
Mac OS: /dev/tty.usbmodem1
Linux: /dev/ttyACM0
Windows: COM15
On Linux you may also get Permission denied error, add your user to dialout group and relogin, or just run as root.
UDP port used to connect ground station, e.g. qgroundcontrol. jMAVSim in this case works as bridge between ground station and autopilot (behavior can be configured of course). Make sure that jMAVSim and ground station use the same ports. In qgroundcontrol (or another GCS) you also need to add target host in UDP port configuration (localhost:14555), so both ends will know to which port they should send UDP packets.
jMAVSim is not out-of-the-box simulator, but very flexible toolkit with a lot of ready to use blocks and designed to build custom simulation setups.
All simulator configuration hardcoded in file src/me/drton/jmavsim/Simulator.java, this file should be edited before running simulator.
New vehicle types (e.g. non standard multirotors configurations) can be added very easily.
(But for fixed wing you will need some more aerodynamics knowledge).
See files under src/me/drton/jmavsim/vehicle/ as examples.
Camera can be placed on any point, including gimabal, that can be controlled by autopilot, see CameraGimbal2D class and usage example (commented) in Simulator.java.
Sensors data can be replayed from real flight log, use LogPlayerSensors calss for this.
Custom vehicle visual models in .obj format can be used, edit this line:
AbstractMulticopter vehicle = new Quadcopter(world, "models/3dr_arducopter_quad_x.obj", "x", 0.33 / 2, 4.0, 0.05, 0.005, gc);
Custom MAVLink protocols can be used, no any recompilation needed, just specify XML file instead of custom.xml here:
MAVLinkSchema schema = new MAVLinkSchema("mavlink/message_definitions/common.xml");
It's convinient to start simulator from IDE. Free and powerful "IntelliJ IDEA" IDE recommended, project files for it are already included, just open project file jMAVSim.ipr and right-click -> Run Simulator.