voxl-docker-mavsdk-python build issues

[Stefan Amundarain]

@Alexander-Saunders @brahim to add on a follow up, what is the correct pin out of the FTDI cable we plug into the j18 port? Documentation says no power, just RX, TX, and Gnd; but YouTube instruction by Ascend Engineering uses Power as well. YouTube video by ModalAI matches instructions but the information doesn’t seem to be read, just heartbeat packets.

[Vinny]

Hi @Stefan-Amundarain
Not all FTDI cables are the same. There are literally over a dozen variations out there.
If the specific FTDI cable requires a "VTREF" to set the logic levels, then a VCC is needed as on Ascend's example. If you use one that is USB powered and TTL levles, then likely it is already set for 3.3V, and no power is required.
So, please double check your specific FTDI cable before following any tutorials you may see and make appropriate mods as needed.

Thanks!

[Alexander Saunders]

@Vinny @brahim @Eric-Katzfey We're still running into the issue of no meaningful data being sent to gazebo. The only data is still the heartbeat packets.
We're referencing: https://docs.modalai.com/voxl2-PX4-hitl/

We've done the steps up to: docker run --rm -it --net=host --privileged -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -v /dev/input:/dev/input:rw -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:ro voxl-gazebo-docker ./run_gazebo.bash

and

qshell dsp_hitl status which is telling us about the heartbeat only.

Also, we tried the archived instructions to see if we would get a different output.

The FTDI cable used is the same, but the serial port closed issue has stopped. Don't know why.

The warning for SDF I feel like is the source of the problem.

The warning when running docker run --rm:

Status output:

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders Are you doing xhost + before running docker?

[Alexander Saunders]

@Eric-Katzfey The latest attempts, yes. After running that and

docker run --rm -it --net=host --privileged -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -v /dev/input:/dev/input:rw -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:ro voxl-gazebo-docker ./run_gazebo.bash

gazebo will open up. The issue is connect gazebo with VOXL2 to run in HITL mode. I've followed two of the video from Modalai and Ascend exactly with no luck. Also went through the documentation again.

All instances are being ran on the host computer. When comparing the image from above to docs, we are only getting heartbeat packets.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders The heartbeat counter is the amount of heartbeat messages being sent out, not received. So you are not getting anything on the serial port.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders Also, take a look at this: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/comments/lu1plx/hi_i_get_this_authorization_required_but_no/

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders Definitely looks like a permissions issue of some sort in your system.

[Alexander Saunders]

@Eric-Katzfey Are you suggesting giving the file/repo permissions with

xhost si:localuser:root

Also we are using the FDTI cable provided with the ESC AND USB C to A to connect to host.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders I'm only suggesting that there is a permissions problem of some sort. I don't see that on my machine so just trying to figure out what is different in your environment.

[Alexander Saunders]

@Eric-Katzfey I tried giving permission to user with no change.

[Alexander Saunders]

@Eric-Katzfey Is it possible to see a picture of your terminal of the commands you sent?

[Alexander Saunders]

@Eric-Katzfey

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders iris_hitl.sdf is part of the docker image so it will be the same.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders

modalai@modalai-XPS-15-9570:~$ docker run --rm -it --net=host --privileged -v /dev/input:/dev/input:rw voxl-gazebo-docker
root@modalai-XPS-15-9570:/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo# ls
CMakeLists.txt           build-gazebo.bash    include       package.xml            scripts
Dockerfile               build-mavlink.bash   mavlink       resources              src
README.md                cmake                mavlink-libs  run-docker-image.bash  unit_tests
build                    docker-commands.txt  models        run_gazebo.bash        worlds
build-docker-image.bash  external             msgs          run_headless.bash
root@modalai-XPS-15-9570:/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo# ls /dev/ttyUSB0
/dev/ttyUSB0
root@modalai-XPS-15-9570:/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo# ls -l /dev/ttyUSB0
crw-rw---- 1 root dialout 188, 0 Jun  3 16:02 /dev/ttyUSB0
root@modalai-XPS-15-9570:/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo# ./run_headless.bash 
GAZEBO_PLUGIN_PATH :/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo
GAZEBO_MODEL_PATH :/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo/models
LD_LIBRARY_PATH :/usr/workspace/voxl2_hitl_gazebo/build
Warning [parser.cc:833] XML Attribute[version] in element[sdf] not defined in SDF, ignoring.
Warning [parser.cc:833] XML Attribute[version] in element[sdf] not defined in SDF, ignoring.
Opened serial device /dev/ttyUSB0

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders

modalai@modalai-XPS-15-9570:~$ docker images | grep gazebo
voxl-gazebo-docker            latest       1c8ce4f31e4f   3 months ago    3.73GB
voxl-gazebo-docker            v1.2         1c8ce4f31e4f   3 months ago    3.73GB

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders We have quite a few customers using HITL successfully and they are using the instructions in the document so I'm thinking there is something in your environment that is causing the issue. Do you have access to a different Linux machine that you can use?

[Alexander Saunders]

@Eric-Katzfey Update:

We switched some of the wires for the FTDI cable and now receiving data. We went back to following the HITL docs along with https://forum.modalai.com/topic/3511/serial-port-closed-and-other-hitl-errors/9 . We have the drone running in HITL via QGC and running the voxl-px4-hitl command. Despite this, gazebo is still not showing the drone or connecting. Could the issue possibly be with the Dockerfile that reflects bionic instead of focal since that had to be changed for the image to be pulled? We also tried running ./run-docker.sh within the directory and received docker run --help.

[Eric Katzfey]

@Alexander-Saunders Looks better now. What does the dsp_hitl start command look like now? Seems like it is setup for VIO only.