Merge pull request #511 from IMRCLab/add-positioning-doc

Add positioning doc

crazyflie/config/motion_capture.yaml

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 /motion_capture_tracking:
   ros__parameters:
+    # one of "optitrack", "optitrack_closed_source", "vicon", "qualisys", "nokov", "vrpn", "motionanalysis"
     type: "optitrack"
+    # Specify the hostname or IP of the computer running the motion capture software
     hostname: "141.23.110.143"
 
-    mode: "libobjecttracker" # one of motionCapture,libRigidBodyTracker
-
     topics:
       poses:
         qos:

crazyflie/launch/launch.py

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from launch.actions import DeclareLaunchArgument
 from launch_ros.actions import Node
 from launch.conditions import LaunchConfigurationEquals
-from launch.conditions import LaunchConfigurationNotEquals
+from launch.conditions import IfCondition
 from launch.substitutions import LaunchConfiguration, PythonExpression
 
 
@@ -83,13 +83,14 @@ def generate_launch_description():
         DeclareLaunchArgument('debug', default_value='False'),
         DeclareLaunchArgument('rviz', default_value='False'),
         DeclareLaunchArgument('gui', default_value='True'),
+        DeclareLaunchArgument('mocap', default_value='True'),
         DeclareLaunchArgument('server_yaml_file', default_value=''),
         DeclareLaunchArgument('teleop_yaml_file', default_value=''),
         DeclareLaunchArgument('mocap_yaml_file', default_value=''),
         Node(
             package='motion_capture_tracking',
             executable='motion_capture_tracking_node',
-            condition=LaunchConfigurationNotEquals('backend','sim'),
+            condition=IfCondition(PythonExpression(["'", LaunchConfiguration('backend'), "' != 'sim' and '", LaunchConfiguration('mocap'), "' == 'True'"])),
             name='motion_capture_tracking',
             output='screen',
             parameters= [PythonExpression(["'tmp_motion_capture.yaml' if '", LaunchConfiguration('mocap_yaml_file'), "' == '' else '", LaunchConfiguration('mocap_yaml_file'), "'"])],

docs2/usage.rst

@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ Usage
 
 
 .. warning::
-    If you work in a shared network (lab, classroom) or similar, you might want to avoid 
-    controlling other robots. This is in particular true for simulation. In this case, 
+    If you work in a shared network (lab, classroom) or similar, you might want to avoid
+    controlling other robots. This is in particular true for simulation. In this case,
     you can use
 
     .. code-block:: bash
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ Usage
 Configuration
 -------------
 
-All configuration files are in crazyflie/config. 
+All configuration files are in crazyflie/config.
 
 * crazyflies.yaml : setting up everything related to the robots.
 * server.yaml : setting up everything related to the server.
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ crazyflies.yaml
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 Each crazyflie should have an unique URI which can `be changed in Bitcraze's CFclient <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/repository/crazyflie-clients-python/master/userguides/userguide_client/#firmware-configuration/>`_.
-They can also be enabled in case you don't want the server to connect with it. 
+They can also be enabled in case you don't want the server to connect with it.
 
 .. code-block:: yaml
 
@@ -109,14 +109,78 @@ The yaml file also contain an 'all' field, in case you have parameters or loggin
                 estimator: 2 # 1: complementary, 2: kalman
                 controller: 2 # 1: PID, 2: mellinger
 
-The above also contains an example of the firmware_logging field, where default topics can be enabled or custom topics based on the `existing log toc of the crazyflie <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/repository/crazyflie-firmware/master/api/logs//>`_. 
-Moreover, it also contains the firmware_params field, where parameters can be set at startup. 
-Also see the `parameter list of the crazyflie <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/repository/crazyflie-firmware/master/api/params//>`_ for that. 
+The above also contains an example of the firmware_logging field, where default topics can be enabled or custom topics based on the `existing log toc of the crazyflie <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/repository/crazyflie-firmware/master/api/logs//>`_.
+Moreover, it also contains the firmware_params field, where parameters can be set at startup.
+Also see the `parameter list of the crazyflie <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/repository/crazyflie-firmware/master/api/params//>`_ for that.
 
 
 Mind that you can also place the firmware_params and firmware_logging fields per crazyflie in 'robots'  or the 'robot_types' field.
-The server node will upon initialization, first look at the params/logs from the individual crazyflie's settings, then the robot_types, and then anything in 'all' which has lowest priority.  
+The server node will upon initialization, first look at the params/logs from the individual crazyflie's settings, then the robot_types, and then anything in 'all' which has lowest priority.
 
+Positioning
+-----------
+
+The Crazyflie can be positioned in different ways, including motion capture and onboard positioning.
+This blogpost provides a good overview of the different positioning systems if you are unsure about which one you are using: `Positioning System Overview <https://www.bitcraze.io/2021/05/positioning-system-overview/>`_.
+
+Motion capture
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+If you have a motion capture system, you can input the specifics in the motion_capture.yaml file.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    /motion_capture_tracking:
+        ros__parameters:
+            type: "optitrack"
+            hostname: "optitrackPC"
+
+'Type' can replaced by "optitrack", "vicon", "qualisys" or any of the other supported motion capture systems of the `motion capture tracking package <https://github.com/IMRCLab/motion_capture_tracking/tree/ros2/>`_.
+'hostname' is the hostname of the computer running the motion capture software which can either be the PC name or the IP.
+
+Also make sure that in crazyflies.yaml, the motion_capture field is enabled for the specific robot type, or that the crazyflie is of a type that supports motion capture.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    robot_types:
+        cf21:
+            motion_capture:
+            enabled: true
+
+For more indepth information about the motion capture tracking package, see the `documentation <https://github.com/IMRCLab/motion_capture_tracking/tree/ros2/>`_.
+
+Onboard positioning
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The Crazyflie also supports several alternative positioning systems that provide direct onboard position or pose estimation.
+In this case you do not need to receive positioning from an external system like with MoCap.
+
+Instructions per positioning system.:
+* The `Loco positioning system <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/system/positioning/loco-positioning-system/>`_ - Follow Bitcraze's tutorial `here <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/tutorials/getting-started-with-loco-positioning-system/>`.
+* The `Lighthouse positioning system <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/system/positioning/lighthouse/>`_ - Follow Bitcraze's tutorial `here <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/tutorials/getting-started-with-lighthouse-positioning-system/>`. Make sure to review the system management for saving and loading a system config, such that you don't have to redo the basestation geometry estimation for each crazyflie.
+* The `Flow deck <https://www.bitcraze.io/products/flow-deck-v2/>`_ - Follow Bitcraze's tutorial `here <https://www.bitcraze.io/documentation/tutorials/getting-started-with-flow-deck/>`. Note that the flow deck provides an relative positoing estimate and might conflict when you are flying with crazyswarm2 if you are flying with absolute coordinates instead of relative ones.
+
+Also in this case, make sure that motion_capture is disabled in the crazyflies.yaml file:
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    robot_types:
+        cf21:
+            motion_capture:
+            enabled: false
+
+Also it is a good idea to turn on pose estimation logging such that you are able to see the poses and transforms of the Crazyflie updated in real life in rviz or the Swarm management gui.
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    firmware_logging:
+        enabled: true
+        default_topics:
+            pose:
+            frequency: 10 # Hz
+
+
+Moreover, be aware that the motion capture node is enabled in the launch file by default, which can be turned off by adding 'mocap:=False' to the launch command.
 
 Simulation
 ----------