AQ QGC 1.7 Beta 1 Linux - Building it on Raspberry Pi 3

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

THIS IS WORK IN PROGRESS! HINTS/TIPS etc. ARE MORE THAN WELCOME!

This tutorial will show you how to compile QGC for Autoquad on a Raspberry 3.
This will allow you to fully configure your Autoquad Flight controller. With some additional hardware this unit can also be configured as a Ground Control Station (GCS) for FPV, displaying live telemetry and video from the craft.

Min Requirements:
- Raspberry 3
this is preferred since it has integrated Bluetooth and Wifi capability which might come handy in your new GCS
- min. 16GB uSD card, class 10
- keyboard and mouse
- display solution/monitor with HDMI interface

Optional items:
- wireless (preferrably Bluetooth) keyboard/mouse
- custom add-on board for display interface
this is what I'm using here
- USB2.0 Frame Grabber
will be used to capture the live video from the craft. Also requires remaining FPV equipment (camera/video TX/RX, etc)

Hardware used for this tutorial:
- Raspberry 3
- Samsung Evo Class 10 uSD card, 16GB, 8GB card for 'startover image' (see text)

- custom display adapter with and Sharp 10.1in WXGA LQ101K1LY05 module
- Basetech USB 2.0 Video Grabber (https://www.conrad.de/de/basetech-usb-2 ... 68633.html)

Once everything is done you will end-up with something like this:

https://youtu.be/Bn4qsIh4eKI

But: FIRST COMES THE PAIN!

Preparation:
- download the Raspbian Jessie (latest is 2016-03-18 at the time of writing) image from https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/
- download SD Card Formatter 4.0 from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/
Use the tool to format your 'uSD card
- download Win32DiskImager from https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/
Use Win32Diskimager to install the image file on your uSD card.
Details on this process are available here https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentati ... windows.md

NOTE: There is the risk that you need to start from scratch because something went wrong or you want to try a different approch. That's why I'm using TWO uSD cards, a small 8GB for making a 'start-over' installation - inclusing all the basic bit's and pieces - and a larger one for working/testing.
You can read and write images with Win32Image writer tool; restarting with a fresh image is much faster then doing all from sratch agein!

Format the (startover) uSD card using SD card formatter and install the Raspbian image by using Win32DiskImager.

Insert the (startover) uSD card in your RPi3 and boot the system for the first time.

Now we need to configure some things:

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sudo raspi-config

Expand the filesystem

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Under Boot options select the desired login sheme

Select autologin (optional)

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Some more settings under Advanced options

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Under ADVANCE select MEMORY-SPLIT

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Increas avaalable memory to the GPU

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You will be prompted to reboot the system

df -h /
Tip: This command will display partition size

Execute below commands one after another. You need to reboot at the end.

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sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo rpi-update
sudo reboot

Make some additional installations next:
Install a VNC server. Will come handy later.

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sudo apt-get install tightvncserver

Install the device tree compiler and get the Raspberry device tree sources from git.
Note: Git is part of the Raspbian distribution, so need need to install the packages.

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sudo apt-get install device-tree-compiler
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raspberrypi/firmware/master/extra/dt-blob.dts

EDIT:Prevent Raspberry from 'screen blackening'
Install 'set' tools

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sudo apt-get install x11-xserver-utils

Note: You will use 'nano' editor for doing some of the following settings. In 'nano' you will have to push [STRG]+O to write (save) the file and [STRG]+X for closing nano when you're done

Disable screen blanking on console by editing the file '/etc/kbd/config'

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sudo nano /etc/kbd/config

and change the relevant lines like this

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BLANK_TIME=0
BLANK_DPMS=off
POWERDOWN_TIME=0

Edit X-power saving settings in the autostart file

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sudo nano /etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart

Search for the 'xscreensaver' settings and commend them out (adding # at the beginning of the line)

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@lxpanel --profile LXDE
@pcmanfm --desktop --profile LXDE
#@xscreensaver -no-splash
@xset s noblank
@xset s off
@xset -dpms

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sudo nano /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf

Update the /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf file by adding the following command in the [SeatDefaults] section

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[SeatDefaults]
...
xserver-command=X -s 0 -dpms
...

Install/check gcc, SDL1.2, udev.

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sudo apt-get install build-essential libsdl1.2-dev libudev-dev

Install bluetooth tools

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sudo apt-get install bluetooth bluez blueman

Install 'mplayer' audio/movie player

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sudo apt-get install mplayer2

Install DFU-utils, needed for FW flashing

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sudo apt-get install dfu-util

Clone the Autoquad Ground Control Repository
As already pointed out, Git is already installed on a Raspberry Pi! To clone (checkout) the QGC repository, run the following commands (in the directory that you want the qgroundcontrol_aq folder to be created):

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git clone https://github.com/AutoQuad/qgroundcontrol_aq.git
cd qgroundcontrol_aq
git submodule update --init

Install additional libraries for text-to-speech support (festival)

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sudo apt-get install festival-dev festival

Connect an active speaker/headphone to the 3.5mm jack and test speach output

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echo "Testing speach synthesis on the F-Pi-V - Ground control Station for Autoquad." | festival --tts

Main task for this tutorial is installing/configuring QT on the Raspberry Pi for building AQ QGC.

EDIT 31/03/2016:
- Added note to 'startover' uSD image
Your (startover) uSD card is finished here. Now it's a good idea to generate an image file from your uSD and store it on your PC.
I'm using a 8GB card for this, so it's easy to transfer the image to a 16GB or larger card. If you want to use a larger card fto proceed with the next steps (QT installation etc) make sure to expand the filsystem again after you've booted the larger card for the first time.
- Added missing pictures on GPU Memory Split and how to disable screensaver

EDIT 05/04/2016:
- Since xscreensaver shows up an annoying massage after each boot I've changed the instructions on how to disable screen blanking

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Installing/Configuring QT5
Install Qt5 (copy the whole block below at once and paste it into the command line, not by line!)

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sudo apt-get install qtcreator qttools5-dev qtbase5-dev qt5-default qtdeclarative5-dev libqt5svg5-dev libqt5webkit5-dev libsdl1.2-dev build-essential libudev-dev qtmultimedia5-dev

Open Qt creator, make required changes to project and build it

Open Qt creator

Open the qgroundcontrol_aq project file

Click on CONFIGURE PROJECT

Click PROJECTS

Change build configuration to RELEASE

Click on MANAGE KITS

In COMPILERS TAB click ADD and select GCC from the menu

Click the BROWSE button

Click APPLY and OK to finish this

Click on DETAILS and add '-j4' as option for the new make step.
NOTE: Each compilation unit (source to object) is single threaded, but "make" includes a powerful multi-threading system. All you need to do
is tell it how many concurrent jobs to allow using the -j parameter.
One job per core is reasonable - hence -j4

Your project is now fully configured. Click the green PLAY button to start the compilation process. -j4 option will bump your CPU load to 100% (all 4 cores active), build should be completed after roughly 15min

Autoquad Ground Control should automatically be sterated after build was finished.

EDIT 05/04/2016:
You can also build qgroundcontrol_aq from the command line:

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cd qgroundcontrol_aq
qmake qgroundcontrol_aq.pro
make -j4

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Close QT and the QGC application now. Before you can use it some additional steps are required.

UDEV Rules (source: README-Linux.txt)
----------
On many Linux installations, access to USB devices is limited to the root user by default. This is controlled by the "udev" service.
If you want to be able to run QGC as a non-root user, you will very likely need to install some udev rules.
There are three rule files included with QGC, found in the `files/etc` subfolder. These should work for common serial adapters
from FTDI and Silicone Labs (CP2102), as well as the USB devices provided by the AutoQuad M4 board (STM32-based devices from ST Micro).

To install these rules copy them to your `/etc/udev/rules.d` directory. For example, run the following command,
replacing `[path_to_QGC]` with the actual QGC installation folder:

sudo cp [path_to_QGC]/files/etc/*.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/
----------

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sudo cp qgroundcontrol_aq/files/etc/*.rules /etc/udev/rules.d/

Some files needs to be copied into the application folder. It is the content of 'qgroundcontrol_aq/aq'

NOTE: I would prefer a more elegant process here using the terminal. So your input is more than welcome!

Copy 'aq' folder to the 'bin' folder of your build location

Mixes folder is fine

In case of the bin file you need to copy the content of the 'aq_unix_all' folder

Now we can start the new application for the first time. Initial test is to see if we're able to flash a new firmeware to an Autoquad Flight Controller. I'm using a M4r6 for this test.

Select your firmware file, change FC type to M4 USB and click FLASH FIRMWARE

Process should start! --> FISRT GOAL REACHED!

Power cycle the flight controller

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Connecting via Bluetooth
Since the RPi3 has an integrated BT interface I'm focusing on this connetion method here. Serial connection via USB needs to be evaluated later.
Click the BT icon in the upper right corner of your screen and then click DEVICES

Click on SEARCH -> your module should show up in the list

Click the KEY symbol to create a pairing with the device. It will (usally) ask for a pairing key (i.e. 0000 or 1234).
Input the propper PIN and click Ok
Click on the yellow star symbol to THRUST this device. This will lead the RPi3 to automatically reconnect to the device in case the connection got interrupted.

Your BT module is configured now. You need to assign it to a COM channel next

Scan for available BT devices

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hcitool scan

This gives me two results in this example, were 'NAZE32_0r5' is the BT module I'm looking for. Remember it's address; you will need it later ( here 00:19:5D:E0:30:4A)
Now we can bind it to an RF interface

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sudo rfcomm bind 0 00:19:5D:E0:30:4A 1

With '0' is the RF COM channel number and next is the BT address.
Next we can list available COM devices

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ls /dev/rfcomm*

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We will cerate a desktop link later for this task but now let's try to connect with the AQ FC via BT.

Add a new communication link - select rfcomm0 and cllick connect

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You should be connected to the FC via BT now! You can change settings, parameters etc.

NOTE: there is an usolved problem with the QuatosTool at the momemt. That's why you cant process .xml-files!
I'm looking for a solution and hope somebody is able to help/guide me.

Remaining problem with QuatosTool - still unsolved!

[JussiH]

Joerg,

Very comprehensive guide. Thanks!

I have a Pi3 is in the mail and I will try this next week, when it gets here.

I was wondering why you went to the trouble of designing your own LVDS expander for the Pi3. I was under the impression that the "Display" connector on the Pi was LVDS?

Have you made a current reading on your Pi3 yet? DS states up to 2.5A at 5V, but I was hoping to get away with a 1.5A recom...

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

I was wondering why you went to the trouble of designing your own LVDS expander for the Pi3. I was under the impression that the "Display" connector on the Pi was LVDS?...

Hi Jussi,

yes and no!
Yes, the RPi has a LVDS interface (LVDS = Low Volrage Differential Signaling) which is according to MIPI standard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_Serial_Interface), usually referred to as DSI = Display Serial Interface.

What I'm using is a LVDS interface according to FDP-Link (Flat Panel Display Link) standard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FPD-Link).

MIPI is quite common for mobile equipment (handys, tablets, etc) were FDP-Link is still the standard interface for industrial applications i.e. (although more and more module were intruduced which have an eDP interface).

Developing the board was one of my business tasks; believe me it's not that complex to do it once you've figured out what the host gives you.

Have you made a current reading on your Pi3 yet? DS states up to 2.5A at 5V, but I was hoping to get away with a 1.5A recom...

This is still on my to-do list! But: I'm using a 1.5A RECOM too and had no issues so far.

EDIT: Here you go:
roughly 7.2W (12V x 0.6A) incl. display module
rougly 3W for RPi3 + display logic part

Running a video using omxplayer

Backlight disconneced; RP3 and display logic part still running

[pilotnbr1]

Wow you have been busy! Very nice Joerg! I like all the screen shots- will make it so much easier!

A couple thoughts for the wiki:
-after running raspi-config if I make changes it prompts me to reboot so I don't have to go to terminal
-I know I am a minority Linux user but for me to create my Jessie image on an sd card I use the "Disks" utility (so all gui). I "format" (quick or slow), "restore disk image"(write Jessie), and can also make a backup with "create disk image"
-maybe I missed it but you can copy the executable from qgroundcontrol_aq/bin to the desktop
-the alternative for udev rules is terminal "sudo su" then "cd /qgroundcontrol_aq/bin" and "./qgroundcontrol_aq" to run as super user AFAIK

A couple ideas on development:
-setup a service or bash script to start qgc. Possibly even avoiding the overhead of the desktop gui by raspi-config boot to cammnd line
-bash script to start the bluetooth by itself or included with the above script

Awesome job!

Luke

[aBUGSworstnightmare]

Wow you have been busy! Very nice Joerg! I like all the screen shots- will make it so much easier!

A couple thoughts for the wiki:
-after running raspi-config if I make changes it prompts me to reboot so I don't have to go to terminal
-I know I am a minority Linux user but for me to create my Jessie image on an sd card I use the "Disks" utility (so all gui). I "format" (quick or slow), "restore disk image"(write Jessie), and can also make a backup with "create disk image"
-maybe I missed it but you can copy the executable from qgroundcontrol_aq/bin to the desktop
-the alternative for udev rules is terminal "sudo su" then "cd /qgroundcontrol_aq/bin" and "./qgroundcontrol_aq" to run as super user AFAIK

A couple ideas on development:
-setup a service or bash script to start qgc. Possibly even avoiding the overhead of the desktop gui by raspi-config boot to cammnd line
-bash script to start the bluetooth by itself or included with the above script

Awesome job!

Luke

You are telling me that you're the 'Linux guy', so why don't YOu post such stuff:

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[Desktop Entry]
 Name=qgroundcontrol_aq
 Comment=Autoquad Ground Control Centre
 Icon=/home/pi/build-qgroundcontrol_aq-Desktop-Release/qgroundcontrol.png
 Exec=/home/pi/build-qgroundcontrol_aq-Desktop-Release/bin/qgroundcontrol_aq
 Type=Application
 Encoding=UTF-8
 Terminal=false
 Categories=None;

QGroundcontrol.zip

(356 Bytes) Downloaded 182 times

Same can be done for BT; already had to scripts with different sysmbols...

So please go ahead! Make some screenshots on the image writing/generating process on Linux and post them here. I'm sure I will do the same for Win32diskimager before this stuff goes into the wiki.

This kind of 'usability' stuff is not my focus atm; need to figure out why the install script and QuatosTool is still not running.
Beside of that you will alreday get a full functional QGC!

[pilotnbr1]

I don't have any scripts atm but I would post if/when I do... I play with Linux and figure things out with lots of googling but barely have the knowledge and abilty as the rest of you! At the moment, have some time, but life is about to get very busy for me. The least I can do is post a screenshot of Linux Disks utility if thats helpful! Sorry if I am muddying the waters with suggestions. Thanks again for your efforts!

Luke

[pilotnbr1]

One other small thing I can contribute- and I am sorry this falls in the usability category, so low priority- is this shutdown by an external switch. This is done in order for the rpi to have an orderly shutdown and not corrupt files in particular any video stream you are recording. Really only applies if you run it without a mouse or headless.

shutdown.sh

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#!/bin/bash

SHUTDOWN_PIN=25

echo $SHUTDOWN_PIN > /sys/class/gpio/export

while :
do
   PINV=`cat /sys/class/gpio/gpio$SHUTDOWN_PIN/value`
   if [ $PINV -eq "1" ]; then
      echo "Shutdown"
      sudo halt
   fi
   sleep 1
done

Within my local "init.d" folder is "shutdown" file--- change the directories to point to where you have the other scripts

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#!/bin/sh
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides:          shutdown
# Required-Start:
# Required-Stop:   
# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
# Short-Description: shutdown by gpio event
# Description:     
### END INIT INFO
 
# Actions
case "$1" in
    start)
        # START
        /home/pi/wifibroadcast_fpv_scripts/shutdown.sh &
        ;;
    stop)
        # STOP
        killall shutdown.sh
        ;;
    restart)
        # RESTART
   killall shutdown.sh
        /home/pi/wifibroadcast_fpv_scripts/shutdown.sh &
   ;;
esac
 
exit 0

Then the service to keep it running within local folder "systemd" is file "shutdown.service"

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[Unit]
Description=shutdown
After=multi-user.target

[Service]
TimeoutStartSec=0
ExecStart=/home/pi/wifibroadcast_fpv_scripts/shutdown.sh

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

For the switch is a simple single pole rocker type switch with two wires going to gpio pins 5 and 6. For the shutdown script that is just gpio 3.