ROS 2

ArduPilot capabilities can be extended with ROS (aka Robot Operating System).

Prerequisites

Before using ArduPilot with ROS, you should first be familiar with both ArduPilot and ROS before trying to integrate them together.

• Learn how to use ArduPilot first by following the relevant wiki for Rover, Copter or Plane. In particular, make sure the vehicle works well in Manual and Autonomous modes like Guided and Auto before trying to use ROS.

• Learn how to use ROS by reading the ROS 2 tutorials. In the case of a problem with ROS, it is best to ask on ROS community forums or Robotics Stack Exchange first (or google your error). You will find many other tutorials about ROS like Emlid.

ROS 2

• Install ROS 2
• ROS 2 with SITL
• ROS 2 Interfaces
• ROS 2 with SITL in Gazebo
• ROS 2 over Ethernet
• ROS 2 waypoint goal interface
• Cartographer SLAM with ROS 2 in SITL
• ROS 2 on Raspberry Pi

Conclusion

ROS is capable of extending autopilot capabilities with a wider ecosystem of technologies that can run on more powerful computers.

Here is ArduPilot Rover performing path planning around objects using ROS navigation.

We are keen to improve ArduPilot’s support of ROS so if you find issues (such as commands that do not seem to be supported), please report them in the ArduPilot issues list with a title that includes “ROS” and we will attempt to resolve them as quickly as possible.