PC/autopilot communication
To send and receive information from the aerial platform (simulated or real), we can use the following two modes:
- Ground station: High-level software that can be connected to the autopilot to send commands such as take off and land or relay waypoint navigation information.
- API: Programming an API allows developers to manage the behavior of the robot.
In both cases, the communication is managed by the MAVLink protocol. Micro Air Vehicle Link (MAVLink)and is a protocol for communicating with small, unmanned vehicles. It is designed as a header-only message-marshaling library. It is used mostly for communication between a Ground Control Station (GCS) and unmanned vehicles, and in the intercommunication of the subsystem of the vehicle. A packet datagram example is shown in the following figure:
Figure 8.6 – MAVLink protocol
Messages are no more than 263 bytes. The sender always fills in the System ID and Component...
