BlueBoat Global Path Planner

This repository contains a global path planner for BlueRobotics' BlueBoat, designed to be used with QGroundControl via the MAVLink communication protocol.

Features

• Path Planning Algorithms: Implements A* and RRT* algorithms for efficient global path planning.
• MAVLink Communication: Facilitates communication with BlueBoat using the MAVLink protocol.

Installation

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/ImStian/blueboat_globalpathplanner.git
   cd blueboat_globalpathplanner

2. Install Dependencies:

   • Ensure Python is installed. Install the required packages using:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

   • In case of any issues related to missing libraries: Follow installation guide for SeaCharts and install any remaining dependencies manually.

Usage

1. Prepare the Environment:

   • Download Depth data from GeoNorge using the file geodatabase fileformat.
   • Place your .gdb file in the root directory of the project.

2. Communication:

   • Make sure that BlueBoat is configured with an additional client endpoint. A guide can be found here.
   • Alternatively, use the SITL simulator from ArduPilot, configured with an additional endpoint. This can be done using the --out=<IP-address>:<Port> commandline-argument when starting SITL. SITL must run in the background at all times!

      python3 sim_vehicle.py -v Rover --out=127.0.0.1:14541

   • The connection-object for this project is hardcoded in main.py, and is defined by the the_connection variable. Make sure that the IP-address and port matches the one configured in BlueOS or SITL. If not, modify the code.

3. Run the Path Planner:

   python main.py

4. Customizing Settings:

   • Use additional arguments when running the script:

     Option	Type	Description	Default
     -size	int	Size of map extraction	2500
     -algo	str	Path planning algorithm. Valid entries: astar, rrtstar	astar
     -note	str	Add a note for mission logs
     -disable_log		Disable logging of mission

Files and Directories

• data/: Contains data files required for the path planning.
• mission_logs/: Stores logs of missions for review and analysis.
• src/: Core source code for path planning.
• custom_plotter.py: Custom plotting utility for visualizing paths.
• main.py: Main script to run the path planner.
• map_settings.yaml: Configuration file for map settings.
• seacharts_plotter.py: Plotter for SeaCharts.
• standalone_pathplanner.py: Standalone version of the path planner.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request for any improvements or bug fixes.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

For any questions or support, please open an issue on the repository.

Note:

readme.md was partially generated by ChatGPT-4o