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Installation for development computer

Looking for instructions on how to also install on a NavQPlus?

Click here to get instructions on how to setup and configure a NavQPlus. Continue this guide for installing CogniPilot on a native development computer.

Requirements

This may work on other environments but only Ubuntu 24.04 is officially supported.

Optional before installing

Setup SSH keys on host and GitHub

If planning to develop and make changes to code it is suggested to set up ssh keys, however, it is not strictly required to do so.

  • Ensure that ssh keys are setup on host computer and GitHub to be able to clone the CogniPilot repositories with ssh.

Setup GPG keys on host and GitHub

  • Optionally setup gpg keys on host computer and GitHub to sign commits.

Use CogniPilot universal installer

Using Docker instead.

If preferring to use docker, there is a Docker Development Container that may be used instead.

To install CogniPilot on a system download the universal installer and run it (follow the prompts in the installer).

Download and run the universal installer:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install git wget -y
mkdir -p ~/cognipilot/installer
wget -O ~/cognipilot/installer/install_cognipilot.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CogniPilot/helmet/main/install/install_cognipilot.sh
chmod a+x ~/cognipilot/installer/install_cognipilot.sh
/bin/bash ~/cognipilot/installer/install_cognipilot.sh
When prompted to choose a release:
  1. brave for the current stable non-development release.
  2. main for active development.
When prompted to choose installer type select 1 for native:
  1. native select this for installing on development computer
  2. navqplus only if installing on a NavQPlus image that does not already have the installer on it. Click here for the proper way to install on a NavQPlus.
When prompted to choose whether or not to use ssh-keys:
  • y to clone with ssh keys, best for development work but only select if ssh keys are already present and setup with GitHub.
  • n to clone with https, best for users who do not plan to make modifications or develop.

Build the workspace

The build_workspace script:
  • Sets up the workspaces using vcs and yaml files provided in helmet.
  • Builds Cranium ROS 2 workspace.
  • Builds Cerebri (Zephyr RTOS native_sim) for software-in-the-loop simulation.
  • Builds Cyecca (control/estimation software).
  • Builds Electrode ROS 2 workspace (ground station software).

Build the CogniPilot workspace with build_workspace script (follow the prompts in the workspace builder).

Run the build_workspace script:
build_workspace
When prompted to choose whether or not to use ssh-keys:
  • y to clone with ssh keys, best for development work but only select if ssh keys are already present and setup with GitHub.
  • n to clone with https, best for users who do not plan to make modifications or develop.
When prompted to choose a platform to build:
  1. b3rb is an ackermann based mobile robotic platform with simulation.
  2. melm is a differential drive based mobile robotic platform with simulation.
  3. rdd2 is a quadcopter based mobile robotic platform with simulation.

Platforms

Currently supported platforms in this release are B3RB and ELM4.

Using a real platform:

Simulating a platform:

Convenience Scripts

docs script

The docs script:
  • Downloads and builds the documentation repositories for the documentation currently being read so that contributions can be made easily.
  • Allows for selection of documents to be served with mkdocs.

To view the docs offline locally or to contribute to them use the docs convenience script (follow the prompts for the correct docs).

Run the docs convenience script:
docs
When prompted to choose whether or not to use ssh-keys:
  • y to clone with ssh keys, best if contributing to the documentation but only select if ssh keys are already present and setup with GitHub.
  • n to clone with https, best for users who do not plan to contribute and only want a local viewer.
When prompted to choose a doc to build:
  1. airy is the airy developers guide site (airy.cognipilot.org).
  2. brave is the brave developers guide site (brave.cognipilot.org).
  3. overview is the release overview site (cognipilot.org).
I ran the command where are the docs?

Click here to access the locally built docs on 0.0.0.0:8000

cyecca script

The cyecca script:
  • Starts a JupyterLab instance for Cyecca to aid in developing control and estimation algorithms.

To develop algorithms with cyecca use the cyecca convenience script.

Run the cyeccs convenience script:
cyecca