Programming Manual

UAV

Mavlink communication in C++/Arduino IDE

Written

By

Mohd Azizi Bin Ab Malek

September 2016
MAvlink message communication programming procedure

Request Data Read for received

Handle the message receive as a usable format
1 communication
e.g function :
e.g function2:
request_data() e.g function1:
communication_receive() gcs_handleMessage (mavlink_message_t* msg)

1. Request data

Request data is a function where a set of data byte are sent to the UAV flight controller that used
MAVlink protocol. In normal case, Pixhawk or Ardupilot. Therefore, the byte act as a data stream
request command to the flight controller to continuously send data through the port where the
command is received. For example, if the Arduino/software send data to Telem1 RX port in
Pixhawk, then Telem1 TX port will have constant data stream related to the MAVlink protocol.

Example code:
void request_data()
{
byte req[] = {254,6,0,255,1,66,20,0,1,0,0,1,183,129};
Serial2.write(req,14);
}
Note: This is based on code written by rijal. Direct method. This is
not correctly implemented based on MAVlink.

Mavlink bytes array data structure

hdr len seq sys cmp id Payload (len 9) crc

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 a b c d e f 10
FE 09 4E 01 01 00 00 00 00 00 02 03 51 04 03 1C 7F

Fixed Header (6 octets)

hdr packet header always 0xFE
len Message length (max 9 byte) The length of payload byte array being sent.
seq sequence number rolls around from 255 to 0 (will change
sequently)
sys source system what system is sending this message (default
=1). Particularly important when identifying
multiple system e.g UAV) [1=1st UAV, 2=2nd UAV
and so on]
cmp source component what component of the system is sending the
message (default=1). For most case determine
autopilot. If same it is equal.
 id message ID What is message ID. Refer Pixhawk MAVlink
documents3.

Variable Sized Payload (specified in octet 1, range 0..255)

Payload This is the actual packet that The range is usual 06-0e. Means that, the
is being sent using mavlink payload size can be from 6-9 byte array in
protocol. length.

Packet Checksum
crc cyclic redundancy Basically, an error detecting byte. This to ensure that
check (CRC) the message payload being sent is actually correct and
complete.

Source:
http://eastbay-rc.blogspot.my/2013/04/mavlink-protocol-notes-packet-decoding.html
https://pixhawk.org/dev/mavlink

Correct implementation:

Set variable for Encode the Send/write the

data request command into a message over serial
stream command mavlink message to the UAV

void request_data()
{
// Set variable command for request data stream
mavlink_command_long_t cmd;
cmd.target_system = system_id;
cmd.target_component = autopilot_id;
//use set message interval to request data stream
cmd.command = MAV_CMD_SET_MESSAGE_INTERVAL;
//confirm transmission
cmd.confirmation = true;
//to stream all
cmd.param1 = MAV_DATA_STREAM_ALL;
//[data rate]-1=disable;0=default rate
cmd.param2 = 0;
// Encode
mavlink_message_t message;
mavlink_msg_command_long_encode(system_id, companion_id, &message,
&cmd);

// Send the message

Serial2.write(message);

return;
}
2. Read for received communication

Check the Check if the data Parse the received serial Handle the
serial port for received is parse-able data (which is in char) into mavlink
received data into mavlink message mavlink message format message

Example code:
void communication_receive()
{
mavlink_message_t msg;
mavlink_status_t status;

if(Serial2.available() > 0) {}

// COMMUNICATION THROUGH UART

while(Serial2.available())
{
uint8_t c = Serial2.read();
Serial2.write(c);

// Try to get a new message

if (mavlink_parse_char(MAVLINK_COMM_0, c, &msg, &status))
{
gcs_handleMessage(&msg);
}
// And get the next one
}
// Update global packet drops counter
// notes: not important can be delete. This is to check for error
packet_drops += status.packet_rx_drop_count;
}

3. Handle the message receive as a usable format.

Check the Create the case Decode the message Extract packet
received mavlink packet based on into packet specified data and transfer
message ID the message ID to the case to variable
void gcs_handleMessage(mavlink_message_t* msg)
{
switch (msg->msgid) {
case MAVLINK_MSG_ID_HEARTBEAT:
{
beat = 1;
mavlink_heartbeat_t packet;
mavlink_msg_heartbeat_decode(msg,&packet); // decode
flightmode = packet.base_mode;
break;
}

case MAVLINK_MSG_ID_ATTITUDE:
{

mavlink_attitude_t packet;
// decode
mavlink_msg_attitude_decode(msg, &packet);
pitch = toDeg(packet.pitch);
yaw = toDeg(packet.yaw);
roll = toDeg(packet.roll);
pitchrate = toDeg(packet.pitchspeed);
break;
}
...
...
...
}