MAVROS is a ROS package that provides communication driver for various autopilots with MAVLink communication protocol. It serves as a bridge between the Robot Operating System (ROS) and MAVLink-enabled systems, allowing seamless integration of drones and other unmanned vehicles into ROS-based robotics projects.

Pros

• Enables easy integration of MAVLink-based autopilots with ROS ecosystems
• Supports a wide range of MAVLink-enabled devices and autopilots
• Provides a standardized interface for controlling and monitoring drones through ROS
• Actively maintained and has a large community of users and contributors

Cons

• Can be complex to set up and configure for beginners
• Requires understanding of both ROS and MAVLink protocols
• May introduce latency in communication, which can be critical for some applications
• Limited documentation for advanced use cases and troubleshooting

Code Examples

1. Subscribing to GPS data:

import rospy
from sensor_msgs.msg import NavSatFix

def gps_callback(data):
    rospy.loginfo("Latitude: %f, Longitude: %f, Altitude: %f", 
                  data.latitude, data.longitude, data.altitude)

rospy.init_node('gps_subscriber')
rospy.Subscriber('/mavros/global_position/global', NavSatFix, gps_callback)
rospy.spin()

2. Sending a takeoff command:

import rospy
from mavros_msgs.srv import CommandTOL

rospy.init_node('takeoff_command')
takeoff_service = rospy.ServiceProxy('/mavros/cmd/takeoff', CommandTOL)
takeoff_service(altitude=10, latitude=0, longitude=0, min_pitch=0, yaw=0)

3. Setting flight mode:

import rospy
from mavros_msgs.srv import SetMode

rospy.init_node('set_mode')
set_mode_service = rospy.ServiceProxy('/mavros/set_mode', SetMode)
set_mode_service(custom_mode='GUIDED')

Getting Started

1. Install ROS and MAVROS:

   sudo apt-get install ros-<distro>-mavros ros-<distro>-mavros-extras
   

2. Install GeographicLib datasets:

   wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mavlink/mavros/master/mavros/scripts/install_geographiclib_datasets.sh
   sudo bash ./install_geographiclib_datasets.sh
   

3. Create a ROS workspace and clone MAVROS:

   mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src
   cd ~/catkin_ws/src
   git clone https://github.com/mavlink/mavros.git
   

4. Build the workspace:

   cd ~/catkin_ws
   catkin build
   

5. Source the workspace:

   source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash
   

Now you can start using MAVROS in your ROS projects.