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Real World Deployment

Deploy AirStack to real hardware and fly autonomous missions in the field. This section covers hardware installation, configuration, testing, and field operation best practices.

Overview

Real-world deployment involves:

  • Hardware Setup - Installing AirStack on onboard computers (Jetson, VOXL)
  • Robot Configuration - Configuring robot identity, sensors, and network
  • Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) Testing - Testing with real hardware before field deployment
  • Field Operations - Running missions and collecting data
  • Data Management - Offloading and managing collected data

Supported Hardware Platforms

NVIDIA Jetson

  • Jetson Orin series (recommended)
  • Jetson Xavier NX
  • Jetson TX2

ModalAI VOXL

  • VOXL 2
  • VOXL Flight

Getting Started with Hardware

Prerequisites

Deployment Process

  1. Install on Hardware
  2. Flash operating system
  3. Install AirStack dependencies
  4. Configure robot identity and network

  5. See: Installation Guide

  6. Hardware-in-the-Loop Testing

  7. Test autonomy stack with real hardware in controlled environment
  8. Validate sensor integration
  9. Tune controllers and parameters

  10. See: HITL Testing Guide

  11. Field Deployment

  12. Follow safety protocols
  13. Pre-flight checklist
  14. Monitor during operation
  15. Post-flight data collection

  16. See: Deploying to Hardware Tutorial

  17. Data Management

  18. Offload ROS bags and logs
  19. Sync to storage server
  20. Archive and analyze
  21. See: Data Offloading

Safety Considerations

Safety First

Real-world operation requires adherence to safety protocols:

  • Pre-flight checks: Verify all systems functional before takeoff
  • Kill switch: Always have manual override capability
  • Geofencing: Configure safe operating boundaries
  • Communication: Maintain telemetry link throughout operation
  • Emergency procedures: Plan for failures (GPS loss, communication loss, etc.)
  • Regulations: Follow local aviation regulations and obtain necessary permits

Hardware Configuration

Robot Identity

Each robot needs unique configuration:

  • Robot name/hostname
  • ROS_DOMAIN_ID (for multi-robot operations)
  • Network configuration
  • Sensor calibration

See: Robot Identity Configuration

Network Setup

  • WiFi or cellular connectivity for telemetry
  • Optional 5G/LTE for high-bandwidth applications
  • Local mesh networking for multi-robot teams

Common Workflows

Single Robot Field Mission

  1. Power on robot and verify systems
  2. Establish telemetry link
  3. Run pre-flight checks
  4. Arm and execute mission
  5. Monitor via Ground Control Station
  6. Land and collect data

Multi-Robot Coordination

  1. Configure unique ROS_DOMAIN_ID for each robot
  2. Set up communication infrastructure
  3. Launch Ground Control Station
  4. Deploy robots sequentially
  5. Monitor coordination via GCS
  6. Manage data offload from multiple robots

Autonomy Modes for Real World

AirStack supports multiple autonomy modes for different scenarios:

  • onboard_all: All processing on robot (no ground station needed)
  • onboard_local: Local planning onboard, global planning offboard
  • offboard_global: Heavy computation on ground station

See: Autonomy Modes Tutorial

Data Collection

ROS Bag Recording

  • Automatic recording of key topics
  • Configurable topic selection
  • Storage management on limited-capacity devices

See: ROS Bags

Data Offloading

  • Automatic sync to ground station or server
  • Compression and transfer optimization
  • Archive management

See: Data Offloading

Troubleshooting

No GPS fix:

  • Verify GPS antenna connection
  • Check for interference
  • Wait for satellite acquisition (can take several minutes)

High latency on telemetry:

  • Check network signal strength
  • Reduce publishing rates for non-critical topics
  • Use compression for image data

Poor localization:

  • Verify sensor calibration
  • Check for sensor failures
  • Ensure adequate visual features (for vision-based localization)

Battery issues:

  • Monitor voltage and current draw
  • Plan missions within battery capacity
  • Consider cold weather effects on battery

Resources

Next Steps