Airsim: Possible to add Cameras to the Drone?

Created on 22 Feb 2018 · 14Comments · Source: microsoft/AirSim

Is it possible to add a camera to the drone? What files would you have to change besides FlyingPawn.cpp?
Thanks!

Source

olivia-skydio

Most helpful comment

I have done this previously, you'll also need to make changes in FlyingPawn.h, VehicleWrapper.cpp. I followed the code starting from multiRotorAPI simGetImage method. I can outline the specific changes that I made if that isn't enough

DavidLSmyth on 23 Feb 2018

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All 14 comments

You will have to modify the BP_FlyingPawn blueprint with the added camera and parameters, and then inside FlyingPawn.cpp, add your reference to it, making sure to add it to the camera list.

zergler on 23 Feb 2018

@zergler thanks for the reply back! So I'm currently doing that right now but when I try and do ImageRequest for that camera then my UnrealEngine crashes. Any ideas of things I could be missing?

olivia-skydio on 23 Feb 2018

Hmm I'm not sure. You could launch UE4Editor inside gdb and then run r /path/to/airsim/Unreal/Environments/Blocks/Blocks.uproject to get a stack track. That might point out the problem.

zergler on 23 Feb 2018

DavidLSmyth on 23 Feb 2018

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@DavidLSmyth thanks for the response! I made changes in FlyingPawn.h to add my camera. What other changes in VehicleWrapper.cpp would I need to add? Thanks so much!

olivia-skydio on 23 Feb 2018

Just got it working I think! Thanks for the help @zergler! @DavidLSmyth I didn't end up changing anything in VehicleWrapper.cpp was still curious what you changed?

olivia-skydio on 23 Feb 2018

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Just curious, why you need additional cameras. We already have 5 cameras on the drone...

sytelus on 27 Feb 2018

Hi @sytelus , not the OP but might have an answer to your question. Since my team and I would like to duplicate camera rig configurations from real vehicles (we have many) and test new ones, it helps to be able to specify the exact number, position and orientation of each camera, which I'm currently attempting to do similar to the methods discussed on this thread. Even though my use is for the car, I'd imagine there's a similar reason for wanting this option on a drone.

nnayeer on 27 Feb 2018

For now you might be able to just change values here: https://github.com/Microsoft/AirSim/blob/master/Unreal/Plugins/AirSim/Source/Car/CarPawn.cpp#L123

In long run we want to be able to specify this through json settings.

sytelus on 2 Mar 2018

@DavidLSmyth, Can you go over the changes or attach files to the comment so I can personally go through the changes? I need multiple stereo cameras on the multirotor. Thank you.

nalinraut on 5 Feb 2019

@nalinraut do you mean you need multiple cameras for stereo vision? I don't think unreal provides stereo cameras. The changes were merged for the multirotor, see above

DavidLSmyth on 5 Feb 2019

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@DavidLSmyth If I am not wrong, I can use the left and right camera as a stereo pair using the simGetImages API. Thank you!

nalinraut on 5 Feb 2019

@olivia-skydio Did you only make changes to FlyingPawn.h or are there more changes to other scripts? Thank you!

nalinraut on 11 Feb 2019

hey @nalinraut, see my comment here https://github.com/Microsoft/AirSim/issues/1770#issuecomment-462949223