feat: Simplify drone controller to basic flight pattern, overhaul installation guide, and update related scripts.

scripts/run_ardupilot_controller.sh

@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # =============================================================================
-# ArduPilot Controller Launcher
+# ArduPilot SITL + Controller Launcher
 # =============================================================================
-# Starts ArduPilot SITL and your drone controller together.
+# Starts SITL and the drone controller together.
+# Run Gazebo FIRST in another terminal!
 #
 # Usage:
-#   Terminal 1: ./scripts/run_ardupilot_sim.sh runway
-#   Terminal 2: ./scripts/run_ardupilot_controller.sh
+#   Terminal 1: ./scripts/run_ardupilot_sim.sh
+#   Terminal 2: ./scripts/run_ardupilot_controller.sh --pattern square
 # =============================================================================
 
 set -e
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ set -e
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 PROJECT_DIR="$(dirname "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
 
-# Deactivate any existing virtual environment to avoid conflicts
+# Deactivate any existing venv
 if [ -n "$VIRTUAL_ENV" ]; then
     deactivate 2>/dev/null || true
 fi
@@ -24,83 +25,72 @@ if [ -f "$HOME/.ardupilot_env" ]; then
     source "$HOME/.ardupilot_env"
 fi
 
-# Activate ArduPilot venv (has empy and other dependencies)
 if [ -f "$HOME/venv-ardupilot/bin/activate" ]; then
     source "$HOME/venv-ardupilot/bin/activate"
 fi
 
 echo "=============================================="
-echo "  ArduPilot Controller"
+echo "  ArduPilot SITL + Controller"
 echo "=============================================="
 echo ""
 
-# Check dependencies
+# Check sim_vehicle.py
 if ! command -v sim_vehicle.py &> /dev/null; then
     echo "[ERROR] sim_vehicle.py not found"
     echo ""
-    echo "Fix: Add ArduPilot tools to PATH:"
-    echo "  export PATH=\$PATH:~/ardupilot/Tools/autotest"
-    echo ""
-    echo "Or source the ArduPilot environment:"
-    echo "  source ~/.ardupilot_env"
+    echo "Fix: source ~/.ardupilot_env"
+    echo " Or: export PATH=\$PATH:~/ardupilot/Tools/autotest"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-# Verify empy is available
+# Check empy
 if ! python3 -c "import em" 2>/dev/null; then
     echo "[ERROR] empy not found"
     echo ""
-    echo "Fix: Install empy in ArduPilot venv:"
-    echo "  source ~/venv-ardupilot/bin/activate"
-    echo "  pip install empy==3.3.4"
+    echo "Fix: pip install empy==3.3.4"
     exit 1
 fi
 
-echo "[INFO] Environment OK"
-echo "[INFO] Python: $(which python3)"
+echo "[OK] Environment ready"
 echo ""
 
-# Start SITL with console output
-echo "[INFO] Starting ArduPilot SITL..."
-echo "[INFO] This will build ArduCopter if needed (first run takes ~2 min)"
+# Start SITL with console
+echo "[INFO] Starting SITL..."
+echo "[INFO] Make sure Gazebo is running first!"
 echo ""
 
-# Run sim_vehicle in a way that shows output
-sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter -f gazebo-iris --model JSON --console --map &
+sim_vehicle.py -v ArduCopter -f gazebo-iris --model JSON --console &
 SITL_PID=$!
 
-# Wait for SITL to be ready (check for TCP port 5760)
-echo "[INFO] Waiting for SITL to start (TCP 5760)..."
+# Wait for SITL to be ready
+echo "[INFO] Waiting for SITL (TCP 5760)..."
 TRIES=0
-MAX_TRIES=60  # 60 seconds max
 while ! nc -z 127.0.0.1 5760 2>/dev/null; do
     sleep 1
     TRIES=$((TRIES + 1))
-    if [ $TRIES -ge $MAX_TRIES ]; then
-        echo "[ERROR] Timeout waiting for SITL on port 5760"
+    if [ $TRIES -ge 60 ]; then
+        echo "[ERROR] SITL timeout"
         kill $SITL_PID 2>/dev/null || true
         exit 1
     fi
-    # Check if SITL process is still running
     if ! kill -0 $SITL_PID 2>/dev/null; then
-        echo "[ERROR] SITL process died"
+        echo "[ERROR] SITL died - is Gazebo running?"
         exit 1
     fi
     echo -n "."
 done
 echo ""
-echo "[OK] SITL is ready on TCP 5760"
+echo "[OK] SITL ready"
 echo ""
 
-# Give it a moment more to stabilize
+# Cleanup on exit
+trap "echo ''; echo '[INFO] Stopping...'; kill $SITL_PID 2>/dev/null; exit 0" INT TERM
+
+# Wait a moment for SITL to stabilize
 sleep 2
 
-# Trap to kill SITL on exit
-trap "echo ''; echo '[INFO] Stopping SITL...'; kill $SITL_PID 2>/dev/null; exit 0" INT TERM
-
-# Run controller
-echo "[INFO] Starting drone controller..."
-echo "[INFO] Press Ctrl+C to stop"
+# Run the controller
+echo "[INFO] Starting flight controller..."
 echo ""
 cd "$PROJECT_DIR"
 python scripts/run_ardupilot.py "$@"