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SimToFly - Drone Autonomy Guide

From Simulation to Flight

Complete tutorials for autonomous drones with ROS2 and ArduPilot.

Start Phase 1 → View on GitHub

Overview

Learn autonomous drone development from simulation to real hardware using modern robotics tools.

What you'll learn: - ArduPilot SITL simulation and Gazebo Harmonic 3D visualization - ROS2 integration with MAVROS for advanced control - Companion computer setup on Raspberry Pi - Complete hardware deployment and real flight testing

Who this is for: - Beginners with no prior ROS or ArduPilot experience - Students learning autonomous drone systems - Developers building drone applications - Hobbyists transitioning from simulation to hardware

Tutorial Phases

Phase 1: Simulation Mastery

Master drone fundamentals in safe virtual environment.

Content: - Prerequisites and environment setup - ArduPilot SITL installation - MAVProxy command-line control - Gazebo Harmonic 3D simulation - First autonomous waypoint mission

Status: ✅ Complete
Time: 6-8 hours
Start: Phase 1 Overview

Phase 2: ROS2 Integration

Connect ArduPilot to Robot Operating System.

Content: - ROS2 Humble installation - MAVROS setup and configuration - Topics, services, and messages - Custom ROS2 control nodes - Autonomous missions via ROS2

Status: 🚧 In Development
Expected: February 2026

Phase 3: Companion Computer

Deploy ROS2 on Raspberry Pi for onboard processing.

Content: - Raspberry Pi configuration - Serial connection to flight controller - ROS2 node deployment - Hardware-in-the-loop testing - Network communication

Status: 📋 Planned
Expected: March 2026

Phase 4: Real Hardware

Deploy complete system on actual drone.

Content: - Hardware assembly and wiring - Pre-flight safety procedures - Ground testing - First real flight test - Complete mission deployment

Status: 📋 Planned
Expected: April 2026

Technology Stack

Category Tools
Simulation ArduPilot SITL, Gazebo Harmonic, MAVProxy
Middleware ROS2 Humble, MAVROS
Hardware Pixhawk/Cube Orange, Raspberry Pi 4
Development Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Python 3, Git

Verified System

All tutorials tested on real hardware:

Software: - Ubuntu 22.04 LTS - ArduPilot Copter 4.5.7 - ROS2 Humble - Gazebo Harmonic - MAVProxy 1.8+

Hardware (Phase 4): - Flight Controller: Cube Orange / Pixhawk 6X - Companion Computer: Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB+)

Last verified: December 2025

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (native or VM)
  • 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended)
  • 30GB free disk space
  • Basic terminal familiarity

No prior ROS or ArduPilot experience required.

Quick Start:

  1. Check Prerequisites
  2. Set up Environment
  3. Follow Phase 1 Overview

Begin Phase 1 Now →

Features

Beginner-Friendly: - Assumes zero prior knowledge - Step-by-step instructions with verification - Comprehensive troubleshooting sections - Video demonstrations for complex procedures

Complete Workflow: - Covers simulation through real hardware - Modern stack (ROS2, not ROS1) - Verified on actual drones - Safety-first approach

Actively Maintained: - Regular updates and improvements - Community-driven development - Responsive issue tracking - New content added regularly

Community & Support

Get Help

Contribute

We welcome contributions:

  • Report bugs or errors
  • Suggest improvements
  • Submit pull requests
  • Share your projects
  • Help other learners

Contributing Guidelines

Stay Connected

About

Author: Sidharth Mohan Nair

Mission: Make drone autonomy accessible to everyone, from complete beginners to experienced developers.

Project Goals: - Provide complete learning path from simulation to hardware - Use modern, industry-standard tools - Verify all content on real hardware - Maintain beginner-friendly approach - Build active learning community

License: MIT — Free to use for personal and commercial projects

Acknowledgments

Built with knowledge from:

Special thanks to everyone who contributes to open-source drone software.

Ready to begin?
Start Your Drone Autonomy Journey →