Phase 1: Simulation Mastery¶
Master autonomous drone fundamentals in a safe, virtual environment.
Overview¶
In Phase 1, you'll learn:
- Setup complete simulation environment
- Understand ArduPilot SITL
- Control drones via command line
- Visualize in Gazebo 3D simulator
- Run your first autonomous mission
No hardware needed — everything runs on your computer.
Time: 4-6 hours total (spread over multiple sessions)
Prerequisites¶
Before starting Phase 1:
- Ubuntu 22.04 installed (native or VM)
- 8GB RAM minimum (16GB recommended)
- 25GB free disk space
- Stable internet connection
- Basic terminal/command-line comfort
Never used terminal? That's okay — we'll teach you as we go.
Tutorial Sections¶
Follow these in order:
1.1 Prerequisites and Setup¶
- Check system requirements
- Understand what you'll need
- Setup your workspace
Time: 15 minutes
1.2 Environment Setup¶
- Update Ubuntu system
- Install basic dependencies
- Configure your terminal
Time: 30 minutes
1.3 ArduPilot SITL Installation¶
- What is SITL and why use it
- Download and install ArduPilot
- Launch your first virtual drone
Time: 45 minutes
1.4 MAVProxy Command Line¶
- Control drone via commands
- Understand flight modes
- Arm, takeoff, and land
Time: 1 hour
1.5 Gazebo Simulation¶
- Install Gazebo Garden
- Integrate with ArduPilot
- Visualize your drone in 3D
Time: 1 hour
1.6 First Autonomous Mission¶
- Plan a waypoint mission
- Execute autonomous flight
- Analyze logs
Time: 1 hour
Success Criteria¶
By the end of Phase 1, you will:
- Have working SITL + Gazebo simulation
- Understand basic ArduPilot concepts
- Successfully fly autonomous missions in simulation
- Feel confident proceeding to ROS2 integration
Ready to Start?¶
Begin with 1.1 Prerequisites and Setup
Need Help?¶
If you get stuck: 1. Check the troubleshooting section in each tutorial 2. Search existing issues 3. Open a new issue with: - Which section you're on - What command failed - Error message (full text) - Your Ubuntu version
We're here to help!