Aetherius GCS

Aetherius GCS is a modular ground control station for fixed-wing UAVs, designed for real-time mission planning, telemetry monitoring, and system diagnostics. It features a modern React-based frontend and a Python FastAPI backend, with MAVLink integration for communication with ArduPilot-based flight controllers.

Features

• Mission Planning: Waypoint editor with Dubins path support, geofence validation, and mission preview.
• Telemetry Monitoring: Live aircraft data via MAVLink, including GPS, battery, and attitude.
• Driver Station: Arm/disarm controls, flight mode switcher, and system status.
• Log Viewer: Stream and display real-time and historical logs with filtering and deduplication.
• Persistent State: Auto-caches unsaved missions and settings via localStorage.

Architecture

• Frontend (React + TypeScript + Tailwind)
  • Cesium: 3D map visualization
  • Recharts: Graphing telemetry
  • shadcn/ui & tailwind: Interface components
  • React Context: App-wide telemetry and config state
• Backend (FastAPI + WebSockets + pyMAVLink)
  • Serves telemetry via WebSocket
  • REST API for logs, missions, settings
  • Websocket connection to Pi
• Onboard (Raspberry Pi)
  • Handles MAVLink comms to Pixhawk
  • Auto-updating over LAN via HTTP

Folder Structure (WIP)

aetherius-uav/
├── frontend/             # React-based UI
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── assets/
│   │   ├── components/
│   │   │   ├── pages/
│   │   │   ├── ui/
│   │   ├── lib/
├── backend/              # FastAPI + MAVLink bridge
│   ├── main.py
├── onboard/              # Raspberry Pi side program
│   ├── rpi/
├── Assets/    

Page Layout

• Dashboard: Basic overview, Leaflet map
• Telemetry Dashboard: Real-time plots using rechart (battery, attitude, GPS)
• Mission Planning: Map, waypoint editor, geofence, path preview
• Manual Control: Joystick visualization, RC override, attitude indicator
  • Mission Monitor: Telemetry, mission control, logs, errors, full cesium map
  • Accessory Monitor: Lidar, camera, payload data
• Logs: Filtered log viewer with search and grouping
• Settings: Ground station config, firmware versions, preferences

App Flowchart

Running the Project

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18+)
• Python 3.11+
• MAVProxy or pyMAVLink dependencies

Dev Setup

Frontend:

cd frontend
npm install
npm run dev

Backend:

cd backend
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # or .\venv\Scripts\activate on Windows
pip install -r requirements.txt
uvicorn main:app --host 0.0.0.0 --port 55050 --reload

Combined:

python3 run_gcs.py

TODO

• Comms with Pi
• Comms with PixHawk
• Comms with backend
• Send&receive message from Pixhawk
• UI - Driver Station
• UI - Dashboard
• UI - Telemetry
• UI - Mission planning
• UI - Manual control
• UI - Mission control
• UI - Mission monitor
• UI - Accessory monitor
• UI - Logs
• UI - Settings
• Lidar
• Mission execution
• Cesium 3d map
• Live camera
• Lidar 3d map

Big problems I've encountered so far:

• Tailwind & vite not installing and working
• Page not loading
• Pi not connecting to Wi-Fi
• Pi not connecting to ssh
• Rechart not working
• Cesium not working
• Leaflet interactions not working
• Cesium doesn't stop reloading
• Pixhawk not calibrating
• Pi crashing
• Websocket not reconnecting
• Mavlink disconnecting
• Mavlink message loop freezing
• Tailwind not loading formats properly
• shadcn/ui not downloading
• https and wss not working
• Pi not booting up
• Ailerons not moving