Both multiranger_mapping_launch.py and keyboard_velmux_launch.py not enabling the vel_mux.py node as intended [Beginner]

[AFKBOI92]

When running the multiranger mapping script it runs normally but lacks a message like this:

[vel_mux.py-2] [INFO] [1713355563.119257416] [vel_mux]: Velocity Multiplexer set for /cf231 with height 0.3 m using the /cmd_vel topic

This is what I got in my terminal:

ros2 launch crazyflie_examples multiranger_mapping_launch.py
[INFO] [launch]: All log files can be found below /home/ecs335/.ros/log/2024-04-17-07-59-51-270332-cecstech-Predator-PHN16-71-13167
[INFO] [launch]: Default logging verbosity is set to INFO
[INFO] [crazyflie_server.py-1]: process started with pid [13168]
[INFO] [vel_mux.py-2]: process started with pid [13170]
[INFO] [async_slam_toolbox_node-3]: process started with pid [13172]
[async_slam_toolbox_node-3] [INFO] [1713355191.463257725] [slam_toolbox]: Using solver plugin solver_plugins::CeresSolver
[crazyflie_server.py-1] Exception while doing callback on port [0]
[crazyflie_server.py-1]
[crazyflie_server.py-1] Traceback (most recent call last):
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/cflib/crazyflie/init.py", line 415, in run
[crazyflie_server.py-1] cb.callback(pk)
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/cflib/crazyflie/console.py", line 73, in _incoming
[crazyflie_server.py-1] console_text = packet.data.decode('UTF-8')
[crazyflie_server.py-1] UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xff in position 28: invalid start byte
[crazyflie_server.py-1]
[crazyflie_server.py-1] Exception while doing callback on port [0]
[crazyflie_server.py-1]
[crazyflie_server.py-1] Traceback (most recent call last):
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/cflib/crazyflie/init.py", line 415, in run
[crazyflie_server.py-1] cb.callback(pk)
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/.local/lib/python3.10/site-packages/cflib/crazyflie/console.py", line 73, in _incoming
[crazyflie_server.py-1] console_text = packet.data.decode('UTF-8')
[crazyflie_server.py-1] UnicodeDecodeError: 'utf-8' codec can't decode byte 0xff in position 0: invalid start byte
[crazyflie_server.py-1]
[crazyflie_server.py-1] Traceback (most recent call last):
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/ros2_ws/install/crazyflie/lib/crazyflie/crazyflie_server.py", line 1125, in
[crazyflie_server.py-1] main()
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/ros2_ws/install/crazyflie/lib/crazyflie/crazyflie_server.py", line 1116, in main
[crazyflie_server.py-1] crazyflie_server = CrazyflieServer()
[crazyflie_server.py-1] File "/home/ecs335/ros2_ws/install/crazyflie/lib/crazyflie/crazyflie_server.py", line 233, in init
[crazyflie_server.py-1] msg.data = self._ros_parameters['robot_description'].replace("$NAME", name)
[crazyflie_server.py-1] KeyError: 'robot_description'
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355193.943359167] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] is fully connected!
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355193.945157287] [crazyflie_server]: All Crazyflies are fully connected!
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355193.954994740] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] commander.enHighLevel is set to 1
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.003940951] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] locSrv.extPosStdDev is set to 0.001
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.006324443] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] locSrv.extQuatStdDev is set to 0.05
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.040776490] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] stabilizer.controller is set to 1
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.042917111] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] stabilizer.estimator is set to 2
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.057773051] [crazyflie_server]: All Crazyflies parameters are initialized.
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.060966443] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] setup logging for scan at freq 10
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.064616737] [crazyflie_server]: [cf231] setup logging for odom at freq 10
[crazyflie_server.py-1] [INFO] [1713355194.069053465] [crazyflie_server]: All Crazyflies logging are initialized.
[async_slam_toolbox_node-3] [INFO] [1713355194.273198006] [slam_toolbox]: Message Filter dropping message: frame 'cf231' at time 1713355194.172 for reason 'discarding message because the queue is full'
[async_slam_toolbox_node-3] Info: clipped range threshold to be within minimum and maximum range!
[async_slam_toolbox_node-3] [WARN] [1713355194.277363507] [slam_toolbox]: maximum laser range setting (3.5 m) exceeds the capabilities of the used Lidar (3.5 m)
[async_slam_toolbox_node-3] Registering sensor: [Custom Described Lidar]
[async_slam_toolbox_node-3] [INFO] [1713355194.772392013] [slam_toolbox]: Message Filter dropping message: frame 'cf231' at time 1713355194.672 for reason 'discarding message because the queue is full'

This message includes the "[INFO] [vel_mux.py-2]: process started with pid [13170]" but doesn't follow with a message like this
"[vel_mux.py-2] [INFO] [1713355563.119257416] [vel_mux]: Velocity Multiplexer set for /cf231 with height 0.3 m using the /cmd_vel topic" like in the tutorials.

Interestingly, I also encounter the same issue when running keyboard_velmux_launch.py individually. I discovered that if I run the crazyflie launch.py script first then keyboard_velmux it registers the Velocity Multiplexer, which brings me to another issue. I'm unable to fully utilize the teleop_twist_keyboard. I can only use the 't' and 'b' , meaning I can only take off and land but not fully control the drone as the other buttons don't register. For context when I use ros2 topic echo /cmd_vel I can see that it updates the x,y and z values. The others keys also function like the the take off key but can't use them to fly the cf around.

For the multiranger I am unable to have the cf fly in order to map its surroundings which means I can't really use the nav2 tool which also suffers from the same issue.

I will also include my crazyflies.yaml file.

named list of all robots

robots:
cf231:
enabled: true
uri: radio://0/80/2M/E7E7E7E7E7
initial_position: [0, 0, 0]
type: cf21 # see robot_types
# firmware_params:
# kalman:
# pNAcc_xy: 1.0 # default 0.5
# firmware_logging:
# enabled: true
# custom_topics:
# topic_name3:
# frequency: 1
# vars: ["acc.x", "acc.y"]
cf5:
enabled: false
uri: radio://0/80/2M/E7E7E7E705
initial_position: [0, -0.5, 0]
type: cf21 # see robot_types
# firmware_params:
# kalman:
# pNAcc_xy: 1.0 # default 0.5
#firmware_logging:
# custom_topics:
# topic_name3:
# frequency: 1
# vars: ["acc.x", "acc.y", "acc.z"]

Definition of the various robot types

robot_types:
cf21:
motion_capture:
enabled: false
# only if enabled; see motion_capture.yaml
marker: default_single_marker
dynamics: default
big_quad: false
battery:
voltage_warning: 3.8 # V
voltage_critical: 3.7 # V
# firmware_params:
# kalman:
# pNAcc_xy: 1.0 # default 0.5
#firmware_logging:
# enabled: true
# default_topics:
# pose:
# frequency: 1 # Hz
# custom_topics:
# topic_name3:
# frequency: 1
# vars: ["acc.x", "acc.y", "acc.z"]

cf21_mocap_deck:
motion_capture:
enabled: false
# only if enabled; see motion_capture.yaml
marker: mocap_deck
dynamics: default
big_quad: false
battery:
voltage_warning: 3.8 # V
voltage_critical: 3.7 # V

# firmware_params:
#   kalman:
#     pNAcc_xy: 1.0 # default 0.5

global settings for all robots

all:

firmware logging for all drones (use robot_types/type_name to set per type, or

robots/drone_name to set per drone)

firmware_logging:
enabled: true
default_topics:
# remove to disable default topic
#pose:
# frequency: 10 # Hz
#status:
# frequency: 10 # Hz
odom:
frequency: 10 # Hz
scan:
frequency: 10 # Hz
#custom_topics:
# topic_name1:
# frequency: 10 # Hz
# vars: ["stateEstimateZ.x", "stateEstimateZ.y", "stateEstimateZ.z", "pm.vbat"]
# topic_name2:
# frequency: 1 # Hz
# vars: ["stabilizer.roll", "stabilizer.pitch", "stabilizer.yaw"]

firmware parameters for all drones (use robot_types/type_name to set per type, or

robots/drone_name to set per drone)

firmware_params:
commander:
enHighLevel: 1
stabilizer:
estimator: 2 # 1: complementary, 2: kalman
controller: 1 # 1: PID, 2: mellinger
# ring:
# effect: 16 # 6: double spinner, 7: solid color, 16: packetRate
# solidBlue: 255 # if set to solid color
# solidGreen: 0 # if set to solid color
# solidRed: 0 # if set to solid color
# headlightEnable: 0
locSrv:
extPosStdDev: 1e-3
extQuatStdDev: 0.5e-1
# kalman:
# resetEstimation: 1
broadcasts:
num_repeats: 15 # number of times broadcast commands are repeated
delay_between_repeats_ms: 1 # delay in milliseconds between individual repeats

[knmcguire]

Hi! I've made your issue into a discussion. Not saying that you are not hitting an issue here but it will need a bit of investigation first. You might be hitting this issue related to this PR: #454.

I'll try to see if I can recreate it and hopefully fix it

[knmcguire]

It's something else related. I've made an ticket and there is a PR open that should fix your issue #483

[AFKBOI92]

Thank you for looking into this

[knmcguire]

You can try out the PR to see if this fixes your issue? If you go to the branch related to the PR

[AFKBOI92]

I have applied them and it fixed the issues. It is now able to fly using the teleop. Thank you once again

[knmcguire]

Cool! It has now been merged to master