Python and Dronekit Intro | Drone Programming (2020)

Dronekit is a powerful python package for drone programming that can be used to control drones from python scripts. Learn about the power of dronekit in this video.

Ardupilot is low level firmware that controls the drone, typically written in the difficult-to-learn C/C++. Thankfully with python and dronekit, we can control the drone with simple python scripts that command an ardupilot based drone.

So Dronekit is basically an API into the ArduPilot firmware.

This is a snippet of a full course on how to program drones. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE COMPLETE COURSE, CHECK IT OUT AT

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[angelleal]

Great Video for someone who is starting on drones.

[dymastro]

Is Dronekit still relevant? or are there any other better alternatives? Github doesn't seem "that" active?.

still, great video. did some tests. Really awesome! trying to interface with our Django front end.

[creased]

Will there be any comprehensive guide to use the more updated MAVSDK?

[ktthompson]

So the drone consists of physical, datalink, network, transport, session, presentation and application layers? Hardware, firmware and userspace, how would these apply to the OSI model layer if applicable?

[abdelz]

so where does ROS fit into this diagram? Firmware?

[SATCOMGoose]

does dronekit support python3 yet? having issues with Ubuntu 20.04 using python 3.8

[desmondwong]

Thanks for the concise explanation! Really motivated me to study (to play) hard😎

[muhammaddhomanhurimalikill]

how to read rangefinder 2 using python?

[abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv]

Hi! I’m new to this, so I have a couple questions. With DroneKit, would you be able to do more than just take off/land such as making the drone follow the mouse to fly? Also how do you know if you can program your drone with dronekit? It’s there specific documentation I should read? Thanks in advance!

[birambawo]

Excellent introductory series to the diy drone world. You've cleared the air for me and now I know what to do next in my quest to build an autonomous drone tracking drone.


I want to use a raspberry pi parallel to a pixhawk controller to do object detection and also stream live video frames to a ground station computer. The ground computer will also receive telemetry data from the drone, and based on the data received I will use opencv to do object tracking. So my question is can I use dronekit to setup a communication line with the pi, implement my algorithms and control the drone from the ground station autonomously ?


Do you have any useful resources that could get me started ?

[crcpeart]

Hi Caleb,
I see on the course there are some details in the latter parts which detail controlling the drone with velocity commands.
Would it be possible to control the drone using only heading and throttle commands? For example,
Run script at GPS coordinate, record initial heading
Throttle 30% at current heading for 5 seconds,
throttle 15%, steer right until at opposite heading,
throttle 50% at new heading for 4 seconds
throttle 20%, steer right until at opposite heading
throttle 70% at 3 seconds,
throttle 20% and RTL

Is such a script possible with Dronekit? And is this covered in your course? I will sign up if yes.

[ziyaacar]

Hi.Firstly thanks for this great video. I have a question on my mind. Can I use dronekit for fixed wing UAV? If you answer my questıon, I'll be happy.Thanks again.

[vlognyaocal]

its interesting. what kind of drone (brand, type) that i can use for this library ?
can i take picture from drones ?

[ericjohn]

Thank you so much for your course. Very interested in the dronekit. Could you please tell me which drone can be controlled by dronekit? Or I could just buy any drone and use the dronekit and python to write scripts and control them?

[philippelaferriere]

"You can watch rhinos eat snow cones."

*Actually googles it*

[abdulbasitfakir]

is it possible to use the same system without gps? i am the newbi

[BookOfMorman]

How does this video have a 2018 timestamp but a 2020 title? lol time traveler?