Enhancing Fixed-Wing UAS Autonomy: A ROS2 Package for XPlane

This paper presents the development and deployment of a ROS2 package tailored for seamless integration with the XPlane flight simulator. It discusses the underlying motivations driving its creation, emphasizing the necessity for a robust framework to facilitate interactions between ROS2-based robotic systems and the XPlane environment. The package's architecture, components, and functionalities are comprehensively elucidated, showcasing its capabilities in accessing vehicle state data, and controlling the aircraft. Detailed installation instructions are provided to ensure a smooth setup process, accompanied by practical demonstrations of autonomous operations within the XPlane simulator environment. Overall, this paper serves as a comprehensive resource for researchers and developers seeking to leverage ROS2 for interfacing with the XPlane simulator, enabling diverse applications in robotics and aerospace.