Efficient Development of Model-Based Controllers in PX4 Firmware: A Template-Based Customization Approach

This paper introduces a refined iteration of the PX4 autopilot firmware tailored to support developers in integrating bespoke control algorithms alongside the existing control framework. The proposed methodology employs a template-driven approach and introduces two novel control modules, thereby enabling users to harness all firmware functionalities within their custom modalities, including the QGroundControl interface, while retaining all the standard modules and compatibility with the QGroundControl interface. With its transparent and adaptable structure, the software framework presented herein lays a robust groundwork for implementing tailored and specialized solutions across diverse aerospace domains. As a practical demonstration, we apply the developed firmware to the domain of inspection and maintenance, wherein it incorporates an admittance controller and a model-based control algorithm for a tiltable drone equipped with a sensorized tool. The efficacy and versatility of the proposed approach are validated through simulations and empirical trials conducted across multiple aerial platforms. The produced code is released to the community.