Index

Install latest version of python

brew install python

Install opencv

brew tap homebrew/science
brew install opencv

You need to link cv2.so to cv.so in order for python to use opencv.

ln -s /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/cv2.so /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/cv.so

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/19155603/can-opencv-be-installed-in-python-virtualenv-on-mac-mountain-lion

Also link libjpeg so that mavproxy can find it.

ln -s /usr/local/Cellar/jpeg/8d/lib/libjpeg.8.dylib /usr/local/lib/libjpeg.8.dylib

Install wxPython

Download and install cocoa version from http://www.wxpython.org/download.php Or use pip to install

Install pip packages

pip install pyinstaller 
pip install matplotlib 
pip install pyreadline 
pip install pyserial 
pip install pymavlink
pip install numpy
pip install pyparsing
pip install pillow
or
brew intsall Pillow

lxml needs extra flags, so start bash and set it before compiling and installing native extensions. ref: http://lxml.de/installation.html

ARCHFLAGS="-arch i386 -arch x86_64" CFLAGS=-I/usr/local/include/lzma STATIC_DEPS=true pip install lxml

*NOTE: Above doesn't seem to be working! easy_install lxml doesn't work either. It's only needed for xml parsing used by param help in mavproxy prompt, so ignore for now.

Fix and install pymavlink

Clone mavlink

git clone https://github.com/mavlink/mavlink.git
cd mavlink/pymavlink

Fix the build script

vim setup.py

if platform.system() == 'Darwin':
    os.environ["ARCHFLAGS"] = "-arch i386 -arch x86_64"

build mavnative.o

python setup.py build
python setup.py intsall
lipo -info /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/mavnative.so
# Above command should return:
# Architectures in the fat file: /usr/local/lib/python2.7/site-packages/mavnative.so are: i386 x86_64

Install MAVProxy

pip install mavproxy
rehash

Run MAVProxy

Auto detect when there's only one APM

mavproxy.py

mavproxy.py --master=127.0.0.1:14550

mavproxy.py --master=/dev/tty.usbmodem1

To get the param help working, download the following file into ~/.mavproxy/ and rename it as ~/.mavproxy/ArduCopter.xml

http://autotest.diydrones.com/Parameters/ArduCopter/apm.pdef.xml

Example commands

motortest 1 0 50 10

Will issue the following command

MAV_CMD_DO_MOTOR_TEST:
    // param1 : motor sequence number (a number from 1 to max number of motors on the vehicle)
    // param2 : throttle type (0=throttle percentage, 1=PWM, 2=pilot throttle channel pass-through. See MOTOR_TEST_THROTTLE_TYPE enum)
    // param3 : throttle (range depends upon param2)
    // param4 : timeout (in seconds)

Calibration

accelcal
calpress
compassmot
level
ground

# the following is not working...
module load rcsetup
rccal start
rccal stop

Loading extra modules

module load <module name>

List of modules

https://github.com/Dronecode/MAVProxy/tree/master/MAVProxy/modules

Building from source and modifying

pip intall setuptools
curl https://bootstrap.pypa.io/ez_setup.py -o - | python

# Don't do this, use --prefix= option instead
# http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4495120/combine-user-with-prefix-error-with-setup-py-install
#vim ~/.pydistutils.cfg
#[install]
#prefix=

git clone https://github.com/Dronecode/MAVProxy.git

## After modifying python source files, run the following to install MAVProxy and test.
python setup.py build install --user --prefix=