PC Client Software

The PC Client software comes in many forms. The out-of-the-box Client is written in Python and has a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The GUI is well suited for beginners, but can only support a single Radio and a single Crazyflie at a time. The easiest way to start out is with the Bitcraze Virtual Machine (VM), which comes with all the files and dependencies pre-installed and can run on any computer (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.).

For more advanced users who want to use the swarm capabilities of our platform will have to use the Swarm Client we developed in C and C++.

Bitcraze VM

(Note: The VM is updated frequently so the information below may be different than the current VM)

The Bitcraze wiki has a tutorial on installing the VM. Along with another tutorial on how to get started using the VM.

These are both very simple starting guides that will help you become familiar with the VM.

Crazyflie Client GUI

On the VM you can find the Crazyflie Client Graphical User Interface (GUI). To run the Client you want to open a terminal and navigate to projects/'FIND PATH' and then run the command sudo ./bin/cfclient

(Alternatively, you can use the desktop to navigate to the folder and open a terminal there)

Once you do that you should see something similar to this:

This is the main screen of the Client GUI and there are many tabs and features that you can access directly from this screen.

The most important parts of this screen are the following:

1. Connect Button
2. Bootloader (Crazyflie Drop Down -> Bootloader)
3. Plotter Tab
4. Log Blocks Tab
5. Parameters Tab

Connect Button

This is where you will scan for Crazyflies that are powered ON. All Crazyflies not already connected will show up in the popup

We get a return that says radio://0/45/2M, this line is the identifier string of the Crazyflie we are trying to connect to.

What this is saying is that we got a return from a Radio (Radio 0 specifically), from a Crazyflie on Channel 45 using a data rate of 2Mbps.

Bootloader

This where you can install new Firmware to the Crazyflie.

The first thing you'll need to update is to build the Firmware version you want into a .bin file. You can do this by just running the make command in terminal while located inside the Firmware directory you have modified.

Once you have that .bin file built you:

1. Open the bootloader shown
2. Hold down the power button on the Crazyflie 2.0 for around 3 seconds until the 2 blue LED's flash and alternate. This puts the Crazyflie in bootloader mode. (NOTE: Recommend having ALL other Crazyflies OFF or else it could accidentally flash both Crazyflies.)
3. Then hit Initiate bootloader cold boot (it should connect to the Crazyflie in bootloader mode after a few seconds, Status will change from 'Not Connected' to 'Connected')
4. Hit Browse and find the .bin file you built earlier.
5. Then click Program and wait for the progress bar to complete.
6. Restart the Crazyflie in Firmware mode and make sure it starts up normally, if something seems wrong just repeat steps 2 through 6 again.

Swarm Client

The swarm Client is a re-creation of the Original Client but programmed in C and C++.

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Crazyflie Swarm | PC Client Software | USB Radio | Firmware