How to Connect Jetson Nano to Drone: Step-by-Step Guide

To connect a Jetson Nano to a drone, use a serial connection (UART) or network link (Wi-Fi/Ethernet) to communicate with the drone's flight controller. Install necessary drivers and use protocols like MAVLink to send commands and receive telemetry data.

Syntax

Connecting Jetson Nano to a drone involves setting up communication channels and using a protocol like MAVLink.

• Serial connection (UART): Connect Jetson Nano's UART pins to the drone flight controller's UART port.
• Network connection: Use Wi-Fi or Ethernet to connect Jetson Nano and drone if supported.
• MAVLink protocol: A lightweight messaging protocol for drone communication.

Example syntax to open a serial port in Python:

python

import serial

# Open serial port to drone flight controller
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyTHS1', 57600, timeout=1)

# Send data example
ser.write(b'command')

# Read data example
response = ser.readline()
print(response)

Example

This example shows how to connect Jetson Nano to a drone flight controller over serial using pymavlink to receive heartbeat messages.

python

from pymavlink import mavutil

# Connect to the drone via serial port
master = mavutil.mavlink_connection('/dev/ttyTHS1', baud=57600)

# Wait for the first heartbeat from the drone
master.wait_heartbeat()
print('Heartbeat from system (system %u component %u)' % (master.target_system, master.target_component))

Output

Heartbeat from system (system 1 component 1)

Common Pitfalls

• Wrong serial port: Jetson Nano has multiple UART ports; verify the correct one (e.g., /dev/ttyTHS1).
• Baud rate mismatch: Ensure baud rates match between Jetson Nano and flight controller.
• Power issues: Make sure the drone and Jetson Nano share a common ground and proper power supply.
• Missing drivers or permissions: Grant user permission to access serial ports or run with sudo.

Example of a common mistake and fix:

python

import serial

# Wrong port example (will fail)
try:
    ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyUSB0', 57600)
except serial.SerialException as e:
    print('Error:', e)

# Correct port example
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyTHS1', 57600)

Output

Error: could not open port '/dev/ttyUSB0': [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/dev/ttyUSB0'

Quick Reference

• Use /dev/ttyTHS1 or correct UART port on Jetson Nano.
• Set baud rate to match flight controller (commonly 57600 or 115200).
• Use pymavlink library for MAVLink communication.
• Ensure proper wiring and power connections.
• Grant serial port access permissions.

Key Takeaways

Use UART serial or network connection to link Jetson Nano with the drone flight controller.

Match baud rates and verify correct serial port on Jetson Nano for communication.

Use MAVLink protocol and pymavlink library to send and receive drone data.

Ensure proper wiring, power, and permissions to avoid connection issues.

Test connection by receiving heartbeat messages from the drone.