[SOLVED] Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Discussions and questions about the Crazyflie Nano Quadcopter
skube
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Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 03, 2013 2:41 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

[SOLVED] Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by skube »

I'm wondering if anyone has instructions on how to get the Crazyflie Nano flying using a Macbook Air? (I have an older Mac so there's no USB3 issues)

I've assembled the 'copter but now I'm kinda lost as to what to do next. :?:
Last edited by skube on Sat May 18, 2013 2:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Crazyflie Nano 10-DOF | AR Drone v1 | MikroKopter Okto
danielsamuels
Beginner
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Joined: Sun May 05, 2013 3:21 pm

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by danielsamuels »

Hey,

What stage are you currently stuck at? Is your Crazyradio picking up your Crazyflie, are you able to connect to it? Are you having issues with an input device?

I wrote a little blog post about getting the Crazyradio working and talking to the Crazyflie under OS X on my blog - http://posix.me/post/49695412452/gettin ... n-mac-os-x

Hope this helps!

Dan.
skube
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Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 03, 2013 2:41 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by skube »

Thanks Dan, I'll try reading through that but not being a python developer, I'm not sure how much I will understand.

I was able to build and power on the CrazyFlie with the help of the very detailed instructions, photos and videos. It's a little frustrating that the documentation after the build/assembly point is not as comprehensive. :(
Last edited by skube on Sun May 05, 2013 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Crazyflie Nano 10-DOF | AR Drone v1 | MikroKopter Okto
danielsamuels
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Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by danielsamuels »

Yeah, unfortunately that is the case - especially if you're using a Mac. On Windows it's actually incredibly straight-forward, you simply install the program and away you go. I managed to get everything working on the Mac with the exception of my Xbox 360 controller, due to lack of drivers. In the end I just used a Virtual Machine running XP, sent the USB devices through to it and ran the software that way. A bit annoying to have to do it that way (for now), but it's a quick way to get going with flying the Crazyflie.
skube
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Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 03, 2013 2:41 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by skube »

I too have a Xbox 360 controller I would like to use. I don't have a copy of Windows else I would try the VM route too. It's strange they state one of their goals is to use open source software, yet the preferred method requires Microsoft Windows.

Would Ubuntu be and easier to get going than OSX?
Crazyflie Nano 10-DOF | AR Drone v1 | MikroKopter Okto
tobias
Bitcraze
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Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:17 pm
Location: Sweden

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by tobias »

Hi Skube,

We will do our best to help you out but the software part is actually the trickiest as there exist so many configurations, so we need the communities help here. And as you are pretty early in the process of assembly and getting it to fly there might be some bumps, we hope you understand.

Have you tried this driver? http://tattiebogle.net/index.php/Projec ... /OsxDriver
skube
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Posts: 55
Joined: Fri May 03, 2013 2:41 pm
Location: Toronto, Canada

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by skube »

Of course. I definitely get being on the early bus to CrazyFlie. I knew I was going to have issues at this stage when I ordered it back in February. I'm sure with time and a lot of help I'll be flying at some point, I'm just a little impatient. :D
Crazyflie Nano 10-DOF | AR Drone v1 | MikroKopter Okto
arnaud
Bitcraze
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Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2007 12:36 pm

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by arnaud »

It's strange they state one of their goals is to use open source software, yet the preferred method requires Microsoft Windows.

Would Ubuntu be and easier to get going than OSX?
We mostly tested on Linux and we tried to make it as easy as possible for Windows (installing all dependencies and running from source is hell in windows...). Unfortunatly none of us actually has a Mac thats why this is lacking behind.

It is actually tested and working on Ubuntu, you would just have to install the packet listed here: http://wiki.bitcraze.se/projects:crazyf ... all#ubuntu and run the client. PS3 and Xbox controllers works out of the box in Linux (might required re-doing the mapping fox X-Box).
ckk
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Joined: Mon May 06, 2013 10:48 pm
Location: Lund, Sweden

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by ckk »

I haven't flown yet, but there's details on what I did to get the UI up and running on my MBA running Lion on my blog here: http://kullander.nu/blog/2013/05/06/cra ... on-my-mac/.
mikevoyt
Beginner
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:43 pm

Re: Getting flying with a Macbook Air

Post by mikevoyt »

FYI I'm successfully flying with a 13" MacBook Pro (Retina with USB 3.0) with OS X - I took some notes here:

http://crazyflie.blogspot.com/

-mike
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