Thrusters Actuation: add thruster actuation support to PX4

[Pedro-Roque]

Solved Problem

This PR addresses support on PX4 for thruster-based actuation, in-view of supporting spacecraft-type vehicles, or any vehicle using thruster-based propulsion.

This PR addresses control allocation changes.

This PR aims at integrating these additions, which will soon be published and updated on the source code, into the PX4 ecosystem to support space robotics facilities.

Solution

• Add Thruster Effectiveness in the control allocation module

Changelog Entry

For release notes:

Feature/Bugfix XYZ
New parameter: XYZ_Z
Documentation: Need to clarify page ... / done, read docs.px4.io/...

Alternatives

Reusing multicopter code. However, there are multiple problems associated with it:

1. Their actuation is not the same leading to different effectiveness models
2. Their PWM cycle is different than thruster-based platforms, which typically use solenoid-based valves

Test coverage

Format and Unit tests pass successfully.

Context

Currently being integrated in https://github.com/DISCOWER/PX4-Space-Systems/tree/dev-metric_control_allocator, as part of the DISCOWER project (a publication documenting this contribution as well as the entire lab facilities will be published by the end of August). Work developed together with @Jaeyoung-Lim and @E-Krantz .

[DronecodeBot]

This pull request has been mentioned on Discussion Forum for PX4, Pixhawk, QGroundControl, MAVSDK, MAVLink. There might be relevant details there:

https://discuss.px4.io/t/px4-sync-q-a-may-22-2024/38872/1

[Pedro-Roque]

Thanks for the comments @Jaeyoung-Lim ! I'll look into it

[DronecodeBot]

This pull request has been mentioned on Discussion Forum for PX4, Pixhawk, QGroundControl, MAVSDK, MAVLink. There might be relevant details there:

https://discuss.px4.io/t/px4-sync-q-a-june-19-2024/39303/1