Feature Request: send VIDEO_STREAM_INFO mavlink messages to GCS

[rmackay9]

It would be convenient for the user if RPanion sent out VIDEO_STREAM_INFORMATION messages messages to the GCS so that it could more easily find video streams and pop-up a window for the user. As far as I know, none of the GCSs will consume this message yet but I think they probably should.

The related MP enhancement request is here. The related QGC PR is here.

This request was first raised on this AP blog post.

[stephendade]

That seems do-able. MAVLink definitions are here: https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#VIDEO_STREAM_INFORMATION.

From what I can see, this message is in response to a MAV_CMD_REQUEST_MESSAGE and is not streamed by default? Also should I be resending the message every N seconds, or just sending a single one?

[rmackay9]

Hi @stephendade,

Thanks. Just sending it in response to MAV_CMD_REQUEST_MESSAGE would be OK I think.

[ddd999]

@rmackay9 I'm starting work to implement this as it ties in to #167 as mentioned.

Is there a simple way to send custom MAVLink messages (like MAV_CMD_REQUEST_MESSAGE and the other camera-related messages) for testing?

Mission Planner only has a few messages available by default. I don't see a way to add any to the "Actions" or "Simple Actions" tabs short of re-building MP.

~~Side note, I've followed the instructions on GitHub to rebuild MP and it builds successfully, but with a huge number of warnings. It then fails to run because of manifest definitions not matching assembly references (even after copying all the DLLs from the standard MP install).~~ Edit: it works if I use the Run button within VS instead of trying to run the .exe directly

[rmackay9]

Great!

MP doesn't support any way to send custom messages but for the specific case of REQUEST_MESSAGE there is the message interval window which is hidden on the Ctrl-F page.

For sending custom messages I normally use MAVProxy which does run on windows.

MP's camera and gimbal controls are listed on these two pages:

• https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-mount-targeting.html
• https://ardupilot.org/copter/docs/common-camera-controls.html

[ddd999]

@rmackay9, VIDEO_STREAM_INFORMATION reply has been implemented. I guess there is still some work left to implement the rest of the camera protocol described here: https://mavlink.io/en/services/camera.html#video_streaming

Specifically:

• Advertise the camera device with a new heartbeat message
• Respond to requests for CAMERA_INFORMATION, including sending CAMERA_CAP_FLAGS_HAS_VIDEO_STREAM (to be modified in future when image and video capture are implemented)

Did I miss anything?

[ddd999]

@rmackay9 The pull request for this feature has been merged. Let me know if it works as expected or if there is anything missing.