A Node in Node-Red to Control Parrot Drones

Parrot has many interesting drones such as Bebop, Swing, AR and the Jumping mini drones that can be controlled and monitored easily using their Android, IOS apps . Parrot provides also an open source SDK that can be used to write custom applications to control them. In this instructable, I will show you how to use Node-Red which is an open-source graphical tool that allows users to wire together hardware devices, APIs and applications in an easy drag-and-drop way. Node-Red uses a set of what is called "Nodes" that are written in javascript and can be installed using npm. The nodes can be connected together to produce an application. To use Node-Red to control Parrot drones, I have created a Node called "node-red-contrib-parrot-drones" that contains two main nodes to control and monitor the data of the drone. Currently this node supports only Parrot Jumping mini drones, but the future goal is to support all other drones. In this instructable, I will show how to create a simple application using my node to control Parrot Jumping race drone and to monitor its data using a nice UI dashboard as shown in the screen shot. The video below shows what will be produced at the end of this instructable:

Now let's start with the steps:

Install the node I created which will be used to control the Parrot drone (as of now only Jumping Drones are supported). Use the below command:

npm i node-red-contrib-parrot-drones

Alternatively you can use "Manage palette" option in Node-Red UI and search for the node name.

Install the "node-red-contrib-ui" node using the command below:

npm install node-red-contrib-ui

Alternatively you can use "Manage palette" option in Node-Red UI and search for the node name.

Import the flow below using Node-Red UI (copy the text below and import it from the menu in the top right corner). This flow will allow you to control the Jumping mini drone by sending commands from the dashboard that can be accessed from http://127.0.0.1:1880/ui.

[{"id":"2225687d.0c5988","type":"drone-control","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","name":"Drone Control","settings":"c1e2cbff.a51ca8","x":619.5,"y":255,"wires":[["34fe3d0d.3a46a2"]]},{"id":"7747f1b8.aadc6","type":"function","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","name":"","func":"msg.command = msg.payload;\nmsg.payload = {};\n\nvar speed = flow.get('speed') || 0;\n\nmsg.payload.speed = speed;\nreturn msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":413.5,"y":258,"wires":[["2225687d.0c5988"]]},{"id":"34fe3d0d.3a46a2","type":"debug","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","name":"","active":true,"console":"false","complete":"true","x":878.5,"y":260,"wires":[]},{"id":"34469adb.cdf3a6","type":"ui_text_input","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","mode":"text","delay":300,"name":"Speed","topic":"speed","group":"Movement","order":1,"x":76.5,"y":146,"wires":[["98cd5977.c430c8"]]},{"id":"98cd5977.c430c8","type":"function","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","name":"","func":"\nflow.set('speed',msg.payload);\n\nreturn msg;","outputs":"1","noerr":0,"x":219,"y":145,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"ef8de3aa.e35a9","type":"ui_button_row","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Up-Right","topic":"","group":"Movement","order":1,"toggle":false,"buttons":[{"payload":"forward","icon":"keyboard_arrow_up","color":"Blue","on_icon":"alarm_on","on_color":"red"},{"payload":"right","icon":"keyboard_arrow_right","color":"Blue","on_icon":"keyboard_arrow_down","on_color":"Blue"}],"inputs":0,"x":81.5,"y":204,"wires":[["7747f1b8.aadc6"]]},{"id":"457c0395.e4103c","type":"ui_button_row","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Down-Left","topic":"","group":"Movement","order":1,"toggle":false,"buttons":[{"payload":"backward","icon":"keyboard_arrow_down","color":"Blue","on_icon":"alarm_on","on_color":"red"},{"payload":"left","icon":"keyboard_arrow_left","color":"Blue","on_icon":"keyboard_arrow_down","on_color":"Blue"}],"inputs":0,"x":81,"y":259,"wires":[["7747f1b8.aadc6"]]},{"id":"3c81b436.8cff3c","type":"ui_button_row","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Stop","topic":"","group":"Movement","order":1,"toggle":false,"buttons":[{"payload":"stop","icon":"clear","color":"Blue","on_icon":"alarm_on","on_color":"red"}],"inputs":0,"x":71,"y":311,"wires":[["7747f1b8.aadc6"]]},{"id":"c0378e04.5fddd","type":"ui_template","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Animations","group":"Animations","order":1,"format":"\n Animation Stop\n\n\n\n Slalom\n\n\n\n Spiral\n\n\n\n Spin Posture\n\n\n\n Spin Jump\n\n\n\n Ondulation\n\n\n\n Metronome\n\n\n\n Slow Shake\n\n\n\n Tap\n\n\n\n Spin\n\n\n\n Long Jump Kicker\n\n\n\n Long Jump Jumper\n\n\n\n High Jump\n","storeOutMessages":true,"fwdInMessages":true,"x":81.5,"y":453,"wires":[["7747f1b8.aadc6"]]},{"id":"e17316ed.020258","type":"ui_template","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Postures","group":"Posture","order":1,"format":"\n Kicker\n\n\n\n Jumper\n\n\n\n Standing\n","storeOutMessages":true,"fwdInMessages":true,"x":68.5,"y":379,"wires":[["7747f1b8.aadc6"]]},{"id":"c4c919df.d8cc08","type":"ui_template","z":"128fc2a1.2fc64d","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Media","group":"Media","order":1,"format":"\n Take Picture\n\n\n\n Get Video Stream\n\n\n","storeOutMessages":true,"fwdInMessages":true,"x":87,"y":529,"wires":[["7747f1b8.aadc6"]]},{"id":"c1e2cbff.a51ca8","type":"drone-config","z":"","ip":"192.168.2.1","droneType":"Jumping Drone"},{"id":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","type":"ui_tab","z":"","name":"Drone","icon":"dashboard","order":"1"}]

Import the flow below using Node-Red UI (copy the text below and import it from the menu in the top right corner). This flow will allow you to monitor the data of the Jumping mini drone. The data can be shown in the dashboard that can be accessed from http://127.0.0.1:1880/ui.

[{"id":"1a312d3.7f9ead3","type":"drone-data","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"Drone Data","settings":"c1e2cbff.a51ca8","x":124,"y":254,"wires":[["40d7160b.ec11b8","df9a2af4.9817d8"]]},{"id":"40d7160b.ec11b8","type":"debug","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","active":true,"console":"false","complete":"true","x":226.5,"y":405,"wires":[]},{"id":"d48ed1a5.b6436","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Posture Status","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.posture}}","x":747,"y":238,"wires":[]},{"id":"63758a61.c32d54","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Drone Status","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.status}}","x":734.5,"y":289,"wires":[]},{"id":"e8dc38cc.64e188","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Jump Load Status","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.jumpLoad}}","x":759.5,"y":343,"wires":[]},{"id":"9310d160.4c77d","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Jump Motor Status","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.jumpMotor}}","x":752.5,"y":402,"wires":[]},{"id":"d5ee8c50.8f28b","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Messages","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.message}}","x":730.5,"y":458,"wires":[]},{"id":"3742a1ee.5b2ebe","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Battery Status","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.batteryStatus}}","x":740.5,"y":185,"wires":[]},{"id":"df9a2af4.9817d8","type":"switch","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","property":"topic","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"eq","v":"batteryPercentage","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"batteryStatus","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"posture","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"status","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"jumpLoad","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"jumpMotor","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"message","vt":"str"}],"checkall":"true","outputs":7,"x":344,"y":255,"wires":[["8209fbee.1afdb8"],["3742a1ee.5b2ebe"],["d48ed1a5.b6436"],["63758a61.c32d54"],["e8dc38cc.64e188"],["9310d160.4c77d"],["d5ee8c50.8f28b","eb5f127c.3ed38","1ba3b1fb.5c0bce"]]},{"id":"eb5f127c.3ed38","type":"switch","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","property":"payload.buf","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"nnull"}],"checkall":"true","outputs":1,"x":368,"y":513,"wires":[["7e79f4c2.bfd0ec"]]},{"id":"c8897980.48bd18","type":"debug","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","active":true,"console":"false","complete":"true","x":719.5,"y":660,"wires":[]},{"id":"7e79f4c2.bfd0ec","type":"function","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","func":"var originalBuf = msg.payload.buf;\nvar buf = new Buffer(originalBuf);\nmsg.payload = buf;\nmsg.payload.image = true;\nreturn msg;\n","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":515,"y":521,"wires":[["da8b21cb.331d2","c8897980.48bd18"]]},{"id":"b7c91a07.d30a18","type":"ui_template","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"","group":"Image","order":1,"format":"","storeOutMessages":true,"fwdInMessages":true,"x":1002,"y":616,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"da8b21cb.331d2","type":"switch","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","property":"payload.image","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"true"}],"checkall":"true","outputs":1,"x":671,"y":521,"wires":[["86a6069c.3b2b18"]]},{"id":"1ba3b1fb.5c0bce","type":"debug","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","active":true,"console":"false","complete":"true","x":177.5,"y":579,"wires":[]},{"id":"86a6069c.3b2b18","type":"base64","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","name":"","x":861,"y":542,"wires":[["b7c91a07.d30a18"]]},{"id":"8209fbee.1afdb8","type":"ui_text","z":"c560f4ff.b48658","tab":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","name":"Battery Percentage","group":"Data","order":1,"format":"{{msg.payload.batteryPercentage}}","x":742.5,"y":126,"wires":[]},{"id":"c1e2cbff.a51ca8","type":"drone-config","z":"","ip":"192.168.2.1","droneType":"Jumping Drone"},{"id":"aec1e0f8.c48b4","type":"ui_tab","z":"","name":"Drone","icon":"dashboard","order":"1"}]

Switch on the drone and connect to its wifi network.

Start the Node-Red flow be clicking the "deploy" red button in the right top corner.

You can now control the drone easily and access its data including video frames "images" from the dashboard that can be accessed using "http://127.0.0.1:1880/ui" as shown in the screen shot.

There are many great IBM Watson services that have nodes in Node-Red and can be integrated with my node to produce cool ideas. Examples are below:

• Use Speech-to-Text, Text-to-Speech nodes to control and interact with your drone.
• Use Visual Recognition node to identify objects, faces, and images returned by the drone and control the drone accordingly.
• Ofcourse, you can control your drone from the internet using IBM IoT platform using this node.
• Control the drone based on user mood and behavior using Personality Insights, or Tone Analyzer nodes.
• Sky is the limit, please see the other possible nodes.

Please contact me for any issues or questions at bilal_alsaidi@yahoo.com