AIDERS AI-toolkit Installation

The AIDERS AI toolkit offers new tools for collecting and analyzing emergency response data from sensors onboard UAVs. This enables incident commanders to extract knowledge about the field’s operational conditions and assist them in designing evidence-based response strategies. The AI toolkit is delivered as a single software package, along with an android application for communication with the UAV.

Below we provide detail instructions on how to download and install the AIDERS AI toolkit and also a user manual illustrating all the included features and functionalities.

Preliminaries:

  • Required OS: Linux
  • Tested distributions: Ubuntu 20.04
  • Tested with the following drones: Mavic2 Enterprise, Matrice 300

Installation Instructions:

  1. Download Docker and docker-compose (tested version: 1.29.2)
  2. Download the zip file aiders_installation_files.zip
  3. Extract the aiders_installation_files.zip and open a terminal inside the aiders_installation_files directory
  4. Make the start_platform.sh script executable. You can do this by executing: sudo chmod +x start_platform.sh
  5. Start the AIDERS platform by executing: 
    ./start_platform.sh --netip <your_ip_here>     (example: ./start_platform.sh --netip 192.168.5.2).
    You can find out your ip by typing ifconfig on the terminal.
  6. Now that the platform is started, it’s time to install the aiders-app.apk on an Android device. First, download and extract the aiders_android_app_apk.zip on your computer.
  7. Then move the aiders-app.apk file from your computer to your Android device (e.g., by connecting your device with your computer via a cable).
  8. Locate and install the aiders-app.apk file on your Android device.
  9. Once installed, connect your phone to a controller and launch the Aiders app. On the initial screen, type the IP you provided in step 5. 
  10. Press the “Connect” button, which should be enabled automatically.*
  11. The “Start” button should now be enabled as well. Press it to view the drone’s live feed along with other UAV real-time data.**
  12. More details for all the included features and functionalities can be found in the AI toolkit user manual.

* The drone and the controller must be turned on for the “Connect” button to be activated. If the button is still not enabled automatically, reconnect the cable that connects your device with the controller.

** The phone and the computer that launches the AIDERS platform should be on the same network, otherwise, you won’t be able to connect