Navigator needed for BlueOS functionality on Raspberry Pi 4 B?

[EliotBR (Eliot)]

Hi @bajaMike,

@bajaMike

Is the Navigator mandatory for the BlueOS software to function?

Nope

@EliotBR

BlueOS is intended for general robotic systems. It currently provides the most support to vehicles running an ArduPilot autopilot firmware, and given Blue Robotics only make submarine and water surface vehicles that’s where most of our internal development efforts are focused, but BlueOS doesn’t place intentional requirements on the vehicle[/system] type - it just needs a network connection for its interface to be accessible.

@bajaMike

what kind of tasks can I run not having the Navigator?

Anything that can run on a headless Raspberry Pi, with the convenience of the built in interface, and developer tools (e.g. wifi manager, file browser, terminal, etc), although the biggest benefits of using BlueOS at the moment would likely be for projects that can make use of its built in services (e.g. the camera manager, serial bridges, etc) and/or its Extensions system (i.e. the available extensions, and/or the ability to develop and easily distribute your own).

If you want to create some other kind of vehicle then you may want a flight controller board (which could be a Navigator, but could also be some other board running an ArduPilot autopilot firmware, and soon also PX4 autopilot firmwares). If you’re not using an autopilot (e.g. if you’re making a robot arm or static sensor board or something) then you’ll likely want to disable the autopilot-/MAVLink- related services, which is possible, but somewhat inconvenient at the moment.