QGC Simulation Tools

Tools for testing QGroundControl without physical hardware.

Quick Start

Tool	Use Case	Setup
mock_vehicle.py	UI testing, quick checks	python tools/setup/install_python.py dev
run_arducopter_sitl.py	Full simulation, mission testing	Docker required

Mock Vehicle (Lightweight)

A minimal MAVLink simulator for UI testing. Does not simulate flight dynamics.

# Install
python tools/setup/install_python.py dev

# Run (QGC connects to UDP 14550)
./mock_vehicle.py

# Multiple vehicles
./mock_vehicle.py --system-id 1 --port 14550 &
./mock_vehicle.py --system-id 2 --port 14551 &

# TCP mode (SITL-style)
./mock_vehicle.py --tcp --port 5760

Features:

• Heartbeat, GPS, attitude, battery telemetry
• Arm/disarm commands
• Mode changes
• Basic parameter support

Options:

Option	Default	Description
--host	127.0.0.1	Host address
--port	14550	Port number
--tcp	off	Use TCP instead of UDP
--system-id	1	MAVLink system ID
--rate	10	Telemetry rate (Hz)
--sitl	off	SITL-compatible mode (TCP:5760)

Limitations: No flight dynamics, no mission execution, limited MAVLink support.

ArduCopter SITL (Full Simulation)

Full ArduPilot simulation via Docker. Supports missions, geofences, all commands.

# Run (builds image on first run, ~10-15 min)
./run_arducopter_sitl.py

# With simulated network latency (Herelink-like)
./run_arducopter_sitl.py --with-latency

# Connect QGC to: tcp://localhost:5760

Docker Commands:

docker logs -f arducopter-sitl   # View logs
docker stop arducopter-sitl      # Stop simulation
docker rm arducopter-sitl        # Remove container

Requirements: Docker

Mock Vehicle auto-connects over UDP 14550. For SITL, add a TCP comm link in QGC (Application Settings → Comm Links → Add, Host localhost, Port 5760).

Comparison

Feature	mock_vehicle.py	ArduCopter SITL
Setup time	Seconds	10-15 min (first run)
Dependencies	pymavlink	Docker
Flight dynamics	❌	✓
Mission execution	❌	✓
Geofence support	❌	✓
All MAVLink commands	❌	✓
Resource usage	Low	Medium
Best for	UI testing	Integration testing

Other Simulators

For more advanced simulation:

• ArduPilot SITL - Native install
• PX4 SITL - PX4 simulation
• Gazebo - 3D physics simulation

The SITL launcher binds TCP port 5760 to localhost and waits for the guest listener without consuming its first client connection. It replaces only containers carrying its ownership label. Remove a container created by the previous shell launcher explicitly before using the same name.