# Dronekit & SITL
###### tags: `Drone` `python` `Dronekit`
 
>The SITL (software in the loop) simulator allows you to run Plane, Copter or Rover without any hardware. It is a build of the autopilot code using an ordinary C++ compiler, giving you a native executable that allows you to test the behaviour of the code(python) without hardware.[color=orange]
## Tools
- [Dronekit-python](http://dronekit.io)
- [Dronekit-SITL](https://ardupilot.org/dev/docs/sitl-simulator-software-in-the-loop.html)
:::warning
:warning: DroneKit-SITL currently only supplies x86 binaries for Mac, Linux and Windows. You can't run it on ARM platforms like RaPi.
:::
## Steps
>Open your terminal type the command down below step by steps.
### Install Dronekit
```
sudo pip3 install dronekit
```
### Install Dronekit-SITL
```
sudo pip3 install dronekit-sitl
```
### Download GitHub example
>Get the DroneKit-Python example source code onto your local machine. The easiest way to do this is to clone the dronekit-python repository from Github.
```
git clone http://github.com/dronekit/dronekit-python.git
```
### Startup dronekit-sitl
```
dronekit-sitl copter
```
>The code is simulate the Copter.
>It also can simulate the Plane and Rover.
### MAVProxy
>Connect to the additional Groud station using MAVProxy.
>Open the new terminal and type the command below.
```
mavproxy.py --master tcp:127.0.0.1:5760 --sitl 127.0.0.1:5501 --out 127.0.0.1:14550 --out 127.0.0.1:14551
```
## Run the mission
>Running an example code.
```
cd dronekit-python/examples/
```
>The file list in file.
```
ls
```
>Example for goto simple_goto file.
```
cd simple_goto
```
>Run the code and connect to the protocal.
```
python3 simple_goto.py --connect 127.0.0.1:14550
```
That done you can see the simulator running the mission given by you.
---
>Try the python code by yourself.
>You can just copy the code below and create a file then run it.
### Qruick start
```python=
print "Start simulator (SITL)"
import dronekit_sitl
sitl = dronekit_sitl.start_default()
connection_string = sitl.connection_string()
# Import DroneKit-Python
from dronekit import connect, VehicleMode
# Connect to the Vehicle.
print("Connecting to vehicle on: %s" % (connection_string,))
vehicle = connect(connection_string, wait_ready=True)
# Get some vehicle attributes (state)
print "Get some vehicle attribute values:"
print " GPS: %s" % vehicle.gps_0
print " Battery: %s" % vehicle.battery
print " Last Heartbeat: %s" % vehicle.last_heartbeat
print " Is Armable?: %s" % vehicle.is_armable
print " System status: %s" % vehicle.system_status.state
print " Mode: %s" % vehicle.mode.name # settable
# Close vehicle object before exiting script
vehicle.close()
# Shut down simulator
sitl.stop()
print("Completed")
```
### Takeoff and Land
```python=
from dronekit import connect, VehicleMode, LocationGlobalRelative
from pymavlink import mavutil
import time
import argparse
parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
parser.add_argument('--connect', default='127.0.0.1:14550')
args = parser.parse_args()
# Connect to the Vehicle
print 'Connecting to vehicle on: %s' % args.connect
vehicle = connect(args.connect, baud=57600, wait_ready=True)
# Function to arm and then takeoff to a user specified altitude
def arm_and_takeoff(aTargetAltitude):
print "Basic pre-arm checks"
# Don't let the user try to arm until autopilot is ready
while not vehicle.is_armable:
print " Waiting for vehicle to initialise..."
time.sleep(1)
print "Arming motors"
# Copter should arm in GUIDED mode
vehicle.mode = VehicleMode("GUIDED")
vehicle.armed = True
while not vehicle.armed:
print " Waiting for arming..."
time.sleep(1)
print "Taking off!"
vehicle.simple_takeoff(aTargetAltitude) # Take off to target altitude
# Check that vehicle has reached takeoff altitude
while True:
print " Altitude: ", vehicle.location.global_relative_frame.alt
#Break and return from function just below target altitude.
if vehicle.location.global_relative_frame.alt>=aTargetAltitude*0.95:
print "Reached target altitude"
break
time.sleep(1)
# Initialize the takeoff sequence to 20m
arm_and_takeoff(20)
print("Take off complete")
# Hover for 10 seconds
time.sleep(10)
print("Now let's land")
vehicle.mode = VehicleMode("LAND")
# Close vehicle object
vehicle.close()
```
## Reference
* [Dronekit official website](http://dronekit.io)
* [Dronekit document](https://dronekit-python.readthedocs.io/en/latest/about/index.html)
* [SITL Simulator](https://ardupilot.org/dev/docs/sitl-simulator-software-in-the-loop.html)
* [Setting up a Simulated Vehicle (SITL)](https://dronekit-python.readthedocs.io/en/latest/develop/sitl_setup.html)
* [Dronekit-python document](https://dronekit-python.readthedocs.io/en/latest/about/index.html)
* [Using SITL](https://ardupilot.org/dev/docs/using-sitl-for-ardupilot-testing.html)
* [Dronekit python github](https://github.com/dronekit/dronekit-python) <i class="fa fa-github" aria-hidden="true"></i>
* [Dronekit SITL github](https://github.com/dronekit/dronekit-sitl#dronekit-sitl) <i class="fa fa-github" aria-hidden="true"></i>
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