A way to fly in NAT LTE networks

hawkattack

Hi,
I think this may confuse lots of people, some cellular providers not provide a public ip.this makes our fly difficult.
For me,I'm using China Unicom as both airborne & ground LTE network.It only provide internal address.Now I find a way to overcome this.
The main idea is UDP punching by use a tool called Frp,frp support both TCP&UDP punching, include a frps(server, installed on the server with public ip)and frcp(client, if you use UDP video streaming&mavlink,install it on GCS device, support win, mac,linux,android).
You can download the frp here:https://github.com/fatedier/frp/blob/master/README.md
Below is my steps:
Step1:setup raspberry pi to connect with pixhawk via mavproxy
Step2:install frps on server with public ip address(I'm using my Gen8 server at home, also Unicom network,while it has a public ip),edit frps.ini.I named 2 connection,[UAV]for mavlink connection,[video]for video streaming.

# frps.ini
[common]
bind_port = 7000

[UAV]
type = udp
listen_port = 6000
auth_token = 123

[video]     #This is for video streaming
type = udp
listen_port = 5000
auth_token = 123

Step3:install frpc.ini on GCS,I'm using MacBook,so i download darwin version.set the local ip to 127.0.01(if you using a iPad,can set the ip as iPad's,ipad&client within the same LAN)

# frpc.ini
[common]
server_addr = x.x.x.x
server_port = 7000
auth_token = 123

[UAV]
type = udp
local_ip = 127.0.0.1
local_port = 6000 #You can use Mission planner or qgoundcontrol-udp connection

[video]
type = udp
local_ip = 127.0.01 #if you're using iPad within same LAN,can set to its address
local_port = 5000  #Qroundcontrol's default UDP video streaming port is 5000,you can modify it

image 1.png
Step4:set RPI video streaming to server, run both frps&frpc,now you can get the streaming.
I'm using Qgoundcontrol,it support udp video streaming.according to my test, the latency is very good, just depends on provider's network latency.

image 4f9eaf37-08eb-4758-b5c4-2285d530d1fc.jpeg
picture:streaming via LTE

So the advantage is that raspberry pi doesn't need additional DDNS,and the server&ground is stable, the change of RPI's ip caused by celluar network can be easily re-connect with server.I'm using a HUAWEI LTE router modem, just connect RPI to it via WIFI
For GCS,I used iPhone as access point, and GCS connect to it, if you're using a laptop or android, you can run frpc directly on it.

For server, you can also use the Cloud server, frps can deploy on it with linux version, this has been tested by others.

The bad news is I crash my Mini-talon for the maiden fly,so I'm working on repair it,not test on flight, but this won't affect the connection.

Sinamics

hawkattack
That is really cool stuff. 👍 I also looked at the UDP punching while back, but never got the communication going.
Is there a noticeable diffrence in lateancy, or video quality?

I will definitely try this myself, thank you for sharing this, Looking forward to see the maiden flight.

Artem_Bulashev

Hmmm, that looks promising. Simplifies everything a lot. if latency kept decent that is a way to go

Artem_Bulashev

Wait, I don't get it. Can you make describe more steps on setting up Pi and Server?

The fact that you mention your Gen8 server confuses me a lot. So, incase of Pi3->GCS video stream.
1. We will install Frps on PI (I suppose that would be frp_0.9.3_linux_amd64.tar.gz, right? https://github.com/fatedier/frp/releases)
2. Install Frpc on computer
3. Set pi Frps to stream video on port 5000 for example.
4. Set computer Frpc to listen on port 5000 and server ip address

Question.
1. Considering both Pi (server) and Computer (Client) are on 4G USB modem, how will Client Fprc adapt to server's change of IP? (It would need a web based intermediary where both devices would be registered as a pair, which then would update the info on Client side in regard to Server ip)

Or did I get it totally wrong and there are 3 devices = Pi -> Server -> Computer with GCS???

Artem_Bulashev

I read the last part again, so it seems like you do need a server in between pi and GCS.

If so, the server has to have static public ip and considering that almost no one has private server with static public, online Linux server is a way to go than.. (any better choice CentOS_6.7 or Ubuntu_14.04?)

So,
This server than will have static ip, thus Pi soft is set to stream on port 5000 to the server ip. All clear. On server we run Frps, which will take that udp stream and punch it over to client. Server -> Client communication is maintained because Client first connects to the server address on port 7000 (so no dynamic ip issue), and than the tunnel is used to run other ports both directions.

really cool mate. Might not be the most easy one to set up at first, but if there was a single manual online that would be a matter of 10min (beside waiting for online server purchase confirmation)

used that one cloudlite.ru
has daily payment option of about 25 cents (USD) per day and run on CentOS_6.7 or Ubuntu_14.04 (your choice)

Artem_Bulashev

I would like to update you guys on this

What have I done
1. I have made gStreamer stream udp as UAVcast sets it up
2. I put target ip as my Online Linux Server ip (cloudlite.ru give you static public ip almost at no cost, minimal plan)
3. I chose Ubuntu_14.04 as OS.
4. Than I ssh into server from my Mac and wget the Frp frp_0.9.3_linux_amd64.tar.gz and install
5. Edited the file frps file (there is a difference, bind_address is your server ip!)
6. executed ./frps -c ./frps.ini on the server (cd into folder first)
7. downloaded frp_0.9.3_darwin_amd64 and unzipped it on main drive of my Mac OSx Sierra
8. Edited the file frcp (with GUI like text editor)
9. executed ./frpc -c ./frpc.ini (with terminal or GUI)
10. Opened QgroundControl and edited the port for UDP video

Results:
1. With C615 cam choice = Universal USB Cam
2. With Huawei E3372 in HiLink FW = Almost universal LTE Stick
3. Independent of Cell Provider
3. Frp video connection = Work over WiFi and 4G, reconnects automatically
4. No need for DDNS dance or TCP Ip search = open QGroundControl and video is there already
5. Video Latency is around 0,15-0,2s (150-200ms) = h264 camera instead of MJPEG Logitech C120 will reduce it further!
6.

Problems:
1. For some reason only one connection to server can be made. Logs show and error
- I have port 7000 for server port, 5000 for video and 6000 for mav
Which ever one (Man or video) start to connect first will succeed and other will fail, here is log:

Start frpc success
2017/05/02 03:21:16 [control.go:193] [D] ProxyName [video], read [{"type":3,"code":0,"msg":""}
]
2017/05/02 03:21:16 [control.go:206] ProxyName [video], connect to server [xx.xx.xx.xx:7000] success!
2017/05/02 03:21:16 [control.go:220] Start to send heartbeat to frps
2017/05/02 03:21:17 [client.go:65] ProxyName [video], udp tunnel connect to server [xx.xx.xx.xx:7000] success
2017/05/02 03:21:17 [control.go:193] [D] ProxyName [mav], read [{"type":3,"code":1,"msg":"ProxyName [mav], already in use"}
2017/05/02 03:21:17 [control.go:202] [E] ProxyName [mav], start proxy error, ProxyName [mav], already in use

Room for improvement
1. HW encoded camera for h.264 stream
2. Codec stabilisation (image pixilates a lot after moving around - probably stream settings + encoding)
3. UDP Mavlink together with video link using Frp
4. Get latency below 100ms

hawkattack

Artem_Bulashev
Hi,Artem,thanks for your sharing.

For server
Yes,frps will be installed on a server with public ip, I run win2012 on my Gen8,it has internal ip while I used port forward on my router,so it have the dynamic public ip while binding to a domain.

Just as your test on Cloud server, it's a good choice.According to others experience(not for fpv purpose),they will use CentOS for frp.
I test a Cloud server last day, ping only 12ms,very impressive, the cost only about 6 cents(US😎 per hour.

For problems you met
Only one connection-I had test my connection, both can work at same time-mavlink&streaming ok(see my screenshot below)

$image-41beb5a2-a4ba-42d1-bc1c-4119bab350b4

After dis-connection at GCS,it will said "XXX is dead"

$image-51544bdd-8e7a-4263-88b9-ec69b693e761

For logs you posted,I never seen the message"already in use".frp support more than one link.so I guess if the security of OS cause the problem.or can you post your ini files for checking?
I'm using winserver2012,and I added all ports frp required into firewall‘s white list, set up the port forward in router.

I'll post my test result later.

bhamilton1co

Any updates on this?