Ground Station 2026

Dependencies

• Rust: install from https://rustup.rs/
• dioxus-cli: install with cargo install dioxus-cli

The frontend uses Dioxus. No separate WASM toolchain workflow is needed beyond the Rust targets used by build.py.

Configuration

• Set the device name in .cargo/config.toml.
• Backend runtime data lives under backend/data/.
• Loadcell calibration files live under backend/calibration/.
• Radio link selection lives in backend/comms/coms.json by default and can be overridden with GS_RADIO_LINK_CONFIG.
• Link interfaces can be configured as serial/UART, SPI, or CAN. The Linux backend supports all three; this covers Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi OS.
• Set GS_DEBUG_PRINTS=1 to enable backend debug/status prints that are muted by default.
• Use python3 backend/tools/radio_link_config_gui.py to detect serial, SPI, and CAN candidates, assign the AV bay and fill box links, and save the JSON config.
• If no display is available, the same script falls back to a terminal UI automatically. You can also force modes with --gui, --tui, or --cli.

Build

Build the default web frontend plus backend:

python3 build.py

Common local build modes:

python3 build.py testing
python3 build.py hitl-mode
python3 build.py backend_only
python3 build.py frontend_web
python3 build.py debug

Scoped build entry points:

python3 backend/build.py
python3 backend/build.py testing

Docker images:

python3 build.py docker
python3 build.py docker pi_build
python3 build.py docker testing

Documentation

• Documentation index: docs/README.md
• Frontend/backend API contract: docs/frontend/api.md
• Frontend architecture: docs/frontend/architecture.md
• Backend architecture: docs/backend/architecture.md
• Backend I2C transport: docs/backend/i2c.md
• Shared contracts: docs/shared/contracts.md
• System overview: docs/system/overview.md

Run

Build the frontend, then run the backend:

python3 run_groundstation.py

Enable simulator/testing mode:

python3 run_groundstation.py --testing

Enable HITL mode:

python3 run_groundstation.py --hitl-mode

Legacy positional forms still work:

python3 run_groundstation.py testing
python3 run_groundstation.py hitl-mode

Mode notes:

• testing enables the flight simulator and uses backend/calibration/loadcell_calibration_testing.json.
• hitl-mode is for hardware-in-the-loop testing. It uses the HITL layout, ignores the key interlock, starts in Startup, and does not run the normal fill sequence state machine.

Frontend / Backend Notes

• For geolocation to work correctly in browsers, the backend should be behind HTTPS.
• docker-compose.yml is set up for local TLS testing with a self-signed certificate.

Map Data

Download map data with:

python3 download_map.py

This uses the map_downloader/ crate and writes map data into data/.