PX4-Autopilot/docs/en/simulation/px4_simulation_quickstart.md
Ramon Roche 9adda29da2
docs(sim): add Try PX4 quick-start and pre-built packages reference (#26957)
Adds documentation for the SITL containers and .deb packages introduced in #26495. The containers are now live on Docker Hub: [`px4io/px4-sitl:latest`](https://hub.docker.com/r/px4io/px4-sitl) and [`px4io/px4-sitl-gazebo:latest`](https://hub.docker.com/r/px4io/px4-sitl-gazebo).

The main addition is a [Try PX4 Simulation](https://docs.px4.io/main/en/dev_setup/try_px4) page that leads with a single `docker run` command and gets someone flying in under a minute. It lives in Getting Started, right after Recommended Hardware/Setup, so it's one of the first things new users see.

The existing `.deb` package reference has been moved from `packaging/px4_sitl_deb.md` to `simulation/px4_sitl.md` and expanded to cover both containers and `.deb` packages on one page. Sections are ordered by how people use them: what's available, install, configure, connect QGC/MAVSDK, connect ROS 2.

Other changes:
- README now has a "Try PX4" section with the docker one-liner above "Build from Source"
- Landing page (`index.md`) reworked to lead with "Try PX4" before "For Developers"
- Toolchain page (`dev_env.md`) gets a tip redirecting simulation-only users to pre-built packages
- `getting_started.md` and `SUMMARY.md` updated with links to the new pages
- Simulation index tip updated to mention containers alongside `.deb` packages

The SIH container image is published as `px4io/px4-sitl` (renamed from `px4io/px4-sitl-sih`) so the default lightweight option carries the simplest name. The Gazebo image remains `px4io/px4-sitl-gazebo`.

Also upgrades all GitHub Actions in the SITL workflow to Node.js 24 compatible versions (`actions/checkout@v6`, `actions/cache@v5`, `actions/upload-artifact@v7`, `actions/download-artifact@v8`, `docker/setup-buildx-action@v4`, `docker/build-push-action@v7`) to fix the Node.js 20 deprecation warning ahead of the June 2026 deadline.

---------

Signed-off-by: Ramon Roche <mrpollo@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: Hamish Willee <hamishwillee@gmail.com>
2026-04-09 08:51:22 -07:00

988 B

PX4 Simulation QuickStart

First install Docker (a free tool that runs containers).

The following command will then run a PX4 quadrotor simulation that you can connect to QGroundControl, MAVSDK or ROS 2 (on Linux, macOS, and Windows):

docker run --rm -it -p 14550:14550/udp px4io/px4-sitl:latest

That's it — open QGroundControl and fly!

::: tip

To try other vehicle types append the corresponding line below to the command:

-e PX4_SIM_MODEL=sihsim_airplane # Plane
-e PX4_SIM_MODEL=sihsim_standard_vtol # Standard VTOL
-e PX4_SIM_MODEL=sihsim_rover # Ackermann rover

For more information and options see Container Images (in Pre-built SITL Packages) and SIH Simulation.

:::