Files
PX4-Autopilot/docs/en/debug/failure_injection.md
Claudio Chies f937bd5818 refactor(failure_injection): centralize MAV_CMD_INJECT_FAILURE behind a manager module (#27572)
* feat(failure_injection): add failure_injection topic and helper library

* feat(failure_injection): add failure injection manager module

* refactor(commander): route motor failure injection through the manager

* refactor(simulation): route sensor sim failure injection through the manager

* refactor(simulation): route SimulatorMavlink failure injection through the manager

* feat(failure_injection): start the manager in the SITL startup

* docs(failure_injection): document per-simulator failure support

* feat(failure_injection): enhance failure injection management and configuration

* fix(rebase): baro failure injectionb

* refactor(failure_injection): simplify FailureInjectionManager and FailureTable implementations

* refactor(failure_injection): replace Subscriber with Config in various modules and add update method

* update(uorb): FailureInjection.msg to docs standard

* docs(docs): subedit

* fix(failure_injection): correct comment formatting in FailureInjection.msg

* feat(failure_injection): add failure injection manager support across multiple boards and modules

* feat(mavlink): implement failure injection functionality

---------

Co-authored-by: Claudio Chies <chiesc@chies.com>
Co-authored-by: Hamish Willee <hamishwillee@gmail.com>
2026-06-30 15:33:39 +02:00

103 lines
4.9 KiB
Markdown

# System Failure Injection
System failure injection allows you to induce different types of sensor and system failures, either programmatically using the [MAVSDK failure plugin](https://mavsdk.mavlink.io/main/en/cpp/api_reference/classmavsdk_1_1_failure.html), or "manually" via a PX4 console like the [MAVLink shell](../debug/mavlink_shell.md#mavlink-shell).
This enables easier testing of [safety failsafe](../config/safety.md) behaviour, and more generally, of how PX4 behaves when systems and sensors stop working correctly.
Failure injection is disabled by default, and can be enabled using the [SYS_FAILURE_EN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#SYS_FAILURE_EN) parameter.
Failure injection must also be be supported by the current simulator, and the set of supported failures is simulator-dependent.
::: info
PX4 may accept a command to set a particular failure mode even it that mode is not supported by your simulator.
All [MAV_CMD_INJECT_FAILURE](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_CMD_INJECT_FAILURE) commands are handled internally by the failure-injection module, which acknowledges each command and republishes the active failures for the sensor/actuator simulators to apply.
The failure-injection module will NACK the command with [MAV_RESULT_UNSUPPORTED](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_RESULT_UNSUPPORTED) for failure combinations that are not implemented by PX4 or any simulator.
However it the module will accept (respond with [MAV_MISSION_ACCEPTED](https://mavlink.io/en/messages/common.html#MAV_MISSION_ACCEPTED)) for any other failure-type, even if it is not supported by your _particular_ simulator.
:::
## Failure System Command
Failures can be injected using the [failure system command](../modules/modules_command.md#failure) from any PX4 [console/shell](../debug/consoles.md) (such as the [QGC MAVLink Console](../debug/mavlink_shell.md#qgroundcontrol-mavlink-console) or SITL _pxh shell_), specifying both the target and type of the failure.
### Syntax
The full syntax of the [failure](../modules/modules_command.md#failure) command is:
```sh
failure <component> <failure_type> [-i <instance_number>]
```
where:
- _component_:
- Sensors:
- `gyro`: Gyroscope
- `accel`: Accelerometer
- `mag`: Magnetometer
- `baro`: Barometer
- `gps`: Global navigation satellite system
- `optical_flow`: Optical flow.
- `vio`: Visual inertial odometry
- `distance_sensor`: Distance sensor (rangefinder).
- `airspeed`: Airspeed sensor
- Systems:
- `battery`: Battery
- `motor`: Motor
- `servo`: Servo
- `avoidance`: Avoidance
- `rc_signal`: RC Signal
- `mavlink_signal`: MAVLink data telemetry connection
- _failure_type_:
- `ok`: Publish as normal (Disable failure injection)
- `off`: Stop publishing
- `stuck`: Constantly report the same value which _can_ happen on a malfunctioning sensor
- `garbage`: Publish random noise. This looks like reading uninitialized memory
- `wrong`: Publish invalid values that still look reasonable/aren't "garbage"
- `slow`: Publish at a reduced rate
- `delayed`: Publish valid data with a significant delay
- `intermittent`: Publish intermittently
- _instance number_ (optional): Instance number of affected sensor.
0 (default) indicates all sensors of specified type.
::: info
The simulated GPS (SITL) implements only the `off`, `stuck`, and `wrong` failure modes; the other failure types have no effect on it.
:::
## MAVSDK Failure Plugin
The [MAVSDK failure plugin](https://mavsdk.mavlink.io/main/en/cpp/api_reference/classmavsdk_1_1_failure.html) can be used to programmatically inject failures.
It is used in [PX4 Integration Testing](../test_and_ci/integration_testing_mavsdk.md) to simulate failure cases (for example, see [PX4-Autopilot/test/mavsdk_tests/autopilot_tester.cpp](https://github.com/PX4/PX4-Autopilot/blob/main/test/mavsdk_tests/autopilot_tester.cpp)).
The plugin API is a direct mapping of the failure command shown above, with a few additional error signals related to the connection.
## Example: GPS
To test the GPS failsafe by stopping GPS:
1. Enable the [SYS_FAILURE_EN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#SYS_FAILURE_EN) parameter.
2. Enter the following commands on the MAVLink console or SITL _pxh shell_:
```sh
# Stop GPS publishing
failure gps off
# Restart GPS publishing
failure gps ok
```
## Example: Motor
To stop a motor mid-flight without the system anticipating it or excluding it from allocation effectiveness:
1. Enable the [SYS_FAILURE_EN](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#SYS_FAILURE_EN) parameter.
2. Enable [CA_FAILURE_MODE](../advanced_config/parameter_reference.md#CA_FAILURE_MODE) parameter to allow turning off motors.
3. Enter the following commands on the MAVLink console or SITL _pxh shell_:
```sh
# Turn off first motor
failure motor off -i 1
# Turn it back on
failure motor ok -i 1
```