VMX_FRC Raspberry Pi Software Configuration

VMX-pi FRC Robot programs run on the “Raspbian” Raspberry Pi Operating System. These steps describe how to prepare a Micro SD Card image running Raspbian to host a FRC Robot program.

Raspbian Buster is required for use with FRC Programming; older Raspbian versions do not include software items required by the WPI Library (e.g., Java 11).

Needed Items:

  • PC with microSD Card interface
  • microSD Card
    • Recommended: 32GB Samsung EVO Plus microSDHC UHS-1
    • Minimum: 32 GB microSD Card
  • VMX-pi assembled with Raspberry Pi
  • Power applied to Raspberry Pi (e.g., via VMX-pi AC/DC Adaptor or Battery)
  • USB Mouse & Keyboard and HDMI Monitor for Raspberry Pi

Preconfigured VMX FRC Image Creation

  1. Download the latest VMX_FRC SD Card Image Zip File (approximately 3.5 GB). Download speeds vary; with a fast internet connection this should download in less than 10 minutes.
  2. Unzip the Zip file to an image (.img) file.
  3. Deploy the image to your SD Card on a PC using Etcher or another SD Card imaging utility. Keep in mind that the SD Card must be at least 32GB in size.  Use of smaller SD Cards is not recommended, and only possible using the Manual SD Card Image Creation Process.
  4. This image is configured with the default user name (“pi”) and password (“raspberry”). NOTE: Do not change the Raspberry Pi default user name and password, even if prompted to do so – the default user name and password are required to deploy software from VSCode.
  5. This image contains a root partition sized to 22GB, and a separate “data” partition sized to 6GB on which data (e.g., camera video) can be stored.

Raspberry Pi License Note

Raspbian and NOOBS contain Java SE Platform Products, licensed to you under the Oracle Binary Code Licence Agreement available here.  Mathematica and the Wolfram Language are included in this release under license and with permission of Wolfram Research, Inc. and may be used for non-commercial purposes only. By using this software you agree to be bound by the Wolfram Raspberry Pi Bundle License Agreement available here.

NOTE: If you are experienced with Raspberry Pi and desire a customized SD Card Image, you can choose instead the more advanced Manual SD Card Image Creation Process.