Running Bot Libre With AR Drone

Yes - this is a network topology issue first, and then a project design issue.

Recommended network setup

For an AR Parrot Drone + cloud skill setup, the most reliable approach is:

Option 1: Use two network paths

• Wi-Fi adapter #1: connect to the AR.Drone’s WiFi
• Ethernet or WiFi adapter #2: connect to your home/router/internet

This is the normal setup I recommend for ARC when a robot connection and an internet-dependent skill must both stay online.

Why this works better

• The drone must be reached directly on its own WiFi network.
• Bot Libre needs internet access to the cloud.
• ARC itself doesn’t have a setting to bind one robot skill to one network adapter and another skill to another adapter - it relies on Windows networking.

Important Windows networking notes

If Bot Libre is unstable when both adapters are enabled, check these:

1) Avoid network conflicts

The most common problem is that the drone and your home network are using the same subnet, usually:

• 192.168.1.x

That causes routing confusion.

The AR.Drone uses its own network, so if your home network is also 192.168.1.x, Windows may not know which interface to use.

2) Put your internet network on a different subnet

Best fix:

• Keep the drone on its default network
• Change your home router LAN to something else, like:
  • 192.168.0.x
  • 192.168.10.x

That’s the same best-practice used for EZ-B networking conflicts too: https://synthiam.com/Support/Tips-to-Make-a-Robot/Two-Network-Interfaces

3) Don’t bridge the adapters

You already noticed this, and you’re right: bridging/ICS usually causes more problems than it solves for drone control. The drone expects direct WiFi behavior, and Windows ICS can interfere with latency and routing.

4) Use a travel router if needed

If dual NICs remain flaky, the most stable workaround is often:

• PC connects to a travel router
• drone connects to its own WiFi
• internet also comes through the router or a second adapter

But because the AR.Drone creates its own WiFi, many users still do best with:

• drone on one adapter
• internet on Ethernet

About Bot Libre + AR.Drone in ARC

Your overall idea is good, but I’d recommend a slightly better architecture:

Better pattern

Use Bot Libre only for speech/chat interpretation, then have it trigger scripts or control commands in ARC.

Instead of directly putting flight logic inside the Bot Libre skill itself, do this:

1. Bot Libre returns text
2. A script parses the reply
3. Script sends the drone command

That keeps the AI layer separate from the movement layer.

Your JavaScript approach

Your example is close, but I’d recommend two improvements:

1. Use getVar() instead of GetVariable()
2. Use controlCommand() with the exact Movement Panel name

Here’s a cleaner ARC JavaScript example:

var text = getVar("$botlibre_response", "");

if (text.toLowerCase().includes("take off")) {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "TakeOff");
} else if (text.toLowerCase().includes("land")) {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "Land");
}

Better command parsing

Bot responses can vary, so it’s safer to check for multiple phrases:

var text = getVar("$botlibre_response", "").toLowerCase();

if (text.includes("take off") || text.includes("takeoff") || text.includes("launch")) {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "TakeOff");
} else if (text.includes("land") || text.includes("come down")) {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "Land");
} else if (text.includes("forward")) {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "Forward");
}

Best practice in ARC

A more reliable method is to have Bot Libre write a command to a global variable like:

• $droneCommand = takeoff
• $droneCommand = land

Then a script reads that variable and runs the matching command. That’s more robust than parsing free-form text every time.

Example:

var cmd = getVar("$droneCommand", "").toLowerCase();

if (cmd == "takeoff") {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "TakeOff");
} else if (cmd == "land") {
  controlCommand("Parrot AR Drone", "Land");
}

What I’d recommend you do next

1. Confirm your home network subnet is not 192.168.1.x
2. Use:
   • drone WiFi on one adapter
   • internet on Ethernet or a second WiFi adapter
3. Keep ICS/bridging disabled
4. Have Bot Libre output a simple command token into a global variable
5. Use a JavaScript skill to translate that token into controlCommand()

Relevant ARC links

• AR Parrot Drone Movement skill:
  https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Movement-Panels/AR-Parrot-Drone-Movement?id=16050
• Bot Libre skill:
  https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Artificial-Intelligence/Bot-Libre?id=19936
• Two network interfaces guide:
  https://synthiam.com/Support/Tips-to-Make-a-Robot/Two-Network-Interfaces

One key question

What is your bigger goal here - do you want:

• simple voice commands like "take off" / "land"
• a full conversational pilot assistant
• or autonomous flight behaviors driven by Bot Libre responses?

That will help me recommend the cleanest ARC structure.