Running the simulation

ros2 launch bluerov2_gazebo sim.launch.xml

Launches the vehicle in its default configuration: every artifact of the full simulation is generated at start (URDF, composed model, bridge config, into a directory under $ROS_HOME), the model is spawned as bluerov2 into the pool world and the ROS bridge comes up with it.

To run a custom vehicle instead, pass its config with config_file:=; the configuration page lists the slots and Change the fitted parts walks through writing one.

Launch arguments

Argument	Default	Meaning
`config_file`	the shipped config	Vehicle config, expanded at launch.
`name`	`bluerov2`	Instance name: the Gazebo model name and the topic namespace (`/<name>/...`); letters, digits and underscores. The worlds here float only the default name; see Several vehicles.
`x`, `y`, `z`	`0`, `0`, the pool default	Spawn position (m); the default is mid water in the pool.
`roll`, `pitch`, `yaw`	`0`	Spawn orientation (rad).
`world`	the pool world	Vehicle free world SDF to spawn into.
`gui`	`true`	Launch the Gazebo GUI.
`use_composition`	`true`	Run the server, the bridge and `robot_state_publisher` in one process.

Choosing the world

By default the vehicle is spawned into the pool world (bluerov2_pool.sdf, a 25 m basin with its deck). The world:= argument swaps the environment without changing anything else about the simulation: pass any vehicle free world SDF, such as the packaged open water one (unbounded water over a bare seabed, and the template for your own world):

ros2 launch bluerov2_gazebo sim.launch.xml world:=$(ros2 pkg prefix --share bluerov2_gazebo)/worlds/bluerov2_water.sdf

In RViz

To see the model in RViz:

ros2 launch bluerov2_description display.launch.xml

Starts robot_state_publisher, joint_state_publisher_gui (sliders to spin the propellers) and RViz with the packaged config, showing the model and its frames (parts, slots, the camera and sonar frames). It takes the same config_file:= argument, and the xacro is expanded at launch time, so a custom config needs no rebuild. In a simulation the frames carry the instance name (bluerov2/base_link) and joint states arrive as /bluerov2/joint_states, so RViz next to sim.launch.xml needs its fixed frame, its RobotModel TF prefix and its joint states pointed at the instance.