UniversalRobots/Universal_Robots_ROS2_Description

Universal_Robots_ROS2_Description

What it is – A ROS 2 package that provides the URDF/Xacro description files, visual meshes, and launch helpers for Universal Robots’ collaborative manipulators (e.g., UR5e, UR10, UR20, etc.). It lets you add a UR robot model to a ROS 2 simulation or real‑world setup.

Key components

• Description files (*.xacro, *.urdf) that define the robot’s kinematics, joint limits, and sensors.
• 3‑D meshes for the various robot models (UR8LONG, UR15, UR18, UR20, UR30) used for visualisation.
• Launch file (view_ur.launch.xml) that starts RViz (or another visualiser) with the selected robot model.
• Documentation in doc/index.rst and CI status badges for each ROS 2 distro.

How to use

1. Clone the repo into a ROS 2 workspace and build it (colcon build).
2. Source the workspace.
3. Launch a visualisation of a specific robot, e.g.:

   ros2 launch ur_description view_ur.launch.xml ur_type:=ur5e
   

   Change the ur_type argument to any supported model (e.g., ur10, ur20).

Supported ROS 2 distributions – The repository maintains branches for the current ROS 2 releases (Humble, Jazzy, Kilted, Lyrical, Rolling). Each branch is continuously built on the ROS 2 infrastructure, and the resulting binary packages are published as ur_description on the ROS index.

License

• The visual mesh files are considered Graphical Documentation and are covered by Universal Robots’ proprietary terms (they can be used, modified, and shared under those conditions).
• All other source files (description files, launch scripts, docs) are released under the permissive BSD‑3‑Clause license.

Why it matters – Accurate robot description packages are a prerequisite for any ROS‑based work involving motion planning, simulation, perception, or control of real UR robots. This repo supplies the authoritative, officially‑maintained models that keep pace with ROS 2 releases.