Platform for Ocean Simulation

POSIM is a ROS 2 and Gazebo library for maritime robotics, derived from Project DAVE. DAVE builds on UUV Simulator. Combine ocean environments, robots, simulated sensors and control interfaces for repeatable experiments.

ROV · BlueROV2 — Ocean environments → robots and dynamics → sensor observations → ROS 2 control. Sensor figures from the POSIM Notion Wiki and POSIM robot scenes captured in WWW-POSIM. Select a panel to open its guide.

Surface robot · WAM-V — Ocean environments → robots and dynamics → sensor observations → ROS 2 control. Sensor figures from the POSIM Notion Wiki and POSIM robot scenes captured in WWW-POSIM. Select a panel to open its guide.

Try WWW-POSIM

WWW-POSIM is an ocean robot simulator powered by POSIM. Use a web workspace or desktop app.

Generate seabed and coast from latitude/longitude
Operate surface/underwater robots and inspect sensors
Test ArduPilot waypoint missions or ROS 2 code
Watch the public LIVE world voyage

Start here

InstallBuild the ROS 2 and Gazebo workspace on Ubuntu.RunStart an ocean world and receive sensor data.ExtendAdd robots, terrain and control code.

Prepare an Ubuntu installation or Docker environment, then run the first simulation.

Operating system: Ubuntu 26.04
ROS: ROS 2 Lyrical
Simulator: Gazebo Jetty

Library components

Component	Purpose	Guide
Ocean worlds	Surface, seabed and task scenes	World library
Robots	REXROV, BlueROV2, Slocum and surface vehicles	ROVs, Gliders, Surface robots
Sensors	Camera, DVL, pressure, USBL and CUDA sonar	Camera, DVL, Sonar
Environment plugins	Currents and geographic coordinates	Currents, Coordinates
ROS interfaces	Sensor subscriptions, commands and recording	ROS 2 and control

Simulation structure

Define the environment and world systems in world SDF.
Define links, collision, inertia and sensors in model SDF.
Launch Gazebo, the model and ROS bridges.
Subscribe to sensors and send commands from ROS nodes.

Use POSIM directly in a ROS workspace. WWW-POSIM provides geographic world generation, a workbench and online sessions.

WWW-POSIM uses POSIM-Terrain, POSIM-Routing and POSIM-Control for terrain generation, route planning and vehicle control. Each is a public library with its own usage guide.

Find a guide

Examples: commands and data checks
Advanced guides: models, terrain and build settings
Plugin reference: values, units and topics
Contributing: source/documentation updates and checks

Each page links related source and reference material in its footer.