🛠️ ROS2 YDLIDAR Driver Setup & Configuration (Open Collaboration)

Drivers
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While setting up the YDLIDAR on ROS2, I ran into many issues with deprecated functions and broken packages. It was quite challenging after installing the SDK from the official repo, especially configuring the client and driver nodes properly.

To help others facing similar issues, I created a working version of the ydlidar_ros2_driver package that supports custom configuration and launch files. The goal is to make it easier to integrate and test YDLIDAR sensors on ROS2 (specifically for X3, but extensible).

:pushpin: This is an ongoing project and I’m actively working to make it better and more efficient.
:handshake: I’m open to collaborations and contributions.

:link: GitHub Repo: GitHub - Oyefusi-Samuel/ydlidar_ros2_driver-master

Features:

  • Easy integration with ROS2 (tested on Humble)
  • Custom YAML-based configuration
  • Launch files for testing with RViz
  • Basic scan topic and services (start_scan, stop_scan)

:open_mailbox_with_raised_flag: If you’d like to join or contribute, feel free to reach me at samueloyefusi@gmail.com

Looking forward to collaborating with the community to improve this further!

YDLIDAR

YDLIDAR ROS2 Driver

ydlidar_ros2_driver is a new ros package, which is designed to gradually become the standard driver package for ydlidar devices in the ros2 environment.

How to install ROS2

ubuntu

windows

How to Create a ROS2 workspace

Create a workspace

Compile & Install YDLidar SDK

ydlidar_ros2_driver depends on YDLidar-SDK library. If you have never installed YDLidar-SDK library or it is out of date, you must first install YDLidar-SDK library. If you have installed the latest version of YDLidar-SDK, skip this step and go to the next step.

  1. Download or clone the YDLIDAR/YDLidar-SDK repository on GitHub.
  2. Compile and install the YDLidar-SDK under the build directory following README.md of YDLIDAR/YDLidar-SDK.

Clone ydlidar_ros2_driver

  1. Clone ydlidar_ros2_driver package from this repo :

    https://github.com/Oyefusi-Samuel/ydlidar_ros2_driver-master.git

  2. Build ydlidar_ros2_driver package :

    cd ydlidar_ros2_ws
colcon build --symlink-install

    Note: install colcon see

    CMAKE Finished

    >Note: If the following error occurs, Please install YDLIDAR/YDLidar-SDK first.

    CMAKE ERROR

  3. Package environment setup :

    source ./install/setup.bash

    Note: Add permanent workspace environment variables.
    It’s convenientif the ROS2 environment variables are automatically added to your bash session every time a new shell is launched:

    echo "source ~/ydlidar_ros2_ws/install/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

  4. Confirmation
    To confirm that your package path has been set, printenv the grep -i ROS variable.

     printenv | grep -i ROS

    You should see something similar to:
    OLDPWD=/home/tony/ydlidar_ros2_ws/install

  5. Create serial port Alias [optional]

    chmod 0777 src/ydlidar_ros2_driver/startup/*
sudo sh src/ydlidar_ros2_driver/startup/initenv.sh

    Note: After completing the previous operation, replug the LiDAR again.

Configure LiDAR paramters

ydlidar_ros2_driver_node:
  ros__parameters:
    port: /dev/ttyUSB0
    frame_id: laser_frame
    ignore_array: ""
    baudrate: 230400
    lidar_type: 1
    device_type: 0
    sample_rate: 9
    abnormal_check_count: 4
    resolution_fixed: true
    reversion: true
    inverted: true
    auto_reconnect: true
    isSingleChannel: false
    intensity: false
    support_motor_dtr: false
    angle_max: 180.0
    angle_min: -180.0
    range_max: 64.0
    range_min: 0.01
    frequency: 10.0
    invalid_range_is_inf: false

Run ydlidar_ros2_driver

Run ydlidar_ros2_driver using launch file

The command format is :

ros2 launch ydlidar_ros2_driver [launch file].py`

  1. Connect LiDAR uint(s).
ros2 launch ydlidar_ros2_driver ydlidar_launch.py

since mine is the x3lidar

ros2 launch ydlidar_ros2_driver x3_ydlidar_launch.py
  1. RVIZ
    ros2 launch ydlidar_ros2_driver ydlidar_launch_view.py

 ros2 launch ydlidar_ros2_driver ydlidar_x3_view_launch.py

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  1. echo scan topic
    ros2 topic echo /scan
Launch file introduction

The driver offers users a wealth of options when using different launch file. The launch file directory

is "ydlidar_ros2_ws/src/ydlidar_ros2_driver/launch". All launch files are listed as below :

launch file features
ydlidar.py Connect to defualt paramters
Publish LaserScan message on scan topic
ydlidar_launch.py Connect ydlidar.yaml Lidar specified by configuration parameters
Publish LaserScan message on scan topic
ydlidar_launch_view.py Connect ydlidar.yaml Lidar specified by configuration parameters and setup RVIZ
Publish LaserScan message on scan topic

Publish Topic

Topic Type Description
scan sensor_msgs/LaserScan 2D laser scan of the 0-angle ring

Subscribe Service

Service Type Description
stop_scan std_srvs::Empty turn off lidar
start_scan std_srvs::Empty turn on lidar

Configure ydlidar_ros_driver internal parameter

The ydlidar_ros2_driver internal parameters are in the launch file, they are listed as below :

Parameter name Data Type detail
port string Set Lidar the serial port or IP address
it can be set to /dev/ttyUSB0, 192.168.1.11, etc.
default: /dev/ydlidar
frame_id string Lidar TF coordinate system name.
default: laser_frame
ignore_array string LiDAR filtering angle area
eg: -90, -80, 30, 40
baudrate int Lidar baudrate or network port.
default: 230400
lidar_type int Set lidar type
0 – TYPE_TOF
1 – TYPE_TRIANGLE
2 – TYPE_TOF_NET
default: 1
device_type int Set device type
0 – YDLIDAR_TYPE_SERIAL
1 – YDLIDAR_TYPE_TCP
2 – YDLIDAR_TYPE_UDP
default: 0
sample_rate int Set Lidar Sample Rate.
default: 9
abnormal_check_count int Set the number of abnormal startup data attempts.
default: 4
fixed_resolution bool Fixed angluar resolution.
default: true
reversion bool Reversion LiDAR.
default: true
inverted bool Inverted LiDAR.
false – ClockWise.
true – CounterClockWise
default: true
auto_reconnect bool Automatically reconnect the LiDAR.
true – hot plug.
default: true
isSingleChannel bool Whether LiDAR is a single-channel.
default: false
intensity bool Whether LiDAR has intensity.
true – G2 LiDAR.
default: false
support_motor_dtr bool Whether the Lidar can be started and stopped by Serial DTR.
default: false
angle_min float Minimum Valid Angle.
default: -180
angle_max float Maximum Valid Angle.
default: 180
range_min float Minimum Valid range.
default: 0.1
range_max float Maximum Valid range.
default: 16.0
frequency float Set Scanning Frequency.
default: 10.0
invalid_range_is_inf bool Invalid Range is inf.
true – inf.
false – 0.0.
default: false
More paramters details, see here
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