Velodyne VLP-16 (LIDAR)¶

The VLP-16 is a 3D LIDAR sensor used for robotics and mapping. Note: The VLP-16 will be unused for Roboboat projects from 2026 onward.

Hardware Setup¶

Power the LIDAR using the included adapter.
Connect the LIDAR to your computer via Ethernet.
Make sure your computer's Ethernet port is configured to communicate with the sensor (check your network settings).

ROS Integration¶

Install the official velodyne ROS driver or use community packages like velodyne_ros_tools.
The VLP-16 publishes sensor_msgs/msg/PointCloud2 messages, typically to /wamv/sensors/lidars/lidar_wamv_sensor/points or /velodyne_points.
To view data, use RViz and add a PointCloud2 display.

PointCloud2 Message Structure¶

Relevant fields: - point_step: Number of bytes per point (uint32) - row_step: Number of bytes per row (uint32) - Calculated as (# of points in a row × point_step) - fields[]: Array describing each attribute in a point (see PointField)

Example:

mypointcloud.fields = [
    PointField('x', 0, PointField.FLOAT32, 1),
    PointField('y', 4, PointField.FLOAT32, 1),
    PointField('z', 8, PointField.FLOAT32, 1),
    PointField('intensity', 12, PointField.FLOAT32, 1)
]

- attribute: Name (e.g., x, y, z, intensity) - offset: Start index in the point structure - datatype: Data type (e.g., FLOAT32) - count: Number of elements

Troubleshooting & Tips¶

If you don't see data in RViz, check your Ethernet connection and ensure the driver is running.
- Make sure the IP and port configuration in the Velodyne's configuration web interface are correct.
For ROS2 Humble, you may need to convert or adapt drivers/packages.
Refer to the VLP-16 User Manual for hardware details.