How to Upgrade Your Clearpath Robots to ROS 2

Why It Matters

The upgrade ensures long‑term software support, performance gains, and seamless integration of modern sensors, positioning Clearpath users for advanced autonomous applications.

Key Takeaways

• ROS 2 Humble and Jazzy supported on multiple Clearpath platforms.
• AMD64 compatibility confirmed; ARM builds available for select models.
• Installation images provided for Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04.
• Sensor support includes 2D/3D lidars, IMUs, cameras.
• Tutorials and cheat sheet accelerate ROS 2 deployment.

Pulse Analysis

The robotics industry is rapidly converging on ROS 2 as the de‑facto middleware for autonomous systems, thanks to its improved security, real‑time capabilities, and active community support. Clearpath’s latest upgrade guide aligns its hardware portfolio with this trend, offering customers a clear pathway to modernize legacy fleets while avoiding the pitfalls of fragmented software stacks. By publishing a comprehensive compatibility chart, the company reduces uncertainty for system integrators and accelerates decision‑making around hardware refresh cycles.

Clearpath’s platform matrix reveals nuanced support across architectures: all listed robots run ROS 2 Humble on amd64, while a subset—such as the Jackal, Ridgeback, and Dingo series—provide source‑based arm64 builds. This flexibility is critical for edge deployments where power‑efficient ARM processors dominate. Moreover, the provision of customized Ubuntu 22.04 (for Humble) and Ubuntu 24.04 (for Jazzy) ISO images bundles firmware updates, ensuring that software and hardware versions stay in lockstep. Fleet managers can therefore execute coordinated upgrades with minimal downtime, preserving operational continuity.

Beyond the core OS, Clearpath validates a broad sensor suite, from 2D SICK lidars to 3D Velodyne and Ouster units, as well as IMUs, GPS, and depth cameras like RealSense. The accompanying tutorials walk users through publishing velocity commands, sensor integration, and motion planning, while a concise ROS 2 Jazzy cheat sheet condenses essential commands for rapid onboarding. This ecosystem of documentation, tools, and sensor compatibility empowers developers to prototype, test, and deploy sophisticated autonomous applications faster, reinforcing Clearpath’s position as a turnkey solution provider in the competitive robotics market.