Leo Rover:
The Versatile Foundation for R&D
A modular, ROS-native UGV built to bridge the gap between laboratory concepts and field-ready deployment.
Built for real-world challenges
Leo Rover is the rugged, ROS-native substrate for real-world robotics. Engineered for rapid prototyping and field research, it offers the modular flexibility to integrate any payload and the mechanical durability to survive demanding environments. Bridge the gap from laboratory concept to field-ready deployment.
Working with FLOX
Learn how a Leo Rover became just the robot poultry farms need.
CES 2019 Seagate booth – Impact Creative
Here's a bit about Turtle Rover as an exhibition robot at CES 2019 in Las Vegas.
Going to Fukushima
Here's how a Leo Rover got to map the radiation level in Fukushima, Japan.
Leo Rovers on display – a few words about a special custom project
Discover how Leo Rover robots turned into Martian rovers for a museum.
Leo Rover conquers the Moon once more – the final round of the Space Resources Challenge
See how the Leo Rover robots of the LUVMI-XR team tackled the finals of the Space Resources Challenge.
Reach for the stars in Luxembourg
Learn about the Interdisciplinary Space Master program at the University of Luxembourg.
Leo Rover
Features Preview
wheel mounts
with encoder
Open source | ROS based | Open to community
open_source
We believe that a robot you cannot modify is not truly yours. Our software and firmware are open to the core, providing the transparency required for R&D. This transparent architecture ensures you are never restricted by proprietary silos, allowing your team to fork, modify, and optimize the stack for project specific requirements. MIT Licensed.
modular_
architecture_
and_integration
The software environment is specifically designed to act as a central hub for your payloads, offering support for sensors, actuators, and external compute modules. We provide integration tutorials for a wide array of third-party components already documented in our knowledge base, significantly accelerating your integration timeline.
ros2_framework
Our platforms are not just "compatible" with ROS 2; they are built natively on it. This ensures that your existing libraries, custom nodes, and community packages work out of the box
documentation_
and_support
We move beyond being a hardware vendor by acting as an extension of your development team through our comprehensive documentation and human-to-human technical assistance. Our "never stuck" philosophy ensures that when real-world robotics challenges arise, you gain direct access to the engineers who designed the system to help you debug and harden your mission-critical logic. From initial networking setup to advanced system-level integration, our living knowledge base at docs.fictionlab.pl serves as your primary resource for rapid troubleshooting and scaling.
community_
ecosystem
Robotics is too complex to do in a vacuum, so we run our community on Discord. It’s where the actual day-to-day exchange happens—no support tickets, just direct access to our core engineering team and a global network of peers. Whether you’re troubleshooting a niche driver issue, sharing a custom autonomous stack for your PhD, or looking for advice on a specific sensor fusion approach, the Discord channels are where you’ll find people who speak your language. It’s an active space for geeking out over hardware and getting real-time answers from people who have been in the same trenches.
contribute_
and_collaborate
We invite you to help us improve the rovers. Your pull requests and feedback directly influence the software stack, helping us improve it for the global community.
Get your Leo
Leo Rover 1.9
Leo Rover is a rugged, open-source 4×4 mobile robot powered by ROS 2 (Robot Operating System). Engineered for versatility and reliability, it serves as an accessible development platform for engineers, researchers, educators, and robotics enthusiasts alike.
Select configuration:
Add-ons, Parts & Integrations
Need to expand your rover capabilities or maintain your fleet? Explore our ecosystem of modular extensions and replacement components.
Looking for a bigger rover? Discover Raph Rover!
The versatile foundation for real-world robotics. A modular, ROS-native UGV built to simplify complex research and accelerate the development of robotics applications.
In need of a robot for special tasks? Learn more about Custom Robotics Services!
Bridge the gap between concept and reality with our team support. If your application requires a unique form factor or specialized mechanics, we leverage a decade of full-stack expertise to design and build your bespoke robotic solution.
Built for Developers,
Supported by Experts
Community
The true potential of our rovers isn't found in our lab, but in the hands of the global community. For 10 years, developers and researchers have shared their breakthroughs, making every mission easier for the next person to begin.
Join CommunityTechnical Support & Resources
We never leave a partner stuck. Access comprehensive technical documentation, schematics, and direct expert assistance to ensure your mission maintains its momentum.
Explore documentation| Project nameCustomer Support |
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| Approved byFictionlab Team | Established2017 | Documentationdocs.fictionlab.pl | ||
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Social media
LinkedIn
YouTube Reading Room |
Community Discord | |||
| Code repositories Github | ||||
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Leo Rover
The easiest way is to look at the back of the rover and check if ID plate is present. Leo 1.8 doesn't have it. In addition, Leo Rover 1.9 has antenna on the right side of the chassis. Previous versions had antenna on the left.
Yes, the robot is designed for both indoor and outdoor applications. It features an IP55 protection rating, which makes it resistant to rain and dust, although it is not submersible.
Unfortunately not, but he did take part in a competition that simulates Martian conditions - the European Rover Challenge.
No, but maybe that will change in the future? Who knows. ;)
The connection range is up to 100 metres. The rover creates its own Wi-Fi access point, but it can also be configured to connect to existing local networks for internet access.
By default Leo Rover comes with front-facing camera, IMU and wheel encoders. If you need more, we provide multiple sensor integrations that you can buy to tailor the rover for your specific project.
3D printing allows us to quickly improve the design of plastic parts if necessary. In addition, we provide our customers with CAD files so that they can modify parts according to their needs or print replacements if any parts are damaged. The most important structural elements of the rover are made of metal.
General
Fictionlab is a Polish (European Union) company based in Wrocław. Both production and product development are located there.
Yes, all of our products are designed to be modified, and you are encouraged to tinker with it and adjust it for your projects. We support a 'Right to Repair & Hack' philosophy, meaning such modifications do not void your access to support.
Leo Rover: an Open-Source ROS 2 Rover Built for Real-World R&D
Leo Rover is a compact 4-wheeled ground robot designed for teams that want to test robotics in the real world-without turning the base platform into a never-ending engineering project. It’s a practical rover for indoor/outdoor development: bring your sensors, your autonomy stack, and your payload, then iterate fast in repeatable conditions.
What Leo Rover is best for
Leo Rover is typically chosen when the priority is rapid prototyping + reliable field runs:
- validating navigation and autonomy beyond simulation (mapping, localization, obstacle handling),
- collecting datasets in controlled and semi-structured environments,
- education and lab work where the platform must remain modifiable,
- pilot deployments where durability and serviceability matter as much as code.
Quick technical snapshot (Leo Rover 1.9)
This is the kind of “at a glance” spec block that helps both SEO and buyers:
- Dimensions: 424 × 445 × 303 mm, weight ≈ 7 kg
- Payload: ≈ 5 kg (standard tires)
- Speed: ≈ 0.4 m/s linear, ≈ 1 rad/s angular
- Obstacle capability: ≈ 70 mm
- Protection rating: IP55
- Operating temperature: -10°C to +40°C
- Runtime: up to 4 hours (standard battery)
- Connection range: up to 100 m
Open-source by design, not as a marketing label
A rover you can’t modify becomes a bottleneck the moment your project deviates from the default setup. Leo Rover is built around an open development model: software/firmware openness (MIT licensing is explicitly stated on the product site) and accessible mechanical design assets-so teams can extend, adapt, and maintain the platform in long-running R&D cycles.
ROS 2-native workflow for robotics teams
Leo Rover is designed to feel “native” in ROS 2 projects-so your existing packages, custom nodes, and community tooling can be used without fighting the platform. The official documentation is structured around a developer workflow (setup, specification, ROS API, guides), which shortens onboarding and reduces integration overhead.
Payload mounting and integration flexibility
Leo Rover’s payload model is intentionally practical: a dedicated top mounting platform plus the option to mount hardware directly to v-slot extrusions, which helps when you need unusual sensor placements or non-standard payload geometries. The documented payload capacity is ≈ 5 kg, with defined mounting grid spacing and mounting hole details-useful when designing brackets and sensor layouts.