Gazebo and Webots simulators for mobile robot physical compatibility verification in a warehouse environment

A.S. Podgorniy, R.A. Munasypov

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Abstract. The study compares two open-source robot simulators in a warehouse context, assessing their potential for technological sovereignty.
Aim. The study aims to determine whether the Webots and Gazebo simulators are suitable for verifying the physical compatibility of mobile robots with a warehouse environment, and to compare which of them performs this task more effectively.
Materials and methods. The simulators are compared by executing a test task: a robot navigating a route through a warehouse via teleoperation. The navigation path comprises stops at the loading and unloading bays, maneuvering between storage racks, driving through confined spaces, and traversing long high-speed sections. To ensure identical testing conditions, the simulation benchmarks were performed using uniform warehouse and robot models, a standardized route, and the same hardware configuration.
Results. During scene preparation, robot modeling, standard robot software refinement, and test task execution, key operational features of the simulators were identified, such as user interface usability, adaptability, simulator stability, performance, and capabilities for robot modeling and scene construction. Special note was made of the necessity to use third-party software for scene construction and simulator program development, the comprehensiveness of the simulator documentation, and the quality of the models provided by the developers. The test task results were compared between the simulators based on cornering trajectory accuracy, control responsiveness, and real-time simulation monitoring capabilities.
Conclusion. Testing in both simulators showed that the route was successfully completed, with the robots’ maneuverability being sufficient for all turns and U-turns. The robots’ maneuver trajectories match in both simulators, with the movement being smooth and predictable. Despite identical test results, the Webots simulator outperformed Gazebo in terms of usability, stability, and performance. Unlike Gazebo, the Webots simulator comes bundled with all the necessary tools for scene construction and software development, while also offering more comprehensive documentation and higher-quality robot models. Thus, among open-source robot simulators, Webots is better suited for warehouse applications than the Gazebo simulator.

Keywords: simulation, mobile robot, warehouse, import substitution, open source, compatibility

For citation. Podgorniy A.S., Munasypov R.A. Gazebo and Webots simulators for mobile robot physical compatibility verification in a warehouse environment. News of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of RAS. 2026. Vol. 28. No. 4. Pp. 21–32. DOI: 10.35330/1991-6639-2026-28-4-21-32

©  Podgorniy A.S., Munasypov R.A., 2026

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Information about the authors

Aleksandr S. Podgorniy, Postgraduate Student, Chief Specialist, RN-Technologies;
1, Ramenskiy boulevard, Moscow, 119607, Russia;
scaled@scaledteam.ru
Rustem A. Munasypov, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Process Automation, Ufa University of Science and Technology;
32, Zaki Validi street, Ufa, 450076, Russia;
rust40@mail.ru, SPIN-code: 1949-7757

Funding

The study was performed without external funding.