URDF Validator (catches real robot failures, privacy-first, with xacro support)

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Hi all,

I built a URDF validator aimed at catching real-world issues in robot descriptions not just syntax errors.

Why these matters

Many URDF tools will accept files that still fail later in simulation, motion planning, or TF. The goal here is to catch those problems before runtime.

What it does

  • Validates URDF structure and semantics

  • Detects broken links, joints, and invalid references

  • Flags issues seen in real robot models

  • Supports .xacro (with guided upgrade hints)

Proof (real-world failures)

  • Valkyrie: leftover xacro artifacts ā†’ correctly flagged

  • Fetch: invalid XML prefix ā†’ caught immediately

These are real bugs in widely used robot models ā€” not synthetic test cases.

Quick check (no login required)

Free URDF Validator RoboInfra

API example

curl -X POST "https://roboinfra-api.azurewebsites.net/api/urdf/validate?include_urdf=true" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -F "file=@robot.urdf"

Privacy-first

  • Files are not stored

  • No training on user data

  • Stateless validation

Extras

  • Clear upgrade hints for .xacro

  • Human-readable error explanations (not just parser output)

Iā€™d really appreciate feedback especially edge cases or robot models that break it.