Getting Multiple "Package [fastbot_description] does not exist" Errors on Linux Basics Real Robot Project (Part 1)

I’m completely new to Linux and ROS, so apologies if this is user error!

I’m working on part 1 of the Linux Basics Real Robot Project - Get to Know the Robot and the Lab.

I ran the following command after connecting to the real bot:

source ~/simulation_ws/install/setup.bash
ros2 launch fastbot_realrobot main_fastbot_lab.launch.xml

and received multiple “Package [fastbot_description] does not exist” errors.

I didn’t have the forethought at the time to copy down the error, but it looks similar to what another user posted here in November - The realfast bot issue, not moving with code:

user:~$ ros2 launch turtlebot3_realrobot main_turtlebot3_lab.launch.xml
[INFO] [launch]: All log files can be found below /home/user/.ros/log/2025-11-01-20-02-36-661001-2_xterm-1736
[INFO] [launch]: Default logging verbosity is set to INFO
[INFO] [rviz2-2]: process started with pid [1739]
[INFO] [robot_state_publisher-1]: process started with pid [1737]
[rviz2-2] QStandardPaths: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-user'
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872472985] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment base_footprint
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872548996] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment base_link
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872560952] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment base_scan
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872569356] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment caster_back_link
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872577326] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment imu_link
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872585023] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment wheel_left_link
[robot_state_publisher-1] [INFO] [1762027356.872592945] [robot_state_publisher]: got segment wheel_right_link
[rviz2-2] [INFO] [1762027356.954371410] [rviz2]: Stereo is NOT SUPPORTED
[rviz2-2] [INFO] [1762027356.954454505] [rviz2]: OpenGl version: 4.5 (GLSL 4.5)
[rviz2-2] [INFO] [1762027356.973201582] [rviz2]: Stereo is NOT SUPPORTED
[rviz2-2] [WARN] [1762027357.031723401] [transform_listener_impl_55d5aa7c8380]: New publisher discovered on topic '/tf_static', offering incompatible QoS. No messages will be sent to it. Last incompatible policy: DURABILITY_QOS_POLICY
[rviz2-2] [WARN] [1762027357.059901273] [transform_listener_impl_55d5aa7ed640]: New publisher discovered on topic '/tf_static', offering incompatible QoS. No messages will be sent to it. Last incompatible policy: DURABILITY_QOS_POLICY
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.494826149] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/base_link.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.495233244] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/base_link.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.495740494] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/base_link.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.496218255] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/base_link.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.496832511] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/raspicam.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.497279495] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/raspicam.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.497745012] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/raspicam.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.498196023] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/raspicam.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.498731936] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.499197856] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.499648569] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.500094145] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.500642143] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.501100932] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.501542836] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.501989087] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/fastbot_motor.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.502595088] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/lslidar_n10.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.503075151] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/lslidar_n10.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.503514976] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/lslidar_n10.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.503952345] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/lslidar_n10.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.504478796] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/pololu_ball_caster.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.504966638] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/pololu_ball_caster.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.505409497] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/pololu_ball_caster.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.505859980] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/pololu_ball_caster.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.506384588] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/wheel_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.506829971] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/tire_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.507272969] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/wheel_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.508209176] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/wheel_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.508653214] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/tire_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.509110526] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/wheel_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.509628688] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/tire_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.510082347] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/wheel_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.510544713] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/tire_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.511078681] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/tire_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.511513461] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/wheel_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.512049186] [rviz2]: Error retrieving file [package://fastbot_description/onshape/assets/tire_d65x25_v1.stl]: Package [fastbot_description] does not exist
[rviz2-2] [ERROR] [1762027357.512106503] [rviz2]: The link is static or has unrealistic inertia, so the equivalent inertia box will not be shown.
[rviz2-2]

There was also this response on the same post:

The error you are seeing is because it can’t find the description files for this robot, but it doesn’t affect the functionality of the robot. We are actively working on updating these projects for the new robot

Everything else worked as expected (e.g., I ran the teleop command and operated the robot with my keyboard), but I just wanted to double-check if I missed a step or if this is still being updated. Thank you!

You shouldn’t need to run this to operate the robot, because this starts the simulation. Let’s take a look at the instructions.

Thanks for reporting this.

The error:

Package [fastbot_description] does not exist

is a known issue in some lab environment versions and is related to RViz robot visualization only, not the real robot functionality.

Even if the robot model does not load in RViz, the launch file and teleoperation should still work as expected.

This typically happens due to a version mismatch in the workspace, where the fastbot_description package is either:

  • not included in that specific environment build, or
  • moved/updated in newer lab versions.

We are already aware of this behavior and are working on aligning the robot description assets across all environments.

So you didn’t miss any step — you can safely continue with the lab as long as the robot is controllable.