Feasibility of simulation of a surface vehicle with a manipulator

[IamGyal]

Hi, thank you for your time.

I'm working on an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) with a waterproof manipulator (which can be fully-submerged, partially-submerged, or in the air) attached to it.

The USV used is MallARD. Picture attached below.

(Ref)

It has

• two cylindrical hulls
• a chassis around the hulls to hold them and to put sensors on
• four thrusters which allows vectoring for thrust.

And the waterproof manipulator has four revolute joints.

I'm looking for a simulator where I can validate the maths models of my robot. The ideal case would be where

• I do not need to put equations to calculate the hydrodynamics in the simulator,
• but I can just put the geometry of my robot, force and torque inputs, and the necessary parameters
• and see that both the USV and the attached manipulator are affected by corresponding hydrodynamics (buoyancy, drag, lift, and added mass)
• and the forces and torques (wrenches) propagated between the manipulator and the USV are also taken into account
• and the combined system (the USV and the manipulator) moves/behaves accordingly.

Could this be realised with VRX? If so, could you give me some hints on how to do? I'm aware that the guide for custom vehicles is not ready yet (I'm also wondering when the guide would be ready).
Or any other suggestions and advice would be appreciated.

Thank you very much.

Related issue: #730