I guess there's an alternative to those verbose constructors/assignments. I didn't try to compile it, but it looks like
sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2 * cloud_; can easily be replaced with sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2::UniquePtr cloud_;.

EDIT:

Checked. It would still require this:

  Observation & operator=(const Observation & obs){
    origin_ = obs.origin_;
    cloud_.reset(new sensor_msgs::msg::PointCloud2(*(obs.cloud_)));
    obstacle_range_ = obs.obstacle_range_;
    raytrace_range_ = obs.raytrace_range_;

    return *this;
  }

But move functions could easily be defined as:

Observation(Observation && obs) = default;
Observation & operator=(Observation && obs) = default;

Yes, a unique pointer would also work. I'd accept a PR to do that if you like. But please do remove the other unnecessary changes and lets just focus on the copy operator that isn't handling the PC2 correctly. This PR also has linting issues, please make sure to run the test suite, especially ament_uncrustify and ament_cpplint. We also need these changes made to Galactic and main to merge into Foxy

Not sure what exactly should I do, so for now just removed functions unrelated to the bug and fixed linting issues. If I should replace the pointer with unique_ptr, I'll change to that. I could also port this to any branches you think it should be ported to, just not sure what to port, how many PRs to do (I mean, I still want to add those move functions). As I understand it, there should be two requests. one for assignment (with or without unique_ptr) and another for move stuff, for every branch.

OK, two followup PRs are done: #2425 #2424

You will also need to submit a PR https://github.com/ros-planning/navigation.ros.org/blob/master/migration/Galactic.rst against this file adding a new section about this change to the migration guide.

But what to submit there? This is just a bugfix, and there's no difference between observation.hpp in galactic and main branches.

I can think of only

• Various bug fixes

or

• Fixed a double free bug

to "Major Improvements", but that's not exactly major.