Overview
The robot that made dynamic quadrupeds affordable for university labs, launched in 2020 at a fraction of Spot's price. Its low-level SDK and foot force sensors made it a staple of 2020–2022 reinforcement-learning locomotion papers. Replaced by Go1 and then Go2 EDU. Used units still circulate among labs.
- Type
- Quadruped robot · Developer-grade
- Maker
- Unitree Robotics (China)
- Released
- 2020
- Price
- Was about $10,000
- Status
- Discontinued · used/leftover only
- Best for
- Professionals & labs
- Programming
- Full SDK
Price and shipping
Unitree promised a price under $10,000 at the 2020 launch, and press reported it at about $10,000. Discontinued around 2022.
Shipping: Used only. Discontinued. Used units appear on eBay and lab surplus sales, often needing new batteries.
Specifications
| Category | Quadrupeds · Developer-grade |
|---|---|
| Released | 2020 |
| Country | China |
| Availability | Discontinued · used/leftover only |
| Programmability | Full SDK |
| Built-in autonomy | Reactive · Responds to its surroundings without a map, such as avoiding obstacles or following a person |
| LLM support | Possible via SDK · No built-in LLM. Its SDK lets software on a computer control it. |
| MuJoCo simulation | Official model · In MuJoCo Menagerie (unitree_a1). MuJoCo Menagerie ↗ |
| NVIDIA Isaac simulation | Official model · UNITREE_A1 is built into Isaac Lab. Isaac Lab robot assets ↗ |
| Gazebo simulation | Official model · unitree_ros unitree_gazebo supports a1 (ROS 1, Gazebo Classic). unitree_ros ↗ |
| Best for | Professionals & labs |
| Vision sensors | Depth camera, Camera |
| Actuators | Brushless / direct-drive motors |
| Audio | Unknown |
| Compute type | Proprietary / undisclosed, NVIDIA Jetson |
| Compute | Dual controllers (motion + perception), upgradable to Jetson TX2 |
| Weight | ~12 kg |
| Speed | 3.3 m/s (Unitree) |
| DOF | 12 |
| Sensors | Intel RealSense depth camera, IMU, foot force sensors |
| SDK | Unitree legged SDK (C++, low- and high-level), ROS |
Common questions
How much does A1 cost?
It sold for about $10,000. Unitree promised a price under $10,000 at the 2020 launch, and press reported it at about $10,000. Discontinued around 2022.
Can A1 be bought today?
It is discontinued, though used or leftover units still turn up. Discontinued. Used units appear on eBay and lab surplus sales, often needing new batteries.
Who makes A1?
A1 is made by Unitree Robotics (China). It came out in 2020.
Can A1 be programmed?
Full SDK. Unitree legged SDK (C++, low- and high-level), ROS.
Does A1 have AI chat or LLM support?
Possible via SDK. No built-in LLM. Its SDK lets software on a computer control it.
Ratings & reviews
Ratings and reviews load on the live site.
Related guides
- Fastest Robot Dogs · the top 20 ranked by speed
- Robot Dog Actuators · how to choose the leg motors
- 8 vs 12 DOF Robot Dogs · two or three motors per leg
- Robot Gaits and Gait Training · how legged robots walk, trot and gallop
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