Robot Dogs for Business: Events, Inspection and Security

Four legs give a robot something wheels cannot: the ability to step over cables, climb kerbs and stairs, and keep its balance on gravel, grass or rubble. That is why quadrupeds have moved from research labs into events, industrial inspection and security trials.

The category now covers very different machines. A 15 kg robot that dances at a product launch and a 60 kg robot that walks a substation in the rain are both "robot dogs", but they cost and behave nothing alike. The key questions are:

• Will it work indoors or outdoors, and in what weather?
• How long does it need to run, and how far?
• Does it need to carry anything, such as cameras, gas sensors or tools?
• Will someone drive it, or does it need to patrol a route on its own?
• Do you need to write your own software for it?

Figures come from the manufacturers' published specifications. Prices are purchase guide prices (USD, excluding tax and shipping, from Robots International). The Go2 Pro is the one we rent from our own Dublin fleet.

The jump in price tracks what the robot can survive and carry. The A2 carries about 25 kg while walking and the B2 more than 40 kg. The Go2 Pro carries about 8 kg.

For events, the Unitree Go2 Pro is the practical choice, and it is the robot dog in our own Dublin fleet. It runs at up to about 3.5 m/s, climbs 40 degree slopes and 16 cm steps, follows its handler using Unitree's side-follow system, responds to voice commands and performs tricks such as waving, stretching and dancing.

What works well:

• Stand traffic at trade shows. A robot dog walking the aisle pulls people to your stand.
• Product launches and media shoots. It photographs and films well, and it can carry a small prop or sign.
• School and STEM visits. Students get close to a real legged robot and see how it senses obstacles.

What to plan for:

• Keep it dry. The Go2 Pro is not rated for rain, so outdoor events need a covered area or a fair-weather plan.
• Battery breaks. About 1 to 2 hours per battery depending on activity. Build short rest and charging slots into the schedule and have a power socket nearby.
• A clear floor zone. Crowds love to crowd it. A handler and a marked area keep things safe.

Our event robots guide has more ideas for planning a robot at an Irish event.

Inspection is where the bigger robot dogs earn their price. Walking a fixed route around a plant, depot or substation, a robot can collect consistent camera, thermal or sensor data on every round, and it can go where it is unsafe or slow for a person to go.

Unitree A2. The middle option. It walks for more than 5 hours and about 20 km unloaded, or more than 3 hours with 25 kg on board. It climbs 30 cm steps, is rated IP56 and works from minus 20 to 55 degrees C. Two hot-swappable battery slots help it cover a long shift. The Pro versions add a rear LiDAR, IP67 core parts and built-in GPS and 4G. The wheel-legged A2-W is faster on flat ground.

Unitree B2. For heavy and wet work. IP67 sealing, more than 40 kg walking load, 40 cm steps going forward, a 3D LiDAR plus depth and optical cameras, and multiple Ethernet and USB ports for extra payloads.

Before you buy for inspection, map the real route. Note stairs, door thresholds, gratings, wet surfaces and where the robot will charge. Then decide what payload you need, because the sensor package often matters more than the robot.

A robot dog on patrol is a visible deterrent and a mobile camera. It can walk a set route at night, stream video to a control room and flag something unusual for a person to check. That is useful on large sites, car parks and campuses.

It does not replace a security officer. It cannot detain anyone, deal with a confrontation or make a judgement call, and it needs someone watching its feed and responding to alerts.

Points to settle before a trial:

• Autonomy. Check whether the model can build maps, plan routes and return to its dock to charge on its own, or whether it needs extra software or an operator.
• Weather. Patrol robots in Ireland need a proper rating. The A2 (IP56) and B2 (IP67) are built for outdoor work; the Go2 Pro is not.
• Data protection. A patrol robot records people. The Data Protection Commission's CCTV guidance treats images of identifiable people as personal data, so you need a clear purpose, signage and a retention policy, just as with fixed cameras.

For a wider view of patrol robots, see our security robots guide and the security robots category.

For classrooms and labs, a lighter robot with good developer tools is usually the better buy.

Unitree Go2 EDU. Unitree also sells an EDU version of the Go2 with a larger battery, a depth camera, foot-end force sensors and full secondary development. The Go2 Pro we rent does not support secondary development, so it suits demonstrations rather than coding projects.

Unitree A2. For field robotics research, the A2 supports custom software and sets aside an Intel Core i7 computer for user development.

Go2 Pro: we rent this from our own Dublin fleet. Tell us the date, venue and what you have in mind through the quote form. Pricing is on quote.

A2 and B2: you can buy outright through Robots International, which Rentabot is an affiliate of, or send us a rental request. We source rental units through reseller partners case by case, so it depends on availability.

If you are weighing a robot dog against a fixed camera system, a drone or a different robot, talk to us. We will get back to you promptly.