Boston Dynamics Spot
Four-legged robot for autonomous inspection rounds, carrying cameras, thermal, acoustic and LiDAR payloads.
Made by Boston Dynamics · Official page
Whirrwork assessment, not a lab test
58/100 Good evidence of fit
| Independent evidence | 35 / 60 | 3 sources, 2 trial or test |
|---|---|---|
| Spec transparency | 20 / 20 | 8 of 8 key specs published |
| Spec strength | 3.3 / 20 | Percentile against catalogued models of the same type (maker-published figures). |
Score = points ÷ 100 available. How we rate.
Specs (maker-published)
| Spec | Value | As published · source |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 33.8 kg | “Net Mass/Weight (Spot with battery): 33.8 kg (74.5 lb)” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Payload | 14 kg | “Payload mounting, Max Weight: 14 kg (30.9 lbs)” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Runtime / flight time | 90 min | “Average Runtime: 90 mins (may vary with payloads and environment)” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Top speed | 1.6 m/s | “Max Speed: 1.6 m/s” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Max step height | 0.3 m | “Max Step Height: 300 mm (11.8 in)” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Max slope | 30 ° | “Max Slope: ±30°” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Ingress protection (IP) | Ingress Protection: IP54 | “Ingress Protection: IP54” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Operating temperature | -20 to 55 °C | “Operating Temp.: -20°C to 55°C” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
| Sensors | 360° terrain sensing (stereo cameras); payload ports for PTZ/thermal (Spot CAM), LiDAR, acoustic and gas sensors | “360° terrain sensing (stereo cameras); payload ports for PTZ/thermal (Spot CAM), LiDAR, acoustic and gas sensors” bostondynamics.com checked Oct 26, 2026 |
Independent evidence
Government or academic field trial Supports the job fit
AutoInspect: Towards Long-Term Autonomous Industrial Inspection
Oxford Robotics Institute and UK Atomic Energy Authority; IEEE Transactions on Field Robotics, 2025A Spot running the researchers' own autonomy software and sensor payload completed long-term deployments of 49 days at a test facility and 35 days inside the JET fusion facility, with 14 and 15 days of uninterrupted autonomous operation respectively.
Uses third-party autonomy software and payload on the Spot platform.
Independent third-party test Mixed result
Experimental evaluation of commercial quadruped robots: stability and performance in non-inertial environments
Misenti et al. (UMass Lowell, Purdue, US Naval Research Laboratory); International Journal of Intelligent Robotics and Applications (Springer), 2025-02-07Lab and shipboard tests (M80 Stiletto) of Vision 60 and Spot under ship-like ground motion: Vision 60 showed better stability, balance and lower peak torque; both struggled to track body position during aggressive motions, limiting reliable shipboard inspection.
Independently documented deployment Supports the job fit
Spot Robot Staffing Augmentation at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LA-UR-23-24724)
Los Alamos National Laboratory, INMM annual meeting paper, 2023-05LANL completed a feasibility study and proof-of-concept tests of Spot for autonomous radiation surveys in nuclear facilities and was moving to implementation for surveys of nuclear material delivery trucks.
Jobs it can do
- Reality capture & 360 site documentation
- Industrial plant autonomous inspection rounds
- Research robot platforms
- Robot dog (quadruped) rental
- Robot performers & dancers (alternative)
From its robot type. Whether it suits your site depends on the specs above and on the job's checklist.