B2

Overview

The Unitree B2 is Unitree Robotics' heavy-duty industrial quadruped, designed for demanding outdoor inspection and logistics tasks. It carries 40 kg of payload, carries IP67 waterproofing, and provides up to 4 hours of runtime. At $35,000, it targets industrial inspection markets previously dominated by Boston Dynamics Spot, at roughly half the price. The B2 is manufactured in Hangzhou, China, and represents Unitree's push into the industrial inspection sector that was previously accessible only to companies with much larger budgets.

The 40 kg payload capacity substantially exceeds Boston Dynamics Spot's 14 kg, enabling the B2 to carry heavier sensor and compute payloads for simultaneous multi-modal inspection. The IP67 rating enables use in rain, dusty environments, and hosing conditions common in industrial sites.

Key Specifications

• Degrees of freedom: 12
• Payload: 40 kg
• Top speed: 6 m/s
• Standing height: 635 mm
• Weight: 60 kg
• Battery runtime: up to 4 hours (walking)
• IP rating: IP67
• Lidar: optional 3D lidar configurations available
• Software: Unitree SDK (ROS compatible)

The 6 m/s top speed is faster than Boston Dynamics Spot's 1.6 m/s, enabling faster traversal of large sites such as warehouses and open-air facilities.

Use Cases

The B2 is deployed for infrastructure inspection of pipelines, electrical substations, and construction sites; security patrol of industrial campuses; and logistics in large warehouses. Unitree equips it with sensor payloads for methane detection, thermal imaging, and LiDAR mapping. In the UK, several utility and energy companies have trialled the B2 for regular site inspection. Its combination of price, payload, and IP67 protection makes a compelling case for applications where Spot's payload limit is a constraint.

Buying Used

The B2 is a relatively recent product with a limited secondhand market. When units appear, expect to pay £20,000 to £28,000. As with all high-payload quadrupeds, inspect leg actuator wear carefully, check IP67 seals for integrity (particularly around joint covers and sensor ports), and verify battery cycle count from the controller logs.

Alternatives to Consider

• Boston Dynamics Spot: Higher software maturity and broader third-party application ecosystem, though at double the price and with lower payload at 14 kg.
• ANYbotics ANYmal D: Swiss-engineered with stronger European service support and ATEX certification option, though at $100,000.
• Deep Robotics Jueying X20: Comparable industrial positioning at $114,000 with 20 kg payload.