Unitree Go2

Unitree Go2 is a compact, electrically driven quadruped robot developed by Hangzhou-based Unitree Robotics. Launched in July 2023 as the successor to the Go1, it weighs roughly 15 kg, stands about 40 cm at the shoulder, and walks on twelve actuated joints — three per leg. The product line splits into four configurations: Go2 Air (entry consumer), Go2 Pro (prosumer), Go2 EDU (research and education) and Go2-W, a hybrid wheeled-leg variant introduced in 2024.

The Go2's defining hardware feature is Unitree's own 4D LiDAR-L1 sensor, which scans a full 360-degree environment in front of and around the robot. Higher-tier configurations add an NVIDIA Jetson Orin compute module (rated up to 100 TOPS on EDU), a high-resolution camera, side-touch controls and HDMI output for a tethered display. Faces, voice activation and a swappable battery are standard across the range.

Unitree positions the Go2 as a general-purpose quadruped platform rather than a single-use product. The cheapest Air configuration sells in markets at roughly US$1,600, which is roughly two orders of magnitude below industrial peers such as Boston Dynamics' Spot or ANYbotics' ANYmal. That price point has driven adoption across university robotics departments, hobbyist developers and a growing number of third-party security and patrol integrators who use the Go2 chassis as a base for their own software stacks. It has also drawn criticism from researchers and journalists who have documented weaponised modifications and police trials, prompting Unitree to publish an end-use policy in 2024.