You've probably seen the Unitree R1 all over the internet by now. The demos, the spec breakdowns, the hype. And the question everyone keeps asking: when can I actually get one?
The answer is now. The Unitree R1 is officially shipping to the U.S., and orders placed through RoboStore today will ship to customers within 30 days. No waitlists. No deposits. Just place your order and we'll handle the rest.
Named One of TIME's Best Inventions of 2025
The Unitree R1 was included in TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of 2025 — one of only two humanoid robots on the full list of 300 inventions. TIME recognized the R1 for its potential to democratize access to advanced humanoid robotics. It's a meaningful endorsement for a platform that's been anticipated for over a year. Now it's here.
"Ultra-agile humanoid" — TIME Magazine, Best Inventions of 2025
Why the R1 Is a Robust Story
The R1 is not Unitree's most powerful humanoid. It doesn't need to be. What it is: a full humanoid form factor — real bipedal locomotion, dynamic balance, fluid motion — at a price point that opens up use cases and budgets that the Unitree G1 never could reach.
The G1 starts at $17,990. The R1 Basic starts at $8,990. That gap isn't just a number — it's the difference between a robot you protect and a robot you deploy. At the R1's price point, you can put hardware into environments you'd never risk a G1, run multiple units across a location, or get a research program started without a major capital commitment.
Strong use cases
- Events and activations — A full humanoid form factor that commands attention, at a price where deployment risk is manageable.
- Education and campus environments — Universities and programs that want students working on real bipedal hardware without a G1-level budget.
- Security and patrol — Mobile, self-balancing presence in spaces that benefit from a humanoid form factor.
- Fleet and rental operations — Multi-unit deployment and short-term rental use cases become realistic at this price point for the first time.
- Motion and balance research — 24 to 40 DOF depending on configuration, with dynamic recovery, downhill running, cartwheels, and handstands already demonstrated.
- AI and software development — EDU and EDU Pro configurations support full secondary development, SDK access, and Isaac SIM compatibility for teams building on humanoid hardware.
Where to consider a different model
- If dexterous manipulation is the primary requirement from day one, start with the R1 EDU Pro rather than the Basic.
- If your program requires a more capable development platform with a larger software ecosystem and broader community support, the Unitree G1 is the more established choice. For full-size industrial deployment, the recently announced Unitree H2 Plus platform is being developed precisely for that need.
Three Configurations. One Platform.
R1 Basic
- 24 DOF, 25 kg, 121 cm
- 8-core CPU, binocular camera, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, 4-mic array, stereo speakers
- Remote operation ready out of the box, no programming required
- Best for: events, education, demonstrations, security patrol, fleet deployment
- 8-month warranty
- $8,990
R1 EDU (U1, 40 Tops)
- 26 DOF including 2 DOF articulated head
- NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX, 40 Tops onboard compute
- Full secondary development support, SDK access, Isaac SIM compatible
- Best for: university research, motion control development, AI behavior pipelines
- 12-month warranty
- Starting at $15,950
R1 EDU Pro (U2–U6, 100 Tops)
- 26 body DOF expanding to 38 or 40 total DOF with dexterous hands
- NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX, 100 Tops onboard compute
- Choose Dex3-1 three finger or BrianCo Revo 2 five finger hands, with or without tactile sensing
- Full secondary development, Isaac SIM compatible, protective gantry included
- Best for: manipulation research, dexterous task development, advanced AI development
- 12-month warranty
- Starting at $28,900
Where the R1 Sits in Unitree's Lineup
Unitree now has one of the broadest humanoid portfolios of any manufacturer. Understanding where the R1 sits helps you make the right call.
The Unitree G1 remains one of the most widely deployed and community-supported humanoid platforms in the world. It has a mature SDK, broad developer support, and a proven track record across university and enterprise programs — from the entry-level G1 Basic to the research-grade G1 EDU configurations with full NVIDIA Jetson Orin support. For programs with serious development requirements, the G1 is still the workhorse. There's also the G1-D, a fixed-base dual-arm platform purpose-built for manipulation and dexterous task research.
Above the G1, the Unitree H2 Plus represents a different class entirely: a full-size 180 cm industrial humanoid with 31 DOF, 360 N·m joint torque, and computing power in the thousands of TOPS range. Built for enterprise-scale deployment, embodied AI research, and applications that require human-scale form and industrial-grade performance.
The R1 doesn't try to compete with either. It fills a gap that previously didn't exist — a real, capable, bipedal humanoid at a price that makes new use cases and new buyers viable for the first time. Browse the full humanoid lineup at RoboStore →
The Tools to Build on It Are Ready
One reason the R1 matters more now than it would have two years ago: the development infrastructure around humanoid AI has fundamentally changed.
NVIDIA's Isaac GR00T platform, now the foundation for the Unitree H2 Plus reference design, represents a new standard for how humanoid robots are trained and deployed. While current GR00T workflows are centered on the G1 and H2 Plus, the underlying tooling — Isaac Sim, ROS2, and the sim-to-real pipeline — applies broadly across the Unitree platform, and we anticipate that foundation carrying over to R1 development as embodiment support expands.
The same is true for structured education. RoboUniversity offers curriculum built around the Unitree G1, and the core concepts — simulation, control theory, and deployment workflows — are broadly applicable as the platform evolves. For teams ready to put hardware in hand today, the R1 EDU Pro provides the compute and development access to build on that foundation.
Order the Unitree R1 Through RoboStore
RoboStore is the official US commercialization and distribution partner for Unitree Robotics in North America. We hold stock, we hold parts, and we offer US-based repair and support. Our team works with this hardware directly — when you have a question or a problem, you're talking to people who have actually operated these systems, not just resellers reading a spec sheet.
Orders placed today ship within 30 days. Initial inventory is White + Blue. All three configurations are available through our Unitree R1 collection page. For enterprise inquiries, multi-unit fleet pricing, or custom deployment support, visit our solutions page or fill out the form below.
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