PM01 vs R1: Specs, Price & ROS Support Compared (2025)
EngineAI Robotics vs Unitree Robotics — independent, side-by-side analysis.
Quick Verdict
PM01 leads in longer runtime, while R1 leads in more DOF, faster speed, lower price. Overall, R1 has an edge in 3 out of 4 compared categories.
PM01
EngineAI Robotics
R1
Unitree Robotics
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PM01 R1
Specifications
$13,700Price$5,900
138 cmHeight123 cm
40 kgWeight29 kg
24DOF26
—Payload—
2hRuntime1h
2 m/sSpeed2.5 m/s
YesStairsYes
YesLiDARNo
Intel N97 + NVIDIA Jetson Orin (dual compute)Compute8-core CPU; NVIDIA Jetson Orin (EDU)
Ecosystem Openness
45
PM01
/100
72
R1
Linux + developer SDK. Dual compute for custom dev.
ROS2 support, newer platform — ecosystem growing.
Pros and cons at a glance
PM01
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Affordable at $13,700 — accessible to research labs and SMEs
- Ships with LiDAR for robust depth sensing in low-light environments
Cons
- Short runtime (120 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
- Closed software stack — no public SDK or ROS support
R1
Pros
- Shipping to customers (verified commercial availability)
- Affordable at $5,900 — accessible to research labs and SMEs
Cons
- Short runtime (60 min) — frequent recharging or battery swaps
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: PM01 or R1?
R1 is cheaper at $5,900 vs $13,700 for PM01. Note that lower price does not imply lower total cost of ownership — see the TCO calculator on the Explore page for utilisation-adjusted figures.
Are both PM01 and R1 shipping to customers?
Yes. Both are commercially available as of the last review. Delivery timelines and customer geographies vary per vendor — check the manufacturer page for each.
Which is better for ROS-based development: PM01 or R1?
PM01 has no ROS support; R1 has ros2. For research and multi-vendor robotics stacks, native ROS 2 is the strongest signal of ecosystem maturity.
Does PM01 or R1 use LiDAR?
PM01 ships with LiDAR for depth sensing; R1 does not. LiDAR adds cost and complexity but improves obstacle detection in low-light or low-contrast environments.
Last updated: 2025