Imagine owning a Boston Dynamics-style robotic dog for a very low cost. The Unitree Go2 is just such an advanced, flexible, and surprisingly affordable robotic companion. It's designed for practical applications such as research, education, monitoring, and exploration. Starting at just $1,600, it has successfully carved out a unique market space. At this price point, it's virtually impossible to find a comparable product.
Recently, the renowned teardown team iFixit turned its attention to this eye-catching product. Unlike their previous focus on smartphones or computers, iFixit conducted its first teardown analysis of the Go2 quadrupedal robotic dog from Unitree Robotics in China. From structural design and module assembly to AI functional applications, the team provided a comprehensive evaluation report for Go2.
To provide an in-depth analysis of the Go2's internal structure, iFixit invited robotics expert Marcel Stieber to lead this teardown. Marcel has over ten years of experience in consumer electronics and robotics systems engineering. In this specially produced extended teardown video, he shares his professional insights in detail.
For tech enthusiasts, Marcel's in-depth analysis is not to be missed. Let's follow the perspective of the iFixit expert to uncover the core structure of this mechanical dog and explore the mysteries of its operation.
Although we have not yet established a dedicated repairability rating system for robot dogs (the sample size from disassembly is still insufficient), overall, the performance of Unitree Go2 in this regard is commendable.
It starts off well—it comes with replacement rubber feet, which is undoubtedly a wise move. After all, these small rubber feet are wear parts and are precisely the point of wear we are most concerned about when assessing maintainability.
Speaking of consumable components, battery replacement is quite convenient. Simply remove the casing manually from the side of the device, unscrew a few screws to open the cover, and you'll see the battery pack itself and its independent management board. Internally, it uses a standard 2000mAh 18650 cell array.
| Leg structure: Replaceable but with a threshold
Although the legs were not completely removed during this disassembly, their design appears to allow for replacement. However, obtaining replacement parts is not easy—the official website only provides a contact form, and direct ordering is not possible. We have contacted Unitree to inquire about purchasing spare motors and legs, and will update you as soon as we receive a response.
However, we particularly appreciate the design of the leg-hip connection: the two use a metal-to-metal interlocking mechanism to bear the main force transmission. A key protective mechanism is a plastic locking ring—when the leg is subjected to excessive external force in a non-designed direction (such as outward), this (hopefully inexpensive) plastic component will break first, thus protecting the more expensive metal structure and motor from damage. Using a Lumafield CT scanner, we were able to see through the internal structure of the leg:
| Core Motherboard: Hidden Away but with Clear Interfaces
The machine's sole core motherboard is hidden deep within layers of protection, which is to be expected. However, its modular design is reassuring—it has abundant onboard interfaces, facilitating individual repairs. Each motor is connected independently, and most components are clearly labeled.
Of course, the extensive use of tape, silicone, epoxy resin, and glue is unavoidable; for a machine that needs to withstand repeated impacts and severe vibrations, this is a reasonable engineering reinforcement method. Once you master the techniques for disconnecting the connections, the disassembly process becomes much smoother.
LiDAR : The Hidden "Eye"
One of the core features of the Go2 is its built-in LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) system, which uses laser beams to sense environmental reflections to aid navigation. This allows it to "see" obstacles and build environmental maps, essentially a high-tech solution that achieves depth perception similar to the human eye. However, somewhat surprisingly, the LiDAR sensor is deeply embedded within the chassis frame, making repair or replacement more difficult than ideal. Fortunately, the robust metal casing provides excellent physical protection.
However, behind its impressive performance lie some design concerns. The structure of the neck area is relatively fragile, raising questions about its long-term durability for a robot destined to experience numerous impacts. Upon disassembling the outer shell, we discovered cracks inside the neck caused by stair testing, confirming this concern.
I Conclusion: Explorers with a Unique Position
The Unitree Go2 cleverly positions itself between a research tool and a consumer electronics product. It's neither a pet nor a full-fledged industrial robot like the Boston Dynamics Spot (which starts at a hefty $75,000)—and of course, its price, at a fraction of the latter, doesn't require it to be. For robotics enthusiasts, it offers an exciting and relatively easy-to-use platform.
Many thanks again to robotics expert Marcel Stieber for his professional support in this in-depth teardown – I highly recommend watching the full teardown video to see more details.
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