Best robot dog for night security patrol: Go2, B2, X30 or Spot compared
Updated 2026-11-07 · YUANZHI ROBOTICS engineering team
Night security patrol asks more of a robot dog than a daytime demonstration does. The robot has to run for most of a shift, keep walking through rain and cold, climb the stairs on the route, find its way in poor light and carry a thermal camera, a light and a speaker without running out of payload. This guide compares the Unitree Go2 EDU, Unitree B2, DEEP Robotics X30 and Boston Dynamics Spot on those points, using only the manufacturers' public specifications, and says where a figure is not published.
The four robots side by side
| Unitree Go2 EDU | Unitree B2 | DEEP Robotics X30 | Boston Dynamics Spot | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight with battery | About 15 kg | About 60 kg | About 56 kg | 33.8 kg |
| Runtime | About 2 to 4 h (15,000 mAh battery) | 4 to 6 h; over 5 h walking unloaded, over 4 h with 20 kg | About 4 h unloaded, about 2.5 h loaded | 90 min average |
| IP rating | Not published | IP67 | IP67 | IP54 |
| Operating temperature | Not published | -20 to 55 °C | -20 to 55 °C | -20 to 55 °C |
| Payload | About 8 kg (maximum about 12 kg) | Over 40 kg walking | 20 kg continuous | 14 kg maximum |
| Stairs and steps | Stair height not published; climb drop height about 16 cm | Continuous stairs 20 to 25 cm; 40 cm steps forward | Stairs up to 20 cm | Maximum step height 300 mm |
| Slope | Climb angle 40° | Over 45° | 30° | ±30° |
| Low light | Not published | Not published | Manufacturer states operation in zero-light environments, no numeric figure | Terrain sensing needs more than 2 lux |
| Price class | Lowest of the four; EDU price on request | Industrial; price on request | Industrial; price on request | Highest class; price on request |
Figures are taken from each manufacturer's product page. DEEP Robotics notes that its figures are laboratory results for reference only, and Boston Dynamics notes that runtime varies with payload and environment. Treat every runtime as a best case and plan the shift around the loaded figure.
Runtime and shift planning
No robot in this group walks a full eight to twelve hour night on one battery. The B2 has the largest published battery (2,250 Wh) and the longest loaded endurance, so it can cover a long round with only one battery change. The X30 sits next, with about 2.5 hours under load and a published charging time of about 1.5 hours. The Go2 EDU and Spot are better planned as several short rounds with charging in between, or with a spare battery and a docking point on the route. For a patrol, ask what a charging station or battery swap costs before comparing robot prices.
Weather and temperature
Outdoor night patrol means dew, rain and cold. The B2 and X30 both publish IP67 and -20 to 55 °C, which is the strongest rating in this comparison. Spot publishes IP54 and the same temperature range, adequate for light rain and dust. Unitree does not publish an IP rating or operating temperature for the Go2, so we treat it as an indoor or covered-area robot unless the site accepts the risk. The payload must match the rating of the robot: an IP67 robot carrying an unsealed camera and computer is only as good as the weakest box.
Stairs and route geometry
Walk the route before choosing. The B2 publishes continuous stair climbing at 20 to 25 cm and a 40 cm forward step, and Spot a 300 mm maximum step height. The X30 publishes stairs up to 20 cm, which covers most building stairs but not every older or industrial one. Unitree does not publish a stair height for the Go2. Heavier robots also raise practical questions on a patrol: lift loading, floor loading on mezzanines, and whether one person can recover the robot if it falls.
Navigation in poor light
Most robot dogs localise with LiDAR, which does not need light, but obstacle detection and stair perception often rely on depth or stereo cameras, which do. Boston Dynamics publishes a lighting requirement of more than 2 lux for Spot's terrain sensing, so an unlit route still needs lighting for Spot. DEEP Robotics claims zero-light operation for the X30 and gives no numeric figure. Unitree does not publish a lighting threshold for the Go2 or B2. In practice we plan night patrols on a LiDAR map built offline in daylight, add a back-mounted LiDAR where the built-in sensing is weak, and fit forward lighting for the cameras. Ask the manufacturer for the lowest light level at which stair and obstacle perception is supported before signing.
Patrol payloads
A useful night patrol payload usually has four parts:
- Thermal camera to detect people and hot spots in the dark. At night it is the main sensor, not an extra.
- Spotlight or LED illumination for the visible camera and for deterrence. Boston Dynamics' Spot Cam 2 includes eight LED lights, a 25x optical zoom PTZ camera and a 640 by 480 thermal camera.
- Speaker and microphone for two-way talk with an operator. The Spot Cam 2 page does not list audio, so plan a separate audio unit if it is needed.
- PTZ camera for zooming on fences, gates and number plates from the route.
Add a computer for detection and logging, an LTE or mesh radio link, and the mounting, power and cable sealing. With a full patrol payload, a robot with 8 kg capacity has little margin left, while the B2 and X30 have room for heavier, sealed equipment. Unitree, DEEP Robotics and Boston Dynamics do not publish a complete night patrol payload for the Go2 EDU, B2 or X30 on the pages we checked, so these are normally integrated.
Price class
Only qualitative ranges can be given from public information. Unitree publishes a starting price for the Go2 range, but not for the EDU version, which is sold on request. The B2, X30 and Spot are sold through sales enquiries without list prices on their product pages. The Go2 EDU is the lowest-cost platform of the four by a wide margin; the B2 and X30 are industrial platforms; Spot is in the highest class. On our side, the entry mapping kit starts from US$2,000, the complete inspection kit from US$8,690, and the Jetson Orin NX 16 GB computer is US$2,290.
Decision table
| Site and task | Our usual recommendation |
|---|---|
| Indoor building, short rounds, tight budget | Go2 EDU with thermal, light and back LiDAR |
| Outdoor yard, rain and cold, long rounds | B2 or X30 with a sealed patrol payload |
| Heavy payload, steep or rough ground | B2 |
| Industrial site with stairs up to 20 cm and dark areas | X30 |
| Existing Spot fleet or established Spot software workflow | Spot with Spot Cam 2 and a separate audio unit |
| Full-night coverage on one robot | Any of the four plus docking or battery swap; none covers a full shift on one battery |
If you send us the robot model you have or plan to buy, the patrol task, the site and the delivery country, we will tell you which payload and software fit, what the route needs in charging and lighting, and where the published specs leave a question to put to the manufacturer.
FAQ
Which robot dog lasts a full night patrol?
None of the four on one battery. Published figures are 4 to 6 hours for the B2, about 2.5 hours loaded for the X30, about 2 to 4 hours for the Go2 EDU and 90 minutes average for Spot. Plan rounds with a docking station or battery swaps.
Which robot dogs are rated for rain?
The Unitree B2 and DEEP Robotics X30 publish IP67, and Boston Dynamics Spot publishes IP54. Unitree does not publish an IP rating for the Go2. The payload must be sealed to the same level as the robot.
Can these robots navigate in the dark?
LiDAR localisation works without light, but camera-based obstacle and stair perception needs some light. Boston Dynamics lists a terrain-sensing lighting requirement of more than 2 lux for Spot, and DEEP Robotics claims zero-light operation for the X30 without a numeric figure. Unitree does not publish a lighting threshold for the Go2 or B2. Fit lighting and ask the manufacturer.
What payload does a night patrol robot dog need?
A thermal camera, a spotlight or LED illumination, a speaker and microphone, and usually a PTZ camera, plus a computer and a radio link. Spot Cam 2 combines PTZ, thermal and eight LEDs, but its page does not list audio.
How much do these robots cost?
The manufacturers do not publish list prices for the Go2 EDU, B2, X30 or Spot on their product pages; all are sold on request. The Go2 EDU is the lowest price class, the B2 and X30 are industrial, and Spot is the highest class.