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Robots with an open SDK or ROS: 31 platforms for developers and universities
31 robots with programmatic access: SDK, API or ROS 2. Cobots, quadrupeds, humanoids and education platforms, with prices and notes on EDU variants.
Key facts
- Models in the catalogue31
- Manufacturers21
- Price range1,237 PLN (≈ EUR 285 at NBP rate 4.3641 of 21 October 2026) – 344,594 PLN (≈ EUR 78,960) (18 models with a price)
- Available in Poland6 of 31
- Data as of10 October 2026
A robot with documented programming access is a different purchase from a robot "to look at": you can run your own algorithm on it, collect data and change its behaviour. This roundup covers 31 models whose description names an SDK, API, ROS or ROS 2, or that are built on open-source code. We use "open" loosely here: it means a publicly described interface, not a guarantee of an open licence. Checking the terms is always the buyer's job. Tips for reading specifications are in “How to Read a Robot Datasheet”.
The list is hand-selected, because "SDK" often appears in a description only as a remark about a competitor. Models were included where the robot's own data speak about access. The result is 8 humanoids, 5 cobots (Franka Research 3, AUBO i10, AUBO i16, Kassow Robots KR810, Kinova Gen3), 5 quadrupeds, 9 education robots, 3 service robots and 1 AMR. From 21 manufacturers come 27 models on sale, 3 prototypes and 1 pilot (the ANYbotics ANYmal X, with an API and ROS); the database confirms availability in Poland for 6 of them, including the Unitree G1 EDU, Unitree Go2 and myCobot 280.
The most interesting lesson concerns prices. Unitree sells the same body at different access levels. The base Unitree G1 costs 13,500 USD and does not let you program your own behaviours, whereas the Unitree G1 EDU with the full SDK sits at reseller prices of 43,900 to 73,900 USD. Likewise the Unitree R1 at 4,900 USD and the Unitree R1 EDU at 10,500 USD with SDK access. For the Unitree Go2 the Air variant starts at about 1,600 USD and the EDU at about 11,190 USD. Programming access is therefore a second cost you have to budget for. A comparison of the G1, R1 and H2 is in “Unitree H1, G1, R1 and H2”.
Some models build their offer on openness. The LimX models (LimX Oli and LimX Dynamics TRON 1) declare an open SDK; on the CL-3 and TRON 1 it is a Python SDK supporting Isaac Sim or NVIDIA Isaac, MuJoCo and Gazebo. The Reachy 2 offers ROS 2 Humble, a Python SDK and LeRobot integration for 70,000 USD. The DEEP Robotics Lite3 has a ROS2 stack with an open SDK from about 2,890 USD. The Franka Research 3 provides the libfranka library and ROS integration, and the ToddlerBot is an open-source project for 3D printing with no commercial price. The whole PAL Robotics family (PAL Robotics ARI, PAL Robotics TIAGo, PAL Robotics TIAGo Pro, PAL Robotics TALOS) is described as ROS-based. ROS is also the basis of the education platforms TurtleBot3 Burger, TurtleBot 4 and AgileX LIMO Pro, while the small quadrupeds MangDang Mini Pupper 2 (with ROS) and Petoi Bittle X (with an API) declare open-source software.
Who is it for? Laboratories, universities and companies with a team of programmers. For schools and student clubs the cheaper education models matter too: “Educational Robots for Schools and Universities”. If you are buying a cobot for factory work, see cobots; for a first encounter with an academic robot the myCobot 280 at about 650 USD or the Petoi Bittle X at 319 USD is sometimes enough.
Full list of models (31)
Every entry of the collection with links to the pages on this site.
* price converted from a foreign currency; the rate and date are in the tooltip and on the model page.
Frequently asked questions
What does "open SDK" mean here?
Publicly described programming access: an SDK, API or ROS/ROS 2 named in the model data. It is not a guarantee of an open licence or of full low-level control access. Licence terms and the scope of access must be checked with the manufacturer.
Is the EDU version always required for programming?
For Unitree, yes: the base Unitree G1 and Unitree R1 have no documented SDK, and the EDU versions cost from 10,500 USD (R1) to 73,900 USD (G1). The descriptions of LimX and DEEP Robotics mention an open SDK without distinguishing an EDU variant.
Which robot on the list is the cheapest way in?
Among models with prices: the Petoi Bittle X at 319 USD, the MangDang Mini Pupper 2 and myCobot 280 at about 650 USD, and the TurtleBot3 Burger at about 680 USD. Among larger platforms the Unitree Go2 starts at about 1,600 USD (Air variant) and the Xiaomi CyberDog 2 costs about 1,800 USD. The full SDK on the Go2 applies to the EDU variant.
Why is the list only part of the catalogue?
Many models say nothing about programming, so their absence here does not mean they are closed. Only those whose robot data explicitly describe access (SDK, API, ROS or open code) made the roundup.
Where this list comes from
The collection is generated from the Robolupa catalogue by a fixed criterion described in the introduction and changes with the data. Prices in zloty come from Polish shops or are converted from foreign currencies (marked with an asterisk). How data are collected and checked is described on the page Methodology.
About the authors
A chief engineer by profession (technical head of a ship's machinery plant, licensed). Sets the site's editorial rules and is responsible for them; he does not read every page before publication.
Texts are prepared by the editorial team using AI tools. We compare data with primary sources on a sample basis, not page by page. Our rules are described here: How we check · About us