Unitree R1 Air

What it's for

The R1 Air (123 cm, 25 kg) is the entry-level version of the R1 series and the cheapest humanoid in Unitree's range, at 4,900 USD in the manufacturer's store. It weighs 25 kg (4 kg less than the R1 Standard) and has 20 degrees of freedom (“Degrees of Freedom (DOF) in Humanoid Robots”) against 26 on the EDU version. Sensing comes from binocular vision and a 4-microphone array, and an 8-core CPU/GPU does the computing.

Applications. “Schools”: a robotics club, a classroom demonstration, material for programming projects. universities: open days, promoting a degree program, an introduction to humanoid robotics. events: a small humanoid on a trade-show stand that draws a crowd and fits in a shipping crate. homes: for enthusiasts who want a humanoid on the desk, though it is not a working household robot. For teaching speech and computer vision, the microphones and the pair of cameras let you experiment with image recognition and voice commands.

What it will not do: the manufacturer publishes no payload, speed or battery-life figures for this variant. Do not plan on object manipulation or continuous operation. In terms of use, this is a robot for demonstration and learning, not for tasks that require precision.

Who it's for

Yes: schools, libraries, community centers and universities that want to show off a humanoid for relatively little money. Yes for hobbyists and content creators who count their budget in thousands, not hundreds of thousands. Yes for anyone who wants to “touch” humanoid robotics before committing to pricier hardware.

No: anyone who needs firm specifications, since there is no data on payload, speed or runtime (“How to Read a Robot Datasheet”). No for research teams that want to study manipulation: fewer degrees of freedom than the R1 EDU and no hand with tactile sensing. No for companies looking for automation. And no for anyone who assumes the extra costs are pocket change: according to a reseller source, shipping can cost 300-1,200 USD, and prices in Polish shops are many times higher than in the manufacturer's store.

Deployments

The only thing on record is an x-kom.pl listing. Worldwide, the R1 Air is sold to hobbyists and educational institutions, but we know of no documented commercial deployments. The humanoid robots category includes models being brought into factories; the R1 Air is not among them. If you want to see how robots work in schools and universities, see “Educational Robots for Schools and Universities”.

Unitree R1 is the higher variant in the series: 29 kg and 26 degrees of freedom, 1,000 USD more than the Air under the earlier price list; more range of motion.

Unitree R1 EDU adds programmability for schools and universities; it suits those who want to write code, not just put on a show.

Noetix Bumi is a children's humanoid, 94 cm and 12 kg, for about 1,400 USD, cheaper still; for the smallest budgets and introductory classes.

Noetix N2 stands 118 cm, weighs about 30 kg, has 18 degrees of freedom and about 5 kg of payload, at 5,500-8,400 USD; a similar price bracket from a different maker.

Booster K1 is 95 cm and 19.5 kg, around 12,500 USD; a compact educational humanoid, pricier than the Air.

The R1 series debuted in August 2025 as Unitree's cheapest full-size humanoid, and reports of sales starting followed in September 2025. The Air is the entry variant: 4 kg lighter than the R1 Standard and with fewer degrees of freedom than the R1 EDU (20 versus 26). Before the R1 the company showed the H1 (2023) and the G1 (on sale from August 2024), and after it came the H2 (October 2025). In August 2026 Unitree listed on Shanghai's STAR Market. We cover the family in “Unitree H1, G1, R1 and H2” and the manufacturer in Unitree Robotics.