Diego-san vs Saildrone Explorer
Side-by-side comparison of Diego-san (UC San Diego, Kokoro, and Hanson Robotics) and Saildrone Explorer (Saildrone Inc.) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- Diego-sanUnited States
- Saildrone ExplorerUnited States
Year First Available
- Diego-san2010
- Saildrone Explorer2015
Verified Deployments
- Diego-san0 Deployments
- Saildrone Explorer0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Diego-san—
- Saildrone Explorer8,760 hrs
Availability Status
- Diego-sanACTIVE
- Saildrone ExplorerACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- Diego-san—
- Saildrone Explorer20 kg
Max Speed
- Diego-san—
- Saildrone Explorer1.5 m/s
Autonomy Level
- Diego-san—
- Saildrone Explorerfully autonomous
| | |
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | United States | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2010 | 2015 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | — | 8,760 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | — | 20 kg |
| Max Speed (values differ) | — | 1.5 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | — | fully autonomous |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Price Range (USD), Reach, IP Rating
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Diego-san and Saildrone Explorer?
Diego-san is made by UC San Diego, Kokoro, and Hanson Robotics, based in US. Saildrone Explorer is made by Saildrone Inc., based in US.
When were Diego-san and Saildrone Explorer launched?
Diego-san launched in 2010. Saildrone Explorer launched in 2015.
How do Diego-san and Saildrone Explorer compare on the Robolist Product Score?
Diego-san scores 31/100. Saildrone Explorer scores 56/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Diego-san and Saildrone Explorer in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Research on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Research robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Research TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: The real cost of a research platform.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between Diego-san and Saildrone Explorer?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
The real cost of a research platform
7 min readResearch & Lab Robots
The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
11 min readResearch & Lab Robots
A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
8 min readResearch & Lab Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
About this comparison
Diego-san vs Saildrone Explorer compares two robots in the research category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robolist Product Score is calculated.