Kilobot vs ZALA 421-12
Side-by-side comparison of Kilobot (Harvard) and ZALA 421-12 (ZALA Aero) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Hospitality & F&B buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- KilobotSwitzerland
- ZALA 421-12Russia
Year First Available
- Kilobot2014
- ZALA 421-122015
Verified Deployments
- Kilobot0 Deployments
- ZALA 421-120 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Kilobot4 hrs
- ZALA 421-127 hrs
Availability Status
- KilobotACTIVE
- ZALA 421-12ACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- Kilobot—
- ZALA 421-125 kg
Max Speed
- Kilobot0 m/s
- ZALA 421-1230.6 m/s
Autonomy Level
- Kilobotfully autonomous
- ZALA 421-12—
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Switzerland | Russia |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2014 | 2015 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | 4 hrs | 7 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (priority for Hospitality & F&B buyers) (values differ) | — | 5 kg |
| Max Speed (values differ) | 0 m/s | 30.6 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, Reach, IP Rating
ROI Comparison
Same operating assumptions across every robot — the only difference is price. Set your numbers once to see which pays back fastest.
Annual labor displaced (per robot): $50,000
| Metric | Kilobot | ZALA 421-12 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | No price |
| Payback period | — | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | — |
Kilobot, ZALA 421-12 have no listed price, so payback can't be computed. Contact the manufacturer for a quote.
Estimates labor-cost displacement only — not a full total cost of ownership. Actual ROI depends on integration, maintenance, training, downtime, and task fit. Converted currencies are indicative; USD is the price of record.
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes Kilobot and ZALA 421-12?
Kilobot is made by Harvard, based in CH. ZALA 421-12 is made by ZALA Aero, based in RU.
When were Kilobot and ZALA 421-12 launched?
Kilobot launched in 2014. ZALA 421-12 launched in 2015.
How do Kilobot and ZALA 421-12 compare on the Robo Index?
Kilobot grades AA on the Robo Index. ZALA 421-12 grades BB. The Robo Index is a credibility grade (AAA … C) that blends commercial maturity, verified deployments, company standing, and independent coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are Kilobot and ZALA 421-12 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 Kilobot and ZALA 421-12?
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
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The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
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A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
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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
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About this comparison
Kilobot vs ZALA 421-12 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 Robo Index is calculated.