Kirobo vs Sonda 01
Side-by-side comparison of Kirobo (Toyota) and Sonda 01 (Maritime Robotics (Norway)) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- KiroboJapan
- Sonda 01—
Year First Available
- Kirobo2013
- Sonda 01—
Verified Deployments
- Kirobo0 Deployments
- Sonda 010 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime
- Kirobo2.5 hrs
- Sonda 0128 hrs
Availability Status
- KiroboACTIVE
- Sonda 01ACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- Kirobo—
- Sonda 01400 kg
Reach
- Kirobo—
- Sonda 012,000 mm
Max Speed
- Kirobo—
- Sonda 011.5 m/s
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | Japan | — |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2013 | — |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Battery / Shift Runtime (values differ) | 2.5 hrs | 28 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (values differ) | — | 400 kg |
| Reach (values differ) | — | 2,000 mm |
| Max Speed (values differ) | — | 1.5 m/s |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Price, IP Rating, Autonomy Level
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 | Kirobo | Sonda 01 |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | No price | No price |
| Payback period | — | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | — | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | — | — |
Kirobo, Sonda 01 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 Kirobo and Sonda 01?
Kirobo is made by Toyota, based in JP. Sonda 01 is made by Maritime Robotics (Norway).
How do Kirobo and Sonda 01 compare on the Robo Index?
Kirobo grades AA on the Robo Index. Sonda 01 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 Kirobo and Sonda 01 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 Kirobo and Sonda 01?
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
Kirobo vs Sonda 01 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.