PR1 vs Surveyor
Side-by-side comparison of PR1 (Stanford Personal Robotics Program) and Surveyor (Saildrone Inc.) — specs, pricing, Robo Index, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
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Optimized for Cleaning & Facilities buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- PR1United States
- SurveyorUnited States
Year First Available
- PR12008
- Surveyor2015
Verified Deployments
- PR10 Deployments
- Surveyor0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Price
- PR1$50,000 USD
- SurveyorResearch platform
Battery / Shift Runtime
- PR12 hrs
- Surveyor8,640 hrs
Availability Status
- PR1ACTIVE
- SurveyorACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- PR125 kg
- Surveyor100 kg
Reach
- PR11,831 mm
- Surveyor—
Max Speed
- PR10.8 m/s
- Surveyor3.4 m/s
Autonomy Level
- PR1semi-autonomous
- Surveyorfully autonomous
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country | United States | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2008 | 2015 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Price (values differ) | $50,000 USD | Research platform |
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 2 hrs | 8,640 hrs |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (priority for Cleaning & Facilities buyers) (values differ) | 25 kg | 100 kg |
| Reach (values differ) | 1,831 mm | — |
| Max Speed (values differ) | 0.8 m/s | 3.4 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | semi-autonomous | fully autonomous |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: 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 | PR1 | Surveyor |
|---|---|---|
| Investment | $50,000 | No price |
| Payback period | 12.0 mo | — |
| Net savings (5 yr) | $200,000 | — |
| ROI (5 yr) | +400% | — |
Surveyor has 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 PR1 and Surveyor?
PR1 is made by Stanford Personal Robotics Program, based in US. Surveyor is made by Saildrone Inc., based in US.
When were PR1 and Surveyor launched?
PR1 launched in 2008. Surveyor launched in 2015.
How do PR1 and Surveyor compare on the Robo Index?
PR1 grades AA on the Robo Index. Surveyor 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 PR1 and Surveyor 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 PR1 and Surveyor?
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
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About this comparison
PR1 vs Surveyor 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.