Choosing a delivery robot: what to check before you buy
A robot that suits one venue can struggle in another. This guide covers what decides the fit, from floors and doorways to Wi-Fi and charging, so you can judge any robot against your own site.
Start with the job, not the robot
Before comparing models, write down the trips you want to hand over. Where does each run start and finish? What gets carried, how heavy is it, and how many times a shift does it happen?
A café sending plates thirty metres has different needs from a hospital moving samples between floors.
The site checklist
Walk your routes with this list. Anything you can’t answer is a question for the supplier.
Floor surfaces
Hard, level floors are the easiest. Thick rugs, deep carpet, loose mats or gaps in decking can slow a robot, spill drinks or stop it. Note every surface on each route, outdoors included.
Doorways and aisles
Measure the narrowest point on every route, such as a doorway or the aisle once chairs are pushed out at a full sitting. Compare it with the robot’s width, leaving room for people to pass.
Thresholds, steps and ramps
Wheeled service robots don’t climb stairs. Lips at doorways, ramp gradients and joins between floor types all matter, so ask what height and slope a robot is rated for.
Tray payload and layout
Check the maximum load per tray and in total, how many trays there are and the clearance between them. Tall glasses, soup bowls and stacked plates each need something different.
Wi-Fi coverage
Ask what the robot uses the network for; calling it from a pager or riding a lift may rely on a steady connection along the whole route. Walk the route with a phone to find dead spots.
Mapping and navigation
Robots are mapped to the venue during setup, some with onboard sensors alone and some with ceiling markers as well. Ask how the map is updated when furniture moves. Large mirrors, glass walls and strong sunlight can confuse some sensors.
Charging
Find out how long a charge lasts against your longest shift, how long recharging takes, and whether the robot docks itself. The dock needs a power point away from foot traffic.
Lifts and doors
If the robot has to change floors, ask whether it can be integrated with your lift and what your lift contractor must do. Raise automatic and swipe-access doors early.
People and process
The machine is only half of it. How your team works with it decides whether it gets used at all.
Staff training
Ask who trains your team, how long it takes, and how new staff learn it later.
Fitting it into the shift
Decide who loads the robot, who meets it, and what happens at the busiest moments.
Safety review
Add it to your workplace health and safety risk assessment before it goes live.
Privacy
If it has cameras, find out what is recorded, where it’s kept and for how long.
Costs depend on the venue.
The model, the number of robots, lift work and installation all change the price, so we quote after a site visit.
What a site visit covers
A proper look at the building is how a recommendation stops being a guess.
Walking the routes
Every path the robot would take is walked and measured.
Floors, doors and level changes
Surfaces, thresholds, ramps and pinch points are checked against what a robot can handle.
Network and power
Wi-Fi along the route and a place for the charging dock are confirmed.
Your busiest hours
How the space changes when chairs, trolleys and people crowd the routes.
Recommendation and quote
You receive a recommendation and a price for your site, which you’re free to compare with other suppliers.
Questions to ask any supplier
Put these to everyone you’re considering, including us.
- Who services the robot in Australia or New Zealand, and how quickly can they respond?
- What happens if it breaks down in the middle of a service or a shift?
- What does the warranty cover, and for how long?
- How are software updates delivered, and do they cost extra?
- What does the robot record, and where is that data stored?
- Can we see it working on a route like ours before we commit?
- What does the quote include: installation, mapping, lift work, training?
Want help applying this to your site?
Tell us about your venue and what you’d like a robot to carry. We’ll reply about the next step, which is usually a site visit.
More on choosing a robot
How much does a delivery robot cost?
It varies with the venue, the model and what installation involves. We give a figure once a site visit has shown what your building needs.
Is this guide only for Bot Warehouse customers?
No. The checks on this page apply to any delivery robot from any supplier. If you’d like help applying them to your venue, use the enquiry form.