Boston Dynamics puts its $74,500 robot dog to work as a delivery helper

Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot, Spot, has already made a name for itself inspecting factories and patrolling the ruins of Pompeii. Now the company wants to see if it can handle a more everyday task: dropping off packages. The company is testing a new conveyor belt add-on that lets Spot carry parcels from a delivery truck and unload them at a customer’s front door, all without human help. The idea is to cut down on the physical strain drivers face when hauling packages over curbs, up stairs, and through cluttered walkways.

In a demo video, a driver loads packages onto Spot, which then trots off to make the final leg of the delivery. The robot’s ability to scramble over uneven ground and navigate obstacles like garden hoses or steps makes it a good fit for suburban neighborhoods, where the path from the curb to the door is rarely a straight line. Boston Dynamics says it’s already in talks with major logistics companies about testing Spot for last-mile delivery and hopes to move from these demos to a full pilot project soon.

The robot doesn’t just save drivers from heavy lifting—it also frees them up to prepare the next delivery while Spot is dropping off the current one. “For every three packages delivered via Spot, we think we can add another package to the van,” says Paige Miller, Boston Dynamics’ senior staff product manager for Spot. At roughly $74,500 per robot, the question is whether the efficiency gains will justify the price tag. For now, the company is betting that Spot’s unique skills will make it a valuable partner on the delivery route.