Humanoid robot repair in North America: who fixes it, how fast, and at what cost
Short answer: When a humanoid or quadruped robot breaks in the US or Canada, shipping the whole robot back to the factory should be the last option, not the first. Most faults can be handled in this order: remote diagnosis by the maker's engineers, then a local field engineer paid by the hour who runs hands-on checks and swaps the failed module (a joint actuator, battery, sensor, board or cable), and only the failed module goes back to the factory under an RMA. How fast the robot is working again depends mostly on one thing: whether the replacement module is already sitting in North America.
Times and cost structures below are our estimates from how field service and cross-border shipping normally work, not measured averages. The only prices quoted are KeepRobots' published rates. Customs and FCC points are summaries with sources at the end; check your own case with a customs broker or lawyer.
Why humanoid and quadruped robot repair is different
- Many joints, each a module. A legged robot has many actuators (motor, gearbox, encoder, driver). One weak joint can stop the whole robot, but it is usually replaceable as a unit.
- Falls happen. Falls damage covers, feet, hands, cameras and LiDAR windows, and can knock joints out of calibration. Plenty of "repairs" are really inspection, part swaps and recalibration.
- Calibration after a swap. A replaced joint or sensor often needs zero-position calibration, IMU or camera calibration and a test routine. Without the maker's procedure and tools, a local technician can swap the part but not finish the job.
- Large lithium batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are regulated as dangerous goods (Class 9) for air and sea freight. Shipping a robot with its battery, or a battery on its own, needs the right packaging and paperwork, and a damaged battery is harder still.
- Firmware and versions. A replacement module may need a matching firmware version, or remote pairing from the maker's side.
Four ways to repair a humanoid robot in North America
| Route | Good for | Back in service (our estimate) | Where the cost comes from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Remote diagnosis and fix | Software, configuration, network, maps, firmware, false sensor alarms | Same day to a few days; slower when the factory team is 12–16 hours ahead and someone must be by the robot | The maker's engineering time; customer staff time to power-cycle, take photos, read logs |
| 2. Local field engineer, hourly | Hands-on checks: connectors, cables, loose fasteners, visible damage, measurements, fault isolation down to a module | Next scheduled visit; depends on distance from the engineer's base | Diagnostic or call-out fee, hours on site, travel outside the core area |
| 3. Module-level replacement | Failed joint actuator, battery pack, camera, LiDAR, compute or driver board, hands, feet, covers | Hours on site if the module is already in North America; one to several weeks if it has to ship from overseas and clear customs | Module price, on-site labour, calibration time, inbound freight, duties |
| 4. Return the whole robot (RMA) | Structural damage, many failed joints, problems the maker must handle in its own lab | Usually weeks, often longer door to door | Crating, freight both ways, battery dangerous-goods handling, customs broker, duties on re-import, weeks of downtime, often a loaner unit |
The routes stack. A typical good outcome is 1 → 2 → 3: remote triage, a local visit to confirm the faulty module, a swap from local stock, and only the failed module goes back to the factory for analysis. Route 4 is for the cases that really need the factory.
The repair process, step by step
- Capture the fault. Error codes, logs, time of failure, video of the robot moving (or failing to), photos of any damage. Ask the customer to keep the robot powered off if it fell or smells hot.
- Remote triage (maker). Decide: fix remotely, send a local engineer, or plan an RMA. Agree on what the local engineer may open under warranty.
- Make the site safe. Battery and joints de-energized before anyone touches a limb. A legged robot that moves unexpectedly can pinch or fall on someone.
- On-site diagnosis (local engineer). Inspection, connector and cable checks, measurements, running the maker's test routines, isolating the fault to a module, with the factory engineer on a call if needed.
- Swap the module. From local stock if available; otherwise order it and plan a second visit.
- Calibrate and test. Run the maker's calibration and acceptance routine, check firmware versions, do a supervised walk or task test with the customer.
- Report and return. A written site report (fault, root-cause guess, parts used, photos, test results) back to the maker; the failed module goes back under RMA with its serial number and report.
For a robot maker selling in North America, steps 4–7 are the part that needs someone local. That is what a field service partner such as KeepRobots' North America field service for robot makers covers, while your own team keeps remote triage and root-cause analysis.
What it costs
Local on-site repair: KeepRobots' published rates
Taxes extra: diagnostic fee $200 CAD per visit in Canada or $200 USD in the US (credited if the repair is approved); call-out fee $100 CAD per visit in our Greater Vancouver core area; on-site labour $150 CAD per hour in Canada and $150 USD per hour in the US. Travel outside the core area and US jobs are quoted per project. Parts are extra.
| Example (Greater Vancouver core area) | Calculation | Labour and call-out, before parts and tax |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis only, repair not approved | $200 diagnostic + $100 call-out | $300 CAD |
| Module swap from local stock, 2 hours, repair approved | $100 call-out + 2 × $150 (diagnostic credited) | $400 CAD |
| Fall damage: inspection, two parts swapped, recalibration, 4 hours, approved | $100 call-out + 4 × $150 | $700 CAD |
(Example calculations. Real hours depend on the robot, the fault and how good the maker's procedures are.)
Sending the robot back: the cost lines to budget
We don't quote freight numbers here because they vary too much by size, route and carrier, but the list of costs is predictable:
- Crating and packing, often a custom crate for a full-size humanoid.
- Freight both ways, plus dangerous-goods handling for the lithium battery (or shipping the battery separately).
- Customs on return. In the US, articles exported for repair can be re-imported under HTSUS 9802.00.40 (warranty repairs) or 9802.00.50 (other repairs), with duty based on the value of the repair rather than the whole robot, if the paperwork is filed correctly. In Canada, goods repaired outside a free-trade partner country (China is not one) pay duty on the full value unless they qualify for relief such as the Canadian Goods Abroad Program; goods returned after warranty repair are not taxable for GST/HST. Ask your customs broker before the robot leaves.
- Downtime. Weeks without the robot at the customer's site. If the customer is paying a subscription or relies on the robot for a pilot, this is often the biggest cost.
- A loaner unit to keep the customer happy, which itself has to be shipped, deployed and taken back.
Compare that with keeping a small stock of the modules that fail most often in North America. One spare joint actuator and one battery on a local shelf can turn a weeks-long RMA into a same-week visit. Our note on what to stock for a robot fleet shows how we think about spares for wheeled fleets; the logic is the same for legged robots.
US units and the FCC Covered List
Since July 28, 2026, new models of foreign-produced advanced robotic devices, including humanoid and quadruped robots, can't get FCC equipment authorization (Public Notice DA 26-786). Models authorized before that date can still be imported, sold and used, and repairs and replacement with identical parts are not prohibited; hardware changes are a different matter. For repair planning this means: stock identical modules for US units and keep records of what was replaced. Details in FCC Covered List and robots: Canada vs the US.
Common pitfalls
- Shipping the whole robot for a module fault. Without on-site isolation, a bad cable or a single joint turns into a full RMA and weeks of downtime.
- No spare modules in North America. The local engineer finds the fault in an hour, then everyone waits for a part to clear customs.
- No procedures handed over. Calibration routines, torque values, test scripts and fault tables stay in the factory, in Chinese only or in someone's head. The local technician can swap a part but can't sign off the robot.
- Unclear warranty rules. If the local engineer doesn't know which covers they may open, they either refuse to work or void the warranty. Write it down: what may be opened, what must be returned sealed.
- Battery shipped the wrong way. Undeclared or badly packed lithium batteries get refused or delayed. A damaged battery needs special handling.
- Firmware mismatch. A replacement module on a different firmware version can cause new faults. Check versions before and after the swap.
- Non-identical parts on US units. Under the FCC rules above, "almost the same" parts are a risk on US robots. Keep part numbers identical.
- No fault data coming back. Without site reports and failed-part analysis, the same fault keeps happening on every unit.
The broader question of how to cover service in North America without hiring a team (in-house, distributor or a third-party partner) is covered in How robot makers can offer on-site robot service without hiring a team and in our 2026 guide to robot field service in North America.
What KeepRobots can do
KeepRobots is a robot field service company based in Greater Vancouver, serving Canada and the United States. We only provide service: we do not make or sell robots and are not an exclusive agent for any brand. Humanoid and quadruped robots are within the equipment we service.
- On-site diagnosis and module-level repair, following your procedures and warranty rules, with your engineers on a call when needed.
- Calibration and testing with your routines and tools, and a written site report after every visit.
- RMA support: packing failed modules, coordinating return shipping and keeping serial-number records.
- Spare modules and loaner units stored in Vancouver, including on consignment.
- English and Mandarin: our engineers read your Chinese service manuals and work with your team's hours.
Rates as above: $150 CAD/hour in Canada, $150 USD/hour in the US, $200 diagnostic (credited if the repair is approved), $100 CAD call-out in the Greater Vancouver core area, taxes extra. If we haven't worked on your robot before, we'll say so and train on your documentation and a sample unit first. See North America field service for robot makers and third-party robot service for robot manufacturers, or write to partners@keeprobots.com.
FAQ
Can a humanoid robot be repaired in North America without shipping it back to China?
Often, yes. Many faults can be fixed remotely or by a local field engineer who isolates the fault and swaps a module such as a joint actuator, battery, sensor or board. Shipping the whole robot back is mainly needed for structural damage or problems the maker must handle in its own lab.
How long does a humanoid robot repair take?
It depends mainly on parts. If the replacement module is already in North America, an on-site swap and recalibration can often be done in one visit. If the module has to ship from overseas and clear customs, expect one to several weeks. Returning the whole robot usually takes weeks or longer. These are our estimates, not guarantees.
How much does humanoid robot repair cost in Canada or the US?
At KeepRobots' published rates, on-site labour is $150 CAD per hour in Canada or $150 USD per hour in the US, plus a $200 diagnostic fee per visit that is credited if the repair is approved, and a $100 CAD call-out in the Greater Vancouver core area. Parts, taxes and travel outside the core area are extra. A two-hour module swap in the core area works out to about $400 CAD before parts and tax.
Does the FCC Covered List stop repairs of humanoid robots in the US?
No. DA 26-786 stops new foreign-produced models from getting FCC authorization. Previously authorized models can still be imported, sold and used, and repairs and replacement with identical parts are not prohibited. Hardware changes should be checked with your test lab or lawyer.
What spare parts should a humanoid robot maker keep in North America?
Start with the modules that fail or get damaged most: joint actuators for the most-loaded joints, a battery pack, feet or hands, covers, cameras or LiDAR windows, and the cables and connectors that wear. Adjust the list using real site reports after the first months.
Sources (checked 2026-10-12)
- FCC Public Notice DA 26-786 (Covered List, foreign-produced advanced robotic devices): docs.fcc.gov DA-26-786A1.pdf
- 19 CFR 10.8, articles exported for repairs or alterations: ecfr.gov 19 CFR 10.8
- CBSA Memorandum D8-2-10, goods returning to Canada having been repaired outside of Canada: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca D8-2-10
- CBSA Memorandum D8-2-1, Canadian Goods Abroad Program: cbsa-asfc.gc.ca D8-2-1
Repair times and the cost structure of returns are our estimates. Nothing here is customs, trade-compliance or legal advice.