Humanoid robot field service & repair in North America (2026)

Short answer: Humanoid robots in North America need a local plan for repairs from day one: many joint actuators, large battery packs, delicate hands and frequent falls mean regular hands-on work, and shipping a full-size humanoid back to the factory takes weeks. The practical setup is remote triage by the maker's engineers, a local hourly field engineer who isolates the fault and swaps the failed module, spare modules already stocked in North America, and an RMA only for what really needs the factory lab. KeepRobots can be that local layer, based in Greater Vancouver and serving Canada and the US.

Common field problems with humanoid robots

GMO AI & Robotics (Japan) says that roughly 30–40% of humanoid robots develop some kind of component fault after about three months of use (source). That is the company's own claim, not an independent study, but it is a useful reminder to plan parts and visits before the first unit ships.

Problem	Why it happens	What fixes it on site
Joint overheating, derating or torque faults	Long demo sessions, heavy carrying tasks, high room temperature, a weak actuator	Read joint temperature and current logs, check cooling, rest cycles; swap the joint actuator module if it keeps faulting
Noise, backlash or a "loose" joint	Reducer wear, loose fasteners, damage from a fall	Inspection and torque check of fasteners; joint module replacement and re-calibration
Damage after a fall	Slips, trips, pushes, low battery, a software fault mid-motion	Inspect covers, hands, feet, head cameras and LiDAR windows; replace damaged parts; check joints and IMU before the next walk
Robot walks or balances badly after a repair	Joint zero positions, IMU or camera calibration out after a part swap or impact	Run the maker's calibration routines on a gantry or harness, then a supervised walk test
Battery won't charge, short runtime, BMS errors	Pack ageing, cell imbalance, cold storage, damaged connectors or charger faults	Check charger and connectors, read BMS data, swap the pack; quarantine and ship damaged packs as dangerous goods
Hand or finger failures	Small motors, tendons, tactile sensors and covers are fragile and see the most contact	Replace fingers or the hand module, re-calibrate grip, test with the customer's objects
Overheating of the compute unit	Fans and vents clogged with dust, blocked airflow under clothing or covers	Clean or replace fans and filters, check thermal logs
New faults after a module swap	Firmware version mismatch, module pairing not completed	Check versions against the maker's list; update or pair with the factory team on a call
Laggy teleoperation or dropped connection at events	Crowded Wi-Fi at trade shows and venues, weak signal in back-of-house areas	Site Wi-Fi survey before the event, a dedicated access point or LTE link where allowed

For a deeper look at repair routes, timing and the cost of sending a robot back, see humanoid robot repair in North America.

What KeepRobots can do for humanoid robot makers

Deployment: uncrating, first power-up, network setup, calibration and acceptance tests at the customer's site, with your engineers on a call.
After-sales repair: on-site diagnosis, isolating the fault to a module (joint, battery, hand, sensor, board, cable), part swap, re-calibration, walk test and a written report with photos.
Preventive maintenance: scheduled checks of joints, fasteners, hands, cooling, battery health, firmware versions and fall damage.
Pre-sales demos: operate and look after demo units at trade shows and prospect sites, supporting your sales team or running the demo ourselves.
Spare parts and demo units: store spare joints, batteries, hands and covers, plus idle demo units, in Vancouver, including consignment stock.

Humanoid platforms vary a lot. If we haven't worked on your model, we say so and train on your manuals and a sample unit first. Our engineers can read Chinese service documents and can work with a factory team that is 12–16 hours ahead.

Typical process

First email to partners@keeprobots.com: model, number of units, sites or events, timeline and what you need first.
Documents and terms: service manual, calibration procedures, error codes, firmware version list; NDA if needed; written rules on what we may open under warranty.
Training: remote sessions plus hands-on time with a sample unit, including fall recovery and safe handling.
Spares: agree a starter kit (at least the joint types and battery that fail most) and stock it in Vancouver.
First deployment or demo with your team on a call and a joint sign-off checklist.
Ongoing service: ticket, remote triage by your team, our visit, fix, report; failed modules go back to you under RMA with serial numbers.
Review: regular review of faults, parts usage and procedure gaps.

Published rates

Item	Canada	United States
Diagnostic fee, per visit (credited if the repair is approved)	$200 CAD	$200 USD
Call-out fee, Greater Vancouver core area	$100 CAD per visit	Travel quoted per project
On-site labour	$150 CAD per hour	$150 USD per hour

Taxes extra. Parts extra. Travel outside the core area and US jobs are quoted per project. Deployments, preventive maintenance programs and demo support are quoted per project from the same hourly rates. No onboarding or annual fees.

Example (Greater Vancouver core area, for illustration): after a fall, we inspect the robot, swap a damaged hand and re-run calibration; the repair is approved and takes 3 hours. Cost before parts and tax: $100 call-out + 3 × $150 = $550 CAD (the $200 diagnostic is credited). Diagnosis only, repair not approved: $200 + $100 = $300 CAD.

Compliance and certification points (Canada and US)

FCC Covered List (US): on July 28, 2026 the FCC added "foreign-produced advanced robotic devices" to its Covered List (DA 26-786). The definition explicitly includes humanoid robots. New models in scope can't get FCC equipment authorization. Models authorized before that date can still be imported, sold and used, and repairs or replacement with identical parts are not prohibited; hardware changes are a different matter. Software updates that mitigate harm are allowed as permissive changes at least until January 1, 2029 (DA 26-789). The exception for new models is a Conditional Approval from the Department of War. "Foreign-produced" is about where the robot is made, not who owns the company. Full summary: FCC Covered List and robots: Canada vs the US.
Canada: as of October 2026 we found no similar measure. Radio equipment is certified separately through ISED, and electrical products such as the robot and its charger are typically expected to carry a mark from an accredited certification body (for example CSA or cUL). See our certification note (Chinese).
Product safety standards: humanoid-specific safety standards are still being developed. For now, depending on the use, UL 3300 (service, communication, information, education and entertainment robots) may be relevant; check with your certification body.
Batteries: lithium-ion packs are Class 9 dangerous goods (UN3480 on their own, UN3481 packed with or inside equipment). Spares and returns need correct packing and paperwork, and damaged packs need special handling.

See North America field service for robot makers and third-party robot service for robot manufacturers for how the partnership works. Related reads: humanoid robot repair in North America, robot spare parts and consignment stock in Canada and robot service partner checklist. Legged robots on four feet: quadruped robot field service.

FAQ

Can a humanoid robot be repaired in North America instead of being shipped back to the factory?

Often, yes. Many faults can be isolated on site and fixed by swapping a module such as a joint actuator, battery or hand, provided the spare module is already in North America and the maker shares its calibration procedures. Structural damage or problems that need the factory lab still go back under RMA.

Have you serviced our humanoid model before?

If we haven't, we tell you. We train on your manuals and a sample unit with your engineers before taking service calls.

Can new humanoid robot models still be sold in the US?

New foreign-produced models in scope of FCC DA 26-786 can't get FCC equipment authorization unless they receive a Conditional Approval from the Department of War. Models authorized before July 28, 2026 can still be imported, sold and used. Check your case with a US lawyer.

Does Canada have the same restriction on humanoid robots?

As of October 2026 we found no similar Canadian measure. Canada certifies radio equipment through ISED, which is a separate system from the FCC.

What does a humanoid robot repair visit cost?

In Canada: $200 CAD diagnostic (credited if the repair is approved), $100 CAD call-out in the Greater Vancouver core area and $150 CAD per hour on site. In the US: $200 USD diagnostic and $150 USD per hour. Travel outside the core area, US travel, parts and taxes are extra.

Other robot types

Write to partners@keeprobots.com with your robot model, where your customers are and what you need. We reply within one business day, in English or Chinese.

Humanoid robot field service in North America (2026)