This article describes the environmental limitations, operational considerations, and safety guidelines for using Hovermap with the Boston Dynamics Spot robot.
It is the operator's responsibility to only use Spot in a safe environment. These guidelines are for reference only and do not describe every unsafe condition. If an environment or robot behaviour seems unsafe, stop.
Environmental limitations
Avoid using Spot in the following environments:
Grass.
Water.
Glass.
Lifts or elevators.
Hot environments above 35 °C.
Spot operating environment
The following table summarises acceptable and unsuitable operating conditions, based on the Boston Dynamics Autowalk documentation.
Category | ✅ Acceptable | ❌ Avoid |
|---|---|---|
Surface type | Low carpet (recommended), clean dry pavement, unwaxed clean indoor floors, ram-board-covered flooring, grass, packed dirt and sand, gravel. | Slippery surfaces, wet grass, ice, entrapment hazards (rebar mesh, sideways ladders, netting), elevated platforms without barriers, moving platforms, vehicles, or elevators. |
Space | Clean open space, no people in proximity, stay 2 m away when motors are active. | Confined spaces, overhanging obstacles, objects less than 30 cm high, thin objects less than 3 cm, glass or clear objects, slopes greater than 30°, stairways with open sides or people below. |
Climate | -20 °C to 45 °C, light rain. | Outside the defined temperature range, submerged in water. |
People | All people 2 m or more away from Spot. | Untrained personnel onsite, children onsite, people below or on ladders near the operating area, crowded events where RF interference may occur. |
RF and connectivity | Limited Wi-Fi and cellular interference. | Unknown or poor communication performance. |
Other limitations and considerations
Use only cables and hardware provided by Emesent and Boston Dynamics.
Avoid twisting the ribbon cable. Twisting may compromise its weather resistance.
Store the port cap in a secure location. The robot only functions when the cap is in place or when a payload is attached to the port.
When operating Spot with payloads, exercise caution to avoid snag hazards. Secure cables to prevent entanglement and potential damage to components.
Safety considerations
Follow all product safety guidelines as described by Boston Dynamics in the Spot product safety documentation.
Do not attempt to lift the Spot robot using the cables, Spot Cage, or GXP. Only lift at the points indicated by Boston Dynamics to avoid injury or equipment damage.
Do not use Emesent or Boston Dynamics provided cables if they appear to be damaged. Replace damaged cables immediately.
Do not reach into the payload area of Spot and the cage when Spot is in operation. Only access the area when the robot is powered off or the motors are shut down to avoid injury.
Be careful of any sharp edges on the Spot Cage and the GXP Riser. Although Emesent specifies that these edges have a chamfer to minimise the risk, they may become sharp due to impacts from use.
Related documentation and support
Install the Hovermap Spot Cage.
Configure Spot and Hovermap.
Run a scanning mission with Spot and Hovermap.
Spot package contents and requirements.
For assistance, contact the regional Emesent partner or the Emesent Client Support team.