What the AgileX PiPER Costs at OpenELAB
The AgileX PiPER is a 6-DOF desktop robot arm sold for robotics education, artificial intelligence (AI) manipulation, ROS development and research labs. Reseller OpenELAB lists it at a sale price of 3,673.95 EUR under the title "AgileX PiPER 6-DOF 1.5kg Payload Robotic Arm for ROS/ROS2 & AI" and the SKU Agilex-PiPER. At The Bot Scout, we have not tested the PiPER, and every figure in this review comes from that OpenELAB listing.
AgileX's own site could not be read when this review was written, so none of the listed figures have been checked against the maker's documentation. The OpenELAB listing shows a regular price of 3,873.45 EUR next to the 3,673.95 EUR sale price and labels the cut as 5% off, which works out to a saving of 199.50 EUR. Both prices carry a label marking them as including value-added tax (VAT), and a toggle shows the price excluding VAT.
The PiPER ships from China within 5 to 10 working days, according to the OpenELAB listing. Business-to-business orders enter a VAT number, and bulk buyers can get pricing through a request for quote. OpenELAB is based in Shenzhen with an office in Germany, and it lists a 14-day statutory withdrawal right for consumers where mandatory consumer law applies.
AgileX PiPER Specs on the Reseller Listing
The OpenELAB listing gives the AgileX PiPER six degrees of freedom, a 1.5 kg rated payload, a 626 mm reach and 0.1 mm repeatability. The listing calls the reach figure "verified" but publishes no test method for it or for the other three numbers. Treat all four as reseller-listed figures until AgileX's own documentation can be read and compared against them.
Each of those numbers answers a planning question for your lab before you spend 3,673.95 EUR. If the heaviest object in a planned experiment weighs more than 1.5 kg, the listed payload rules the PiPER out for that experiment. If a task needs the arm to touch a point more than 626 mm from its base, plan to mount the PiPER closer to the work, either on the Desktop Fixture or on a mobile base.
Other sellers list different prices for the PiPER, and some older listings carry different reach and payload figures from the ones OpenELAB shows. Match every number to the exact listing you order from, and save a copy of the OpenELAB spec block with your purchase record. If a quote from another seller shows a shorter reach or a lower payload, ask which PiPER model that quote describes before you compare the two prices.
| Spec | Listed value |
|---|---|
| Degrees of freedom (DOF) | 6 (six-axis motion) |
| Rated payload | 1.5 kg |
| Reach | 626 mm (listed as verified) |
| Repeatability | 0.1 mm |
| Programming | Python API, ROS1, ROS2 |
| Software tools | Software development kit and Python command-line toolkit on GitHub |
| Simulation resources | Gazebo guide, piper_gazebo, piper_description robot model, RViz |
| Price at OpenELAB | 3,673.95 EUR sale, 3,873.45 EUR regular, both including VAT |
| Shipping | From China, 5 to 10 working days |
| Arm weight, joint speed, supply voltage | Not published |
Software Tools for the PiPER
The AgileX PiPER is programmed through a Python API or through ROS, and OpenELAB lists both ROS1 and ROS2 support, citing the product page. The listing points to a software development kit (SDK) and a Python command-line interface (CLI) toolkit on GitHub, plus a ROS guide.
For simulation, the OpenELAB listing links a Gazebo guide with the piper_gazebo package, the piper_description Unified Robot Description Format (URDF) model and RViz visualization. Start with the URDF model and the Gazebo guide while the order ships from China, so the first days with the physical PiPER go to code that already runs in simulation. Load the piper_description model into RViz first to confirm the joint layout fits the motion your experiment needs.
The OpenELAB listing does not mention LeRobot, and it publishes no version numbers for the SDK or the ROS2 packages. If your AI manipulation work runs on LeRobot or on a specific ROS2 release, ask OpenELAB on the PiPER listing page which software versions the arm supports before you order. Get that answer in writing, because the listing states ROS1 and ROS2 support "according to the product page".
Accessories Beyond the Base Arm
AgileX lists three PiPER accessories separately from the arm: the PiPER Gripper, a Teacher Pendant and a Desktop Fixture. The 3,673.95 EUR price on the OpenELAB listing is for the arm, and the listing does not say a gripper is included. Budget for the gripper as its own line unless OpenELAB confirms a bundle on the PiPER listing page.
The PiPER Gripper is also listed for AgileX's NERO arm. The Teacher Pendant is for hand-guided teaching, and the Desktop Fixture mounts the PiPER on a benchtop. If your experiments start on a table, order the Desktop Fixture with the arm; if they start on a mobile base, the fixture can wait.
The OpenELAB listing links URDF and RViz2 resource packages for three variants, the PiPER-L, PiPER-H and PiPER-X, alongside the standard PiPER. The listing does not describe how those variants differ from the standard arm, and its price is for the standard Agilex-PiPER SKU. Ask OpenELAB on the PiPER listing page which variant any quote covers before you compare it with another offer.
Labs the AgileX PiPER Suits
The AgileX PiPER suits robotics education, AI manipulation research and ROS development, which are the uses OpenELAB names on the listing. The listing adds table-top experiments, space-limited robot labs, teaching robotics motion and arm control, and perception-to-action AI pipelines. University groups planning a teaching space can read this review alongside the university robot learning labs guide before they request a quote.
Mobile-base integration is the other use the OpenELAB listing names for the PiPER. AgileX's wider line is mobile robotics platforms for research and development teams, built around all-terrain and modular bases rather than humanoids. If your lab already runs an AgileX base, the PiPER keeps the arm and the base from one maker, though the listing gives no arm weight or supply voltage for planning that mount.
The PiPER does not fit work that lifts more than 1.5 kg, deployments that require a published safety certification, or US buyers who need a confirmed dollar price and US availability. Teams in those groups should compare other arms in the robot arm price by brand guide or the top robots for research guide. Builders who want to assemble an arm from parts can start with the DIY robot arm kits guide or the SO-101 robot arm guide.
Figures Missing from the Listing
The OpenELAB listing for the AgileX PiPER publishes motion figures and leaves out several operating figures. AgileX's own site could not be read when this review was written, so none of the gaps below could be filled from the maker. The listing does not publish any of these:
Ask OpenELAB for each missing figure in writing on the PiPER listing page, and keep the reply with the order. If you plan to mount the PiPER on a mobile base, ask for arm weight and supply voltage first, because the listing gives neither. US buyers should also ask for a USD quote and US shipping terms, since the listing shows prices only in EUR.
The Bot Scout has not tested the PiPER, so this review contains no measured payload, reach or repeatability results. The 1.5 kg, 626 mm and 0.1 mm figures are claims from the OpenELAB listing, and reach is the only one labelled "verified". If your purchase depends on one of those numbers, ask OpenELAB on the PiPER listing page how it was measured before you commit budget.
- Arm weight and maximum joint speed
- Power supply voltage and torque limits
- Operating temperature and ingress protection (IP) rating
- Lifetime and duty cycle figures
- Warranty length and safety certification
- A US dollar (USD) price and US availability
Verdict on the PiPER Robot Arm
The AgileX PiPER fits a Python or ROS lab that needs a 6-DOF desktop arm with a listed 1.5 kg payload and 626 mm reach. The listing names ROS1 and ROS2 support, an SDK on GitHub and Gazebo and URDF simulation resources. Its weak points are the missing operating figures, the missing warranty length and a price that covers the arm with no stated gripper.
At 3,673.95 EUR on sale, the PiPER costs 199.50 EUR less than its 3,873.45 EUR regular price at OpenELAB, and the gripper sits on a separate line. Open the OpenELAB PiPER listing and request a written quote for the arm with the PiPER Gripper and the Desktop Fixture, asking for arm weight, supply voltage and warranty terms in the same message.
Bottom Line
The AgileX PiPER suits ROS and Python labs working with objects under 1.5 kg on a desktop or a mobile base, and its 3,673.95 EUR sale price at OpenELAB covers the arm alone. Do not order it if you need a payload above 1.5 kg, a published safety certification, a warranty length in writing before purchase, or a USD price with confirmed US availability. The verdict would improve if AgileX's own documentation confirms the reseller figures and publishes weight, power and warranty terms. It would weaken if that documentation shows a lower payload or a shorter reach than OpenELAB lists.
Compare the PiPER against other arms in the robot arm price by brand guide.
FAQs
What is the AgileX PiPER?
The AgileX PiPER is a six-degrees-of-freedom robot arm sold for robotics education, AI manipulation, ROS development and research labs. The OpenELAB listing gives it a 1.5 kg rated payload, 626 mm reach and 0.1 mm repeatability. It is programmed through a Python API or ROS1 and ROS2, with an SDK on GitHub and a Gazebo simulation guide.
How much does the AgileX PiPER cost?
OpenELAB lists the AgileX PiPER at a sale price of 3,673.95 EUR, down from a regular price of 3,873.45 EUR, with both prices shown including VAT. The price covers the arm, and the listing does not say a gripper is included. The PiPER ships from China within 5 to 10 working days, and the listing shows no USD price.
What is the payload of the AgileX PiPER?
The AgileX PiPER has a rated payload of 1.5 kg on the OpenELAB listing. Some older listings from other sellers show a different payload figure, so match the number to the listing you buy from. If your experiments involve objects heavier than 1.5 kg, compare other arms in the robot arm price by brand guide.
Does the AgileX PiPER work with ROS 2?
Yes, the OpenELAB listing says the AgileX PiPER supports both ROS1 and ROS2, citing the product page. The listing also links a ROS guide, a Gazebo guide with the piper_gazebo package, and the piper_description URDF model for RViz. It names no ROS2 release, so ask OpenELAB on the PiPER listing page which release the packages target.
Does the AgileX PiPER come with a gripper?
The OpenELAB listing does not say a gripper is included with the AgileX PiPER. AgileX lists the PiPER Gripper as a separate accessory, also listed for its NERO arm, alongside a Teacher Pendant and a Desktop Fixture. Budget for the gripper on its own line, and ask OpenELAB on the PiPER listing page whether a bundle exists.
What is the AgileX PiPER used for?
The AgileX PiPER is sold for robotics education, AI manipulation, ROS development and research labs, according to the OpenELAB listing. The listing names table-top experiments, mobile-base integration, space-limited robot labs, teaching robotics motion and arm control, and perception-to-action AI pipelines. The Bot Scout has not tested the PiPER in any of these roles.