80 N·m continuous. 19-bit optical encoder. Predictive diagnostics built in. One product, engineered without compromise.
Dhara Robotics makes one thing. The D1 Drive combines quasi-direct drive architecture, a zero-backlash cycloidal gearbox, 19-bit dual-encoder sensing, and on-board predictive diagnostics — all in a 2.1 kg module. No compromises. No asterisks.
Every metric that matters — torque, resolution, bandwidth, backdrivability — pushed further than any comparable product at this price point.
38 N·m/kg — rivalling high-ratio geared systems without backlash, compliance, or efficiency losses. 120 N·m peak in a 2.1 kg package. Real numbers, dyno-verified before every unit ships.
QDD architecture maintains 1000 Hz torque bandwidth without sacrificing agility for torque. Unlike high-ratio systems, the D1 responds immediately. Precision and speed, simultaneously.
Extended Kalman Filter fusing four sensor streams at 1 kHz. Predictive remaining useful life, fault detection, thermal observer — not an add-on. Embedded as standard, shipped on every unit.
Designed for engineers who need to move fast. Plug-and-play from day one.
Order directly via dhararobotics.com. Developer, Studio, or OEM tier. Lead time 4–6 weeks from design lock.
Every unit includes a dyno test certificate, M12 cable, and a QR-linked quick-start guide. No guesswork.
One M12 plug — power and EtherCAT/CAN-FD on the same connector. Motor auto-ID runs in 30 seconds. No tuning required.
Python SDK and ros2_control interface included. Live diagnostics dashboard runs in-browser. Start building in hours, not days.
Every number measured or rigorously modelled. Ships with a dyno test certificate. These specs are guaranteed.
| Continuous torque | 80 N·m |
| Peak torque (30 s) | 120 N·m |
| Torque density | 38 N·m / kg |
| Encoder resolution | 19-bit absolute optical |
| Position accuracy | ±0.002° |
| Backdrivability | <1.2 N·m |
| Torque bandwidth | 1000 Hz |
| Bus voltage | 48 V DC |
| Peak current | 40 A |
| Communication | EtherCAT · CAN-FD |
| IP rating | IP54 (IP65 option) |
| Mass | 2.1 kg |
| Output flange | ISO 9283 · Ø120 mm |
| Connector | M12 8-pin keyed |
| Diagnostics | EKF · RUL · Fault detect |
Every subsystem purpose-built. Nothing off-the-shelf, nothing compromised.
16-pole NdFeB rotor. Ø110 mm outrunner topology. High slot-fill with precision-wound rectangular wire for maximum copper fill factor. Designed for peak torque at low speed — exactly where robotic joints operate. Kv ~100 rpm/V, 48 V bus.
Zero backlash. 93%+ mechanical efficiency. Case-hardened 16MnCr5 disc ground to ±3 μm profile tolerance. No flex, no hysteresis, no compliance. Torsional stiffness exceeding 5,000 N·m/rad — rigid-body from input to output.
19-bit optical absolute encoder on output shaft (RLS RM44, SPI/BiSS-C) — 0.0007° per count. 12-bit magnetic on motor shaft for FOC commutation. Both cross-validated every control cycle at 5 kHz. Discrepancy over 0.5° triggers automatic fault isolation.
STM32H7 at 480 MHz. GaN MOSFET bridge at 80 kHz. Full field-oriented control with feed-forward decoupling. EKF fuses position, velocity, external torque, and winding temperature at 1 kHz. Bearing fault detection, gear wear monitoring, predictive RUL — standard on every unit.
The spec sheet reads like something the field has needed for years. 80 N·m continuous at 2.1 kg — if the dyno numbers hold up, this changes the economics of cobotic arm design entirely.
The EKF diagnostic layer is the part no one else is doing. Every actuator we've used has been a black box. Having RUL and fault isolation built in from day one is a real engineering decision, not a marketing claim.
Cycloidal over harmonic at this torque-density was the right call. Anyone who's dealt with flexspline fatigue or hysteresis under variable load knows why. Waiting to see the first prototype results.
A direct, honest comparison. Every figure from published datasheets or verified benchmarks.
| Product | Dhara D1 | ANYdrive 3.0 | Dynamixel PRO+ | T-Motor AK80 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continuous torque | 80 N·m | 40 N·m | 44 N·m | 18 N·m |
| Torque density | 38 N·m/kg | 26 N·m/kg | 18 N·m/kg | 22 N·m/kg |
| Encoder resolution | 19-bit optical | 19-bit | 20-bit | 14-bit |
| Backdrivability | <1.2 N·m | ~2 N·m | High | ~1.5 N·m |
| Communication | EtherCAT / CAN-FD | EtherCAT | RS-485 | CAN |
| Built-in diagnostics | EKF + RUL + faults | Basic | None | None |
| Price | from £449 | ~£3,500 | ~£800 | ~£350 |
| Your advantage | — | 7× cheaper | 2× torque | 5× resolution |
When you order a D1 Drive, you get everything you need to integrate, monitor, and build — from day one.
Clean, minimal API. drive.set_torque(80), drive.get_state(). Open-source on GitHub. MIT licence. Works with Python 3.10+.
Full hardware interface. Drop into any ROS2 robot stack. Included with Studio and OEM tiers. Tested with ROS2 Humble and Jazzy.
Browser-based. Torque, position, temperature, bearing health, RUL — all in real time. No install required. Runs over EtherCAT or CAN-FD.
30-second self-commissioning on first power-on. Measures Rph, Lq, and flux linkage automatically. No manual tuning, no guesswork, no oscilloscope needed.
EKF converged · Bearing: nominal · Friction drift +2.1% · Thermal: OK · No faults detected
One product. Three tiers. No hidden costs, no asterisks.
Dhara Robotics was founded on one conviction: the actuator the robotics field deserves — high torque, high resolution, genuinely diagnostic, and actually affordable — simply didn't exist yet.
Every design decision — cycloidal over harmonic, dual encoder, GaN switching stage, embedded EKF — comes from first-principles engineering and a refusal to copy what already exists.
The D1 Drive ships with a dyno test certificate. After the first ten units, we optimise. After fifty, we scale. No runway required, no VC pressure — just a great product built properly.
Mechanical, Process and Robotics Engineer. Precision process engineering at Zeeko Ltd, Leicester. Building the drive the robotics industry needs — one unit at a time.
We're assembling the first 10 units. Join the waitlist — first come, first served at launch pricing.
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