Updated Aug 15, 2026
Best Subreddits for Robotics in 2026
RedditFind ranked robotics communities for startups, product teams, industrial automation groups, ROS developers, builders, and component vendors.
Why this map matters
Robotics communities expose the gap between a polished demo and a system that survives integration, latency, calibration, and maintenance.
Robot builders discuss far more than AI models. They compare actuators, sensor noise, power budgets, control loops, ROS packages, simulation gaps, mechanical tolerances, safety, and field repair.
This guide separates broad robotics projects from ROS, industrial automation, mechatronics, humanoid or service robots, and component-level engineering so teams can listen in the right place.
robotics startups and product teams
Use RedditFind evidence to identify subreddits worth researching, monitoring, and joining for robotics startups and product teams.
consumer and service robot companies
Use RedditFind evidence to identify subreddits worth researching, monitoring, and joining for consumer and service robot companies.
industrial robotics and automation teams
Use RedditFind evidence to identify subreddits worth researching, monitoring, and joining for industrial robotics and automation teams.
Top 5
The robotics communities to read first
Start with r/robotics, then use ROS, robotics Q&A, industrial automation, and mechatronics communities for more specific engineering and buyer contexts.
#1 · 96%
r/robotics
A general robotics community covering real robot projects, robotic arms, legged robots, ROS/ROS2, vision, control, sensing, and hardware debugging. Popular posts include many DIY robots, commercial robotics updates, and engineering implementation discussions. · Read first, then participate only when the rules allow it.
58K
Weekly visitors
1K
Weekly contributions
Why RedditFind recommended it
This is the core community most aligned with robotics companies, developers, hardware teams, and component brands; weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K, with both strong scale and engagement, so it ranks first. The rules clearly prohibit advertising and low-quality content, so participation should lead with technical details, open-source progress, and test data.
Main content
A general robotics community covering real robot projects, robotic arms, legged robots, ROS/ROS2, vision, control, sensing, and hardware debugging. Popular posts include many DIY robots, commercial robotics updates, and engineering implementation discussions.
Representative posts
#2 · 90%
r/ros
A dedicated Robot Operating System community focused on ROS/ROS2, Nav2, SLAM, Gazebo, MoveIt, Jetson, DDS, robot software debugging, and toolchains. Most posts lean toward engineering issues, project sharing, and troubleshooting development environments. · Read first, then participate only when the rules allow it.
9.8K
Weekly visitors
111
Weekly contributions
Why RedditFind recommended it
A very strong fit for ROS developers, robotics software engineers, and robot product teams; weekly visitors 9.8K and weekly contributions 111. Although smaller than r/robotics, the audience is more specialized. The rules allow valuable tool/blog/project sharing, but prohibit low-value advertising.
Main content
A dedicated Robot Operating System community focused on ROS/ROS2, Nav2, SLAM, Gazebo, MoveIt, Jetson, DDS, robot software debugging, and toolchains. Most posts lean toward engineering issues, project sharing, and troubleshooting development environments.
Representative posts
#3 · 85%
r/askrobotics
A robotics Q&A community focused on learning paths, career paths, hardware selection, ROS/ROS2, sensors, actuators, startup fundraising, and project troubleshooting. It handles the beginner, career, and recommendation questions that r/robotics does not encourage. · Read first, then participate only when the rules allow it.
—
Weekly visitors
—
Weekly contributions
Why RedditFind recommended it
Very useful for researching real pain points among robotics developers and questions faced by early-stage startup teams; weekly activity data is missing, so the score was not raised further, but there were 20 highly relevant Q&A posts in the monthly sample, indicating steady discussion. Well suited for user research, demand validation, and technical Q&A.
Main content
A robotics Q&A community focused on learning paths, career paths, hardware selection, ROS/ROS2, sensors, actuators, startup fundraising, and project troubleshooting. It handles the beginner, career, and recommendation questions that r/robotics does not encourage.
#4 · 80%
r/industrialautomation
An industrial automation community discussing PLC, SCADA, HMI, IIoT, EtherCAT, AGV/AMR, digital twins, industrial protocols, factory data collection, and equipment retrofits. The content leans toward plant-floor operations, integration, and maintenance. · Read first, then participate only when the rules allow it.
1.3K
Weekly visitors
191
Weekly contributions
Why RedditFind recommended it
A strong fit for industrial robotics and automation teams, system integrators, and PLC/sensor/servo brands; weekly visitors is 1.3K but weekly contributions is 191, showing that the community is small but has very high discussion density. It is strongly relevant to robotics hardware commercialization, warehouse automation, and industrial control.
Main content
An industrial automation community discussing PLC, SCADA, HMI, IIoT, EtherCAT, AGV/AMR, digital twins, industrial protocols, factory data collection, and equipment retrofits. The content leans toward plant-floor operations, integration, and maintenance.
Representative posts
#5 · 78%
r/mechatronics
A mechatronics community covering automation, robotics, PLC, VFD, sensors, actuators, CAD, career learning, and engineering projects. Popular posts include both career discussions and on-site equipment troubleshooting. · Read first, then participate only when the rules allow it.
4.7K
Weekly visitors
107
Weekly contributions
Why RedditFind recommended it
Good for reaching robotics hardware, automation, and mechatronics audiences; weekly visitors 4.7K and weekly contributions 107, with moderate activity but a strong match to hardware and control. The content includes many student/junior engineer questions, making it suitable for educational content and early user research.
Main content
A mechatronics community covering automation, robotics, PLC, VFD, sensors, actuators, CAD, career learning, and engineering projects. Popular posts include both career discussions and on-site equipment troubleshooting.
Use cases
How different teams should use the map
Separate listening, comparison, support research, and careful participation before posting.
| Goal | Priority communities | Primary use | Recommended format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buyer-language research | r/robotics, r/ros, r/askrobotics, r/industrialautomation, r/mechatronics | Read how people describe problems, comparisons, objections, and trust before purchase. | Internal notes and careful replies when rules allow. |
| Product-page and support copy | r/robotics, r/ros, r/askrobotics, r/industrialautomation, r/mechatronics, r/askelectronics, r/robots, r/humanoidrobotics | Turn repeated questions into FAQ, comparison copy, and support language. | No direct pitch; use clear evidence and disclosure. |
| Participation risk check | r/robotics, r/ros, r/askrobotics, r/industrialautomation, r/mechatronics | Review official About and Rules text before a brand account enters a subreddit. | Modmail or disclosed expert help when appropriate. |
Operating clusters
Community clusters by job to be done
The clusters separate product projects, ROS and simulation, industrial automation, humanoid or service robots, embedded hardware, and prototype building.
Core robotics projects and product teams
Recommended mix · 4 subreddits
How to use this cluster
- Use r/robotics as the main base, r/AskRobotics as the Q&A and demand-insight pool, and r/robots as the zone for broad public feedback and distribution observation.
- When posting, include real hardware, control stacks, sensors, test data, costs, and failure points whenever possible; use less promotional language.
- This is well suited for robotics startups and product teams doing user research: see what people actually care about in robotic arms, ROVs, desktop robots, humanoids, and service robots.
Key content to read
- Real robot project showcases and retrospectives
- Robotic arms, mobile robots, ROVs, quadrupeds/hexapods, humanoid robots
- Startup fundraising, career skills, product positioning, and user needs
- Open-source projects, GitHub, demo videos, and engineering details
Representative posts and communities
Representative posts
- I moved my 3D-printed robot lamp to a Raspberry Pi 5 and added controllable lighting
- Built a Real-Time Underwater Image Processing System – 4K 60FPS Part2.
- Check out my 3D printed, 18 servo, Self balancing Hexapod.
- How Do Robotics Startups Get Their First Funding?
- Built my first ROS 2 autonomous robot from scratch 🚀
| Community | Fit | Why relevant |
|---|---|---|
| r/robotics | Match 98% | weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K show that this community offers both broad reach and steady technical discussion; it aligns directly with the user strategy around robotics, robot builders, ROS, and hardware teams. |
| r/askrobotics | Match 82% | The source material did not provide weekly data, so the score is lower than the core active communities; however, r/robotics rules explicitly direct beginner/career/recommendation questions here, and the community positioning is highly aligned with the user strategy. |
| r/robots | Match 74% | weekly visitors 5.7K and weekly contributions 201 indicate solid discussion activity; however, it is explicitly not centered on technical help, so it is better suited for distribution and product observation. |
| r/humanoidrobotics | Match 66% | weekly visitors 1.5K and weekly contributions 141 indicate a small but highly specialized community; it is a strong match for humanoid robots and consumer/service robots. |
ROS, robot software, and simulation debugging
Recommended mix · 3 subreddits
How to use this cluster
- r/ROS is the main base and is suitable for posting about ROS2, SLAM, Nav2, Gazebo, MoveIt, Jetson, toolchains, and open-source packages.
- Participation needs to be highly engineering-focused: clearly specify the ROS version, hardware platform, logs, topics, TF, QoS, launch files, and reproduction steps.
- Robot software teams can use this as a radar for developer pain points, especially around deployment, simulation, drivers, and debugging tools.
Key content to read
- ROS2 Humble/Jazzy, Nav2, MoveIt, Gazebo, Isaac Sim
- SLAM, TF, QoS, Jetson/edge deployment
- ROS tools, debugging scripts, open-source packages, simulation-to-real transfer
- Learning and hiring needs for robotics software engineers
Representative posts and communities
Representative posts
- Is it possible to run Ubuntu 22.04 with ROS2 Humble on Jetson Nano Development board?
- Testing Natural-Language Robot Control with ROS2 and MCP
- How to fix the sudden SLAM corrections and shifts?
- Claude Code skills for ROS 2 Jazzy that route to official docs instead of guessing APIs (measured before/after included)
- [Project] ROS2 full conversion of the freenove big hexapod kit (open source)
| Community | Fit | Why relevant |
|---|---|---|
| r/robotics | Match 98% | weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K give it broader reach than r/ROS; it is well suited for project-level software content aimed at the wider robotics audience. |
| r/ros | Match 90% | weekly visitors 9.8K and weekly contributions 111 indicate a highly specialized audience; it directly covers the user strategy around ROS, Robot Operating System, and robotics software engineers. |
| r/askrobotics | Match 82% | Weekly data is missing, but the post sample shows frequent discussion of ROS2, C++, Linux, SLAM, Nav2, simulation, and robotics software roles; it is useful for demand research. |
Industrial automation, PLCs, and warehouse robotics
Recommended mix · 3 subreddits
How to use this cluster
- Use r/IndustrialAutomation as the main base, together with r/mechatronics and r/AskRobotics, to track plant-floor issues, PLC/SCADA, AMR/AGV, IIoT, and warehouse automation.
- Content should address real-world constraints: legacy PLCs, protocols, gateways, network outages, local caching, safety, and how maintenance staff actually use the system.
- This is well suited for industrial robotics companies, automation system integrators, and sensor/gateway/controller brands doing scenario research.
Key content to read
- PLC, SCADA, VFD, industrial protocols, OT/IIoT
- AMR/AGV, warehouse logistics, container unloading, production-line data collection
- Digital twins, OEE, Node-RED, MES/MOM synchronization issues
- Industrial robot deployment, maintenance, commissioning, and on-site debugging
Representative posts and communities
Representative posts
- I got tired of installing runtimes just to talk to a PLC, so I built a single portable .exe that speaks Modbus/IEC-104/IEC-61850/S7/DNP3/... (open source)
- Why is container unloading still one of the hardest tasks to automate?
- Material Handling
- How are you integrating legacy PLCs with modern IIoT platforms?
- Troubleshooting help
| Community | Fit | Why relevant |
|---|---|---|
| r/askrobotics | Match 82% | Missing weekly data keeps the score conservative, but the sample includes discussion of automation, control, the robotics industry, and careers; it still has research value for industrial robotics teams. |
| r/industrialautomation | Match 78% | weekly visitors 1.3K and weekly contributions 191 show that although the community is small, discussion density is high; it is strongly aligned with industrial robotics and automation teams. |
| r/mechatronics | Match 68% | weekly visitors 4.7K and weekly contributions 107 indicate steady activity; the content overlaps clearly with mechatronics, industrial automation, sensors, and actuators. |
Humanoids, legged robots, and consumer/service robotics
Recommended mix · 4 subreddits
How to use this cluster
- Use r/humanoidrobotics to track the humanoid niche, r/robotics for more technical legged-robot discussions, and r/robots for mainstream public reaction.
- This is suitable for posting real locomotion capability, joint/actuator parameters, control algorithms, battery life, payload, and failed tests; it is not suitable for posting only flashy short videos.
- If you are a consumer/service robotics company, focus on observing user skepticism around household work, companionship, agriculture, hospitals, and teleoperation scenarios.
Key content to read
- Humanoid robots, desktop humanoids, quadruped/wheel-legged robots
- Applications in household work, agriculture, hospitals, education, companionship, and service robotics
- DoF, joints, gait, RL, VLA, control, and hardware limits
- User reactions to safety, practicality, price, and policy risk
Representative posts and communities
Representative posts
- Our 60cm mini robot just unlocked push-ups
- Unitree “Super Athlete" AS2-W (wheeled-leg variant of the AS2)
- Just curious why is everyone making robots for household chores and not food prodution and agri processing
- Social Robot from Enchanted Tools
- Chinese humanoid/legged robots (Unitree) banned in USA, what other alternatives are there?
| Community | Fit | Why relevant |
|---|---|---|
| r/robotics | Match 98% | weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K make it the main robotics community; it can reach a broader set of engineers and builders. |
| r/ros | Match 90% | weekly visitors 9.8K and weekly contributions 111; while it is not a humanoid-specific community, it is important to the robot software stack and developer ecosystem. |
| r/robots | Match 74% | weekly visitors 5.7K and weekly contributions 201 provide sufficient activity; it is better for product perception than deep R&D discussion. |
| r/humanoidrobotics | Match 66% | weekly visitors 1.5K and weekly contributions 141 indicate high contribution density; it directly matches humanoid robots and consumer/service robots. |
Hardware, sensors, actuators, and embedded systems
Recommended mix · 4 subreddits
How to use this cluster
- Use r/AskElectronics to research pain points around circuits, components, PCB, encoders, power supplies, and test tools, and use r/robotics to observe how these parts are actually used in robot projects.
- Hardware and component brands should avoid hard selling; it is best to participate through measured results, selection guides, troubleshooting, and application notes.
- This is well suited for teams working on sensors, actuators, BLDC/servos, batteries, power supplies, embedded boards, and robot controllers.
Key content to read
- Encoders, servos, BLDC, power supplies, driver boards, PCB, connectors
- Raspberry Pi, ESP32, Jetson, SoC, edge computing platforms
- LiDAR, IMU, cameras, depth sensors, RF, and communications
- Component-level troubleshooting, selection, cost, and reliability
Representative posts and communities
Representative posts
- Built a $23 leader arm for teleoperation
- Check out my 3D printed, 18 servo, Self balancing Hexapod.
- i am trying to find a rotary encoder that can spin, click down, and go up down left and right, i need it in bulk, preferably under £5
- I reverse engineered an OMOM HD capsule endoscopy camera – looking for help identifying the RF protocol
- New AMD Robotics SoC: X100 - 128GB Unified Memory
| Community | Fit | Why relevant |
|---|---|---|
| r/robotics | Match 98% | weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K let hardware discussions be placed in a robotics application context. |
| r/ros | Match 90% | weekly visitors 9.8K and weekly contributions 111 reflect a strong specialized software ecosystem; it is very useful for feedback on drivers and compatibility from hardware vendors. |
| r/askelectronics | Match 70% | weekly visitors 315K and weekly contributions 4.2K make it extremely large; because the topic is electronics rather than robotics, it is recommended as a strong adjacent community. |
| r/mechatronics | Match 68% | weekly visitors 4.7K and weekly contributions 107 show steady activity; there is clear overlap with sensors, actuators, embedded systems, and automation. |
Robot building, mechanical manufacturing, and prototyping
Recommended mix · 4 subreddits
How to use this cluster
- r/battlebots is suitable for observing high-intensity robot builder scenarios, r/Machinists for machining and DFM, and r/mechatronics for interdisciplinary beginner projects.
- When participating, make the problem specific: materials, loads, cutting tools, fixtures, tolerances, assembly, thermal management, and drive systems, rather than vaguely saying “I’m building a robot.”
- For robotics hardware teams and component brands, this group of communities is better suited for researching manufacturing feasibility, durability, and the real language used by builders.
Key content to read
- Combat robots, structural parts, drive systems, batteries, and safety testing
- CNC, fixtures, cutting tools, materials, tolerances, surface finishing, and low-volume manufacturing
- 3D printing, CAD, robot arms, hexapods/quadrupeds, and prototype iteration
- Cost, serviceability, manufacturability, and failure retrospectives in hardware projects
Representative posts and communities
Representative posts
- The most insane setup I’ve ever done. Turned my fab table into a lathe.
- Do you ever design stuff in a way that you need to make zero fixturing? Engine brace for my buddy’s 80’s Ferrari.
- Had to machine carbon fiber tube to make spacers.
- Is it just me who loves those Battlebots with 2 wheels and then a massive weapon in front?
- I need some guide about my robotics journey
| Community | Fit | Why relevant |
|---|---|---|
| r/robotics | Match 98% | weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K can connect hobby builders, robotics companies, and engineers. |
| r/mechatronics | Match 68% | weekly visitors 4.7K and weekly contributions 107 can reach the mechatronics project and automation-learning audience. |
| r/battlebots | Match 63% | weekly visitors 13K and weekly contributions 1.4K indicate very high activity; however, the topic is limited to combat robotics, so it is recommended as a builder-focused niche community. |
| r/machinists | Match 58% | weekly visitors 159K and weekly contributions 5.8K indicate extremely high activity; relevance comes mainly from precision components and prototype manufacturing. |
Participation
Where brands should be careful
Many communities limit promotion, surveys, referral links, medical advice, or low-effort content. Read rules before posting.
| Community | Promotion risk | Suitable | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| r/robotics | High; rules mention commercial posts or brand promotion, low-effort posts, spam, or AI-generated content, uncivil or disrespectful replies. | Use it for: This is the core community most aligned with robotics companies, developers, hardware teams, and component brands; | Avoid commercial posts or brand promotion, low-effort posts, spam, or AI-generated content, uncivil or disrespectful replies; keep any participation specific, disclosed, and useful. |
| r/ros | High; rules mention commercial posts or brand promotion, low-effort posts, spam, or AI-generated content, uncivil or disrespectful replies. | Use it for: A very strong fit for ROS developers, robotics software engineers, and robot product teams; | Avoid commercial posts or brand promotion, low-effort posts, spam, or AI-generated content, uncivil or disrespectful replies; keep any participation specific, disclosed, and useful. |
| r/askrobotics | High; rules mention commercial posts or brand promotion, low-effort posts, spam, or AI-generated content, uncivil or disrespectful replies. | Use it for: Very useful for researching real pain points among robotics developers and questions faced by early-stage startup teams; weekly activity da… | Avoid commercial posts or brand promotion, low-effort posts, spam, or AI-generated content, uncivil or disrespectful replies; keep any participation specific, disclosed, and useful. |
| r/industrialautomation | Medium; no returned rules, so check the subreddit before posting. | Use it for: A strong fit for industrial robotics and automation teams, system integrators, and PLC/sensor/servo brands; | Avoid generic promotion; start with observation, saved posts, and rule checks. |
| r/mechatronics | Medium; no returned rules, so check the subreddit before posting. | Use it for: Good for reaching robotics hardware, automation, and mechatronics audiences; | Avoid generic promotion; start with observation, saved posts, and rule checks. |
Full ranking
The full community list from the RedditFind run
Use the full ranking to research robot software, controls, sensors, actuators, embedded systems, mechanical design, automation, and real deployment constraints.
| Rank | Community | Score | Weekly visitors | Weekly contributions | Community content |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | r/robotics | 96% | 58K | 1K | A general robotics community covering real robot projects, robotic arms, legged robots, ROS/ROS2, vision, control, sensing, and hardware debugging. Popular posts include many DIY robots, commercial robotics updates, and engineering implementation discussions. This is the core community most aligned with robotics companies, developers, hardware teams, and component brands; weekly visitors 58K and weekly contributions 1K, with both strong scale and engagement, so it ranks first. The rules clearly prohibit advertising and low-quality content, so participation should lead with technical details, open-source progress, and test data. |
| 2 | r/ros | 90% | 9.8K | 111 | A dedicated Robot Operating System community focused on ROS/ROS2, Nav2, SLAM, Gazebo, MoveIt, Jetson, DDS, robot software debugging, and toolchains. Most posts lean toward engineering issues, project sharing, and troubleshooting development environments. A very strong fit for ROS developers, robotics software engineers, and robot product teams; weekly visitors 9.8K and weekly contributions 111. Although smaller than r/robotics, the audience is more specialized. The rules allow valuable tool/blog/project sharing, but prohibit low-value advertising. |
| 3 | r/askrobotics | 85% | — | — | A robotics Q&A community focused on learning paths, career paths, hardware selection, ROS/ROS2, sensors, actuators, startup fundraising, and project troubleshooting. It handles the beginner, career, and recommendation questions that r/robotics does not encourage. Very useful for researching real pain points among robotics developers and questions faced by early-stage startup teams; weekly activity data is missing, so the score was not raised further, but there were 20 highly relevant Q&A posts in the monthly sample, indicating steady discussion. Well suited for user research, demand validation, and technical Q&A. |
| 4 | r/industrialautomation | 80% | 1.3K | 191 | An industrial automation community discussing PLC, SCADA, HMI, IIoT, EtherCAT, AGV/AMR, digital twins, industrial protocols, factory data collection, and equipment retrofits. The content leans toward plant-floor operations, integration, and maintenance. A strong fit for industrial robotics and automation teams, system integrators, and PLC/sensor/servo brands; weekly visitors is 1.3K but weekly contributions is 191, showing that the community is small but has very high discussion density. It is strongly relevant to robotics hardware commercialization, warehouse automation, and industrial control. |
| 5 | r/mechatronics | 78% | 4.7K | 107 | A mechatronics community covering automation, robotics, PLC, VFD, sensors, actuators, CAD, career learning, and engineering projects. Popular posts include both career discussions and on-site equipment troubleshooting. Good for reaching robotics hardware, automation, and mechatronics audiences; weekly visitors 4.7K and weekly contributions 107, with moderate activity but a strong match to hardware and control. The content includes many student/junior engineer questions, making it suitable for educational content and early user research. |
| 6 | r/askelectronics | 75% | 315K | 4.2K | An electronics Q&A community mainly focused on component-level circuits, PCB, soldering, repair, test instruments, part identification, sourcing, and power supply design. The content is highly hands-on and well suited to hardware debugging scenarios. Although it is not robotics-specific, it is very valuable for embedded systems, sensors, actuators, control boards, and robotics hardware teams; weekly visitors 315K and weekly contributions 4.2K indicate extremely high activity. Because its scope is more electronics than robotics, it did not make the top five. |
| 7 | r/robots | 73% | 5.7K | 201 | A community for real robots, robot videos, robot history, robot media, and robot discussion, also including some DIY robot projects. The community description explicitly directs technical engineering discussion to r/robotics. Suitable for consumer robotics, service robotics, and robotics companies looking to observe mainstream feedback; weekly visitors 5.7K and weekly contributions 201 indicate solid engagement. Since the community is not centered on engineering help, its technical depth and developer density are lower than r/robotics and r/ROS. |
| 8 | r/humanoidrobotics | 69% | 1.5K | 141 | Focused on humanoid robots, including humanoid robot news, company updates, small desktop humanoids, VLA/embodied intelligence, and discussion of home/service scenarios. Posts include quite a few real robot demos and industry viewpoints. Suitable for humanoid robots, consumer/service robot companies, and embodied intelligence teams; weekly visitors 1.5K and weekly contributions 141 indicate a small community with decent contribution density. Note that some content leans toward product showcases and trending news, so technical depth is inconsistent. |
| 9 | r/mechanicalengineering | 66% | 243K | 4.2K | A large mechanical engineering community covering mechanical design, manufacturing, FEA, mechanisms, materials, engineering careers, and practical engineering problems. Popular posts often feature design reviews, mechanical structures, machining, and engineering judgment. It has strong research value for robotics hardware teams and structural design for robotic arms, chassis, and actuators; weekly visitors 243K and weekly contributions 4.2K indicate very high activity. It is not a robotics-specific community, so it works best as a supporting community for hardware design and manufacturing inspiration. |
| 10 | r/machinists | 64% | 159K | 5.8K | A machining and CNC community covering turning and milling, fixtures, cutting tools, materials, shop-floor experience, process optimization, and manufacturing stories. Popular posts have very high engagement, and many users are hands-on machinists. Very helpful for robotics hardware, actuator housings, robotic arm parts, prototyping, and supply chain work; weekly visitors 159K and weekly contributions 5.8K show extremely strong manufacturing-side activity. Because the topic is machining rather than robotics, it is better suited to manufacturing feedback and DFM research. |
| 11 | r/battlebots | 58% | 13K | 1.4K | A robot combat and competitive robotics community covering the BattleBots show, competing teams, combat robot design, event discussion, and fan content. It includes entertainment content as well as real robot-building culture. Suitable for reaching people interested in high-torque motors, drives, materials, protection, control, and small-robot builders; weekly visitors 13K and weekly contributions 1.4K indicate strong activity. The scenario is more competition- and fandom-oriented, so it does not fully correspond to service or industrial robotics. |
| 12 | r/mechanicaldesign | 53% | 313 | 49 | A small mechanical design community discussing CAD, mechanism design, mechanical design reviews, part selection, GD&T, assembly, and design portfolios. The content is fairly close to design problems, but the community is small. Suitable for robotics hardware teams researching structural design, mechanism concepts, and CAD/DFM feedback; weekly visitors 313 and weekly contributions 49 mean the audience is small, but posting density is decent. Because of its size, it is better as a supplementary channel than a main operating base. |
| 13 | r/mechanicalengineer | 50% | 4.8K | 112 | A mechanical engineering discussion community focused on mechanical careers, CAD, FEA, BOM, design outsourcing, learning materials, and engineering education. Compared with r/MechanicalEngineering, it is smaller and more Q&A-oriented. It has some value for robotics hardware roles, outsourced mechanical design, CAD/FEA, and manufacturing workflows; weekly visitors 4.8K and weekly contributions 112 indicate moderate activity. Robotics-related content appears only occasionally, so it ranks in the middle. |
| 14 | r/roboticsengineering | 38% | 94 | 5 | A small robotics engineering community covering robot projects, capstone design, learning paths, visual tracking, robotic arms, and course selection. Post volume and engagement are both quite low. The topic is highly aligned with robotics engineering, but weekly visitors 94 and weekly contributions 5 indicate activity is far too low. It is suitable for occasional monitoring or content testing, but not as a priority operating base. |
| 15 | r/engineering | 36% | 48K | 85 | A large professional engineering community covering multiple engineering disciplines, industry information, professional experience, hiring threads, and real-world engineering cases. The rules are strict and do not welcome student homework, vague questions, or career posts as main posts. weekly visitors 48K but weekly contributions 85 indicate high readership and a high posting bar. For robotics companies, it can serve as an engineering-industry observation channel, but robotics, ROS, and automation topics are not concentrated there. |
| 16 | r/shittyrobots | 32% | 12K | 184 | A humorous failed-robot community sharing useless, clumsy, or failed robot videos and GIFs. The content is mostly entertainment, with occasional real DIY projects or robot mistakes. weekly visitors 12K and weekly contributions 184 indicate good traffic, but the fit with serious robotics R&D, ROS, and industrial automation is low. It is suitable for observing public reactions to failed/cute/absurd robot content, not as a main base for technical community operations. |
| 17 | r/mechatronicsindia | 28% | 40 | 0 | A small India-related mechatronics, robotics, and automation community covering project collaboration, learning questions, and career direction. The sample includes needs around RC vehicle semi-automation and Lidar/Camera integration. The theme matches the Indian robotics/mechatronics/automation ecosystem, but weekly visitors 40 and weekly contributions 0 indicate very low activity. It may help surface small local project leads in India, but it is not suitable for large-scale operations. |
| 18 | r/roboticsandautomation | 21% | 27 | 0 | Its name and description point to robotics and automation industry trends, markets, and business perspectives, but there were no posts during the sample period. It appears to be a low-activity or stagnant community. The topic is superficially aligned, but weekly visitors 27 and weekly contributions 0 mean there is basically no community activity to engage with. It can be recorded, but is not recommended for priority operations. |
| 19 | r/industrialrobotics | 19% | 5 | 0 | A community related to industrial robots and automation, with a description covering images, videos, questions, and comments, but there were no posts during the sample period. The community is very small. The topic is highly aligned with industrial robotics, but weekly visitors 5 and weekly contributions 0 mean it has almost no operating value. Because the name is precise, it is retained in the table, but the score is very low. |
| 20 | r/robotbuilders | 18% | 2 | 0 | A small robot builders community whose title emphasizes building robots for human well-being, but during the sample period it had only one job-seeking/recommendation-related post. Actual content is extremely limited. The name matches robot builders very well, but weekly visitors 2 and weekly contributions 0 mean there are almost no active users. It is worth recording as a long-tail community hit by keywords, but not suitable for operations. |
Original About and Rules evidence
This section keeps the raw About / Rules text captured for each subreddit so operators can check the source before participating.
#1
r/robotics
About / Public Description
Robotics
Rules
Be civil and respectful
Robotics Related Posts only
No Low Effort or Sensationalized posts
Beginner, recommendation or career related questions go in /r/AskRobotics
No Spam or Advertisements
No Duplicate posts
Post with the appropriate flair No NSFW/vulgar posts or comments
#2
r/ros
About / Public Description
This subreddit is for discussions around the Robot Operating System, or ROS.
Rules
Be civil and respectful
No spam or plain advertisements without any value for the ROS community
ROS-related posts only; stay on topic
Memes are allowed; make sure to also follow rules 2 and 3
No vague "plz help me" requests
About / Public Description
Have questions about which motors, gears or batteries to choose? Wondering why your code doesn't work? Have questions about CAD or simulations? Looking for the perfect robotics kit to gift someone? You're in the right place!
Rules
Be civil and respectful
Robotics Related Posts only
No Low Effort or Sensationalized posts
No Duplicate posts
Post with the appropriate flair No NSFW/vulgar posts or comments
No Spam or Advertisements
About / Public Description
Industrial Automation
Rules
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About / Public Description
Mechatronics Engineering
Rules
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About / Public Description
A subreddit for practical questions about component-level electronic circuits: design, repair, component buying, test gear and tools.
Rules
Questions must be on-topic.
Do not ask about the general use or setup of consumer electronics, computers, or pre-assembled modules. Questions about electrical systems (e.g., mains wiring, household installations) belong in r/askelectricians or r/led (lighting).
The title must ask the actual question clearly & concisely
Avoid vague or non-descriptive titles (e.g. “Help needed” or “What is wrong here?”). Instead, briefly state the core issue and relevant context where possible. Posts with unclear or low-effort titles, or titles in ALL CAPS, may be removed at moderator discretion, & you may be asked to resubmit with a more appropriate title.
Comments must be civil and helpful.
No commercial, self-promotion content
Safety must be the primary goal
DIY repair questions about microwave ovens will be deleted.
Diagnosis by Photo
At minimum, posts should include: * A clear description of the problem * What the device or circuit is supposed to do vs what is happening * Any basic diagnostics already performed (e.g. voltage checks, continuity tests, component swaps, logs, or observations
No low-effort, unverified, or AI-generated answers
#7
r/robots
About / Public Description
Post things like: videos of real robots, robot art, robot history, retro toy robots, literature and film recommendations or discussions that primarily focus on robots. Please do not post about common automation technology. Posting YouTube videos promoting a video game will earn an immediate ban. For technical help with robotics projects, engineering discussion of robotics subsystems, etc., please see r/robotics.
Rules
Be nice to each other.
Keep posts on topic.
No advertisements or self-promotion.
Posting a link to your online portfolio or youtube channel in the comments is fine.
No AI Content
No reposts
About / Public Description
The Humanoid Robotics Subreddit
Rules
Be respectful
Posts Must Be Relevant
Share but don’t Spam
No AI generated images*
About / Public Description
The gathering place for mechanical engineers to discuss current technology, methods, jobs, and anything else related to mechanical engineering.
Rules
Be constructive and good-natured.
No advertising/self-promotion.
No low-effort posts.
No "design this for me" posts.
Images must be relevant to mechanical engineering or the posted topic. All school/university related items please see /r/EngineeringStudents. Looking for help with your resume or portfolio? Head on over to /r/EngineeringResumes.
Laptop/Computer Advice
#10
r/machinists
About / Public Description
A Reddit for Machinists of all varieties. From Old School conventional guys, to CNC Programmers, to the up and coming next generation.
Rules
Be polite
NSFW content not tagged/spoilered
Job postings require salary/wage, no recruit firms
Classifieds & Advertising
No AI-generated content
No Politics
No market research / surveys
#11
r/battlebots
About / Public Description
/r/battlebots is a reddit community for fans of robot combat. We welcome those with a casual interest in television shows as well as the enthusiast community. Events of interest include Battlebots, Robot Wars, Bugglebots, Robogames, Fighting My Bots (FMB), King of Bots (KOB) and Robolahing This is an independent unofficial fan community. It does not represent any brand.
Rules
Submissions should reflect community interests
✔️ Regular users are welcome to post more general topics of interest to the community. ⚠️ Moderators occasionally clean-up the subreddit to maintain the core focus and ensure a diversity of sources. This may affect the longevity of fringe, questionable or low-effort content but doesn't necessarily imply that it is unwelcome content.
Discuss aired fights. No insider leaks. Be considerate handling promotional info for future episodes
❌ Unofficial leaks and insider information is prohibited ☠️ Stating the results of matches ahead of broadcast is prohibited (even if deduced from public information). 💡 Spoiler markup is useful when official promotional material hints at specific fight events in future episodes. 💡Please do not dissuade people from posting. 💡Unsubscribe and mute options can keep the subreddit off your feed.
Don't promote unsafe behavior
⚠️We treat all classes of bot as potentially dangerous and urge caution. We require adult supervision for those under 18 years old using this subreddit for combat robot building advice. ☠️Do not share videos or photos promoting unsafe testing setups or arenas. ☠️Avoid the topic of bot violence against humans or animals
Support the show and its builders
⚠️ /r/battlebots is supportive of Battlebots, the continued existence as a TV show, and teams competing. ☠️ Content subject to removal include, but is not limited to, soliciting/linking pirated versions of the show, paywalled content, knockoff merchandise, insinuating the competition is faked or rigged, prejudiced or personal attacks on the cast/builders, gatekeeping, or overly hostile interactions with roboteers on the subreddit.
About / Public Description
MechanicalDesign is a forum for Engineers looking for design inspiration, answers to technical design questions, and mechanical design review feedback.
Rules
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About / Public Description
A community for those that practice the broad discipline of mechanical engineering.
Rules
R1: Inquiries / Questions Posting — When posting questions please be sure to keep them in-line with what this subreddit is about. No questions that would be better geared towards a car mechanic or a technician. I know we all want to help solve problems but these questions don't really belong here.
R2: White Papers / Research Posts — When posting white papers or research articles please be sure to provide a link that leads to the actual report or paper. No posting of articles behind paywalls.
Spamming
About / Public Description
Welcome to the community! We are all about robotics and the engineering behind it.
Rules
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#15
r/engineering
About / Public Description
r/engineering is a forum for engineering professionals to share information, knowledge, experience related to the principles & practices of the numerous engineering disciplines. r/engineering is **NOT** for students to ask for guidance on selecting their major, or for homework / project help. Read the sidebar BEFORE posting.
Rules
No homework or university / major selection / GPA questions
* Do not ask about major selection, GPA, or what engineers do. If you need help selecting a major, [read this announcement in AskEngineers.](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskEngineers/comments/axv804/attention_students_read_before_posting_or_your/)
No questions asking about how something works
No asking for career or interview advice
* Job POSTINGS must go into the [**Quarterly Hiring Thread.**](/r/engineering/search?q=flair%3A%22hiring+thread%22&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=all) * If you are a professional and need career advice, you can also post your questions directly to r/AskEngineers.
No self-promotion or commercial spam
No misleading or sensationalized titles
**All sources are subject to moderator evaluation.**
No posts about the 9/11 terrorist attacks
You can read about why this policy exists [**here.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/51ykr8/european_physical_society_15_years_later_on_the/d7fwbtk)
Limit of one crowdfunding post per project
* You must be active in the comments to answer any questions. * Your post MUST be submitted as a [**self-post.**](http://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/submit?selftext=true)
Keep the discussion civil
* Racism, sexism, or any other form of bigotry will not be tolerated. You will be permanently banned even if it is your first offense!
Be substantive
#16
r/shittyrobots
About / Public Description
This subreddit is devoted to sharing gifs and videos of robots that are useless or just don't do their job quite right.
Rules
Posts must include a shitty or funny robot.
No Flair
Certain bots are not allowed
* Bots from Besiege the game * Suicide robots that switch themselves off * The Tomato Ketchup Bot * The Garbage Truck * The force feeding robot * The tomato robot * The Rick and Morty Butter robot * The door opening robot * The beer pouring robot * The toilet paper cutting robot * The baby-feeding robot * Things taped to fans * Non-physical Robots (Reddit bots, Google, Siri, Alexa, etc)
Domain restriction
Imgur.com, Youtube.com, Gfycat.com, Tumblr.com, Vimeo.com, Reddit.com
Reposting
Be civil
Turtles are friends, not food.
No Repost Bots
About / Public Description
mechatronics, robotics, automation, and anything related to india and tech.
Rules
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About / Public Description
Market trends and business perspectives on the robotics and automation industry.
Rules
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About / Public Description
Pictures, videos, questions, or comments related to industrial robots and automation.
Rules
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#20
r/robotbuilders
About / Public Description
We build robots for the betterment of humanity.
Rules
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How to turn this into a weekly workflow
Tag posts by robot type, environment, software stack, sensor set, actuator, and deployment stage.
Separate prototype demos from reliability, safety, maintenance, and production evidence.
Turn recurring integration questions into documentation, examples, compatibility notes, and support content.
Check project-showcase, hiring, promotion, academic survey, and beginner-question rules before posting.
FAQ
Where should a robotics product team start?
Use r/robotics for broad project and industry signals, r/ros for the Robot Operating System stack, and narrower automation or mechatronics communities for deployment details.
Which communities are useful for hardware and component teams?
Read robotics, mechatronics, embedded, electronics, sensor, actuator, and robot-builder discussions, then filter by the actual environment and interface your component supports.
Can a robotics startup share a demo?
Only after checking community rules. A useful post should disclose affiliation and include engineering detail, limitations, and reproducible context instead of a launch pitch.