The Chinese company Unitree has introduced the "world's first production-ready manned robot."
Unitree Unveils: GD01, A Manned Transformable Mecha, from $650,000 š
ā Unitree (@UnitreeRobotics) May 12, 2026
The world's first production-ready manned mecha. It can transform. It's a civilian vehicle. It weighs ~500kg with you inside.
Please everyone be sure to use the robot in a Friendly and Safe manner. pic.twitter.com/xa6eNiRDdV
The starting price for the GD01 is $650,000, and its weight with a pilot is around 500 kg.
The cockpit for a human is located where the torso would be. In a video released by the company, Unitree's CEO, Wang Xinxin, was seen inside the robot.
This android can move on two or four limbs. The footage shows it breaking through a wall made of concrete blocks. The company has labeled the robot as a "civilian vehicle" and encourages users to operate it in a friendly and safe manner.
The GD01 model adds to the product lineup of the Hangzhou-based firm, which has made significant strides recently.
In December 2025, six G1 humanoid robots performed at a concert as backup dancers, executing synchronized forward flips.
In May 2026, a Buddhist ceremony in Seoul saw a Unitree humanoid robot take an oath and become a monk, dressed in traditional gray-brown Buddhist robes.
The Chinese company plans to sell up to 20,000 humanoid robots in 2026, compared to about 5,500 the previous year. The entry-level model, the R1, is priced at around $6,000. The company sells these and other bots internationally through AliExpress.
Chinese androids have begun appearing in airports and other logistics facilities.
Notably, Japan Airlines, in collaboration with GMO AI & Robotics, launched trials of humanoid robots for ground operations at Tokyo's Haneda Airport.