A Chinese robotics firm has truly bridged the gap between science fiction and reality, after unveiling the world’s first manned ‘mecha’.
The GD01, developed by Unitree Robotics, weighs 500kg with a pilot on board and is capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four–legged mode.
Developed for civilian transport, the high–strength alloy machine features a ‘cockpit’ where someone can sit and control the huge robot.
A demonstration video shows Unitree’s CEO Wang Xingxing climbing into the torso of the GD01 before it starts to move.
The machine is steered to walk like a humanoid robot and can even knock over a brick wall with its hand before ‘shifting’ into a four–legged crawl.
Unitree has described the creation – which measures nearly nine feet (2.7m) high – as the world’s first mass–produced ‘transformable mecha’.
People on social media have called the robot ‘every boy’s dream’, while others joked it is ‘ready for a boxing match with aliens’.
But if you want one for yourself there’s a hefty price tag of $650,000 (£480,000).
The high–strength alloy machine features a ‘cockpit’ where someone can sit and control the huge robot
A demonstration video shows Unitree’s CEO Wang Xingxing climbing into the torso of the GD01 before it starts to move
The GD01 may bring to mind the Jaeger robots (pictured) that feature in the 2013 film Pacific Rim. These enormous machines are controlled by two pilots who sit in a head–mounted cockpit and wear specialist suits to transfer their brain signals and physical movements to the system.
The GD01 may bring to mind the Jaeger robots that feature in the film Pacific Rim.
These enormous machines are controlled by two pilots who sit in a head–mounted cockpit and wear specialist suits to transfer their brain signals and physical movements to the system.
‘This is not a concept,’ robotics expert Lukas Ziegler wrote on X.
‘The West is building incredible humanoid robots. China is building them faster, cheaper and at a scale nobody else is close to matching.’
Someone else commented: ‘Maintaining balance while walking requires a high level of technical expertise for such a large bipedal mecha, especially considering its transformation and quadrupedal form.’
And another wrote: ‘The generation that grew up watching animation has now started reshaping the world.’
Regarding the high price tag and plans for mass production, Huang Jiawei, a marketing staff member at Unitree, said the figure is only a preliminary reference price.
‘The final production version may still be adjusted depending on performance optimisation,’ he told the Global Times.
The machine is commanded to knock over a brick wall with its hand – although the company said that this was part of ‘extreme testing’
The mecha and is capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four–legged mode (pictured)
Unitree has described the creation – which measures nearly nine feet (2.7m) high – as the world’s first mass–produced ‘transformable mecha’
He added: ‘Through the use of robots, we hope to improve work efficiency and optimise the way people work.
‘The product is still in its first generation at this stage, and there is indeed a lot of room for imagination.’
It’s thought these machines could eventually be used in a diverse range of fields including in theme parks, immersive entertainment, filmmaking, rescue efforts and operations in challenging environments.
‘It is no longer just a proof–of–concept machine confined to laboratories, but a product with a clear price tag and commercialization roadmap,’ Chen Jing, vice president of the Technology and Strategy Research Institute said.
‘But its weaknesses are mainly related to real–world usability, including difficulties getting in and out of the machine, battery–life concerns, limited comfort, regulatory uncertainty and maintenance complexity.’
According to the International Federation of Robotics, China has remained the world’s largest industrial robot market for years.
Recent figures suggest China had 964 existing humanoid robot–related companies as of April this year, while patent applications in the sector reached 1,174 in 2025.
These enormous machines are controlled by two pilots who sit in a head–mounted cockpit and wear specialist suits to transfer their brain signals and physical movements to the system. Pictured: Pacific Rim
Meanwhile, research firm Omdia said Chinese companies accounted for nearly 90 per cent of global humanoid sales in 2025.
It’s thought that Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year.
Other robots recently unveiled include a humanoid to help load luggage on and off flights, and a ping pong robot that can beat elite players.
Last month, a robot won the Beijing half marathon and beat the human record by almost seven minutes.
