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Unitree Robotics

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Hangzhou Yushu Technology
Co., Ltd.
Unitree Robotics
Native name
杭州宇树科技有限公司
Hángzhōu yǔ shù kējì yǒuxiàn gōngsī
TypePublic
SSE: 688836
Industry
Founded26 August 2016; 9 years ago (2016-08-26)
FounderWang Xingxing
Headquarters
Hangzhou, Zhejiang
,
China
Key people
Wang Xingxing (CEO)
ProductsQuadrupedal and humanoid robots
Number of employees
500[1] (2025)
Websiteunitree.com
Unitree Robotics
Simplified Chinese杭州宇树科技有限公司
Transcriptions

Hangzhou Yushu Technology Co., Ltd., doing business as Unitree Robotics, is a robotics company based in Hangzhou, China. Founded by Wang Xingxing in August 2016, Unitree initially specialized in quadruped robots for the consumer market. In 2024, the company began producing humanoid robots, with the second iteration priced around US$16,000.

History

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In 2013, Wang Xingxing developed quadrupeds during his postgraduate studies at Shanghai University. On 26 August 2016, Wang Xingxing registered and established "Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co., Ltd." in a 50 m2 (540 sq ft) office in Binjiang District, Hangzhou. His first quadruped device, XDog, was developed in 2016 for his master's thesis. The robotic dog became an Internet sensation which attracted buyers and investors. After Wang started to work at the Chinese company DJI, he decided to resign and start his own company, Unitree.[2]

In 2021, Unitree released Unitree Go1, a quadruped robot similar to Boston Dynamics' Spot.[2] It is fitted with twelve motors; each can generate a maximum torque of 23.7 N⋅m (17.5 lbf⋅ft) and can spin at speeds of up to 30 rad/s (about 280 rpm).[3] According to an article by The Wall Street Journal, the Unitree robotic dog can navigate in different surfaces including sand, rocks, and soil.[4]

In April 2024, Unitree released a video showcasing the humanoid robot H1.[5] In August 2024, Unitree released the G1, an upgraded version of the H1, for mass production at a price point of about US$16,000. The G1 utilizes a configuration of 23 to 43 permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) rotary joint actuators capable of peak knee torque ratings between 90 N.m and 120 N.m depending on the variant.[6] The machine was designed for users to participate in robotics research and optionally share data with a network allowing the robot to learn new automated services.[7] The G1 has gained fame as the basis of robot's interacting with the public that are puppeted by remote operators, examples being the Polish “Edward Warchocki” and the American “Rizzbot”.[8]

In January 2025, Unitree showcased its advanced robotics technology at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The exhibition featured their consumer-grade quadrupedal robot Go2, its wheeled-leg variant Go2-W, the industrial-grade wheeled-leg robot B2-W, and the general-purpose humanoid robots H1 and G1. This participation marked Unitree's commitment to expanding its presence in international markets.[9]

In April 2025, the South China Morning Post reported Unitree was exploring the possibility of holding an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong.[10] In July 2025, the company began its IPO tutoring process with CITIC Securities.[11] In March 2026, it filed for an initial IPO to list on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.[12] In August 2026, Unitree Robotics completed its IPO and began trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange,[13] with its shares surging nearly 500% on their first day of trading.[14][15]

In its funding rounds before the IPO, Unitree received investment from venture capital funds such as HongShan, Matrix Partners, and Shunwei Capital.[16] Other major shareholders include the National Social Security Fund, CNPC Kunlun, DeepSeek, China Southern Power Grid, and Tianyi Capital, as well as affiliates of Tencent, Meituan, Alibaba and Ant Group.[17]

Products

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2013 to 2016

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XDog

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prototype quadruped robotic dog using custom motor drive boards, leg structures, and control architecture

2021

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Go1

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lightweight, consumer-level quadruped robot dog

  • Weight & Size: ~12 kg; dimensions roughly 58.8 cm long and 22 cm tall.[18]
  • Payload: Can carry about 3 to 5 kg.[18]
  • Sensors: Equipped with 5 sets of fisheye stereo depth-sensing cameras and ultrasonic sensors for obstacle avoidance and person tracking.[18]

Had a security vulnerability known as CVE-2025-2894 [19]

2023

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Go2, H1, B2

2024

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G1

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Affordable, mid-sized agile humanoid robot. Standing roughly 4'2" (1.27 m) tall and weighing 35 kg, it features 23 to 43 degrees of freedom, RealSense depth camera, and a basic MediaTek processor.[20]

  • Dimensions: ~127 cm tall, ~35 kg weight
  • Joints (Degrees of Freedom): 23 (standard) up to 43 (EDU/Ultimate versions with extended waist and arm articulation)
  • Sensing: RealSense depth camera (3D LiDAR, 4-microphone array), and built-in speaker
  • Power: Quick-release 9000 mAh battery providing roughly 2 hours of runtime
  • Compute: Optional extra processors include NVIDIA Jetsons

2025

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R1, A2, H2

2026

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As2

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40-pound robot dog hits 11 mph, carries 143 pounds[21]

As2-W

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hybrid wheel-legged version[22]

Awards

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In July 2025, the company was one of the winners of the WIPO Global Awards, awarded by the World Intellectual Property Organization in the category of information and communications technology for small and medium enterprises.[23][24]

Controversies

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Use by the military

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United States Marine Corps test fire the M72 LAW mounted on a Unitree robot (2023)

In August 2022, Unitree denied allegations about reports of their Go1 robot being used by the Russian Armed Forces.[25]

In September 2023, the United States Marine Corps used an M72 LAW anti-tank rocket launcher fixed to a Go1 robotic dog during tactical training at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in California.[26]

In May 2024, The Guardian reported the Unitree Go2 robot has been used during China's joint military drills with Cambodia, with an automatic rifle on its back. According to the newspaper, this was based on footage broadcast by China Central Television.[27] Unitree, in the same month, stated they do not sell their products to the People's Liberation Army.[16]

In May 2025, the US House Select Committee on China requested the Federal Communications Commission, the US Department of Commerce, and the US Department of Defense to investigate Unitree regarding its alleged connections with the People's Liberation Army and its military–civil fusion programs.[28] In June 2026, the US Department of Defense added Unitree to a list of Chinese military-linked companies.[29]

Security

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In April 2025, security researchers alleged Unitree had put backdoors into their products that allowed the company to remotely access Unitree devices and even other devices on the same network.[19][30] Unitree responded by denying that it was an intentional backdoor, and claiming it was a vulnerability that has since been fixed.[30]

In September 2025, security researchers revealed the Unitree G1 Humanoid robot collects data and reports multi-modal sensor data without notifying the operator and could be used in an offensive cyber attack given weaknesses in its security.[31] Also in September 2025, the same security researchers published a wormable vulnerability that allows an attacker in close proximity to gain full control of Unitree's Go2 and B2 quadrupeds and G1 and H1 humanoids (over BLE). Infected robots would in turn be able to compromise other robots nearby. As of 29 September 2025, Unitree has declined to comment.[32]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "【雲端對談】第一集：專訪杭州宇樹科技". Archived from the original on 14 October 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  2. 1 2 Pearl Li, Stephanie (7 July 2021). "Unitree Robotics develops personal robot dogs that can jog with you". KrASIA. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  3. ↑ Pedro, Gabriel Duarte Gonçalves; Bermudez, Gabriel; Medeiros, Vivian Suzano; Cruz Neto, Hélio Jacinto da; Barros, Luiz Guilherme Dias de; Pessin, Gustavo; Becker, Marcelo; Freitas, Gustavo Medeiros; Boaventura, Thiago (June 2024). "Quadruped Robot Control: An Approach Using Body Planar Motion Control, Legs Impedance Control and Bézier Curves". Sensors. 24 (12): 3825. Bibcode:2024Senso..24.3825P. doi:10.3390/s24123825. PMC 11207842. PMID 38931609. S2CID 270510517.
  4. ↑ McCormick, John (9 July 2021). "AI Gives Robots More Room to Roam". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  5. ↑ Zhang, Tong (31 March 2024). "Chinese robot's backflip is a leap forward for electric-powered humanoid machines and nation's push to lead industry". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 29 September 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "Robot Actuators: Which Robot Uses What Actuator?". Firgelli Robots. Firgelli Robots Editorial Team. 7 July 2026. Archived from the original on 25 July 2026. Retrieved 8 July 2026.
  7. ↑ Liszewski, Andrew (19 August 2024). "You'll need to teach this $16,000 humanoid robot how to make breakfast". The Verge. Archived from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  8. ↑ Yang, Zeyi (14 August 2026). "The Next Big Influencer Is This 4-Foot-Tall Robot From China". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 15 August 2026. Retrieved 16 August 2026. The Unitree G1 has found online fame as a relatively affordable robot that can charm a crowd.
  9. ↑ "Unitree showcases 'advanced high-mobility robots' at CES". Robotics & Automation News. 8 January 2025. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  10. ↑ Wu, Willa (23 April 2025). "John Lee vows to support Hangzhou tech firms in expanding into Hong Kong". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 7 June 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  11. ↑ "China's Unitree Robotics starts IPO process". Reuters. 18 July 2025. Archived from the original on 19 July 2025. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  12. ↑ Lo, Kinling (31 March 2026). "The world's largest humanoid robot maker is going public". Rest of World. Archived from the original on 4 April 2026. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Unitree estreia no STAR Market com valuation de US$ 9 bilhões e inaugura era de IPOs de robôs humanoides na China - GAZETA MERCANTIL" (in Brazilian Portuguese). 19 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut". BBC News. 19 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  15. ↑ Lohr, Steve (19 August 2026). "Chinese Robot Maker Unitree Soars 500 Percent in Trading Debut". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  16. 1 2 McMorrow, Ryan (30 May 2024). "China's army tests gun-toting version of robot dog". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 4 August 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  17. ↑ Kient (20 August 2026). "DeHeng and JunZeJun steer Unitree's USD906m Star Market debut". Law.asia. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 "Robot Motor Intelligence (RoMI) Lab - Unitree Go1". www.romilab.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  19. 1 2 Naraine, Ryan (1 April 2025). "Hackers Could Unleash Chaos Through Backdoor in China-Made Robot Dogs". SecurityWeek. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  20. ↑ Markus, Frank (26 June 2026). "Inside the $17,900 Robot That Could Change the Auto Industry". MotorTrend. Archived from the original on 4 July 2026. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  21. ↑ Walter, Neetika (24 February 2026). "Unitree's 40-pound robot dog hits 11 mph, carries 143 pounds". Interesting Engineering. Archived from the original on 29 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  22. ↑ Kratiuk, Anton (26 July 2026). "Unitree's AS2-W wheel-leg robot carries 150 kg, costs half of Boston Dynamics Spot". gagadget.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "WIPO Global Awards 2025". WIPO awards. Archived from the original on 3 August 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  24. ↑ "WIPO Announces 2025 Global Awards Winners: Recognizing IP-Driven Innovation and Impact". www.wipo.int. Archived from the original on 8 October 2025. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
  25. ↑ Li, Jiaxing (16 August 2022). "Chinese robotic dog maker Unitree distances itself from Russian report showing a mounted rocket launcher". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  26. ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (18 October 2023). "Marines Test Fire Robot Dog Armed With Rocket Launcher". The War Zone. Archived from the original on 8 July 2025. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  27. ↑ Hern, Alex (30 May 2024). "Meet the Chinese army's latest weapon: the gun-toting dog". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  28. ↑ "Chinese Robots Spark Fear Across the Aisle". Washington Trade & Tariff Letter. 7 May 2025. Archived from the original on 20 May 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  29. ↑ Somerville, Heather (8 June 2026). "U.S. Expands List of Chinese Tech Companies It Says Assist Beijing's Military". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 10 June 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  30. 1 2 Sabin, Sam (1 April 2025). "Chinese robotics manufacturer left backdoor in product". Axios. Archived from the original on 7 June 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  31. ↑ Mayoral-Vilches, Víctor; Makris, Andreas; Finisterre, Kevin (23 September 2025). "Cybersecurity AI: Humanoid Robots as Attack Vectors". arXiv:2509.14139v3 [cs.CR].
  32. ↑ "Exploit Allows for Takeover of Fleets of Unitree Robots". IEEE Spectrum. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
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