A Chinese robotics company has unveiled a rideable mech that allows users to pilot their own giant robot for the first time.
The machine, called GD01, was revealed by Unitree Robotics on May 12, 2026. The company is already known for its viral backflipping and kung-fu-style robots showcased during Chinese New Year performances.
Unlike the heavily armed mechs seen in sci-fi franchises like Gundam or Titanfall, the GD01 is designed as a civilian vehicle. Unitree says the robot should be used in a “friendly and safe manner,” though the company demonstrated the mech smashing through a brick wall during its reveal.
One of the robot’s standout features is its ability to switch between walking upright on two legs and moving on all fours like a mechanical animal.
The GD01 weighs roughly 500 kilograms with a pilot inside and is expected to cost more than $650,000, making it one of the world’s first commercially available rideable mechs.
Unitree has not announced an official release date yet, but the reveal marks another major step in the growing race to develop advanced humanoid robotics and real-world mech technology.