A wall-breaking robot that looks like something out of science fiction

Chinese company Unitree Robotics has begun selling the giant, half a million euro, bipedal GD01 robot, which is human-controlled and can break down walls. The groundbreaking achievement turns long-standing science fiction fantasies about controlling mechanical robots into reality, as it is the world's first mass-produced transformable mecha-robot with a human crew.

Photo: Unitree Robotics

Unitree Robotics, which has quickly established itself as one of the most productive manufacturers in the world, pleasantly surprised us with the GD01 robot. This technological machine is about 280 cm tall and allows a human pilot to climb into it and control it directly from an open cockpit in the fuselage. The robot can move upright on two legs in a humanoid pose or change its structure and switch to four legs, allowing it to overcome more difficult terrain. Promotional videos even showed its raw power when it successfully broke through a wall of concrete blocks.

Despite the impressive presentation, everyday use still seems a long way off. The starting price is almost 500 thousand euros, and the company has not yet revealed key technical details to the public, such as battery life, maximum speed, payload or operating time.

Unitree’s story began in 2016 in Hangzhou, when it was founded by engineer Wang Xingxing. It began with four-legged “robot dogs” inspired by research platforms such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot. Wang built his first four-legged prototype as part of his university thesis, before leaving drone giant DJI to start his own company. A decade later, Unitree controls about 70 percent of the global four-legged robot market. In 2025, the company had shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots, more than any other manufacturer in the world, including Tesla. Its robots even appeared on the highly-rated Spring Festival Gala in China.

The question of the utility of such a giant remains open. Unitree states that the GD01 is aimed at high-value markets, including industrial operations, emergency rescue and cultural tourism. In theory, such systems could help in natural disaster areas, collapsed buildings and dangerous industrial environments. Although there are obvious military attachments, Unitree explicitly labels the platform as civilian and urges users to use it safely.