Real-life Transformers: China’s Unitree debuts ‘mecha’ robot that shifts from 2 legs to 4

AdvertisementRoboticsTechTech TrendsReal-life Transformers: China’s Unitree debuts ‘mecha’ robot that shifts from 2 legs to 4

The GD01 expands the Hangzhou-based company’s portfolio at a time when Chinese manufacturers are significantly outstripping their US rivals

2-MIN READ2-MIN Listen

Minxiao Changin ShenzhenPublished: 4:54pm, 12 May 2026Updated: 5:09pm, 12 May 2026

Bridging the gap between science fiction and reality, a Chinese robotics firm on Tuesday unveiled a manned “mecha” capable of transitioning between bipedal walking and four-legged mode.

Developed by Unitree Robotics, the GD01 – resembling an Autobot from a Transformers movie – is a high-strength alloy machine designed for civilian transport. It weighs 500kg with a pilot on board – roughly the weight of a grand piano – and carries a starting price of 3.9 million yuan (US$573,674), according to the company.

A demonstration video shows the GD01 – carrying a pilot in its torso-mounted cockpit – walking like a humanoid robot and knocking over a brick wall with its hand. The machine then reconfigures its chassis, shifting into a four-legged crawl.

Advertisement

Unitree described the robot as the world’s first mass-produced “transformable mecha”.

The GD01 expands the Hangzhou-based company’s portfolio at a time when Chinese manufacturers are significantly outstripping their US rivals, helped by lower production costs and faster manufacturing scale-up.

Chinese companies accounted for nearly 90 per cent of global humanoid sales in 2025, according to research firm Omdia. Unitree shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year, a person with knowledge of the matter told the South China Morning Post in January.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x