Unitree Robotics
Chinese robotics company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hangzhou Yushu Technology Co., Ltd. (杭州宇树科技有限公司), doing business as Unitree Robotics, is a robotics company based in Hangzhou, China. Founded by Wang Xingxing in May 2016, Unitree initially specialized in quadruped robots for the consumer market. In 2024, the company began producing humanoid robots, with the most recent model debuting at US$16,000.
| |
 Headquarters in Hangzhou | |
| Unitree Robotics | |
Native name | 杭州宇树科技有限公司 |
Romanized name | Hángzhōu yǔ shù kējì yǒuxiàn gōngsī |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | |
| Founded | August 26, 2016 |
| Founder | Wang Xingxing |
| Headquarters | , China |
Key people | Wang Xingxing (CEO) |
Number of employees | 500[1] (2025) |
| Website | unitree.com |
History
In 2013, Wang Xingxing developed quadrupeds during his postgraduate studies at Shanghai University. On August 26, 2016, Wang Xingxing registered and established "Hangzhou Unitree Technology Co., Ltd." in a 50 square meter 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 to 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 for US$16,000. 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.[6]
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.[7]
In April 2025, the South China Morning Post reported that Unitree was exploring the possibility of holding an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong.[8] In July 2025, the company began its IPO tutoring process with CITIC Securities.[9]
Products
Unitree also received backing from venture capitals such as HongShan, Matrix Partners, and Shunwei Capital.[10]
- 2013 to 2016 – XDog
- 2021 – Go1
- 2023 – Go2, H1, B2
- 2024 – G1
- 2025 – R1, A2, H2
Unitree B1 (top) and Go1
Unitree G1
Humanoid and quadruped robots
Awards
In July 2025, the company was one of the winners of the WIPO Global Awards by the World Intellectual Property Organization in the category of information and communications technology for small and medium enterprises.[11][12]
Controversies
Use by the military
In August 2022, Unitree denied allegations about reports of their Go1 robot being used by the Russian Armed Forces.[13]
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.[14]
In May 2024, The Guardian reported that the Unitree Go2 robot has been used during China's joint military drills with Cambodia, having an automatic rifle on its back. According to the newspaper, this was based on footage broadcast by China Central Television.[15] Unitree, on the same month, stated that they do not sell their products to the People's Liberation Army.[10]
In May 2025, the US House Select Committee on China requested that the Federal Communications Commission, the US Department of Commerce, and the US Department of Defense investigate Unitree regarding alleged connections to the People's Liberation Army and its military–civil fusion programs.[16]
In August 2024, Forbes reported that the Armed Forces of Ukraine has deployed a fleet of robot dogs to the frontline. A Ukraine commander states his team was using these robot dogs to explore inside buildings and trenches, where drones can hardly reach. These robot dogs are supplied by a British security company named Brit Alliance. The company purchased Unitree Go2 Pro from China at a cost of US$3,500 per unit, then weaponized it with thermal-infrared camera and other military modification. A Go2 Pro can carry up to 9 lbs of payload, which makes it versatile in various battlefield tasks such as carrying supplies and ammunition, or a robot arm to open doors, or conducting a kamikaze attack if necessary.[17]
Security
In April 2025, security researchers alleged that Unitree had put backdoors into their products that allowed the company to remotely access Unitree devices and even other devices on the same network.[18][19] Unitree responded by denying that it was an intentional backdoor, and that it was a vulnerability that has since been fixed.[19]
In September 2025, security researchers published that 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.[20] Also in September 2025, the same security researchers published[21] 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[update] Unitree has declined to comment.
