Beijing’s Half-Marathon Robots Prove to be Also-Rans. But They’ll Be Back

The world’s first half-marathon for humanoid robots was held in suburban Beijing, drawing both public attention and industry scrutiny as robots ran alongside 12,000 human participants on a 21-kilometer (13-mile) course. Although the event featured impressive displays of robotic mobility, it underscored major challenges facing robotics—such as endurance, stability, and reliability—on the path to mainstream adoption. Over 20 robots participated, yet only six completed the entire race, with the majority falling far behind their human competitors and several failing even to cross the finish line. [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3]

Tiangong Ultra, a humanoid robot developed by UBTech and the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, emerged as the fastest robot, completing the course in two hours and 40 minutes. It achieved a top speed of 12 km/h but fell at the 15-kilometer mark and required three battery swaps. Robots from Noetix Robotics and Droid Robot secured second and third place, while some contenders, such as one from Unitree Robotics—famous for a viral dance at the Spring Festival Gala—were unable to finish due to early stumbles. [para. 4][para. 5][para. 6][para. 7]

The challenges faced by these robots included falls, malfunctions, and hardware failures. For instance, a robot from Noetix lost its head in a fall, while others dropped out of the competition shortly after the start. Hardware issues such as poor heat dissipation, fragile structures, and limitations in algorithms were cited by experts as key areas for improvement. Among the teams that finished, five replaced their robots during the race, with one team switching robots up to five times, indicating the current lack of long-term reliability. [para. 6][para. 8]

While the marathon provided a valuable test of robotic stability, it did not assess other crucial competencies like manipulation or full-body coordination. Supply chain issues were also revealed, as manufacturers often had to create specialized parts in-house due to a lack of dedicated suppliers, leading to complications such as overheating and instability when adapting components from industrial robots. [para. 9][para. 10]

From an investment standpoint, factors such as energy efficiency, reliability, repair time, and durability are currently seen as higher priorities than speed. Investors hope publicity from events like these will drive further progress in the robotics industry. Significantly, several leading firms from China’s main technology regions—including Unitree, EngineAI, AgiBot, and Galbot—did not participate, with time constraints cited as a reason by AgiBot, a Shanghai-based company valued at 15 billion yuan. [para. 11][para. 12]

Despite current performance limitations, development within the humanoid robotics field is accelerating. Some startups assert they can construct a walking robot in as little as three months, and program basic walking abilities within a week. Nonetheless, leading industry figures caution against overestimating present capabilities; experts like Tu Danning liken current humanoid ability to that of toddlers, suggesting practical applications in homes or workplaces are still years away. Yao Maoqing of AgiBot predicts meaningful household utility will require five more years of development, but expresses optimism that humanoid robots may find broader use in specialized fields, in contrast to autonomous vehicles, due to manageable consequences in failure scenarios. [para. 13][para. 14][para. 15]