Where a torso would typically be, the GD01 features a human cockpit. In the debut video, Unitree CEO Wang Xingxing was seen operating the machine from inside. The robot is capable of moving on both two and four limbs, and footage shows it demolishing a wall of concrete blocks with ease. The company has classified the GD01 as a "civilian vehicle" and urged users to operate it in a friendly and safe manner.

The GD01 is the latest addition to the lineup of the Hangzhou-based firm, which has been on a remarkable run recently. In December 2025, six of its G1 humanoid robots performed as stunt dancers at a concert, executing synchronized forward flips. In May 2026, a Unitree humanoid robot participated in a Buddhist ordination ceremony in Seoul, taking monastic vows and being dressed in traditional grey-brown robes.

On the commercial side, Unitree has set an ambitious target of selling up to 20,000 humanoid robots in 2026 — nearly four times the roughly 5,500 units sold the previous year. Its entry-level R1 model is priced at around $6,000, with international sales handled through AliExpress. Chinese-made androids have already begun appearing in airports and other logistics facilities around the world.