Robotics dispatch — SAT · 25 JUL 2026

Launch

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology — Shim Hyun-chul, Kim Hyung-jun

The South Korean Navy tested Pibot, a humanoid robot developed by KAIST, as a ship's helmsman, following voice commands and operating controls in a simulator.

South Korean Navy tests humanoid robot as ship helmsman · upi.com

Launch

A New York school district will deploy a humanoid robot teacher in classrooms this fall, marking an early test of embodied AI in K-12 education.

New York school district to deploy humanoid robot teacher this fall · RochesterFirst

Launch

Tesla

Tesla has expanded its driverless taxi service to Orlando, marking another step in its effort to establish a robotaxi footprint amid intensifying competition.

Tesla expands driverless taxi service in Orlando as autonomous vehicle competition grows · FOX 35 Orlando

Launch

Anduril

Anduril's Thunder is an autonomous attack helicopter designed to carry and deploy strike munitions without a pilot.

Anduril Thunder Autonomous Attack Rotorcraft Is a Flying Arsenal of Strike Munitions · autoevolution

Launch

Manna · Matternet

Manna and Matternet are expanding their autonomous delivery drone operations across the United States.

Autonomous drone delivery companies Manna, Matternet expand US operations · Unmanned airspace

Launch

Humanoid · NVIDIA

Humanoid demonstrated its KinetIQ fleet-management system at NVIDIA GTC, orchestrating multiple robots to interpret voice commands and coordinate physical tasks in real time.

Humanoid Brings Voice-Activated Multi-Robot Collaboration Powered by KinetIQ to Life at NVIDIA GTC · Humanoid

Launch

Wing · Google · Walmart · DoorDash

Wing, Google's drone-delivery subsidiary, is expanding its service to the San Francisco Bay Area after completing over 750,000 residential deliveries across other major U.S. cities.

Wing's homecoming: Bringing drone delivery to the Bay Area · Wing

Launch

Wayve · Uber · Nissan

Wayve, the London autonomous-driving startup, will supply its AI driving system to Uber and Nissan for robotaxi deployment.

Wayve, Uber and Nissan Announce Collaboration on Robotaxis · Wayve

Funding

Humanoid

Humanoid, a European robotics startup, has raised $152 million at a $1.35 billion valuation, joining the unicorn club as physical AI companies command investor appetite.

Humanoid Raises $152 Million At $1.35 Billion Valuation: Europe’s Newest Robot Unicorn · Forbes

Funding

Perceptual Robotics

Perceptual Robotics raised £4 million to expand its wind-turbine inspection drones, a system designed to catch structural damage that human climbers and traditional methods miss.

Perceptual Robotics Gets £4 Million to Scale Turbine Inspection Drones · Dronelife

Research

University of California, San Diego — Shanglei Liu, Ryan Broderick

Humanoid robots, guided by surgeons at UCSD, successfully performed gallbladder removal on pigs for the first time, suggesting remote surgery could reach underserved areas.

For The First Time Ever, Humanoid Robots Perform Surgery on Live Animals · ScienceAlert

Research

Waymo

Waymo published a peer-reviewed study finding its robotaxis were involved in fewer crashes than human drivers across Austin, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.

Study: Waymo robotaxis had fewer crashes than human drivers across four cities · KEYE

Opinion

Tesla — Elon Musk

Elon Musk tempers expectations for Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot, warning that production will climb slowly and flatly before ramping up.

Musk Updates Progress of Tesla's Optimus Humanoid Robot, Warns of Initial 'Long and Flat' Production Ramp · AI Insider

Opinion

Hyundai Motor Group — Euisun Chung

Hyundai Motor Group's Euisun Chung outlines a strategic vision for physical AI at a San Francisco summit, though without announcing specific products or deployments.

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung Announces Physical AI Vision at San Francisco AI Summit · PR Newswire

Opinion

Waymo

A former Waymo employee comments on a Las Vegas autonomous-vehicle crash, offering analysis rather than reporting a new incident.

Former Waymo employee offers insights after Las Vegas crash involving autonomous vehicle · KLAS 8 News Now

Opinion

Waymo · Uber

A report suggests Waymo is considering ending its partnership with Uber as autonomous taxi competition intensifies, though no official confirmation has been made.

Waymo Eyes Uber Exit as Robotaxi Rivalry Heats Up: Report · Benzinga

Other

Polish robotics teams competed in an international robot combat competition, demonstrating domestic engineering capability in physical AI systems.

Polish robot fighters punch above their weight in global showdown · TVP World

Other

CGTN

Chinese manufacturers are deploying humanoid robots in factories to handle repetitive assembly and material-handling tasks as labor costs rise.

China's humanoid robots face their real test on the factory floor · news.cgtn.com