Robotics dispatch — FRI · 14 AUG 2026

Launch

Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology · Smart Analytics Global — Jiang Guangzhi, Beril Canakci

Over two thousand humanoid robots from sixteen countries converge in Beijing this month for competitions testing machines on soccer, martial arts, and factory work.

Over 2,000 humanoid robots to compete in Beijing games · Anadolu Ajansı

Launch

Unitree

Unitree is debuting its humanoid robot at Shanghai's trade show, staking China's claim in a global race to commercialize physical AI.

Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree powers up for stellar Shanghai debut · Reuters

Launch

LG Group

LG Group is planning to unveil a humanoid robot in early 2027, marking the conglomerate's entry into physical AI robotics.

LG Group plans humanoid robot reveal in early 2027 - report · Investing.com

Launch

Unitree Robotics

Unitree Robotics has deployed roughly 18,000 of its humanoid robots, marking a significant scale-up in physical AI adoption.

Unitree Robotics rolls out around 18,000 humanoid robots to date · Gasgoo

Launch

Unidata

Unidata is deploying a network of data-capture stations designed to train and coordinate humanoid robots in real-world environments.

Unidata Launches a Network of Data-Capture Stations for Humanoid Robots · The Des Moines Register

Launch

LG · Nvidia

LG and Nvidia are expanding their robotics partnership to develop humanoid and factory robots, marking a concrete step toward commercializing embodied AI.

LG, Nvidia Expand Robotics Collaboration With New Humanoid, Factory Robot Plans · theaiinsider.tech

Launch

Uber Technologies · Uber · Pony.ai — Dara Khosrowshahi

Uber's Robotaxi Blitz: 2,000 Pony.ai Cars for Europe, Plus a Tokyo Push

Uber is moving on two fronts at once: a deal with China's Pony.ai to deploy 2,000 robotaxis across Europe, and an expansion into Japan, where a Tokyo pilot is underway. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called Japan a 'terrific' market for the company, framing the rollout as proof that Uber can scale autonomous rides globally by stacking partnerships rather than building its own self-driving tech. The strategy bets that sheer fleet size and geographic reach can outpace the regulatory and technical snags that have dogged robotaxi rivals.

Read the full story → · Sources: simplywall.st · CNBC · Yahoo Finance

Launch

Waymo · Las Vegas Raiders · Allegiant Stadium

Waymo will operate autonomous shuttles for Las Vegas Raiders fans attending events at Allegiant Stadium, expanding its ride-hailing footprint into sports venue logistics.

Waymo Partners with Las Vegas Raiders & Allegiant Stadium · CleanTechnica

Launch

Anduril

Anduril revealed an armed drone gunship designed to operate alongside Apache helicopters, targeting the most vulnerable crew positions in attack formations.

Anduril unveiled an armed drone gunship to fly with Apaches, and the crew it replaces was the one taking the most risk · OkDiario

Launch

Shield AI

Shield AI deployed an autonomous drone swarm in Taiwan that operated without human pilots, demonstrating the company's advances in fully autonomous flight.

Shield AI Flies Taiwan Drone Swarm Without Human Pilots · Dallas Innovates

Launch

Greek Shipyards · AI Firm

A Greek shipyard has partnered with an AI firm to develop an autonomous sea drone, marking the country's entry into maritime robotics.

Greek Shipyards and AI Firm Join Forces to Build Autonomous Sea Drone · GreekReporter.com

Launch

Japanese start-up

A Japanese startup has built a drone that autonomously hunts and electrocutes mosquitoes in flight, though the technology remains unproven at scale.

Japanese Start-Up Creates Drone That Hunts Mosquitoes and Zaps Them Mid-Air. We're Not Convinced Yet · ZME Science

Launch

Skydio — Mira Marquez, Ryan Blinn

Skydio conducted over 10,000 drone flights during the 2026 FIFA World Cup to support public safety operations, demonstrating scaled deployment of its autonomous systems in a major sporting event.

2026 FIFA World Cup Public Safety Drone Operations · Skydio

Research

National Science Foundation · University of Virginia · Indy Autonomous Challenge · Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NSF-funded researchers at the University of Virginia won the Indy Autonomous Challenge by pushing a driverless race car to 171 miles per hour, proving high-speed testing accelerates autonomous vehicle safety.

NSF-funded researchers push driverless race cars to the limit to improve the performance and safety of autonomous vehicles · U.S. National Science Foundation (.gov)

Opinion

Unitree Robotics · DeepSeek · AgiBot · Leju Robotics — Hao Hong, Dominik Pross, Will Zhang

Unitree Robotics, China's leading humanoid-robot maker, priced its IPO at $9 billion despite skeptics questioning whether the acrobatic machines can actually do useful work.

China built robots that can do backflips – but can they make money? · CNBC

Opinion

Waymo

A Nashville news outlet examines the regulatory gray area surrounding Waymo's autonomous vehicle operations in the city.

Metro Police can pull them over, but who regulates Waymo cars in Nashville? · WZTV

Opinion

Zoox

Axios reports on Zoox's methodology for validating autonomous vehicle safety, without announcing a new product or deployment.

Exclusive: How Zoox decided its robotaxi was safe · Axios