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Morphing Robot Duo Walks, Drives and Takes to the Skies

Priyadharshini S October 22, 2025 | 1:50 PM Technology

Like something straight out of an early Transformers movie, researchers at Caltech have showcased how a humanoid robot and a drone can team up to achieve multiple modes of movement. The demonstration hints at exciting new possibilities in robotic locomotion.

Figure 1. Morphing Robot Duo Walks, Rolls and Flies.

"Right now, robots can fly, robots can drive, and robots can walk," says Aaron Ames, professor of mechanical and civil engineering, control and dynamical systems, and aerospace at Caltech. "Those are all great in certain scenarios. But how do we combine these different locomotion modes into a single system, so we can leverage the benefits of each while minimizing their drawbacks?" Figure 1 shows Morphing Robot Duo Walks, Rolls and Flies.

To explore this, Ames and his team started with an off-the-shelf G1 humanoid from China's Unitree Robotics. They mounted Caltech’s M4 bot—a drone-like robot that can fly or transform its rotor guards into wheels to roll along the ground—onto the humanoid’s back, creating the hybrid system named X1.

In a demonstration, the humanoid walked outdoors, bent forward, and allowed the M4 to take off from its back. The M4 then rolled along the ground until it reached a turtle pond, where it lifted off again to fly over the obstacle. You can watch the entire sequence in the accompanying video.

While the demonstration may look simply, it took the Caltech team roughly three years to work out all the logistics of combining the two robotic systems. First, they modified the Unitree humanoid to navigate autonomously, rather than just mimic human movements. They also had to ensure it could maintain balance with the M4 mounted on its back.

"The robot learns to walk according to the laws of physics," explains Ames. "So X1 can walk across different terrains, climb stairs, and—crucially—carry something like the M4 on its back."

The project was a collaborative effort between Caltech’s Center for Autonomous Systems and Technology, which developed the M4 robot; the Ames Lab, which focuses on locomotion and algorithms for the safe operation of robots; and TII, a team specializing in robotic sensing and autonomy.

"We’re focused on safety-critical control—making sure our systems are reliable and secure," says Ames. "We have multiple projects that go beyond this one, exploring different aspects of autonomy. By combining these efforts, we can tackle larger challenges and advance robotic autonomy in a meaningful and coordinated way."

Source: NEW ATLAS

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), Morphing Robot Duo Walks, Drives and Takes to the Skies, AnaTechMaz, pp.287

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