Summary:

 

Tiangong Ultra, developed by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center in collaboration with UBTech Robotics, made history by winning the world’s first humanoid robot half-marathon in Beijing (April 19, 2025) in a time of 2 hours 40 minutes 42 seconds. Standing approximately 1.80 m tall and weighing around 52–55 kg, it achieved peak speeds of up to 12 km/h and undertook multiple battery swaps mid-race. Its architecture leverages the “Hui Si Kai Wu” general-purpose embodied-intelligence platform and optimized motion control algorithms to handle terrain, endurance and thermal loads.

 

 

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🟣 Editorial – Tiangong Ultra: Beyond the Finish Line

 

By Humanoid Press Editorial Desk – [Insert date]

 

It was scarcely more than a year ago that the notion of a full-sized humanoid robot completing a half-marathon seemed beyond the realm of everyday robotics. Yet on April 19, 2025, Tiangong Ultra did exactly that — crossing the 21.1-kilometer finish line in Beijing’s Yizhuang district, not as an assistant turned lab novelty, but as a competitor in a sporting event.

 

Built under the stewardship of the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center and powered by UBTech, Tiangong Ultra stands at 1.80 m and weighs roughly 52–55 kg — dimensions that echo human proportions more closely than many previous research platforms. According to published reports, its top speed reached around 12 km/h, thanks to enhanced leg length, refined gait control and a system capable of three rapid battery swaps mid-race. 

 

Why does this matter beyond the spectacle? Because the race laid bare the gaps and glimmers in modern humanoid design. Tiangong didn’t just walk: it ran, navigated slopes and bumps, spat out seconds down a clock, and swallowed the mechanical stress that normally confines robots to static labs. Yet the victory also came with compromises: the machine was supported by human teams, its battery had to be swapped multiple times, and its terrain was carefully managed. 

 

In some ways, Tiangong Ultra is less a finished product than a milestone — not of commercial readiness, but of ambition. It shows that robots built for endurance, stability and real-world movement are moving from concept to proof-of-system. For Humanoid Press readers, the key takeaway is this: the frontier in humanoid robotics is no longer just about lifelike hands or facial expressions. It’s about motion under load, resilience over time, and systems that endure the messy, unpredictable world.

 

China’s robotics industry has leveraged national strategy, corporate muscle and research scale in ways many observers view as a global signal. Tiangong Ultra may not yet deploy in factories or homes, but it is already a symbol of engineering shift — where humanoids are tested not in sterile labs but in 21-kilometer courses. The step from lab demo to half-marathon finish may not guarantee mass-market success, but it is one giant

stride toward it.

 

Image: robotbids