Shenzhen-based Pudu Robotics, the Chinese service robot giant, unveiled its latest high-tech robot dog, the D5, at the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) in Tokyo, drawing major crowds. Founded by former Hong Kong University of Science and Technology engineering student Felix Zhang Tao, Pudu is using the quadruped to spearhead its global expansion, with Europe now accounting for 30 per cent of its revenue.
The pale-grey, nearly one-metre-tall D5 demonstrated its agility by navigating steps and rolling on wheels through the exhibition hall, showcasing advancements that position it against Chinese rivals like Unitree Robotics and Deep Robotics.
Powered by Nvidia’s Orin chip and equipped with advanced lidar and fisheye cameras, the dog is designed for all-weather, autonomous operation. “Robot dogs have great application potential, from inspection and delivery to a wide range of industry-specific functions,” said Felix Zhang, Pudu’s founder and CEO, in an interview with the South China Morning Post.
Pudu’s journey from a food-delivery robot startup in 2016 to a global player with over 100,000 robots sold in 80 countries highlights China’s growing dominance in the service robotics sector.
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Zhang, a serial entrepreneur, attributes this success to a vast network of more than 700 global distributors and a pragmatic approach to development. “We work backwards, from what customers need, and that tells us what kind of robots must be built,” he explained, according to the Post.
The company’s international footprint is significant, with Europe constituting its largest market at 30 per cent of revenue, followed by the Americas and Asia-Pacific at 20 per cent each. Despite rising geopolitical tensions, Pudu’s business in Japan—where it partners with giants like SoftBank—remains unaffected. This expansion is fueled by China’s advantages in rapid product iteration and declining manufacturing costs, allowing firms like Pudu to outpace Japanese competitors in the service robot arena.
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The D5 represents more than just a new product; it’s a stepping stone in Pudu’s broader ambition. Zhang revealed the company is now exploring specialized robots, semi-humanoid robots, and ultimately humanoid robots, aligning with a heated sector in China backed by supportive government policy. Morgan Stanley analysts note that leading Chinese robot makers have announced orders worth over 2 billion yuan (US$282 million) recently, though they caution that technical limitations may constrain near-term explosive growth.
After nearly a decade of operations, Pudu is nearing break-even and preparing for an initial public offering (IPO), a notable milestone for a company that has raised over 1 billion yuan across ten funding rounds. This comes after a period of reported layoffs and restructuring in 2022, underscoring the competitive and capital-intensive nature of the robotics industry. For Pudu, the D5 robot dog is not just a showcase of technical prowess but a strategic ambassador in its ongoing charm offensive to capture the global market’s imagination and commercial demand.
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