World’s First Jet-Powered Humanoid Robot Takes Flight in Italy

A humanoid robot powered by jet turbines and guided by artificial intelligence has successfully completed its first test flight in Italy, marking a major milestone in robotics.

Credit: Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence

The robot, named iRonCub3, hovered about 50 centimetres off the ground while maintaining balance, according to researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Weighing 70 kg and equipped with four jet engines—two on its arms and two on a backpack unit—iRonCub3 is designed to operate in real-world environments that require both aerial mobility and human-like movement.

Credit: Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence

The robot’s turbines produce over 1,000 newtons of thrust and expel exhaust gases at 800°C. To withstand these extreme conditions, the robot features a titanium spine and heat-resistant coverings.

iRonCub3 is based on the third generation of IIT’s iCub humanoid robot and is teleoperated. The project took two years of development and flight testing.

“This research is radically different from traditional humanoid robotics and forced us to make a substantial leap forward with respect to the state of the art,” said Daniele Pucci, head of the Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence Lab at IIT.

Unlike drones, iRonCub3 has movable limbs and an elongated body, which create shifting aerodynamics and a dynamic centre of mass. To address this, researchers developed new flight control models and real-time aerodynamic estimators.

The IIT team collaborated with the Polytechnic of Milan for wind tunnel testing and with Stanford University for machine learning integration.

“Our models include neural networks trained on simulated and experimental data and are integrated into the robot’s control architecture to guarantee stable flight,” said Antonello Paolino, first author of the research paper.

These AI-powered systems enable the robot to respond to turbulent airflows and shifting limb positions during flight, as well as manage rapid transitions such as sequential jet ignition.

A co-design approach was used to optimise the robot’s shape and engine placement, ensuring maximum flight control under extreme thermal and aerodynamic conditions.

Researchers conducted numerous simulations and experimental tests to refine thrust sensors, heat management systems, and automated takeoff and landing planners.

Initial flight tests were conducted in IIT’s indoor lab. Future tests will take place at a dedicated flight area at Genoa Airport, developed in collaboration with Aeroporto di Genova.

Potential applications for flying humanoid robots include disaster response, toxic environment operations, and missions requiring both flight and manipulation capabilities.

The research findings were published in Nature Communications Engineering.

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• iRonCub3 is the world’s first jet-powered humanoid robot

• Developed by the Italian Institute of Technology, it hovered 50 cm during test flight

• The robot uses AI and four jet engines to maintain stability in mid-air

Source: INTERESTING ENGINEERING