Search

Humanoid Robot Achieves Controlled Flight Using Jet Propulsion and AI Systems

Italy’s iRonCub3 becomes the world’s first humanoid robot to fly using jets and AI systems.

Advertisement
Highlights
  • iRonCub3 becomes the first humanoid robot to fly using jet engines
  • AI-powered neural networks enable real-time aerodynamic flight control
  • Robot integrates multibody dynamics with thrust and balance strategies
Humanoid Robot Achieves Controlled Flight Using Jet Propulsion and AI Systems

iRonCub3 becomes the world’s first humanoid robot to fly using jets and AI controls.

Photo Credit: IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

A jet-powered human robot has taken to the skies, and this time it's managing to stay in the air and even move around mid-flight, thanks to some nifty AI and heavy integration. The iRonCub3, developed by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), managed to fly in the air at 50 cm off the ground during testing – a massive advance in the world of robotics. Engineered to operate in the real world, the 70-kilogram robot is powered by four microjet turbines and advanced neural controllers. This prototype of the testbed system can stably hover in gusty wind conditions. The study, inspired by two years of design, experimentation, and simulation, seeks to extend robotics into extreme, unstructured terrains with aerial capabilities.

AI-Controlled Humanoid Robot iRonCub3 Achieves Stable Jet-Powered Flight with Real-Time Aerodynamics

As per a Communications Engineering report, the project is spearheaded at IIT's Artificial and Mechanical Intelligence (AMI) Lab in Genoa by Daniele Pucci, along with Milan Polytechnic and Stanford University. The group designed a neural network-based real-time aero analysis integrated AI system. Such systems, learnt based on both experimental and simulation data, enable the robot to maintain stability in takeoff and during dynamic flight. Additional contributions include thermodynamic assessments, wind tunnel tests, and aerodynamic modelling of the robot's human-like multibody form.

Unlike traditional drones, the iRonCub3's limbs are elongated and movable, which forced researchers to develop models that could account for thrust, mass, and motion. Meanwhile, titanium spine reinforcements and heat-resistant components mean it can cope with exhaust from the turbines at a blistering 800°C, while precision sensors, integrated jet control, and body re-engineering allow for secure and precise takeoff and flight. Neural models manage rapidly shifting airflow and posture changes caused by limb motion.

Engineers used a co-design approach to determine optimal turbine placement and cooling strategies. The real-time AI feedback loop allows the robot to navigate flight with human-like balance, despite aerodynamic complexity. Hovering trials at IIT's facility have been successful; tests at Genoa Airport are next in line, complying with safety regulations.

The developed humanoid aerial robot can be used for disaster search and rescue, dangerous field inspection, and autonomous home exploration. Combining flight with human-like mobility, iRonCub3 marks a pioneering breakthrough in robotics and a potential model for agile machines designed to work in places where humans and traditional drones can't easily reach.

 

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.

Further reading: Robotics, Engineering
 
Show Full Article
Please wait...
Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Oppo Reno 14FS 5G Design and Specifications Leaked: Check Expected Price
  1. Oppo Reno 14FS 5G Price, Design and Specifications Leaked Ahead of Anticipated Debut
  2. Samsung Galaxy A07 Listed on Google Play Console With Design, Key Specifications: Report
  3. Microsoft SharePoint Hack: Probe on Whether Chinese Hackers Found Flaw via Alert
  4. Samsung Reportedly in Talks With OpenAI, Perplexity to Offer Gemini AI Alternatives on Galaxy S26 Series
  5. Redmi 15 Design Renders, Specifications Leaked; Tipped to Arrive in Three Colourways
  6. Google Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL Spotted in Moonstone Colourway Alongside Pixel Buds 2a and Pixel Watch 4
  7. Meta Names ChatGPT Co-Creator Shengjia Zhao as Chief Scientist of Superintelligence Lab
  8. Who-Fi: An AI-Powered Wi-Fi Technology That Can Identify and Track Individuals Without Cameras
  9. NASA’s X-59 Moves Closer to First Flight with Advanced Taxi Tests and Augmented Vision
  10. Unusual Plasma Waves Above Jupiter’s North Pole Can Possibly Be Explained
Gadgets 360 is available in
Download Our Apps
App Store App Store
Available in Hindi
App Store
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2025. All rights reserved.
Trending Products »
Latest Tech News »