Heavy Load, Obstacle Crossing, Long Endurance: China's Quadruped Robots Move from Showmanship to Real-World Deployment
— Lingsi Robotics Leverages Chassis Control Know-How to Build a High-Payload Platform
At the inaugural FAIR plus 2025 Robot Industry Chain Expo (April 24–26, 2025) held at the Shenzhen Futian Convention and Exhibition Center, a domestically developed quadruped robot capable of carrying over 100 kg, traversing rough terrain, and maintaining long battery life captured widespread attention. The robot is developed by Guangdong Lingsi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., backed by a team that has transitioned from the field of automotive chassis control.
On-site at the event, Mr. Li Huagang, Marketing Director of Lingsi Robotics, sat down with Chen Lu, Editor-in-Chief of ChinaExportsemi, to share insights into their approach to developing heavy-duty quadruped robots, their technical strengths, and deployment roadmap.
Figure: Li Huagang, Marketing Director at Lingsi Robotics, interviewed by China Export Semiconductor Network at FAIR plus 2025
1. From Automotive-Grade Chassis Control to Quadruped Robotics
Lingsi Robotics didn't begin in the robotics industry. According to Li Huagang, the core team initially specialized in drive-by-wire control technologies for automotive-grade intelligent chassis, serving autonomous vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. This deep expertise in motion control systems laid a strong foundation for the company’s pivot into quadruped robotics.
“We have end-to-end capabilities—from joint controllers and motion algorithms to full system integration,” Li explained. “It’s this technical foundation that enabled our smooth transition into quadruped robot platform development.”
Lingsi’s controllers adopt a closed-loop design with automotive-grade reliability, having been tested and optimized across various industry scenarios. The quadruped robot’s joint actuators can essentially be seen as an extension of automotive drive-by-wire systems in another dimension. With experience in dynamic modeling, controller tuning, and multi-sensor fusion, Lingsi found the shift into robotics both natural and efficient.
2. Outstanding Load Capacity: Outperforming Conventional Platforms
Lingsi’s current flagship product—a heavy-duty quadruped robot—has undergone field testing in multiple scenarios and boasts standout specifications among its domestic peers. The platform supports a maximum lifting capacity of 100 kg and is recommended for continuous payloads of 50 kg, delivering excellent stability.
“Our defined ‘optimal working range’ is between 25 to 50 kg, where system efficiency is highest and the robot can operate for over four hours,” Li noted.
This high payload capacity allows the robot to tackle far more intensive tasks than traditional inspection robots and to carry a broader range of functional modules. Compared to wheeled robots, which are constrained by terrain, and bulky, inefficient tracked platforms, Lingsi’s quadruped robots combine load-bearing strength with agile obstacle negotiation, making them ideal for complex outdoor operations.
Demonstration videos at the expo showed the robot traversing unstructured terrain such as gravel, grass, and slopes with stability. It can climb slopes up to 45 degrees and operate safely at up to 30-degree inclines, striking a balance between safety and versatility.
3. Focused on Power Grid Inspection with Broader Applications Ahead
Currently, Lingsi is primarily targeting the power grid inspection market. “More than half of our current customer demand comes from the electric utility sector, including high-voltage line and substation inspections,” Li said. These scenarios often involve complex terrains and hazardous environments, demanding high payload capacity and adaptability.
Lingsi is also working with clients in the petrochemical, public security, and academic research sectors. For instance, in chemical plants, the robots perform routine inspections and data collection under high-temperature conditions; in law enforcement, the platforms are used for transporting hazardous materials and front-line reconnaissance; in academia, they serve as platforms for simulating mobile systems and researching terrain-adaptive algorithms.
In other words, Lingsi's quadruped robot is not a lab prototype, but a field-ready engineering product. “Our clients care most about whether the robot can get the job done,” Li emphasized. “So we focus on reliability and task completion above all.”
Photo: Lingsi Robotics quadruped robot demonstrating stability at FAIR plus 2025
4. Solving the "Showmanship" Dilemma in China’s Robot Industry
In recent years, quadruped robots have frequently gone viral in online videos, often seen as poster children for technological showmanship. Yet many of these robots remain stuck in the demonstration phase and are not ready for real-world use.
“We’ve seen robots that dance, somersault, and do parkour. They’re visually impressive but fall short in actual task execution,” Li noted. “At Lingsi, we’ve chosen a different path—practical engineering. We don’t chase hype or viral fame. We focus on building products that are affordable, durable, and truly useful for our customers.”
This practical approach reflects a larger trend: quadruped robots are rapidly transitioning from labs to real-world industry settings, with reliability, task efficiency, and service cost as the core drivers. Underpinning this transformation is control over key components and core systems.
5. In-House Development: From Actuators to System Integration
To ensure long-term performance and responsiveness, Lingsi has independently developed joint-level motor controllers and communication modules while optimizing overall structural design. The company’s core drive modules are now ready for mass production and can be adapted to various quadruped robot configurations.
“Our systems are also designed with modularity, cable routing, and protection in mind, making them easier to deploy and maintain,” said Li.
True intelligent robotics requires solving three layers: movement, perception, and task understanding. Lingsi’s approach starts with mastering mobility before gradually layering on intelligence modules—an approach increasingly shared across the industry.
6. Practical-First Strategy: Avoiding Blind “AI Overload” and Targeting Real-World Needs
While many companies are branding their robots as “AI-powered,” Li believes that artificial intelligence, especially large language models or general-purpose AI, has limited impact on current robot deployment.
“We believe AI is the future, but today, our customers don’t necessarily want smarter robots—they want robots that listen and obey,” Li explained. Lingsi’s current priority is to ensure its robots can walk stably, carry heavy loads, and adapt to harsh environments. Edge computing modules are then used to integrate customers’ existing perception or analysis systems. AI is a value-add—but usability is the foundation.
Current use cases include power grid inspections—such as transmission lines, substations, and even nuclear power facilities. Lingsi is also entering the petrochemical sector, while supporting research and public safety efforts. “As robot capabilities improve,” Li added, “we believe new application scenarios will emerge—like using robotic arms to perform operations in hazardous environments, which holds huge potential.”
7. Conclusion: China's Heavy-Duty Robots Enter the "Practical Era"
The development of Lingsi Robotics may serve as a microcosm of the Chinese robot industry’s evolution—from flashy demonstrations to practical, engineered solutions; from research labs to real-world deployments. Quadruped robots are stepping into an era of usability.
As a representative player in the heavy-duty robotics space, Lingsi is addressing real industry needs with real technical capabilities. Their emphasis on control fundamentals, reliability, and load-bearing efficiency may well point the way forward for China's robotics breakthrough.
“In the end, robots aren’t for show—they’re here to work.”
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This article is produced by the Yeehai Global Institute / China Exportsemi. Unauthorized reproduction or excerpting is prohibited. For reprint or collaboration inquiries, please contact the editorial team at: china.exportsemi@ehaitech.com.
