UTree G1 to be Deployed at Haneda Airport to Assist Ground Staff with Baggage and Cargo Handling
Starting in May of this year, Japan Airlines will pilot the deployment of UTree Technology's G1 humanoid robot at Haneda Airport in Japan. The G1 will assist human ground staff with baggage and cargo handling, addressing the challenges of increasing tourist numbers and labor shortages. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, over 7 million tourists have arrived in Japan from January to February 2026. However, the country's aging population continues to worsen, and Japan may need over 6.5 million foreign workers by 2040 to maintain economic growth.
During the demonstration, the robot was able to transport cargo to the aircraft conveyor belt and make gestures towards nearby staff, showcasing its initial collaborative capabilities in a real production environment.
Japan Airlines stated that applying robots to physically demanding labor can significantly reduce employee stress and improve overall working conditions, but key responsibilities such as safety management will still be controlled by humans.
The pilot program is also being assisted by GMO Internet Group, who first used NVIDIA Isaac Simulator to train the robot to complete tasks in a virtual environment.
By creating a digital twin of the robot through motion capture and video data, simulating the human learning process in a computer virtual scenario, and then transferring the twin data to the real robot after optimization, smooth operation in the real environment can be achieved.