Overview
- JAL and GMO Internet Group announced Monday a May 2026 start for a two-year trial at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport using humanoid robots on tarmac baggage and cargo tasks.
- Media demonstrations showed Chinese-made models such as Unitree’s G1 pushing cargo onto a conveyor beside a JAL aircraft, with human staff overseeing safety.
- JAL Ground Service will set operational needs and evaluate safety, while GMO AI & Robotics Trading will supply the robots and program their movements.
- The companies say current limits include roughly two to three hours of battery life and early-stage movement skills, so the robots will assist workers rather than take on safety-critical roles.
- The rollout runs in phases through 2028 with possible expansion to cabin cleaning and ground-support equipment, responding to record tourism that hit 42.7 million visitors in 2025 and more than 7 million in the first two months of 2026.