JAL Ground Service and GMO AI & Robotics Trading will begin a demonstration experiment in May 2026 to assess the use of humanoid robots in airport ground handling operations in Japan. The robots used in the trial are manufactured by China’s Unitree Robotics. GMO AI & Robotics Trading will supply the robots and develop and optimize their motion programs for airport operations.
JAL Ground Service, which handles aircraft towing, baggage and cargo loading and unloading, and other ground operations for the JAL Group at major domestic airports, is working with GMO AI & Robotics Trading, a GMO Internet Group company focused on AI and robotics implementation.
The project will examine whether humanoid robots can support ground handling work, an area that still relies heavily on manual labor and skilled staff. Ground handling tasks often take place in confined areas around aircraft and involve the operation of ground support equipment with varying designs. According to the companies, conventional fixed automation systems and single-function robots have been difficult to apply flexibly to existing airport infrastructure and operational workflows.
The companies said the human-shaped design of humanoid robots could allow them to be introduced without major changes to airport facilities or aircraft structures. Potential future applications include baggage loading, cabin cleaning and operation of ground support equipment.
The demonstration will proceed in phases. The companies plan to first visualize and analyze airport operations to identify areas where humanoid robots can work safely. They will then conduct repeated operational tests simulating airport environments, with the aim of determining how robots could complement human tasks while reducing labor requirements and physical workload.
JAL Ground Service will provide operational knowledge, define business requirements and evaluate compliance with safety standards. GMO AI & Robotics Trading will provide the humanoid robots and develop and optimize their motion programs for airport operations, drawing on its humanoid dispatch service and research and development activities at GMO Humanoid Lab Shibuya Showcase.
The companies said the project is intended to address labor shortages in ground handling, which have been linked to rising inbound tourism and Japan’s declining working-age population.
