“You Thought Drones Were Advanced? Wait Until You See This Jet-Powered Humanoid”

In a stunning leap for robotics and artificial intelligence, researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) have achieved what once seemed impossible: they’ve built a humanoid robot that flies using jet engines—and controls itself with AI.

The project, called iRonCub3, is the world’s first flying humanoid robot to hover autonomously using onboard jet propulsion. The feat marks a new era where machine learning, aerodynamics, and human-like motion are merged into a single airborne system.

The Science Behind iRonCub3

Unlike traditional drones, iRonCub3 is designed with a full humanoid body—arms, legs, and joints. This complex geometry presents serious flight challenges. Unlike symmetrical quadcopters, a humanoid robot has shifting mass, asymmetric limb motion, and unpredictable airflow across its surface. These factors create an aerodynamic nightmare. And yet, iRonCub3 hovers steadily.

Here’s how:

Jet Propulsion System

The robot is equipped with four JetCat P250 Pro turbines: two are mounted on the forearms and two are housed in a backpack. Together, they generate over 1,000 newtons of thrust, enabling the 50-kg robot to hover at about half a meter off the ground. Exhaust gases reach up to 800°C, necessitating a titanium spine and heat-resistant shielding to protect internal components.

Real-Time Aerodynamic Intelligence

IIT’s engineers built a sophisticated AI-driven control system that uses deep neural networks trained on data from wind tunnel experiments and computational fluid dynamics simulations. This system continuously estimates lift, drag, and thrust forces on the robot’s limbs in real time, allowing it to make micro-adjustments while airborne.

Multilayered Control Architecture

The control system combines:

• A base-pose estimator to determine body orientation.

• A thrust estimator that manages each turbine’s power output.

• A model predictive controller (MPC) that coordinates rapid jet responses with slower mechanical limb movements.

This fusion of fast and slow control allows iRonCub3 to hover with uncanny stability—even as it moves its limbs mid-air.

Structural & Thermal Optimization

Because of the extreme mechanical and thermal stresses, the body had to be co-designed with the control systems. Finite element analysis was used to ensure the robot could endure three times its maximum expected thrust load. Lightweight alloys, thermal coatings, and compact sensor arrays form the backbone of iRonCub3’s design.

First Flight Success

After two years of simulation and lab development, iRonCub3 achieved its first hovering flight at IIT’s indoor facility in Genoa, Italy. The team is preparing for outdoor tests at Genoa Airport, where the robot will attempt higher altitudes and potentially demonstrate forward flight.

The Global Race for Jet-Powered Robotics

iRonCub3 isn’t the only innovation pushing the boundaries of flight and humanoid engineering. Around the world, other teams are working on different approaches to robotic or wearable jet systems—though none with quite the same combination of AI autonomy and humanoid structure.

United Kingdom: Gravity Industries Jet Suit

British inventor Richard Browning developed the Daedalus Flight Pack, a human-wearable suit powered by five miniature jet engines. The system enables a trained user to lift off and control flight using arm gestures and balance. It has been used for search-and-rescue drills and military exercises. However, it relies entirely on human control, not AI.

Switzerland: Jetman Wing by Yves Rossy

Swiss aviator Yves Rossy, known as Jetman, built a rigid carbon-fiber wing powered by four jet turbines. His historic flights include soaring across the English Channel and Dubai’s skyline. The Jetman system is capable of fast, controlled gliding—but it lacks a humanoid structure or autonomous control.

China: Jet-HR2 Humanoid Concept

Chinese researchers have experimented with the Jet-HR2, a humanoid robot that uses four ducted fans (two on the waist and two on the feet) for vertical takeoff. While the concept has demonstrated lift in the lab (up to 1 meter), it remains in early development and has not achieved autonomous control or stable hovering.

Japan: Multimodal Humanoid Flight Bot

A Japanese research team is developing a multi-modal humanoid robot that can walk, roll, and briefly fly using small ducted fans. It’s designed for flexible mobility in small spaces but lacks the thrust, height, and structural sophistication of iRonCub3. Still, it’s a signal that humanoid locomotion is trending toward multi-environment functionality.

Who Leads the Jet-Powered Humanoid Race?

The Bigger Picture

What sets iRonCub3 apart is its combination of form, function, and intelligence. It’s not a suit for a human to wear. It’s not gliding. It’s not controlled remotely. This robot calculates in real time, adjusts mid-flight, and mimics human motion—all while balancing on a column of jet thrust.

This opens the door to real-world applications that simpler drones or jetpacks cannot match:

• Disaster response: accessing areas too dangerous for people.

• Military reconnaissance: silent, human-sized flight into confined spaces.

• Hazardous environment navigation: from collapsed buildings to nuclear zones.

What’s Next?

The IIT team plans to:

• Advance from hover to controlled takeoff and landing.

• Integrate limb manipulation during flight.

• Increase flight duration and fuel efficiency.

• Deploy the robot in semi-autonomous test missions.

With flight testing expanding into outdoor airspace, iRonCub3 may soon go from a lab demo to a real-world aerial humanoid—a machine that doesn’t just walk among us, but flies above.