Japan is training robotic dogs for airborne assault.
Recent footage from Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) shows the four-legged robots during a recent drill, moving ahead of paratroopers as first units into contested terrain. The paratroopers conducted the airborne insertion, while the quadrupeds covered them on the ground.
The robots were developed by the US company Ghost Robotics. The Philadelphia-based company introduced the model Vision 60 robodog commercially around 2018 for military, security, and industrial use cases. The robotics firm was spun out of the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Lab in 2015.
The Vision 60 quadruped weighs a reported 51 kg (112 lbs) and carries payloads up to 10 kg (22 lbs) on its back or sides. Optional add-ons include ISR sensor packages, communications relay gear, CBRN detection modules, and inspection tools. In late 2025, Ghost Robotics released a lightweight robotic manipulator arm so the quadruped can open doors and objects in danger zones.
The robodog moves at speeds of up to 3 m/s (6.7 mph) and operates for about three hours continuously with its swappable battery. Standby endurance is much longer. According to Ghost Robotics, the Vision 60 is IP67 certified to function in rain, dust, and extreme temperatures.
The robot navigates autonomously and perceives its surroundings using stereo RGB cameras, time-of-flight depth sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and optional LiDAR and thermal imaging. The systems support AI-assisted balance, obstacle avoidance, autonomous and semi-autonomous movement, and SLAM-based mapping in GPS-denied settings. Communications are configurable via Wi-Fi, LTE, or military mesh radios. It features an open architecture that’s compatible with ROS/ROS2 for custom mission software and research.
The Vision 60 quadruped has been used and trialed by several other militaries including the US Air Force, US Marine Corps, the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MOD), the German Bundeswehr, and Israel Defense Forces (IDF).