X1: First multi-robot rescue team that walks, drives, and flies

Caltech and Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute unveiled X1, the first tightly coordinated multi-robot rescue team that pairs a two‑legged humanoid with a morphing drone piggyback on its back. The duo can walk, drive wheels, and fly, using cameras, lidar, and range finders to sense its environment and plan routes without joystick control. Demonstrated on campus—navigating hallways, stairs, and outdoor terrain where the humanoid reconfigures to let the drone lift off and then recovers to continue the mission—the project aims to prove safe autonomous operation and build trust for future first‑responder deployments.