Serbia unveils armed robot dogs in military exercise after Chinese factory opening
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Serbia's military displayed armed quadruped robots operating alongside soldiers during the Victor 2026 exercise on September 13. The demonstration followed President Aleksandar Vucic's August 29 pledge that armed Chinese-designed robots would appear within 15 days of the Sabac factory opening. The robots resemble AgiBot's D1 Max Pro, though it remains unclear whether they were assembled in Serbia.
Key Facts
- Serbia's military used armed quadruped robots during the Victor 2026 exercise on September 13.
- President Aleksandar Vucic pledged on August 29 that armed Chinese-designed robots would appear within 15 days of the Sabac factory opening.
- The robots resemble the D1 Max Pro made by Chinese company AgiBot, a partner in the Sabac factory.
- The quadrupeds were reportedly armed with Yugoslav-designed Wasp anti-tank missiles, automatic rifles, and 40mm grenade launchers.
- The Sabac robotics factory aims to produce 3,000 humanoid and quadruped robots annually.
The Victor 2026 Exercise
The Serbian military displayed armed quadruped robots during the Victor 2026 exercise in southwestern Serbia on September 13. The robots were reportedly armed with Yugoslav-designed Wasp anti-tank missiles, automatic rifles, and 40mm grenade launchers. Images show the quadrupeds firing an automatic weapon and entering a dummy building as soldiers swarm alongside. The armed quadrupeds resemble the D1 Max Pro, an industrial robot made by Chinese company AgiBot, which is a partner in the Sabac factory. It remains unclear whether the robots shown at the exercise were assembled in Serbia.
Robot Dog Deployment Challenges
Ukraine's military received widespread publicity after posting about the use of robot dogs by its soldiers in August 2024. In the two years since, the robots have rarely been seen on the battlefield, while wheeled ground drones have been widely adopted by frontline troops. A representative from Brave1, the Ukrainian initiative behind many of the country's battlefield innovations, told RFE/RL that wheeled drones may be preferable for some missions because of their payload, endurance, and long-range capability. A wheeled Ukrainian Spider ground drone weighs 50 kilograms but can carry a payload of 100 kilograms, while an advanced quadruped robot of the same weight can carry just 10 kilograms. Belgrade has claimed its robodog has a maximum payload of 50 kilograms.
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