DEPLOYDatabase

Robot model

DRAGON

aerialresearchby University of Tokyo JSK Lab

Transformable multilink aerial robot (Dual-Rotor-Embedded Multilink Robot with the Ability of Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Aerial Transformation) developed at the…

Track DRAGON
Manufacturer
University of Tokyo JSK Lab
Form factor
aerial
Maturity
research
Lifecycle
active

The verified answer

As of Sep 2026, DEPLOY verifies DRAGON, a aerial by University of Tokyo JSK Lab (research). 2 sources back the record.

Overview

Transformable multilink aerial robot (Dual-Rotor-Embedded Multilink Robot with the Ability of Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Aerial Transformation) developed at the University of Tokyo JSK Lab. Unlike rigid-frame drones, DRAGON is made of four linked segments, each with two ducted rotors mounted on gimbals, enabling it to reshape mid-flight while maintaining full SE(3) pose control.

The airframe itself acts as a flying manipulator, with a lifting capacity over 3 kg. A navigation stack computes efficient body shapes for the current task. Published in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (2018), the work later spawned the independent DRAGON Lab under Moju Zhao in April 2024.

Verified vs. claimed

Maturity stage
research(Lab-stage only; no commercial or public deployment reported.)
Sources on file
View all sources →

No verified deployments on file. DEPLOY tracks independently-sourced deployment evidence separately from manufacturer capability claims.

Specs

Segments

4

Payload kg

3

Rotor type

ducted

Publication

IEEE RA-L 2018

Rotors per segment

2

Data & sources

Web sources

2

2 sources backing this record.View all →

Pricing

No verified price is on record for DRAGON. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.

How DEPLOY tracks pricing

Recent activity

Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.

Full change history →

Safety record

No incidents on record for DRAGON.

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Sources (2)

  1. Design, Modeling, and Control of an Aerial Robot DRAGON · https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8258850
  2. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8258850

Common questions

What is DRAGON?
Transformable multilink aerial robot (Dual-Rotor-Embedded Multilink Robot with the Ability of Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Aerial Transformation) developed at the University of Tokyo JSK Lab. Unlike rigid-frame drones, DRAGON is made of four linked segments, each with two ducted rotors mounted on gimbals, enabling it to reshape mid-flight while maintaining full SE(3) pose control. The airframe itself acts as a flying manipulator, with a lifting capacity over 3 kg. A navigation stack computes efficient body shapes for the current task. Published in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (2018), the work later spawned the independent DRAGON Lab under Moju Zhao in April 2024.
How much does DRAGON cost?
DRAGON's price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for DRAGON from University of Tokyo JSK Lab. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
Is DRAGON actually deployed in the real world?
DRAGON is at the research stage: it exists, but DEPLOY has no verified real-world deployment on record. Manufacturer capability claims should be read as claims pending independent verification.
Who makes DRAGON?
DRAGON is made by University of Tokyo JSK Lab, based in Tokyo, Japan.
Can you buy DRAGON?
DRAGON is at research stage and is not yet available for sale.
What are alternatives to DRAGON?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable aerial robots to DRAGON include Wing Delivery Aircraft, Skydio X10, Zipline Platform 2 (P2), Prime Air MK30.
How does DRAGON compare to Wing Delivery Aircraft?
DRAGON and Wing Delivery Aircraft (Wing · 35 deployments) are both aerial robots on the DEPLOY registry. DRAGON has 0 verified deployments on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is DRAGON a top aerial?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, DRAGON ranks in roughly the top 13% of aerial models tracked by the registry.
What is DRAGON's maturity stage?
DRAGON is at the research stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Research stage means active development without commercial deployments on file.
Where is DRAGON deployed?
No verified deployments of DRAGON are currently on the DEPLOY registry. DEPLOY records deployments only when verified at a named site with a primary source; absence may reflect pre-deployment, research, or manufacturer-internal use.
Is DRAGON safe?
DRAGON has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-08-17

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-08-17

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: research

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: aerial

Sources by quality tier

2
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for DRAGON.

Recent coverage

DRAGON in third-party press

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