Deep Robotics' LYNX M20 Robot Dog Carries 15kg Up 145 Steps in Lighthouse Field Test

DEEP Robotics has field-tested its LYNX M20 robot dog at a 160-year-old lighthouse on Qiliyu, a small island in the East China Sea, where the wheel-legged quadruped carried a 15 kg load up 145 steps in a single ascent. The FinancialContent Business Page reported the trials on November 15, 2026.

How the LYNX M20 Handled the Qiliyu Lighthouse Route

Supplies reach Qiliyu by boat once a week, subject to sea conditions. After unloading at the dock, the two lighthouse keepers carry food, drinking water and other essentials up 145 steps and a steep hillside path to the duty room near the lighthouse. During the field test, the DEEP Robotics robot dog completed all 145 steps in one ascent and gained 23 meters in elevation. Its wheel-legged design combines rolling on flatter surfaces with the ability to step over stairs and loose stones.

"This is the first time I've seen a robot dog. I didn't expect it to be so agile-it climbs stairs faster than we do," said Xu Miaoqi, a lighthouse keeper with 42 years of experience maintaining aids to navigation.

The lighthouse relies primarily on diesel generators, with backup batteries supplying power at night. The LYNX M20 used high-definition cameras to capture instrument displays, read operating data and check switch positions, while thermal imaging helped identify abnormal temperature patterns and acoustic imaging supported detection of unusual equipment sounds. Images and inspection data were transmitted over the network to a digital management platform, where personnel in the duty room could view generator oil-pressure gauges and pipe connections. The platform automatically generated inspection reports after each task, recording the source, location and handling status of alerts.

During nighttime patrols, the robot used its onboard lighting to illuminate the route and accompany the keeper around the island. DEEP Robotics said it plans to extend the use of its robots to more frontline settings where mobility, inspection capabilities and physical assistance can make daily work more manageable.

DEEP Robotics' Funding and IPO Preparations

DEEP Robotics closed a Series C financing of over 500 million RMB, about $70 million, in December 2025, co-led by CMB International and ChinaAMC with strategic participation from China Telecom and China Unicom funds, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show the company initiated IPO tutoring for a Shanghai STAR Market listing targeting a raise of approximately 2.5 billion yuan, about $367 million, and completed the tutoring phase on April 16, 2026, with prospectus submission pending.

Earlier DEEP Robotics Field Deployments

DEEP Robotics deployed its Lynx M20S wheeled-legged robot in the Ailao Mountains in October 2026 to assist researchers with route scouting, wildlife observation and equipment transport, the FinancialContent Business Page reported. In September 2026, the company deployed patrol and firefighting robot dogs at Haining Leather City, a 1.3-million-square-meter market with over 6,000 businesses, where the robots use LiDAR, cameras and gas sensors to detect anomalies. That month it also deployed the Lynx M20S to patrol a desertification control plantation in the Tengger Desert, carrying 35 kg of supplies and using thermal imaging to drive away animals at night.

DEEP Robotics' X50 Quadruped Launch

DEEP Robotics introduced the X50 quadruped for industrial inspection and firefighting on November 7, 2026, claiming a 50-kilogram payload at 3 meters per second over two kilometers, Pandaily reported.