Robot traffic officers are on duty at the 2026 Hangzhou Marathon on November 1, 2026. Photo: Courtesy of DEEP Robotics

　　A new type of traffic police officer appeared at the 2026 Hangzhou Marathon on Sunday, as traffic and security humanoid robots developed by Hangzhou-based DEEP Robotics and local traffic authorities joined a four-point patrol team around the Huanglong Sports Center in Hangzhou, East China"s Zhejiang Province.

　　The robot, known as Hangxing No.2, has been deployed to support a range of tasks including intersection monitoring, autonomous patrols, traffic violation warnings and public inquiry services, becoming one of the most eye-catching elements of traffic management at this year"s marathon.

　　According to the company, Hangxing No.2 is based on the DEEP Robotics DR02 humanoid robot. Standing 178 centimeters tall, the DR02 carries an IP66 rating, meaning it is fully dust-tight and capable of withstanding heavy rain and high-pressure water jets. It can operate in temperatures ranging from -20 C to 55 C.

　　The company said that the robot is suited to repetitive roadside advisory tasks, helping reduce the workload for frontline officers.

　　This year"s Hangzhou Marathon has attracted more than 300,000 applicants, with 36,000 runners taking part. The large crowds and shifting movement patterns around the venue create pressure on traditional security systems, which the organizers said were not always able to cover every blind spot.

　　Hangxing No.2 was designed to help fill that gap, turning fixed surveillance points into mobile patrol units, the company said.