Recently, a short-haul flight from Oakland, California to San Diego was unexpectedly delayed for 62 minutes in the United States. The delay was not only due to airport traffic congestion, but also because of a special "passenger" - the humanoid robot Bebop. This robot is based on the basic G1 model of China Yushu Technology. It was brought to San Diego by the staff of an American activity robot company to prepare to participate in customer live performances.
According to the original arrangement, Bebop was supposed to be checked in the aerobic cargo hold, but the dedicated air transport box was overweight and exceeded Southwest Airlines' checked limit. The staff had to buy a separate ticket for it and enter the cabin to sit like an ordinary passenger.
It is reported that Bebop is 1.2 meters tall and weighs about 31.75 kilograms. After boarding the plane, a number of potential safety hazards were exposed: it was initially placed in an aisle seat. The crew was concerned that the metal robot could easily slip when the flight encountered strong turbulence, blocking the escape route and endangering passenger safety, so they immediately moved it to a window seat.
During follow-up routine safety inspections, staff also discovered that the capacity of the power lithium battery carried by Bebop seriously exceeded the standard, did not comply with the safety regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines, was not on the exemption list, and posed a huge fire risk.
The airline immediately made a request: the excessive battery must be disassembled on site and temporarily detained, otherwise the flight will not take off. After final processing, the flight departed smoothly after being delayed for 62 minutes.
Surprisingly, the delay did not cause dissatisfaction among passengers. Many passengers took the initiative to take photos with the robot and check in. Bebop also made smart moves at the airport to amuse everyone, becoming a highlight of the scene.
Many passengers said on social platforms that this experience was very novel and that new things like humanoid robots should be accepted with an open mind.
