China presents a robot dog with a machine gun on its back

China demonstrated remote-controlled robotic dogs capable of firing machine guns in military exercises with Cambodia earlier this month.

Here's What We Know

According to a video released by state broadcaster CCTV, the battery-powered "robodogs" can run for two to four hours and can move forward and backward, lie down and jump.

They can also plan routes, approach targets and avoid obstacles. According to CCTV, one of the robots shown in the video was equipped with a rifle for target practice.

Chen Wei, a Chinese soldier, told CCTV that the dog robots will "serve as a new participant in urban combat operations" and can replace the role of humans in identifying and engaging targets.

The robotic dogs appear to have been supplied by Chinese manufacturer Unitree: robotic dogs on the company's website cost between $2,800 and $100,000.

Source: CCTV