After robo dog row, Galgotias University hit by fresh storm over ‘in-house’ drone soccer arena

The controversy surrounding Galgotias University’s participation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 has deepened, with attention shifting from its earlier robo dog display to another device presented at the event, a drone soccer arena described as an in-house creation.

Barely a day after the university’s robotic dog exhibit drew criticism and led to organisers asking the institution to vacate its booth, a video circulating widely on social media has ignited a fresh round of debate.

In the clip, a faculty member is seen introducing a drone soccer setup, portraying it as a university-developed innovation and referring to it as “India’s first” of its kind.

The presentation highlighted the system’s design, engineering, and application as work undertaken entirely within the university. The speaker also described how students engage with the arena, flying drones inside the enclosure as part of skill-building and experimentation.

Drone claims spark online pushback

Soon after the video gained traction, social media users began challenging the assertions. Several posts suggested that the drone and arena closely resemble commercially available drone soccer products originating from South Korea.

Online commentators pointed to Helsel, a company credited with popularising drone soccer, noting that the sport emerged in South Korea years ago and later received recognition from international air sports bodies.

Others claimed visual similarities between the device shown at the summit and market-ready drone models such as the Stryker/Striker V3 ARF.

The issue quickly turned political, with members of the Youth Congress weighing in on X. Posts questioned whether the showcased technology was genuinely developed in-house, while taking jibes at broader narratives around self-reliance and indigenous innovation.

Backdrop of the Robo Dog episode

The renewed scrutiny follows the earlier uproar involving a quadruped robot displayed by the university under the name “Orion.” Observers identified the machine as the Unitree Go2, a Chinese-made robotic dog that is already commercially available in India.

Criticism intensified amid allegations that the robot had been projected at the summit as a university innovation. The situation escalated after organisers reportedly disconnected power to the pavilion and directed the university to vacate the exhibition area, citing compliance norms.

 

Government sources later indicated that the action was linked to transparency standards expected at the flagship AI event.

Previously, Galgotias University had issued a statement addressing the robot dog controversy, stating that it had not claimed to have built the robot. The institution framed its role as fostering future-ready talent rather than manufacturing the displayed hardware.

As of now, the university has not released a separate clarification responding specifically to the drone soccer allegations, even as discussions around the summit exhibits continue to gather momentum online.