The Key Laboratory of Autonomous Intelligent Unmanned Systems, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), was approved for establishment in 2019. Established on the solid base of Control Science and Engineering Discipline of Harbin Institute of Technology, the laboratory serves as a talent training and scientific and technological innovation platform featuring multidisciplinary integration and coordinated development.

The laboratory has more than 60 faculty and research staff, including 40 professors and 17 associate professors. The team comprises 1 Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and 2 Members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (including 1 foreign Member). There are 2 foreign experts under the national high‑end talent recruitment program, 5 national high‑level talents, 7 national outstanding young talents, and 8 IEEE/IFAC Fellows. In addition, the lab has appointed 6 adjunct professors and doctoral supervisors.

Targeting global scientific and technological frontiers, major national strategic needs, and primary economic sectors, the lab is rooted in aerospace and serves national defense. Its research focuses on cutting-edge and emerging interdisciplinary areas such as fundamental theories of intelligent control and systems, intelligent robotics, machine vision, intelligent inspection and automated equipment, and smart grids. In recent years, the lab has published over 600 academic papers and obtained more than 230 authorized invention patents. Its research achievements have won multiple National Science and Technology Awards and first-class provincial/ministerial awards. The lab has established long-term and close collaborative ties with partners in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Australia, Hong Kong and other countries and regions.