The group’s board, as of November 2023, from left to right, back row: Dr. Sue Keay (chair), Brenton Cunningham, Christian Ruberg, Tim Bradley, Dr. Nathan Kirchner; front row: Dr. John Vial, Tamanna Monem, Kathie van Vugt, Nicci Rossouw, Angus Robinson. Source: Robotics Australia Group

The robotics industry in Australia stands at the precipice of a transformative era, driven by a shared vision of sustainability and innovation. At the forefront of this movement is the Robotics Australia Group, an organization committed to nurturing a comprehensive robotics ecosystem.

From companies developing cutting-edge robotic technologies to educational institutions cultivating future talent, the group supports all facets of this burgeoning industry. Its mission aligns with the broader national objectives, as recently underscored by the Australian government’s National Robotics Strategy.

National Robotics Strategy points the way to innovation

Ed Husic, MP and the minister for industry and science, recently announced the National Robotics Strategy. It marks a significant milestone for the Australian robotics sector, said the Robotics Australia Group.

“The strategy not only highlights the current achievements, but also lays a robust foundation for future developments,” stated Dr. Nathan Kirchner, founding director of the group. “It is a call to industry stakeholders to collaborate and drive forward this ambitious vision.” 

This strategy aims to accelerate the adoption of robotics and automation technologies across various industries, a move that is integral to the broader vision of a “Future Made in Australia.” The strategy is imbued with optimism, promising substantial advancements and positioning Australia as a leader in robotics innovation on the global stage.

Minister Husic’s declaration signaled the Australian government’s commitment to harnessing the potential of robotics to address the country’s unique challenges.

Some examples of the world-leading field robotics delivered by group members. Source: Robotics Australia Group

Minister recognizes Robotics Australia contributions

The group said its contributions have been instrumental in shaping the current landscape of the Australian robotics industry. During his announcement of the National Robotics Strategy, Husic acknowledged its sustained efforts, active participation in the development of the strategy, the contributions made through publishing Australian Robotic Roadmaps, and continued advocacy.

“We have deep pockets of robotics excellence in Australia, we will become greatly more competitive on the world stage by joining them together,” said Kirchner. “The National Robotics Strategy is a significant step towards that. I am very proud that the underpinning groundwork of the Robotics Australia Group has been recognized.”

The organization has worked to support various stakeholders within the ecosystem. By fostering collaborations, facilitating research and development, and promoting educational initiatives, it said it has created a fertile ground for the robotics industry to thrive. The group added that it is working to ensure that the benefits of robotics and automation are accessible to a broad range of industries and applications.

Robotics provides Australia a strategic advantage

”We have overcome the core challenges of a very large land and sparsely populated country in order to deliver a number of notable outcomes,” said Kirchner. “Nevertheless, through doing so, we have developed a significant strategic advantage in the field hard robotics” 

Australia’s geographical and demographic characteristics make it an ideal candidate for pioneering advanced robotics, asserted the group. The country’s vast landmass, coupled with a relatively small and dispersed population, creates a unique set of challenges that robotics can effectively address. Remote areas often require complex tasks to be completed, and robots can significantly enhance efficiency and safety in these environments.

Moreover, Australia boasts a remarkable depth of local talent and expertise in both hardware and software aspects of robotics, said the organization.

Industries such as mining, ports, transport and logistics, construction, agriculture, and defense have long benefited from Australia’s field-hardened robotics intellectual property, the group added. This robust foundation of expertise and innovation positions Australia to leverage robotics in solving critical problems and improving operational efficiencies across these sectors, it said.

One of the cutting-edge manufacturing installations developed by Applied Robotics, a group member. Source: Robotics Australia Group

Sector celebrates wins and looks ahead

“The announcement of the National Robotics Strategy is an exciting and commendable first step,” said the group. “However, it is essential to recognize that this is merely the beginning. The path to a fully realized, sustainable robotics industry in Australia requires continued effort and focus. While we celebrate this significant achievement, it is crucial to remain vigilant and committed to solidifying these initial steps to ensure long-term progress.”

The future of robotics in Australia holds immense potential, it noted. By using the momentum generated by the National Robotics Strategy, the nation’s industry can aspire to new heights on the global stage. This requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders to foster an environment conducive to innovation, collaboration, and international exchange, the group said.

“With the National Robotics Strategy as a guiding framework, Australia is poised to become a global leader in robotics and automation,” said Kirchner.

This vision can only be realized through collective effort and a strategic approach to international collaboration. By establishing a bi-directional conduit for deep commercial exchange in robotics and AI, Australia can position itself at the forefront of technological innovation.

The future success of the robotics industry hinges on the ability to integrate advanced technologies into practical applications that address real-world challenges. The group said that it and other industry stakeholders must continue to advocate for policies and initiatives that support research, development, and the commercialization of robotics technologies.

“The commitment of the Robotics Australia Group to building a sustainable robotics industry in Australia is both inspiring and crucial,” Kirchner said. “Their efforts, coupled with the strategic direction provided by the National Robotics Strategy, pave the way for a future where robotics and automation play a central role in addressing the nation’s unique challenges. By celebrating current achievements and maintaining a steadfast focus on future goals, Australia can achieve remarkable advancements in the robotics industry.”

In this journey, it is essential to remain proactive, collaborative, and visionary. With a collective effort, the vision of a “Future Made in Australia” powered by advanced robotics is not just a dream, but also an imminent reality. The group is currently spearheading the production of the third edition of the Robotics Roadmap for Australia, scheduled for release in 2025.

“Together, we can propel Australia to new heights of innovation and global leadership in the robotics sector,” said the group.

About the author

Dr. Nathan G.E. Kirchner is a serial startup founder and advisor, corporate ventures advisor, professor, and founding director of a peak body. He has been recognized as one of “Australia’s Most Innovative” by Engineers Australia and one of the “Top Ten Young Scientists” by Popular Science magazine.

With over 25 years in industry and academia, Kirchner has founded and led several robotics-AI startups, and he serves as a founding director of the Robotics Australia Group. Kirchner is also a venture partner at a leading hardware-first venture capital firm.

He has held prestigious positions such as head of robotics at a major construction company and at Stanford University, the University of Technology Sydney, and Ohio State University.

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Elmo demonstrates its technologies in a gantry robot. Source: Elmo Motion Control

From industrial automation and healthcare applications to increasingly diverse use cases, robots need precise and reliable motion control. Elmo Motion Control Ltd., a global technology leader, plans to display its latest innovations at events across the Americas including this week’s Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston.

The company, which supports industrial and collaborative robots, as well as automated guided vehicles (AGVs), smart warehouse systems, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and dispensing products, will also exhibit next week at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston and Automate in Chicago.

“We eagerly anticipate exhibiting at these three industry events in three major U.S. cities in a whirlwind timeframe,” stated Elizabeth Victor, director of sales in the Americas at Elmo Motion Control. “We are thrilled to meet trade show visitors and showcase our comprehensive line of servo drives and our newest advanced innovations.”

“Our innovations boast outstanding capabilities, such as fully certified functional safety, and continue raising the industry’s technology bar,” she added. “We are particularly excited about showing a glimpse of the future with innovations significantly enhancing any machine’s performance.”

Platinum line includes Bassoon with functional safety

Platinum Bassoon Servo Drive. Source: Elmo Motion Control

Elmo Motion Control said its Platinum line of servo drives demonstrates its “commitment to innovation and excellence.” It includes the recently launched Platinum Bassoon, this line’s first AC drive, which includes the leading certified functional safety capabilities.

The Platinum Bassoon supports up to 10 amps at 230 volts and has up to 3.25 kW of continuous power. The drive is compatible with brushless, DC brush, linear motors, or voice coil, said the company.

At each show in May, Elmo is providing an opportunity to see its latest technologies. It will show its new multi-axis servo drives with full functional safety and the next-generation motion controller with artificial intelligence.

At Automate, visitors can see a collaborative robot with full functional safety and a life-sciences robot from Elmo customers Wyzo and Peak Robotics.

About Elmo and the Robotics Summit

Elmo Motion Control said it has been a motion-control technology leader for over 35 years, with millions of servo drives working 24/7 worldwide. The company‘s offerings range from design to delivery of servo drives, network-based multi-axis motion controllers, and integrated servo motors.

Elmo said all of its systems can be customized and configured using proprietary software tools for machines in any industry, such as semiconductors, lasers, robots, drones, industrial automation, extreme environments, and more. The company employs more than 350 people.

Its headquarters in Petah Tikva, Israel, and offices in the U.S., China, Germany, Italy, Korea, and Singapore, plus a manufacturing facility in Poland. Elmo has a worldwide distribution network. As of 2022, Elmo is a Bosch Rexroth company.

Elmo Motion Control will show its technologies at Booth 314 at the Robotics Summit & Expo on May 1 and 2. To schedule a one-on-one meeting, register here: https://www.elmomc.com/media/events/

The Robotics Summit & Expo, which will be in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, will include keynotes and sessions with industry experts, more than 200 exhibitors, a MassRobotics Engineering Career Fair, and several networking opportunities. Registration is now open for the event.

Register now.

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Robotics is growing across sectors in Australia, finds a recent report. Source: HowToRobot

Australia has a mix of factory and field robots

HowToRobot, Robotics Australia Group co-produce report

Study intended to support robotics growth

The effort to map robotics providers in Australia can help break down barriers to robot adoption, said Peters.

“A growing number of businesses need automation but often struggle with getting started,” he observed. “Where do you find the right solution and business to provide it if you don’t know where to look?”

“Providing an overview of the industry is a first step towards bringing our global marketplace to Australia and making it easier for businesses to find the right robotics and automation providers,” Peters added.

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Stratom RAPID uses an industrial robot arm to autonomously refuel a military vehicle. | Credit: Stratom

Stratom is a Colorado-based, veteran-owned robotics company that is helping automate various logistics processes for the United States military. Today, the company launched RAPID, its autonomous refueling, recharging and liquid transfer system for rugged environments and a variety of applications.

The solution leverages an industrial robot arm to autonomously locate a refueling port on a vehicle and then deliver the fuel. The system is ruggedized and designed to be deployed in the field, in adverse and difficult conditions.

Stratom’s core autonomy software drives the entire system, and the solution is versatile enough so that it can be configured for any number of mounting use cases and fuel types.

RAPID is adaptable to different vehicle types and can be deployed for a variety of applications, from mining, warehouse operations, trucking, aviation and cargo movement to high-volume container refilling and the transport of other materials, including water, other liquids and hazardous wastes.

The system can be used in both autonomous and human-operated applications. It can be operated remotely, so that the refueling operator can remain in another vehicle, bunker or a safe distance away. Vehicle operators do not need to exit their vehicles during the refueling process.

“Autonomy is transforming how we live, work, learn and entertain ourselves. Trends are increasingly showing that applications of this technology center around autonomous vehicles and the deployment of autonomous fleets,” said Mark Gordon, president and CEO of Stratom. “As the world moves toward an autonomous future, why bring humans back in the loop? At Stratom, we automate monotonous, difficult or dangerous tasks to help keep organizations — and their most valuable asset, their people — operating safely and at peak efficiency.”

Stratom has already deployed the RAPID solution to refuel helicopters. | Credit: Stratom

Stratom has deployed a number of autonomous refueling solutions, including helicopter refueling stations. The portability of the solution is key to the design as it allows the entire system to be transported and deployed to support mobile operations in the field.

Stratom claims the operational benefits of RAPID include:

• Reduced human exposure to hazardous environments
• Improved productivity and efficiency of fuel delivery system
• Streamlined configurability as a self-sufficient containerized system
• Ruggedized design for deployment in the most austere environments
• Increased resilience of operations

“Delivering a completely customized, groundbreaking solution aligned with the evolution of autonomous vehicles empowers Stratom to partner with innovative companies across industries to continue to solve the most pressing real-world operational challenges,” said Ryan DelGizzi, Stratom’s director of engineering. “With RAPID, crewed and uncrewed transportation and logistics operations decision-makers can significantly increase project flexibility and cost-efficiency while simultaneously solving productivity and safety challenges related to conveying significant amounts of liquid or fueling or recharging autonomous systems, vehicles, aircraft and other platforms.”

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Impossible Mining, a company developing an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that uses a pick and place manipulator to harvest battery materials from the deep seabed, announced that it brought in $10.1 million in seed funding. 

The company began working on the engineering architecture for its AUV in 2020, and filed its first patents in 2021. Impossible Mining also raised its first funding round in 2021, allowing it to begin work on Proof of Concept for its nodule harvesting and bio-extraction technologies, which it hopes to finish in late 2022.

When finished, Impossible Mining’s AUV will travel up to four-miles deep into the ocean to harvest polymetallic nodules individually. The robot will be equipped with image sensing technology so that it can identify megafauna present on the nodules and leave the ones with megafauna present untouched. 

“The US needs independent, secure access to critical battery metals. We are excited to accelerate the production of our deep water robots with this injection of capital, and to prove to both regulators and stakeholders that we can achieve what dredge-based technology can’t – the preservation of the seafloor environment,” Oliver Gunasekara, CEO & co-founder of Impossible Mining, said.

The company’s solution has a low environmental impact as it avoids disturbing nodule fauna, has no significant plume, no return water and leaves no impact on sediment structure or sediment fauna. The solution is also easily scalable by simply adding more robots. 

Justin Hamilton led the funding round, which also included participation from a select group of YC investors. Impossible Mining plans to use the funds from the round to develop and test its robotic collections system and continue developing its bio-extraction technology. 

“Lithium-ion battery markets will increase tenfold in the next decade, fueled by growth in EVs,” Hamilton said. “The deep seabed contains the largest global resource of battery metals. The Impossible Mining team has demonstrated its robotics technology showing the capabilities for selective pickup, rising to the challenge of accessing these metals in an environmentally responsible way.”

Along with the funding, Impossible Mining announced its key advisors: Bob Galyen, former CTO of CATL, Dan Lankford, former CEO of AT&T Microelectronics, Europe, Justin Manley, an AUV design expert, Simon Segars, former CEO of ARM and former board member of SoftBank and Phil Straw, CEO of SoftIron. 

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ADP deployed ten of its robots to aid in surveying the collapsed mine. | Source: ADP

39.7% of mining companies included in an analysis conducted by Mining Technology were recruiting for robotics related positions in May 2022. This marks a year high for hiring robotics jobs in this sector. 

In April 2022, just 33.3% of mining companies surveyed had robotics openings, and a year ago, that number was at just 17.9%. The number of mining companies that are looking to fill robotics positions has been steadily rising since February 2022, when 21.1% were looking. 

Mining companies are currently hiring for robotics jobs at a higher rate than the average for all companies. In total, 1.2% of newly posted job advertisements in May 2022 were linked to robotics, the highest monthly figure recorded in the past year, according to Mining Technology. 

Robotics provide many opportunities in the mining industry, where many jobs are very dangerous for people to perform. 

For example, a limestone mine over 100 years old near Crab Orchard Tennessee collapsed suddenly in August 2021. The collapse left an 800 ft across and 100 ft deep surface subsidence area that the US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) determined was too dangerous for a person to explore.

The mining team used robots from Australian Droid and Robot (ADR) to inspect what was left of the mine, which allows mine workers to determine what was safe and to restore power and communications in the mine. 

The robotics industry as a whole is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20% to $568 billion by 2030, according to analysis from Mining Technology.   

Editor’s Note: The Field Robotics Engineering Forum will take place on October 19-20, 2022 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The forum is an international conference and exposition specifically designed to provide engineers, engineering management, business professionals and others, with the information, guidance and peer networking opportunities they need to successfully develop and safely deploy the next generation of robotics systems for operation in wide-ranging, outdoor, dynamic environments.

WTWH Media is currently accepting session abstracts to be considered for presentation at the event. The Field Robotics Engineering Forum is seeking thought-provoking sessions delivered by compelling speakers in each of the four tracks, technologies, tools and platforms, development, testing and deployment, and markets and applications. 

The post Hiring levels for robotics jobs in mining hit year high in May appeared first on The Robot Report.

WTWH Media invites you to submit a session abstract to be considered for presentation at the Field Robotics Engineering Forum, to be held October 19-20, 2022 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, CA.

The Field Robotics Engineering Forum is an international conference and exposition specifically designed to provide engineers, engineering management, business professionals and others, with the information, guidance and peer networking opportunities they need to successfully develop and safely deploy the next generation of robotics systems for operation in wide-ranging, outdoor, dynamic environments.

The Field Robotics Engineering Forum is seeking thought-provoking sessions delivered by compelling speakers in each of the four tracks listed below:

• Technologies, Tools and Platforms Track – Sessions in the Technologies, Tools and Platforms will cover the latest advances in the ‘core’ technologies common to all classes of field robotics systems that allow them to “Sense, Think and Act”.
• Development, Testing and Deployment Track – Topics covered in the Development, Testing and Deployment Track focus on robotics design, development, and testing tools, as well as standards and methodologies, that speed and ease the development and deployment of field robotics systems.
• Markets and Applications Track – Sessions in the Markets and Applications Track focus on those industry and application specific attributes unique to specific field robotics systems, with sessions providing insights and recommendations into the optimal design, development and deployment choice for specific system classes.

Submission form

Deadline
The entry deadline for submitting speaker proposals is June 30, 2022.

All speakers receive

• Complimentary full registration
• Admission to all keynotes, general sessions, panels, special events, breakfasts, lunches and receptions
• Complimentary guest registrations up to two attendees

Co-located events
The Field Robotics Engineering Forum will be co-located with the RoboBusiness, an international conference and exposition designed to provide engineers, engineering management, business professionals and others, with the information, guidance and peer networking opportunities they require to successfully develop and safely deploy the next generation of field robotics systems for operation in wide-ranging, outdoor, dynamic environments.

Also co-located with RoboBusiness is DeviceTalks West, the premier industry event for medical technology professionals, currently in its ninth year. Both events attract engineering and business professionals from a broad range of healthcare and medical technology backgrounds.

Sponsorship opportunities
For information about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, download the prospectus. Question regarding sponsorship opportunities should be directed to Courtney Nagle at cnagle[AT]wtwhmedia.com.

Conference programming
For questions regarding RoboBusiness Conference & Expo conference programming, contact Dan Kara at dkara[AT]wtwhmedia.com.

About WTWH Media
WTWH Media is an integrated media company serving engineering, business and investment professionals through 50+ websites, 5 print publications, along with many other technical and business events. WTWH’s Robotics Group produces The Robot Report, Robotics Business Review, Collaborative Robotics Trends and Mobile Robot Guide, online technical, business and investment news and information portals focused on robotics and intelligent systems. WTWH Media also produces leading in-person robotics conferences including the Robotics Summit & Expo, RoboBusiness the Field Robotics Engineering Forum and the Healthcare Robotics Engineering Forum. See www.wtwhmedia.com for more information.

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Teleo creates retrofit kits for heavy equipment that allows the equipment to operate semi-autonomously. | Source: Teleo

Teleo, a company that creates semi-autonomous retrofit kits for heavy construction and mining equipment, announced it raised $12 million in Series A funding. The company plans to use the funds from the round to scale the deployment of, and invest in research and development for, its Teleo Supervised Autonomy technology.

The company’s autonomy kits can be fitted onto heavy equipment to allow it to run without an operator in the cabin. Teleo’s Supervised Autonomy allows an operator to control multiple pieces of equipment form a remote control station. 

“With this Series A funding, we plan to double down on hardening and deploying technology that lets our customers operate their existing fleets of heavy equipment semi-autonomously,” Vinay Shet, co-founder and CEO of Teleo, said.

UP.Partners, a firm that invests in technology that helps transport people and goods faster, safer and cleaner, led the funding round. New investors, F-Prime Capital and K9 Ventures, also participated in the round, as well as Trucks Venture Capital, which led Teleo’s seed funding round.

“Teleo was founded by two exceptional individuals, with extensive backgrounds in deep technology and autonomy. We believe their approach to bringing human supervised autonomy to the heavy equipment market is incredibly insightful and important. Teleo’s technology positively impacts the ROI of operation, while both upskilling the operator community, and increasing safety levels,” Adam Grosser, chairman and managing partner of UP.Partners, said.

Along with the funding, Teleo announced a partnership with RDO Equipment Co., a construction equipment technology supplier and one of John Deere’s largest dealerships. According to the company, partnering with heavy equipment distributors like RDO will allow it to reach customers across multiple distribution channels. 

Teleo was founded in 2019 by Shet and Rom Clement, the company’s current CTO. Shet and Clement both worked at Lyft prior to founding Teleo, Shet as the company’s Director of Product Management and Clement as the Head of Hardware Engineering. 

The post Teleo announces $12M in Series A funding appeared first on The Robot Report.

ADR deployed ten of its robots to aid in surveying the collapsed mine. | Source: ADR

Early in the morning on August 13, 2021, Justin Disney, the mine supervisor at the Lhoist North American limestone mine near Crab Orchard Tennessee, heard a sound he had never heard in his 16 years working in a mine.

“Like rain coming off the pillars,” Disney said. “At that moment something just dawned on me, and I started an evacuation. At 6:40 everyone was accounted for, and at about 6:59 and 48 seconds, the mine collapsed.”

The mine, which is more than 100 years old, let out a gust of air, dirt and debris moving at an estimated 120 MPH from all portals and ventilation shafts when it collapsed. Because of Disney’s evacuation, nobody was injured during the incident.

The US Mine Safety and Health administration (MSHA) quickly determined that the 800 ft across and 100 ft deep surface subsidence area left by the collapse was too dangerous for a person to explore. A robotic solution, however, wouldn’t be easy either.

Before the collapse, mine workers used a 2-way radio system that ran over a leaky feeder from PBE Group. The leaky feeder didn’t have the bandwidth to support unmanned drones or robots. Even if it could, it wasn’t operational after the collapse.

“It’s a unique challenge to try to provide a communication system underground to allow the data throughput to handle the video and LiDAR applications that were needed without infrastructure on the ground,” Wes Leffel, senior sales engineer at PBE Group, said.

With no network or power post-collapse, Rob Koch, director of technology at PBE, decided the best solution would be a wireless IP network with low latency and high throughput. Koch eventually settled on using an IP mesh network from Rajant and robots from Australian Droid and Robot (ADR). PBE, Rajant and ADR had worked together on previous solutions.

The team used 10 ADR Explora XL unmanned robots, a Rajant wireless Kinetic Mesh below-ground communication network and PBE hardware and technology. The robots placed three network infrastructure points within the mine, the deepest being 1.7 km, and set up eight robot hubs.

“We were able to form a really good visualization of where the collapse occurred and the safe areas where we can send manned explorations in,” Callum MacDermid, senior robotics engineer at ADR, said.

ADR’s robots inspected all required areas of the mine while live feeding video data at up to 80 Mbps. The robots were able to complete the inspection and allow mine workers back into the mine to restore power and communications.

The post How robots helped a collapsed mine get back in operation appeared first on The Robot Report.

Spot Release 3.0 adds functionality to make Spot the data collection solution you need for safer and more efficient inspection rounds. | Image credit: Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics enhances its popular Spot robot with the new Spot Release 3.0. This new release delivers flexible autonomy and repeatable data capture, and makes Spot more efficient to operate.

• Autowalk adds powerful new capabilities, enabling operators to record autonomous missions that implement dynamic sensing sitewide.
• Improvements to data capture making it reliable and easier to process.
• Plus a range of new features designed to enable new sensor payloads, along with other enterprise integrations to extract/exchange data.

Spot can be a great choice for an autonomous, mobile data gathering platform, especially in adverse environments. Boston Dynamics has invested thousands of engineering hours into optimizing the legged locomotion of Spot. As a result, Spot is capable of reliable operation in environments where wheeled AMRs struggle to navigate.

Since its release, Boston Dynamics continues to enhance the capabilities of Spot. Feedback from customers, and the experience gained from operating in difficult, industrial situations, is enabling the Spot development team to improve Spot’s capabilities. Spot 3.0 is purely a software upgrade and all existing Spot customers can benefit from the new features.

Improved autonomy for Autowalk

Spot’s Autowalk system has logged thousands of miles in industrial facilities and on construction sites around the world. Release 3.0 adds powerful new capabilities to Autowalk, enabling operators to record autonomous missions that implement dynamic sensing site-wide.

• Mission editing: Map an entire site by extending paths and adding new inspection Actions to existing missions over multiple recording sessions.
• Mission planning: Save time by selecting which inspection Actions you want Spot to perform, and it will take the shortest path to collect data.
• Dynamic replanning: Don’t miss inspections due to changes on site. Spot will replan around blocked paths to make sure it gets the data it was assigned to gather.
• Scheduled missions: Inspect a site after hours with simple scheduling tools and tablet-free, unsupervised autonomy.

More reliable data collection

Spot often operates in remote, un-supervised environment such as mines, construction sites and oil/gas production facilities. During a normal day, a Spot robot might patrol areas of a facility where there are not reliable network connections.

Release 3.0 makes data capture more reliable and easier to process. Users can connect computer vision models to Spot, adding valuable context to teleoperation and turning raw mission data into actionable signals at the edge.

• Repeatable image capture: Capture the same image from the same angle every time with scene-based camera alignment for the Spot CAM+ pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera.
• Live review of computer vision models: Use models from TensorFlow or choose a model from our API library to carry out inspection tasks such as gauge reading, thermal analysis, or acoustic anomaly detection. Preview computer vision models on the tablet and create smart Actions that process images within Autowalk.

Enterprise integrations

Spot closes the loop with enterprise systems to understand and manage operations. This helps teams to manage assets, detect anomalies sooner, track work, build digital twins, and more.

• Upload data: Automatically push data into enterprise systems at the end of a mission with custom code.
• Cloud-compatible: Connect Spot to AWS, Azure, IBM Maximo, and other systems with existing or easy-to-build integrations.
• Scout: Use Boston Dynamics’ web-based remote operation application to manage an entire dynamic sensing fleet, schedule missions, and review data collected on site.

Additional new features

Release 3.0 contains dozens of other features designed to help Spot become easier to program, troubleshoot and operate, while enabling dynamic sensing onsite.

• Payloads: Remotely restart payloads, easily configure payload parameters, and more.
• Manipulation: Remotely operate the Spot Arm with ease through rear Spot CAM integration and split-screen view. Arm improvements also include added functionality for push-bar doors, revamped grasping UX, and updated SDK.
• Sounds: Keep trained bystanders aware of Spot with configurable warning sounds.

For further details, check out the Spot 3.0 Release Notes on the Boston Dynamics website.

The post Boston Dynamics Spot learns new skills with 3.0 release appeared first on The Robot Report.

Oxbotica’s autonomous vehicle software doesn’t rely on infrastructure such as GPS and pre-existing maps. | Credit: Oxbotica

Oxbotica, an Oxford, England-based startup that develops autonomous vehicle software, closed a $47 million Series B investment today. Oxbotica, which spun out of Oxford University in 2014, has now raised about $80 million to date.

The Series B was led by bp ventures, the investing arm of oil and gas giant bp. BGF, Halma, HostPlus, IP Group, Tencent, Venture Science and others also participated in the round.

The new funding will help scale Oxbotica’s autonomous vehicle software, called Selenium, across multiple industries. Oxbotica will start with vehicles used in industrial applications such as mining and port logistics. Perhaps its lead investor, bp, is a sign of the size of its potential customers and projects in the industrial space. Oxbotica said on-road applications such as the transportation of goods and people are further out.

Selenium can handle an autonomous vehicle’s navigation, mapping, perception, and machine learning. Oxbotica said Selenium doesn’t need to rely on external infrastructure such as GPS, lane markings or pre-existing HD maps, although those can be used if available. Oxbotica said this makes the technology well suited to work both outdoors and indoors, as well as for on-road and off-road applications. Watch the video below to learn more about how Selenium applies to mining equipment.

Oxbotica said Selenium is hardware and sensor agnostic and can use radar, laser or vision sensing. It can be deployed as a standalone system or integrated into third-party stacks.

Oxbotica also offers a cloud-based fleet and data management system called Caesium. This system can integrate with Selenium to coordinate a fleet of vehicles, manage data collection, query log files, and remotely trigger specific data collection.

“This round of investment marks a key chapter in Oxbotica’s continued growth and pushes us forward in commercialising our autonomous software today, through key strategic go-to-market partnerships,” said Ozgur Tohumcu, CEO, Oxbotica. “The high-quality and global footprint of our investors cements our position as a leader in autonomy. We will use funds raised to accelerate the global deployment of our transformative technology.”

“bp ventures is delighted to invest in Oxbotica – we believe its software could accelerate the market for autonomous vehicles,” said Erin Hallock, managing partner, bp ventures.

“Oxbotica provides autonomy where it makes sense today: delivering safety, cost and environmental benefits,” said Jamie Vollbracht, Partner, Cleantech at IP Group plc. “Two years after IP Group’s first investment, we are delighted to be able to welcome multiple value-adding investors to the share register. This substantial funding round will enable Oxbotica to move to the next stage, delivering those benefits in multiple applications across the globe.”

Investments and mergers and acquisitions in the robotics industry are off to a fast start in 2021. Teledyne is acquiring FLIR for $8 billion, while Stryker acquired OrthoSensor, for an undisclosed amount, to enhance its Mako surgical robots. And AMP Robotics, a developer of pick-and-place robots that sort recyclable materials from waste flows, raised a $55 million Series B.

The post Oxbotica raises $47M to scale autonomous vehicle software appeared first on The Robot Report.

Welcome to Episode 28 of The Robot Report Podcast, which brings conversations with robotics innovators straight to you. Join us each week for discussions with leading roboticists, innovative robotics companies, and other key members of the robotics community.

You can subscribe to The Robot Report Podcast on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, SoundCloud, Spotify and more. Please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review!

This week, fellow editor Steve Crowe and I chat with returning guest Michael Patrick Perry, vice president for business development at Boston Dynamics, about the commercialization of the Spot quadruped robot. We also discuss the company’s other robots and its recent acquisition by Hyundai Motor Group.

Boston Dynamics’ Spot at a construction site. Credit: Pomerleau

In addition, Steve and I examine the prospects for Boston Dynamics, which has had three owners in seven years — Google, SoftBank, and now Hyundai. The Waltham, Mass.-based company plans to release a gripper for its legged robot next year.

Dr. Timothy Chung, program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) joins us to discuss the recently completed Virtual Cave Circuit of the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. We talk about lessons learned in the various circuits so far, the creation of a simulated environment, and how the competitors used robots and drones. Chung also looks ahead to 2021’s final DARPA SubT circuit and applications for these new technologies.

Coordinated Robotics in World 8 of the Cave Circuit. Source: DARPA

Finally, Steve and I continue our look back at 2020 and peek ahead to 2021. We’re grateful to our speakers, sponsors, and, most of all, our listeners for a great first year of this podcast!

If you would like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of the podcast, or if you have recommendations for future guests or segment ideas, contact Steve or Eugene. For sponsorship opportunities of The Robot Report Podcast, contact Courtney Nagle for more information.

Podcast timestamps

• 0-6:49: Show intro
• 6:50-46:55: Conversation with Michael Patrick Perry, VP of business development, Boston Dynamics
• 46:56-1:21:23: Conversation with Dr. Timothy Chung, program manager for the DARPA Subterranean Challenge
• 1:21:24-1:28:18: Show outro and end-of-year thoughts

Show notes

• It’s official: Boston Dynamics is joining Hyundai
• Coordinated Robotics wins Cave Circuit Virtual Competition in DARPA SubT Challenge
• Best week ever for robotaxis?
• Coverage of mobile manipulation

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To encourage the development of autonomous systems to explore dangerous environments for first responders and the U.S. military, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has been conducting the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. Last week, the agency announced Coordinated Robotics as the first-place winner in the Cave Circuit Virtual Competition. It was the third of four stages in the challenge, which runs from September 2018 through late 2021.

The DARPA SubT Challenge is intended to test and demonstrate the ability of autonomous robots to perceive, navigate, network, and move in a variety of GPS-denied environments. “We want to inspire and deliver robotics technologies that enable situational awareness across diverse underground environments,” said Dr. Timothy Chung, program manager for the SubT Challenge in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office.

Coordinated Robotics, a self-funded team led by Kevin Knoedler in Newbury Park, Calif., won a $250,000 prize. Knoedler said he learned to use ground vehicles for the Tunnel Circuit and aerial vehicles for the Urban Circuit. Coordinated Robotics then combined their capabilities for the Cave Circuit. The ground robots shared information and deployed communication nodes, and the drones shared data among themselves and flew through vertical spaces. Endurance, coordination, and using the same software for both virtual and real vehicles were the keys to success, Knoedler said.

Knoedler previously won NASA’s Space Robotics Challenge single-handedly in 2017, and Coordinated Robotics won the Tunnel Circuit and was second in the virtual Urban Circuit.

Cave Circuit purely virtual

Unlike the first two elements of the DARPA SubT Challenge, which had a hardware Systems Track, the 16 teams ran their mapping and autonomy algorithms entirely in a virtual environment. This was in response to travel restrictions and the need for social distancing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but it worked so well that organizers said they plan to incorporate some simulation in the final, combined circuit.

The SubT organizers built eight “worlds” ranging from 1.5 to 5.2 km (0.9 to 3.2 mi.) in length in the cloud-based SubT Simulator from 73 “tiles” of cave elements, similar to video game design. The SubT technology repository is open-source, noted Chung.

“This virtual competition is opening the doors on who and where such competitions can occur,” Chung said. “It’s like a fantasy football league — virtual competitors could mix and match robots from across teams. New enhancements for the Cave Circuit included new robot models, dynamic environments, and communications ‘breadcrumbs.'”

“Our small team was very iterative in designing worlds,” said Angela Maio, mechanical engineer at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and virtual competition lead. “[Factors included] percentage of areas lit, percentages traversable by UGVs [unmanned ground vehicles], size and verticality, and how devious we were in placing artifacts.”

“The robots must communicate with each other to figure out where to explore autonomously,” she said. “Different passages are constrained, plus there are some large caverns to search.”

Competitors configured simulated thermal, visual, and lidar sensors and wheeled or tracked robots or quadcopters, for a total of 17 different platforms and 58 configurations. Each team sent its robots and/or drones to navigate the eight cave courses three times, with the best score counting.

The fully autonomous systems needed to locate 20 “artifacts” hidden in the courses to within five-meter accuracy. These virtual artifacts included backpacks, cellphones, helmets, rope, and a “survivor” mannequin to simulate traces of survivors in a mining accident.

“The challenges involved in navigating unpredictable caves include tight spaces, rockfalls, and lack of visibility — all of which, and more, were incorporated into the virtual caves,” stated Chung. “Beyond pride and prize money, competitors in this and other DARPA Grand Challenges are forging new paths that we are confident will lead to important innovations to help both warfighters and first responders.”

Coordinated Robotics deployed nine virtual robots for the Cave Circuit. The team’s systems participants include the California State University Channel Islands, Oke Onwuka, and Sequoia Middle School.

SubT Cave Circuit leaderboard. Source: DARPA

Coordinated Robotics joins other winners

DARPA-funded BARCS (for Bayesian Adaptive Robot Control System), which includes researchers from Michigan Technological University and the Michigan Tech Research Institute, placed second. Only self-funded teams were eligible for monetary prices in the first three circuits, but all teams are eligible in the final event, said DARPA.

Dynamo, another one-man team led by Hilaraio Tomé in Spain, won third place and $150,000. Robotika, which includes Czech company Robotika International, the Czech University of Life Science, and the Centre for Field Robotics, plus Switzerland-based Cogito Team, placed fourth and received $100,000.

Map Quickly located a cellphone within 5 cm and won “Most Accurate Artifact.” NUS SEDS won the “Reality to Virtual Award” because its software could be most easily used on two Huskies and the 1 QAV500 robot it simulated.

In addition to first place in the Cave Circuit, Coordinated Robotics won “Dynamic Dodger,” successfully avoiding 17 simulated rockfalls.

“The DARPA Subterranean Challenge is creating a community of multidisciplinary teams with a wide variety of expertise,” Chung said. “The best solutions to challenges of navigating the underground will likely be found through combining the ideas of our many talented competitors. We’re already seeing SubT software in other contexts, such as brightening imagery in low-light settings. It’s a utility now that some folks are making use of independently.”

Countdown to the final event begins

DARPA said the final event of its SubT Challenge next autumn will include elements from all three subdomains — tunnel, urban, and cave. It said it expects to run the systems and virtual competitions at the same time.

“Hopefully, we’ll have more marsupials,” said Chung, referring to drone/UGV combinations, which combine a drone’s agility in vertical spaces with a ground robot’s endurance. “Many competitors had considered them up until submission day.”

“It’s admittedly a harder system to think about in terms of autonomy, state management, and knowing when to deploy,” he told The Robot Report.

Both DARPA-funded and self-funded teams will compete for up to $2 million in the Systems Competition and $1.5 million in the Virtual Competition. New teams are still welcome to join, said Chung.

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Companies announced 51 transactions worth a total of $851 million in October 2020, compared with 59 robotics deals worth more than $1.5 billion in September 2020 and 51 transactions worth about $1.3 billion in October 2019. Robots for agriculture, mining, and supply chain and logistics applications also obtained financing.

Last month, The Robot Report, a sibling site to Robotics Business Review, tracked funding to 44 robotics companies, in comparison with 52 the previous month and 43 a year ago. This also suggests a seasonal drop after a wave of September investments. Beyond robotics and automation, Crunchbase predicted that funding would hold steady and rebound after any October slowdown.

The table below lists robotics fundings in millions of U.S. dollars, where amounts were publicly available.

Robotics Investments October 2020

There were eight robotics mergers and acquisitions in October 2020, compared with seven in September 2020 and seven in October 2019. None of last month’s merger announcements included amounts.

Robotics Acquisitions, October 2020

Self-driving cars and trucks pick up in funding

After a brief break in September, developers of autonomous vehicles and supporting technologies again raised the most funding in October 2020, receiving more than $364 million in investment. Applied Intuition Inc., a self-driving simulation software firm in Sunnyvale, Calif., raised Series C funding of $125 million.

Golden, Colo.-based Outrider, which is developing autonomous yard trucks, closed Series B funding of $65 million.

Related content: The Robot Report Podcast: Autonomous yard trucks from Outrider; analyzing retail robotics

Shenzhen, China-based MINIEYE raised $40.7 million in Series C funding for its sensing technology for advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) and self-driving cars.

China-based Tage I-Driver Technology Co. raised $30.17 million in Series B funding for autonomous mining vehicles in October 2020. Meanwhile, automotive supplier Continental AG participated in the $23 million Series B round for AEye Inc., a lidar company in Pleasanton, Calif.

Tempe, Ariz.-based LM Industries, which is working on a self-driving shuttle, obtained $15 million, as did Israeli thermal imaging provider AdaSky.

Stockholm-based autonomous truck developer Einride AB received $10 million in funding, and San Jose, Calif.-based radar sensor maker Zadar Labs raised $4 million in October 2020.

Pittsburgh-based autonomous convoy firm Locomation raised $17 million in Series 2 funding. Daimler participated in unspecified Series C funding for Luminar, a lidar provider in Orlando, Fla.

Also in October 2020, QCraft.ai in Santa Clara, Calif., got seed funding as it develops simulation software for autonomous buses. Fortellix acquired Redwood City, Calif.-based Metaamoto, which provides simulation for ADAS, for an unspecified amount.

Drones get tailwinds in October 2020

Both unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drone countermeasures received $300 million in funding in October 2020. Workhorse Group Inc. in Loveland, Ohio, led with $200 million in financing for its electric vehicle and drone-delivery technology. It was the largest robotics transaction of the month.

Redondo Beach, Calif.-based drone defense startup Epirus got $57.3 million in Series C investment. Dedrone in San Francisco raised $12.1 million for its drone threat response system.

Gedera, Israel-based Tevel Aerobotics Technologies Ltd. received Series B funding of $20 million as it commercializes its AI-driven, fruit-picking drones.

Austin, Texas-based HUVRdata Inc., which analyzes drone inspection data for the energy industry, obtained $5 million in Series A. funding. Deutsche Telekom participated in the $4 million Series A+ investment round for vHive. The Herzliya, Israel-based company is also developing software for drones serving the energy industry.

Ware, a drone inventory firm in San Francisco, raised $2.5 million in seed funding. Further along the supply chain, Dublin, Ireland-based Manna raised an unspecified Series A for drone deliveries of food and pharmaceuticals.

In October 2020 drone acquisitions, Honeywell International picked up Ballard Power Systems Inc., a drone inspection provider in Southborough, Mass. AEVEX Aerospace acquired Geodetics, a drone navigation firm in San Diego, for an unspecified amount.

Healthcare robotics receive financing

Healthcare robotics companies raised more than $100 million in October 2020. Miami-based Neocis Inc., which is developing the Yomi robotic assistant for dental surgery, raised $72 million in Series D financing.

Shanghai-based rehabilitation exoskeleton maker Fourier Intelligence raised $15 million in Series C funding. Beijing-based orthopedic surgical robotics firm Jianjia Robots obtained $14.72 million in October 2020.

Yrobot, a wearable device provider in Cambridge, Mass., raised unspecified seed funding from Baidu Ventures.

Dublin, Ireland-based Medtronic PLC, which produces medical devices in addition to robotics and is thus beyond the scope of this report, was acquired by Ai Biomed Corp. Similarly, Chicago-based prosthetics provider Coapt received a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Industrial automation slows but expected to rebound

Industrial automation is relatively mature, and the COVID-19 pandemic slowed global manufacturing, so fewer startups received funding in October 2020 in comparison with other sectors. Still, as the aforementioned Workhorse Group investment demonstrates, there are plenty of areas in factories and warehouses where automation can still be applied.

“Third-quarter revenues in all business areas were still dampened due to the impact of COVID-19, although a strong recovery in China and ongoing cost-mitigation efforts supported a strong underlying performance,” stated Björn Rosengren, CEO of ABB, in his company’s quarterly earnings call. “Robotics and Industrial Automation, on the other hand, are taking more time to recover.”

ABB acquired Ede, Netherlands-based delta robot maker Codian Robotics VB in October 2020.

Teradyne Inc., which owns collaborative robot leader Universal Robots A/S, mobile robot makers Mobile Industrial Robots ApS and AutoGuide Mobile Robots, and sensing and software provider Energid Technologies, reported that its industrial automation sales rebounded to 2019 levels in the third quarter of 2020 after a coronavirus-induced drop in the second quarter. Universal Robots‘ sales grew 23% from Q2 to Q3, it said.

Shenzhen, China-based Han’s Robot raised $24.3 million in Series A financing. Albany, Ore.-based legged robot maker Agility Robotics raised $20 million in Series A funding.

Also in October 2020, U.K.-based online grocer Ocado Group invested in Athens-based Myrmex Inc., which is developing mobile supply chain robots. Since then, Ocado has also acquired Haddington Dynamics and Kindred Systems.

Seegrid Corp. acquired Philadelphia-based Box Robotics Inc., which provides 3D lidar, high-definition maps, and deep learning for mobile robots.

Field robots harvest funding in October 2020

In addition to Tevel Aerobotics, VitiBot raised $12.9 million in October 2020. The Reims, France-based firm is developing robots for vineyards.

SwarmFarm Robotics in Gindie, Australia, obtained $3.22 million in Series A funding for its open platform. Boston-based Root AI raised $325,000 for automated indoor agriculture.

In addition to farming, Sea Machines Robotics Inc. raised $5 million in Series B funding. The Boston-based marine robotics company had raised $15 million in July.

BP Ventures participated in the $13 million Series A round of Farnborough, U.K.-based Blue Ocean Seismic Services Ltd. Paradise Cove, Calif.-based Kraken Robotics, which provides marine Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) to energy and military customers, raised $10.4 million.

Retail, service, consumer robots seek Halloween treats

It’s too soon to say what the retail and hospitality markets will look like after the pandemic, but robots are likely going to be part of the picture. At the same time, consumer robots still have a long way to go. Mumbai, India-based educational robot firm Miko raised $3.14 million.

Seattle-based pizza robot maker Picnic raised $3 million in venture funding in October 2020. Also in the kitchen, Toronto-based YPC Technologies raised $1.8 million in seed funding, with participation from Toyota AI Ventures.

Shenzhen, China-based hospitality robot maker Youdi Technology Co. raised an unspecified amount of Series B funding.

Coca-Cola unit Costa Coffee acquired Austin, Texas-based robotic barista company Briggo for an unspecified amount. Light Ray Holdings’ acquisition of Zimplistic could be considered the one failure of October 2020, as the Singapore-based maker of the Rotimatic flatbread machine had struggled in the consumer space.

Less glamorous but still necessary, sewer-cleaning robot maker Genrobotics Innovations Pvt. Ltd. in Thiruvananthapuram, India, raised $34,000.

Software, components round out October 2020 robotics deals

From motion control to artificial intelligence, last month’s final batch of transactions included key technologies for robotics. Palo Alto, Calif.-based Robust.AI, which has been developing a “cognitive engine” for robots, had a Series A round of $15 million.

The founders of Robust AI, which is developing a cognitive platform for robots.

MOV.AI in Lisbon received $4 million in Series A funding as it builds an operating system for robot manufacturers and Robot Operating System (ROS) developers. Boston-based control software company Realtime Robotics Inc. raised $2 million through an equity sale, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

On the hardware side, actuation firm Artimus Robotics in Boulder, Colo., raised $594,000 in seed funding, and Bota Systems, a Zurich-based sensor and gripper maker, received $164,000 in seed funding in October 2020.

Applied Industrial Technologies acquired Marietta, Ga.-based Advanced Control Solutions, which makes controls and mobile and collaborative robot, for an unspecified amount.

Editors’ note: What defines robotics investments? The answer to this simple question is central in any attempt to quantify them with some degree of rigor. To make investment analyses consistent, repeatable, and valuable, it is critical to wring out as much subjectivity as possible during the evaluation process. This begins with a definition of terms and a description of assumptions.

Investors and investing
Investment should come from venture capital firms, corporate investment groups, angel investors, and other sources. Friends-and-family investments, government/non-governmental agency grants, and crowd-sourced funding are excluded.

Robotics and intelligent systems companies
Robotics companies must generate or expect to generate revenue from the production of robotics products (that sense, analyze, and act in the physical world), hardware or software subsystems and enabling technologies for robots, or services supporting robotics devices. For this analysis, autonomous vehicles (including technologies that support autonomous driving) and drones are considered robots, while 3D printers, CNC systems, and various types of “hard” automation are not.

Companies that are “robotic” in name only, or use the term “robot” to describe products and services that that do not enable or support devices acting in the physical world, are excluded. For example, this includes “software robots” and robotic process automation. Many firms have multiple locations in different countries. Company locations given in the analysis are based on the publicly listed headquarters in legal documents, press releases, etc.

Verification
Funding information is collected from a number of public and private sources. These include press releases from corporations and investment groups, corporate briefings, industry analysts, and association and industry publications, including PitchBook and Tracxn. In addition, information comes from sessions at conferences and seminars, as well as during private interviews with industry representatives, investors, and others. Unverifiable investments are excluded.

About the author:

Eugene Demaitre is senior editor at The Robot Report and Robotics Business Review. Prior to working at WTWH Media, he was an editor at BNA (now part of Bloomberg), Computerworld, TechTarget, and EH Media. Demaitre has participated in robotics webcasts, podcasts, and conferences worldwide. He has a master’s from the George Washington University and lives in the Boston area.

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While many industry observers see regulatory approval as hurdle for commercial drone delivery, technological and business challenges also need to be solved at scale. Volansi Inc. today announced the opening of a new facility in the Bend, Ore., area to support its delivery drone development, testing, and production.

The Concord, Calif.-based company has developed vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), middle-mile drone-delivery services. Volansi also said it provides on-demand aerial delivery services for time-critical shipments over long ranges. The company, which also has a location in Arizona, serves oil and gas, mining, defense, and medical applications, and it has ongoing operations in Africa, the Caribbean, and the U.S.

In September, Volansi raised $50 million in Series B funding, which it plans to use to expand its team and facilities, launch new projects, and scale current initiatives in emerging markets and the U.S. Last month, Volansi piloted the delivery of Merck medications in rural North Carolina.

Volansi develops delivery drone capabilities

Volansi develops, manufactures, and operates its own unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the VOLY C10 and VOLY M20 autonomous drones. The VOLY C10, the workhorse of Volansi’s UAV fleet, carries up to 10 lb. of cargo over 50 mi. The company’s ongoing delivery drone project in North Carolina demonstrates the VOLY C10’s hybrid eVTOL fixed-wing flight system, making it one of the only drone delivery services capable of transporting fragile, temperature-controlled vaccines.

The VOLY M20 is a dual-role aircraft with the ability to simultaneously carry up to 20 lb. of cargo, in addition to 10 lb. of sensor payloads. It has a 350-mi. range, a cruising speed of 75 mph, and more than eight hours of endurance for sensor operations, said Volansi.

VOLY M20 drone. Source: Volansi

Bend offers access to talent

The local talent pool was a major reason for Volansi to expand its delivery drone operations in Bend, Ore., according to executives.

“We have always applied a rapid, iterative approach more commonly used in robotics design or software development when innovating with our technology,” stated Hannan Parvizian, co-founder and CEO of Volansi. “With deep industrial roots, a rich talent pool, and mostly year-round good weather, the fast-growing Bend metro area was the obvious choice for co-locating the development, production, and testing of our aviation technology. We look forward to joining the community and making the Bend area our second home.”

“Central Oregon and the Pacific Northwest provide amazing access to great talent, a plethora of supply chain options, and an excellent operating environment,” said Mike Jackson, vice president of global operations at Volansi. “We feel the area is very well positioned to support both our growth potential and our pending production requirements.”

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