Construction
Built Robotics showed its system for turning existing excavators into self-driving machines, and raised $15 million.
A dated step forward on the record · Company-reported
What the source says
“intended to convert existing excavators to autonomous robots that can operate for hours without a break.”
What it means
RPD 35 and Exosystem, from Built Robotics, is at stage 4 of 5 on our ladder: paying customers. Its stage is set by other milestones on its record; this one adds to the history. This line rests on the company's own announcement; no regulator, customer or independent report confirms it in our sources yet.
Human help: The maker hasn't said whether people help it remotely.
More on RPD 35 and Exosystem
- Solar construction company Blattner agreed to use dozens of Built Robotics' machines on US solar projects over three years, for pile driving, surveying, drilling and trenching.
- Built Robotics launched the RPD 35, a self-driving machine that drives solar-panel posts into the ground. The company said it could install about 300 posts a day with two workers.
- Built Robotics raised $64 million, bringing its total to $112 million. Most of its users were renewable-energy companies.
- Built Robotics raised $33 million, bringing its total to $48 million. Its machines were working on clean-energy projects in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and elsewhere.