Use Cases

From First Contact to Fully Operational in 10 Days: Built Robotics on Testing at the AARP

Built Robotics is the leader in physical AI for construction. Founded in 2016, the company builds practical autonomy for the USD $300 billion utility-scale solar industry – robots doing the heavy lifting on some of the world’s largest solar builds.

When an opportunity came up to deploy its robots on a Western Australian project, Built Robotics needed something most companies underestimate: fast, safe, real-world access to a test and demonstration facility. Paul Kelly, General Manager of Built Robotics Australia and the company’s Global VP of Business Development, explains what happened next.

“We had an opportunity to deploy our robots on a project in WA and needed access to a test and demonstration facility on short notice,” Paul says.

The AARP fit the brief immediately. Its individually demarcated, fenced test pads meant Built Robotics could run safe testing in an environment that closely mirrors a real construction site: without the constraints, or the wait, of building one from scratch.

“The AARP is set up exactly as we need for testing construction robots: large individually demarcated and fenced test pads allowing safe testing in a close-to-real-world-construction-site setting,” Paul says. “The AARP’s HQ, with its  fully kitted out workshop, office and presentation facilities is a great added perk.”

 

That combination – safe testing plus premium office and workshop facilities on the same site – turned out to be exactly what Built Robotics needed to build trust with prospective clients.

“The test yard location was perfect to demonstrate to prospective clients how the robots operate, thereby building confidence before deployment to the project site,” Paul says.

Perhaps the most striking outcome was speed. Built Robotics has attempted its own test yard facilities elsewhere before – a process that typically takes two to three months. At the AARP, the team was fully established within 10 days of first contact.

“Achieving the same independently – which we have done a number of times in setting up our own test yard facilities – is a 2–3 month setup process typically, whereas we were established at AARP within 10 days of first contact,” Paul says.

Would he recommend the AARP to other organisations? “Absolutely,” Paul says. “The team was very proactive in setting up user agreements and facilitating our movement of equipment in and out of the facility.”

 

For Built Robotics, the AARP delivered exactly what a fast-moving robotics company needs: a real-world proving ground, ready in days rather than months, backed by a team that removes friction instead of adding to it.

 

To learn more about Built Robotics, click here.