Collaborative Robots Startup Using Teams Of AI-Powered Drones To Make Flying Safer

Collaborative robots — frequently called cobots — work in tandem with people and other systems. They work as teams, with different machines offering their own capabilities, so a group can perform advanced multistep tasks. By grouping robots together, users can offload repetitive or dangerous tasks with precision, safety and performance, especially in error-prone environments

The promise of cobots to improve efficiencies and boost safety will drive adoption in the coming years.

AvaWatz is a startup hoping to capitalize on cobots’ market potential by developing advanced AI-powered robotic teams. The company’s software directs robots and drones to perform multiple layers of tasks that were not possible a few years ago. AvaWatz is raising funds through StartEngine to help build and scale the technology, which means anyone can invest for a limited time. 

Removing Dangerous Airport Debris With Robotic Precision

AvaWatz’s goal is to solve multiple problems with its platform of robots, drones, computer vision and other integrated solutions. The company’s initial market focus is the foreign object debris (FOD) problem at airports. A multibillion-dollar issue, FOD are items such as ID badges, trash, tools, chunks of pavement, bolts and screws, rocks and other objects on an airport runway. If these objects remain during takeoffs and landings, they can damage fan blades, cause engine failures, puncture tires or cause wing damage.

This persistent FOD problem results in costly repairs and replacements and puts lives at risk. In 2021 for example, an Airbus A320 taking off in Brisbane, Australia, experienced an engine fire and aborted takeoff because of a screwdriver tip found in the engine compartment.

AvaWatz’s solution reduces the time required for FOD procedures because it uses a fleet of robotic drones to spot and remove debris. The company’s AI-powered architecture enables robotic drones to understand and map a working airport environment. The platform uses drone robots to fly over a runway and operations area, spot debris and send a ping of the debris’ location to humans. The company also has a robotic debris retrieval solution that travels directly to the location ping for immediate and safe removal. It addresses the FOD problem by combining different robots with varying skill sets that work in tandem with precise vision, speed and handling capabilities.

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For airport operators, the benefits include improved speed, efficiency and safety. The cobot solution can clear a runway in 15 to 20 minutes, compared to a human team that typically takes two hours for manual inspection and removal. A cobot solution reduces a runway’s nonoperational time, allowing operators to add more flights and increase revenue.

 Improving Robots With AI And Collaborative Learning

The company’s core market opportunity is improving and expanding the capabilities of hardware developers’ robots. It does this through artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning-based software that turns robots into cobots, giving manufacturers significant value-add for every machine they produce. AvaWatz’s capabilities align with the cobot market’s expected growth from an estimated $1.1 billion in 2022 to $9.2 billion by 2028, a compound annual growth rate of 41.5%, according to a report from MarketsandMarkets.com.

AvaWatz plans to address many market use cases wherever companies need air- and ground-based cobot groups. The company can offload repetitive and dangerous tasks with precision, safety and performance, especially in error-prone environments. By using advanced machine learning software, the company can create multistep robots with a range of capabilities adaptable to various verticals. The solution overcomes the challenges of robotic adoption in markets like aviation by creating a collaborative system that’s still managed by people.

Other airport-focused efforts from AvaWatz include an intelligent augmented reality solution that helps controllers see potential problems through vision blind spots. It uses software to track aircraft and relays that data to an interactive augmented reality display. The solution can highlight nonaircraft threats such as birds or drones, giving controllers time to warn pilots.

Military Testing Market-Ready Cobot Prototype

While the company’s runway debris solution is in its pilot stage, it has delivered multiple prototypes to U.S. armed forces groups as proof-of-concepts. It provided three phases of prototypes to the U.S. Air Force, which includes a version also tested by the Department of Homeland Security.

AvaWatz developed beta versions of the air and ground combination cobots in 2022 and offered the solution to the U.S. Army for testing. These military engagements provide the company with feedback to improve the solution’s functions. The firm is leveraging the Department of Defense contracts into a compelling use case for airport operators who want to reduce operational costs and prevent debris-related costs and potential loss of life. The company anticipates strong adoption as it faces no true competitors and presents an attractive return on investment.

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