On a jobsite in northern California, a skid-steer loader digs out a patch of dirt, depositing the spoils in a nearby stockpile. No one is in the cab, and no remote operator can be seen. Onboard software follows a preset dig plan, using LIDAR and GPS to navigate the site.
“Once the technicians sorted out its positioning, it was able to keep working without interruption,” says David Warner, owner of San Rafael, Calif.-based Redhorse Construction. The contractor is running a pilot of a fully autonomous skid-steer system from tech start-up Built Robotics. The company has been working on autonomous equipment for two years and recently went public with its technology. With a host of Silicon Valley investors and former Autodesk CEO Carl Bass on its board, Built Robotics is looking to bring full automation to construction earthmoving equipment in the next year.