Haulotte is testing robotic arms attached to MEWPs. Working with French construction robotics startup Builder Assist, Haulotte is using the technology for tasks such as facade treatment and overhead drilling.

The robotic arm is currently being tested in real site conditions, where constraints related to repetitiveness, physical strain and accessibility are particularly high.

The photograph above shows a Haulotte lift fitted with a six-axis robotic arm from Schneider Electric, which is connected to a 3D, AI-enabled ‘perception box’ and a GPU.

During the test phase, Haulotte is assessing market interest and the operational value of robotic solutions integrated with access equipment.

Haulotte innovation director Philippe Luminet said: “Embedded robotics opens up new perspectives for working-at-height applications. With Builder Assist, we are exploring solutions that can deliver tangible value on job sites by combining access expertise, automation and a deep understanding of field operations.”

This is not Haulotte’s first use of robotic attachments. Six years ago, it collaborated with AMBPR for cleaning, blasting and painting applications in shipyards.