Charlotte startup Lucid Drone Technologies now identifies as Lucid Bots as it unveils a new robotics product set to debut later this year.
The startup, founded in 2018, emerged into the industry originally with its Sherpa cleaning drones created to pressure wash the exterior of buildings. To better fulfill its mission of eliminating the challenges associated with cleaning exterior surfaces, the company recently introduced its latest product, Lavo Bot. It's expected to launch in the fourth quarter.
To accommodate its fleet of products, Lucid Bots is moving into a new, 16,000-square-foot space next to its current facility. Its current, 6,000-square-foot headquarters is at 6601 Northpark Blvd. in Charlotte.
While speaking with customers over the last few years, Lucid's clients steadily voiced their interests for a product that could clean flat surfaces such as sidewalks and parking garage floors, said Andrew Ashur, CEO and co-founder. Lavo Bots were created with this need in mind, as the ground-based machine can clean up to 70% faster than traditional methods.
Lucid's drones are primarily used for airborne projects such as cleaning corporate buildings or disinfecting stadiums after games.
Ashur said Lucid's name transition stems from more than just the launch of its new robotics product. It represents a larger opportunity of what the company aims to achieve — "building robotics to uplift humanity."
"Our big hope is when you think of traditional dull, dirty and dangerous jobs in the workplace — whether it's cleaning, painting, you name it, that there will be robots that can help make those jobs much safer and more efficient," he said. "We think this is a great opportunity to really empower humanity by allowing us to solve increasingly meaningful problems."
With the Lavo Bots, Lucid hopes to shift the mindset around automation that has for years been associated with replacing human jobs.
"When we think about robots, the point isn't to replace the human touch, it's to extend human reach," Ashur said. "Like, 'What are the things we weren't previously allowed to do because we didn't have the technology that we do now?'"
Robots can alleviate time-consuming and hazardous tasks so people can focus on their creative ventures, Ashur said on what he hopes to achieve with the new product.
A bright spot for the new Lavo Bot is it does not have to fall within Federal Aviation Administration regulations like the drones. It's also simpler to navigate. But since there are many companies that offer robotic pressure-washer services, it can be a fiercely competitive market, Ashur said. The drones are more likely to generate higher revenue due to being used for bigger projects, such as cleaning 10-story buildings.
Lucid's Lavo Bots are available for pre-order. If pre-ordering closes, companies can join the waiting list for $500.
"What we think about at Lucid is how do we help empower software AI to leap out of our screens and physically interact with the real world around and do some type of productive task," Ashur said. "And that's really what robotics is."
