Phoenix-based Revolute Robotics has developed a robot that combines drone and rover capabilities, allowing it to conduct inspections in confined spaces.
Revolute, which was founded in 2021, describes its hybrid mobility robot — or HMR — as an object “that looks as though it escaped from an episode of 'The Jetsons.'” The HMR is a drone mounted inside a spherical exoskeleton. It contains a mechanism that enables the drone to roll on the ground when it's not flying to collect data.
The HMR can navigate confined spaces and complex environments because it can operate longer than a drone and outmaneuver a rover, according to the company.
“Because we're able to roll on the ground to save energy, we can operate five times longer,” said Collin Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Revolute Robotics. “Currently, we believe we can get to 10 to 12 times longer. But the use case there is we can open up much larger inspections for much longer periods of time.”
The company’s target market is inspection service companies that work with the oil and gas, utility, chemical and mining industries.
“Our plan is to work with the inspection companies — not necessarily the end users like the power plants — to start figuring out niche types of inspections,” Taylor said.
The HMR reduces the need for companies to perform manual inspection, cutting back on labor costs and saving time.
“We are trying to solve this in a really big way. You look at the things that have been done already — it’s 90% cost savings. It's 95% time savings. It's far less people put in danger,” Taylor said. “This is something that everyone has rallied behind and believes in, and it's a problem that we want to solve. Frankly, we think our technology is the best way to do it.”
The HMR has drawn interest from several companies interested in using the robot for 3D mapping construction sites and underground mines, and automating routine security patrols, in addition to inspecting dangerous confined spaces.
“It's a benefit for them because they can offer new technology, new inspections and increase their customer base,” Taylor said. “It’s a benefit for us because we get to test our technology in multiple different verticals.”
Revolute Robotics' business idea takes off
The HMR was inspired by co-founder Sahand Sabet’s internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked on hybrid aerial and terrestrial robots. That led him to dedicate his Ph.D. dissertation to study robots that could drive and fly.
At the University of Arizona’s McGuire Center for Entrepreneurship, Sabet met Taylor, who had spent more than seven years in the commercial drone industry. The company participated in Tech Launch Arizona’s Student Innovation Challenge and was offered nearly $31,000 in funding to develop and refine its HMR prototype.
Revolute is currently alpha testing the HMR with several Arizona drone service companies to prepare it for widespread use.
Revolute recently launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on the Kevin O’Leary-backed StartEngine platform where people can invest in companies for as little as $100.
“This is our funding round to help us get through betas, start getting some sales commitments and use those sales commitments to raise our next funding round,” Taylor said.
Revolute Robotics aims to begin beta testing and pilot projects within a year.
“My goal is to get this in the hands of as many people as possible. More testing means more feedback, which means a better product, faster,” Taylor said. “That really comes down to working with our customers, listening to their problems and what we can do better to help them solve those problems, and then applying it quickly.”
