Autonomy News and Headlines

Techman’s Humanoid Robot Astonishes GTC 2026 Crowd, Redefining Industrial Robotics
NewsMar 19, 2026

Techman’s Humanoid Robot Astonishes GTC 2026 Crowd, Redefining Industrial Robotics

Techman Robot unveiled the TM Xplore I, a wheeled‑base humanoid, at Nvidia's GTC 2026, showcasing Physical AI that can see, think, and act. The robot runs on Nvidia's Jetson Thor edge module and employs a Vision‑Language‑Action model for real‑time perception,...

By eWeek
Wind-Powered Robot Could Enable Long-Term Exploration of Hostile Environments
NewsMar 19, 2026

Wind-Powered Robot Could Enable Long-Term Exploration of Hostile Environments

Researchers at Cranfield University unveiled WANDER‑bot, a low‑cost 3D‑printed robot powered entirely by wind. By using a Savonius turbine and Jansen linkage, the robot converts ambient airflow into locomotion, removing the need for batteries. The fully printable design allows on‑site...

By Tech Xplore Robotics
Smarter, Faster, and More Human: AI System Helps Robots Outpace Their Human Teachers
NewsMar 19, 2026

Smarter, Faster, and More Human: AI System Helps Robots Outpace Their Human Teachers

Georgia Tech researchers introduced Speed‑Adaptive Imitation Learning (SAIL), a system that lets robots execute learned visuomotor tasks faster than the human demonstrations they were trained on. By dynamically adjusting motion speed while preserving accuracy, SAIL achieved three‑to‑four‑fold speed gains across...

By Tech Xplore Robotics
Big Efficiency Gains Seen From Autonomous Trucking
NewsMar 19, 2026

Big Efficiency Gains Seen From Autonomous Trucking

Aurora Innovation released a Steer Group report showing autonomous freight already contributes $3.3 billion to the U.S. trucking sector and supports 17,000 jobs. The analysis projects the autonomous trucking segment will generate $70 billion of GDP by 2035, delivering $9.4 billion in annual...

By Just Auto
Terabase Automated Solar Construction Platform Is Ready for Its Full Market Debut
NewsMar 19, 2026

Terabase Automated Solar Construction Platform Is Ready for Its Full Market Debut

Terabase Energy announced the commercial launch of its automated solar construction platform, Terafab V2, following successful deployments on five pilot projects. The system combines AI, advanced robotics, and a Manufacturing Execution System to pre‑assemble modules on torque tubes, achieving two‑minute...

By Solar Power World
Ondas’ Sentrycs Supports Airspace Protection at World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos
PodcastMar 19, 2026

Ondas’ Sentrycs Supports Airspace Protection at World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos

Ondas Inc.’s Sentrycs subsidiary deployed its Cyber‑over‑RF (CoRF) solution within Swisscom Broadcast’s DroneDefence system to protect the lower airspace at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos. The technology delivered continuous detection, identification and electronic mitigation of rogue drones while...

By sUAS News
Hiding in Plain Sight: The Biomimetic Drone Patrolling Our Coastlines in the Guise of a Seagull
PodcastMar 19, 2026

Hiding in Plain Sight: The Biomimetic Drone Patrolling Our Coastlines in the Guise of a Seagull

Guard From Above unveiled the Seagull Evo, a sub‑1.5 kg fixed‑wing drone that replicates a seagull’s silhouette and flight dynamics for covert maritime surveillance. The platform carries electro‑optical or infrared payloads, flies up to 59 minutes, and can launch by hand...

By sUAS News
Saipem FlatFish Underwater Drone Completes Petrobas Test Campaign
NewsMar 19, 2026

Saipem FlatFish Underwater Drone Completes Petrobas Test Campaign

Saipem’s FlatFish underwater drone has successfully completed Functional Acceptance Tests for Petrobras, confirming its autonomous inspection capabilities. The tests, conducted in Saipem’s Trieste facility, demonstrated pipeline, structural, cathodic protection, and wall‑thickness assessments without human control. Petrobras has now approved the...

By Offshore Engineer (OE Digital)
AutoStore Launches CubeVerse and AutoStore Intelligence Platforms
NewsMar 19, 2026

AutoStore Launches CubeVerse and AutoStore Intelligence Platforms

AutoStore unveiled its Spring 2026 product suite, introducing the CubeVerse cloud platform and the AutoStore Intelligence suite powered by AI. The new tools unify system design, simulation, deployment, analytics and real‑time optimization, allowing existing robot grids to achieve higher throughput without...

By Robotics 24/7
Generative AI Improves a Wireless Vision System that Sees Through Obstructions
NewsMar 19, 2026

Generative AI Improves a Wireless Vision System that Sees Through Obstructions

MIT researchers have combined generative AI with millimeter‑wave (mmWave) radar to reconstruct hidden 3D objects and entire indoor scenes. The new Wave‑Former system fills gaps in partial reconstructions, boosting shape‑accuracy by roughly 20 % over prior methods. An expanded system called...

By Tech Xplore Robotics
Power, Precision, and Practical Efficiency
NewsMar 19, 2026

Power, Precision, and Practical Efficiency

Electric motors drive most industrial motion, accounting for roughly two‑thirds of factory electricity use. Servo systems, unlike fixed‑speed motors, operate across a wide torque‑speed envelope, making a single efficiency rating impossible. Engineers rely on efficiency maps and design practices—right‑sizing, material...

By RoboticsTomorrow
German Startup eternal.ag Launches Fully Autonomous Harvesting Robot to Tackle Greenhouse Labor Shortage
NewsMar 19, 2026

German Startup eternal.ag Launches Fully Autonomous Harvesting Robot to Tackle Greenhouse Labor Shortage

German agritech startup eternal.ag unveiled Harvester, a fully autonomous tomato‑harvesting robot designed for greenhouse production. The robot can operate up to 22 hours daily, using AI‑driven vision and a modular platform that continuously learns from field data. Eternal.ag raised €8 million...

By RoboticsTomorrow
Untitled
NewsMar 19, 2026

Untitled

Developed with Scale AI, the new AI Trainer signals a tectonic shift in robotics, moving applications from pre‑programmed scripts to fully AI‑driven tasks. The system leverages massive datasets generated in specialized AI training cells where robots imitate human operators, creating...

By RoboticsTomorrow
WeRide Launches AV Program in Slovakia
NewsMar 19, 2026

WeRide Launches AV Program in Slovakia

WeRide, the U.S.-based autonomous‑driving firm, announced its fourth European market launch in Slovakia, partnering with the Elevate Slovakia initiative. The program will introduce a suite of vehicles—including robotaxi, robobus, robovan and robosweeper—under the supervision of the Slovak Ministry of Transport....

By Autonomous Vehicle International
Revector & Cannon Dynamics Integrate Cell Phone Location Payload Onto Long-Range UAV for Anti-Poaching
NewsMar 19, 2026

Revector & Cannon Dynamics Integrate Cell Phone Location Payload Onto Long-Range UAV for Anti-Poaching

Revector has partnered with UK‑based Cannon Dynamics to mount its mobile‑phone location Detector onto the Sword long‑endurance VTOL drone for anti‑poaching missions in Africa. The integrated system uses an IMSI‑catcher to map unusual mobile activity, giving rangers real‑time intel across...

By Unmanned Systems Technology – News
Volatus to Develop Heavy-Lift Drone Logistics for Offshore Wind Operations & Maintenance
NewsMar 19, 2026

Volatus to Develop Heavy-Lift Drone Logistics for Offshore Wind Operations & Maintenance

Volatus Aerospace has signed a contract with a leading offshore wind power firm to develop heavy‑lift drone logistics for maritime environments. The initiative will enable remotely managed drones to transport up to 100 kg of tools and components from vessels directly...

By Unmanned Systems Technology – News
Anduril: New Factory Will Start Making Drone Wingman in Just ‘Days’
NewsMar 19, 2026

Anduril: New Factory Will Start Making Drone Wingman in Just ‘Days’

Anduril announced that its new Arsenal-1 manufacturing plant in Columbus, Ohio, will start producing the YFQ-44A Fury drone wingman within days, ahead of the originally slated July 2026 start. The 5‑million‑square‑foot facility, adjacent to a dual 12,000‑foot runway airport, enables...

By Defense One
Hong Kong: AI, Robotics Drive New Aerospace Technologies
NewsMar 18, 2026

Hong Kong: AI, Robotics Drive New Aerospace Technologies

A research partnership between Hong Kong’s Space Robotics and Energy Centre and Southeast University is accelerating autonomous space‑robotics, AI‑enabled navigation, and deep‑space energy management. The collaboration, supported by HKUST labs, targets rugged robotic platforms, precision manipulation, and modular power systems...

By OpenGov Asia
MAXOLUTION® Introduces a Standardized Mobile Robotic Platform with Contactless Charging
NewsMar 18, 2026

MAXOLUTION® Introduces a Standardized Mobile Robotic Platform with Contactless Charging

MAXOLUTION, an SEW‑EURODRIVE company, launched the Mobile Robot Platform 1600 (MR P1600), a standardized, modular robot designed for pallet transport in factories and warehouses. The platform offers up to 1 600 kg payload, 1.6 m/s speed, and optional contactless inductive charging via MOVITRANS solutions....

By Airport Improvement Magazine
Volatus Aerospace Receives NRC-IRAP Funding to Support Condor XL Development
PodcastMar 18, 2026

Volatus Aerospace Receives NRC-IRAP Funding to Support Condor XL Development

Volatus Aerospace announced it has been approved for up to $320,000 in non‑dilutive funding from the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC‑IRAP). The money will fund development of the Condor XL heavy‑lift uncrewed aerial system, focusing...

By sUAS News
TEKEVER and EPE Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Advanced Autonomous Systems Capability in New Zealand
PodcastMar 18, 2026

TEKEVER and EPE Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Advanced Autonomous Systems Capability in New Zealand

TEKEVER, a pan‑European AI‑centric defence tech firm, has entered a strategic partnership with New Zealand‑based EPE to deliver advanced autonomous systems to the NZ market. The deal combines TEKEVER’s AR5, AR3 EVO and ATLAS platforms with EPE’s local customer relationships and support...

By sUAS News
Volz Servos Powers Quantum Systems’ Twister eVTOL with Customised Actuator Technology
PodcastMar 18, 2026

Volz Servos Powers Quantum Systems’ Twister eVTOL with Customised Actuator Technology

Volz Servos is supplying customized DA‑15N servos, equipped with the ARINC 825 CAN protocol, to power Quantum Systems' Twister eVTOL. The servos control the aircraft’s wing flaps, a mission‑critical function for the vehicle’s vertical‑take‑off, fixed‑wing transition. Twister weighs 4 kg, can fly...

By sUAS News
Pardoned Nikola Founder Trevor Milton Is Trying to Raise $1B for AI-Powered Planes
NewsMar 18, 2026

Pardoned Nikola Founder Trevor Milton Is Trying to Raise $1B for AI-Powered Planes

Trevor Milton, pardoned founder of the failed electric‑truck maker Nikola, is spearheading a bid to raise $1 billion to develop AI‑driven light jets. He and an investment group have acquired the struggling SyberJet Aircraft and are rebuilding it with dozens of...

By TechCrunch (Main)
Tesla Says FSD Was Off Before Cybertruck Crash — but the Video Tells a Different Story
NewsMar 18, 2026

Tesla Says FSD Was Off Before Cybertruck Crash — but the Video Tells a Different Story

A Tesla Cybertruck equipped with Full Self‑Driving (FSD) crashed into a concrete barrier on Houston’s 69 Eastex Freeway on August 18, 2025, after the autonomous system failed to navigate a sharp curve. Driver Justine Saint Amour disengaged FSD four seconds before impact, but the...

By Electrek
Wisk Aero Unveils Second Gen 6 Autonomous eVTOL Prototype
NewsMar 18, 2026

Wisk Aero Unveils Second Gen 6 Autonomous eVTOL Prototype

Wisk Aero, a Boeing subsidiary, has unveiled its second sixth‑generation autonomous eVTOL prototype, registered as N607WA. The full‑scale aircraft is slated for its inaugural flight within weeks, marking a critical milestone toward certification. Wisk maintains its roadmap to launch a...

By AIAA – Industry News (Aerospace)
Swapping Batteries for Hydrogen Gives Drones a Whole New Range
NewsMar 18, 2026

Swapping Batteries for Hydrogen Gives Drones a Whole New Range

Researchers at Norway's SINTEF have built a hydrogen‑fuel‑cell drone that swaps its battery for a lightweight hydrogen tank, delivering multi‑hour flight endurance. The prototype can inspect long stretches of power lines, conduct search‑and‑rescue missions, and map terrain, offering a cheaper,...

By Tech Xplore Robotics
Mariana Says Copper One Set to Be World Pioneer Autonomy-First Mine and Refinery
NewsMar 18, 2026

Mariana Says Copper One Set to Be World Pioneer Autonomy-First Mine and Refinery

Mariana Minerals announced that its Copper One site in Utah will become the world’s first autonomy‑first copper mine and refinery. The company will roll out its MarianaOS platform—combining MineOS, PlantOS and CapitalProjectOS—to automate mining, processing and capital project execution, targeting...

By International Mining (IM-Mining)
K-State Salina Drone Safety Summit to Connect First Responders with UAS Experts
PodcastMar 18, 2026

K-State Salina Drone Safety Summit to Connect First Responders with UAS Experts

Kansas State University Salina will host a Public Safety UAS Summit on April 22, bringing together law enforcement, fire, and emergency management agencies with drone experts. The day-long event features FAA briefings on Part 107, BVLOS, and emergency waivers, as well as...

By sUAS News
Former Uber CEO Says Waymo ‘Obviously’ Ahead of Tesla in Robotaxi Race
NewsMar 18, 2026

Former Uber CEO Says Waymo ‘Obviously’ Ahead of Tesla in Robotaxi Race

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said Waymo is clearly ahead of Tesla in the robotaxi race, citing Waymo’s proven sensor suite, lower hardware costs and 400,000 weekly rides across ten U.S. cities. He contrasted this with Tesla’s vision‑only approach, which...

By Electrek
IdeaForge Receives Its First Purchase Order in the United States for Its Drones to Ensure Student Safety in a School...
PodcastMar 18, 2026

IdeaForge Receives Its First Purchase Order in the United States for Its Drones to Ensure Student Safety in a School...

IdeaForge Technology Limited secured its first U.S. purchase order, deploying Indian‑made drones to secure schools in Texas. The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District will use the SWITCH and Q6 V3 UAVs across 20‑25 campuses for aerial monitoring and rapid threat response....

By sUAS News
A Multi-Armed Robot for Assisting with Agricultural Tasks
NewsMar 18, 2026

A Multi-Armed Robot for Assisting with Agricultural Tasks

Researchers at West Virginia University introduced a force‑aware manipulation system for agricultural robots, enabling one arm to safely move plant branches and expose hidden flowers or fruit for a second arm. The method combines an RRT*‑based planner with a geometric...

By Robohub
Sheepdogs Reveal a Better Way to Guide Robot Swarms
NewsMar 18, 2026

Sheepdogs Reveal a Better Way to Guide Robot Swarms

Georgia Tech researchers analyzed sheep‑dog trial footage and identified a two‑step herding routine—first subtly aligning stationary sheep, then applying pressure to move them. They built a computational model that captures both the dog’s influence and peer interactions, revealing that small...

By Tech Xplore Robotics
Hesai Brings LiDAR to E-Scooters as Per-Unit Costs Plummet
NewsMar 18, 2026

Hesai Brings LiDAR to E-Scooters as Per-Unit Costs Plummet

Hesai has slashed LiDAR prices to about $200 per unit, enabling its FTX blind‑spot sensor to be fitted on Niu Technologies' new NXT2 e‑scooter. The partnership marks a turning point for affordable perception technology, previously limited to high‑end EVs and...

By Automotive World – Autonomous Driving
Agibot Stages Robot-Led Live Show to Demonstrate Humanoids Operating at Scale
NewsMar 18, 2026

Agibot Stages Robot-Led Live Show to Demonstrate Humanoids Operating at Scale

Agibot staged “Agibot Night,” the first fully robot‑led live gala streamed to millions. The 60‑minute show featured humanoid robots performing dance, magic, comedy and music, while also collaborating with humans and quadruped robots. The event demonstrated large‑scale coordination across Agibot’s...

By Robotics & Automation News
Segway Navimow Robotic Lawn Mowers Earn TÜV Certification for Minimal Lawn Impact
NewsMar 18, 2026

Segway Navimow Robotic Lawn Mowers Earn TÜV Certification for Minimal Lawn Impact

Segway Navimow’s X420 and i206 AWD robotic lawn mowers have secured TÜV Rheinland’s Lawn Care certification, the first for any robotic mower. The certification confirms Level 2 minimal lawn impact after a simulated year of high‑frequency mowing. Both units demonstrated exceptional...

By Robotics & Automation News
Kawasaki Develops Collaborative Drone System
NewsMar 18, 2026

Kawasaki Develops Collaborative Drone System

Japanese defense giant Kawasaki Heavy Industries announced development of a Collaborative Support Aircraft (CSA) program, exploring two unmanned platforms: a missile‑like system and a conventional UAV‑type aircraft. The concepts are designed for launch from ground, naval vessels, and airborne carriers...

By Defence Blog
Mitsubishi Heavy Integrates Hivemind AI Into Drone
NewsMar 18, 2026

Mitsubishi Heavy Integrates Hivemind AI Into Drone

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completed flight demonstrations of AI‑powered mission autonomy for its ARMD UAV using Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise platform. The full development cycle—from AI design and training to hardware integration and flight—was finished in just eight weeks. Demonstrations took...

By Defence Blog
OPINION: How the Software-Defined Vehicle Is Redefining Development
NewsMar 18, 2026

OPINION: How the Software-Defined Vehicle Is Redefining Development

Automakers are shifting from hardware‑centric cars to software‑defined vehicles (SDVs), where code determines functionality, performance, and user experience. Centralized computing architectures replace fragmented ECUs, enabling over‑the‑air updates, feature‑on‑demand, and continuous improvement. This transition forces OEMs to adopt agile, data‑driven development...

By Autonomous Vehicle International
Royal Netherlands Navy Receives 12 V-BAT Drones
NewsMar 18, 2026

Royal Netherlands Navy Receives 12 V-BAT Drones

After extensive testing, the Royal Netherlands Navy has purchased twelve V‑BAT autonomous drones from Shield AI. The drones, fitted with radar and high‑resolution cameras, provide long‑duration, high‑altitude maritime reconnaissance and can operate without satellite connectivity. Control units are being installed...

By Naval News
Hôtel Monville Upgrades Room-Service Robot with Pudu Flashbot System
NewsMar 18, 2026

Hôtel Monville Upgrades Room-Service Robot with Pudu Flashbot System

Hôtel Monville has replaced its original Savioke room‑service robot with Pudu Robotics' Flashbot, a more powerful model featuring two to four delivery compartments. The upgrade expands the robot’s capacity to handle a broader range of guest requests, from amenities to meeting...

By Robotics & Automation News
Hesai Joins Nvidia Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab
NewsMar 18, 2026

Hesai Joins Nvidia Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab

Hesai Technology has joined Nvidia’s Halos AI Systems Inspection Lab, the first ANSI‑accredited facility for testing AI‑driven physical systems. The partnership obliges Hesai to evaluate its LiDAR platforms against a unified framework covering functional safety, cybersecurity and AI compliance. Hesai,...

By Just Auto
DeepRoute.ai Presents 40B VLA Model for Scalable Autonomy
NewsMar 18, 2026

DeepRoute.ai Presents 40B VLA Model for Scalable Autonomy

DeepRoute.ai unveiled a 40‑billion‑parameter vision‑language‑action (VLA) foundation model at Nvidia GTC 2026, compressing the autonomous‑driving data‑processing cycle from over five days to roughly 12 hours per iteration. The model simultaneously drives, analyzes events, and critiques trajectories, automating high‑value training data...

By Automotive World – Autonomous Driving
Glencore-Owned Raglan Achieves Autonomous Haulage Milestone at Anuri
NewsMar 18, 2026

Glencore-Owned Raglan Achieves Autonomous Haulage Milestone at Anuri

Raglan Mine, owned by Glencore, marked a milestone when its first autonomous haul truck successfully discharged ore at the Anuri underground operation in Quebec. The unload was executed from a remote control centre 14 km away using Sandvik’s AutoMine® platform, which...

By International Mining (IM-Mining)
Innodisk and Aetina Demo Heavy Vehicle AI Safety at GTC 2026
NewsMar 18, 2026

Innodisk and Aetina Demo Heavy Vehicle AI Safety at GTC 2026

Innodisk and its subsidiary Aetina showcased a heavy‑vehicle safety platform at Nvidia GTC 2026 that merges surround‑view perception with AI‑driven driver monitoring on the Jetson AGX Orin. The solution stitches eight GMSL2 camera feeds via a custom capture card, delivering real‑time...

By Automotive World – Autonomous Driving
AI-Powered Robot Learns How to Harvest Tomatoes More Efficiently
NewsMar 18, 2026

AI-Powered Robot Learns How to Harvest Tomatoes More Efficiently

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers unveiled an AI‑driven robot that evaluates the “harvest‑ease” of each tomato before attempting to pick it. The system blends image recognition with statistical analysis to select optimal picking angles, achieving an 81% success rate in field...

By ScienceDaily Robotics
Saildrone and Woolpert Deploy Autonomous Surface Vessel for NOAA Seafloor Mapping
NewsMar 17, 2026

Saildrone and Woolpert Deploy Autonomous Surface Vessel for NOAA Seafloor Mapping

Saildrone and Woolpert have teamed up to collect high‑resolution bathymetric data for NOAA around the Mariana Islands using a 20‑meter autonomous surface vessel, the Saildrone Surveyor. The unmanned platform began mapping a 13,000‑square‑nautical‑mile area of the northwestern Pacific this month,...

By Robotics & Automation News
Robots and AI Are Tackling some of the Biggest Challenges in Construction
NewsMar 17, 2026

Robots and AI Are Tackling some of the Biggest Challenges in Construction

The U.S. construction industry generates about $2.1 trillion annually, yet over three‑quarters of projects face delays due to fragmented monitoring and a skilled‑labor shortage. Virginia Tech and Procon Consulting have created “Mario,” a coordinated system of robots, drones, AI sensing, and computer...

By Robotics & Automation News
New Igus Modular Autonomous Mobile Robot Platform Is Easy to Configure and Deploy
NewsMar 17, 2026

New Igus Modular Autonomous Mobile Robot Platform Is Easy to Configure and Deploy

igus unveiled the ReBelMove Pro, a modular autonomous mobile robot designed for rapid, code‑free deployment across industrial settings. The compact AMR reaches 6.5 mph, lifts 550 lb, and can tow nearly 2,000 lb while mapping 2,150 sq ft in under three minutes using LIDAR, 3D...

By RoboticsTomorrow
Autonomous Navigation of Microrobots in Complex Flows Demonstrated for the First Time
NewsMar 17, 2026

Autonomous Navigation of Microrobots in Complex Flows Demonstrated for the First Time

Researchers at Leipzig University have, for the first time, demonstrated that synthetic microswimmers can autonomously navigate complex fluid flows by using their own body shape as a sensor. The team employed reinforcement‑learning algorithms coupled with real‑time optical control, enabling particles...

By Tech Xplore Robotics