China's DEEP Robotics has crossed a border many quadruped-robot makers have promised but few have crossed: a paying overseas grid operator. Its industrial X30 quadruped, nicknamed "SPock" inside Singapore's SP Group, is now on active duty in the city-state's underground high-voltage transmission network.
40 Kilometers Of Tunnels, One Robot Dog
SPock is derived from DEEP Robotics' X30 platform and has been patrolling sections of a 40-kilometer underground power-transmission tunnel operated by SP Group. Equipped with high-resolution cameras, thermal-imaging sensors and DEEP's onboard perception stack, the robot autonomously navigates the passageway, screening for cracks, water seepage and hot spots and generating real-time inspection reports at the end of every run.
SP Group says the deployment will save roughly 480 hours of manual inspection annually while doubling as a first responder that can enter potentially hazardous zones without putting staff at risk.
First Chinese Quadruped On An Overseas Grid
DEEP Robotics said it had to retune SPock's sensors, algorithms and navigation logic for the very different geometry and cable layout of Singapore's tunnels versus its Chinese reference deployments. "Localization is essential for international success," senior sales manager Hank Cheng told Robotics 24/7, describing months of on-site safety assessments and software tuning.
A Beachhead For DEEP's Global Push
SPock lands as DEEP Robotics is broadening its industrial line-up beyond the X30, unveiling six new products at last week's World Robot Conference 2026 and pushing its DR01/DR02 humanoids and Lynx wheel-legged robots into new verticals. SP Group is preparing to widen SPock's remit inside its network, providing DEEP with a live-fire reference customer it hopes to translate into orders from other utility operators outside China.
Reporting based on coverage from Robotics 24/7, DEEP Robotics and SP Group.