ExRobotics made the North American launch of its UL-certified ExR-2.5 autonomous inspection robot on June 23, 2026 at the Energy Drone & Robotics Summit in Houston, marking a step from pilot projects toward routine industrial deployment of hazardous-location robots.
Built for explosive atmospheres
The Delft, Netherlands-based company, founded in 2017, focuses exclusively on rugged inspection robots for potentially explosive environments. The ExR-2.5 is certified to UL 6260 — a framework for safety certification of robotic inspection technology in environments where explosive gases, vapors or combustible dusts may be present, ensuring the robot itself does not become an ignition source — and is also IECEx and ATEX Zone 1 certified.
Listening for leaks
The ExR-2.5 carries acoustic-imaging sensors that detect high-frequency signatures from gas leaks and mechanical faults, plus high-resolution and thermal cameras and environmental sensors. It can run autonomously or be teleoperated from thousands of miles away, returning to a docking station between missions. "We build rugged, reliable Ex-certified inspection robots because this is not a side capability for us; it's our sole focus," said CEO Mark Mildon, noting thousands of missions completed for operators including Shell, Repsol and BP.
Addressing a workforce gap
ExRobotics points to an energy-industry shortfall of up to 40,000 skilled workers this year and downtime that can cost a midsize facility more than $5 million in just 3.5 days. MicroWatt is the company's exclusive North American distributor, manufacturer and service provider. The launch joins a wave of industrial autonomy news, from GrayMatter Robotics' autonomous finishing to Omron's new AMRs and Burro's heavy-industry platform.
Reporting based on coverage from The Robot Report and ExRobotics.