Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation announced that it has successfully completed final validation of its Outdoor Autonomous Manipulation of Photovoltaic Panels (O-AMPP) project. During this field trial, Sarcos collaborated with Mortenson, JLG Industries, Array Technologies, and Pratt Miller to achieve this critical project milestone at a Mortenson project site, which validated the Sarcos robotic solar field construction solution. The O-AMPP project, which began in 2021 with funding support from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), aims to streamline the process of solar field construction into one harmonized robotic system to deliver, detect, lift, and place photovoltaic modules in the field.

The benefits for energy companies implementing the system for solar construction include lower soft costs for projects, the ability to engage in more projects simultaneously, improved construction timelines and quality, and a safer worksite that reduces the risk of injuries, including lifting and fatigue-related injuries. During the validation of this system, a proof-of-concept O-AMPP system consisting of an Autonomous Working Vehicle (AWV) featuring the Guardian® XM robotic system, and an Autonomous Delivery Vehicle (ADV), was used to optimize the flow of photovoltaic modules from delivery to installation. Sarcos collaborated with several leading companies involved in the renewable energy industry to complete this testing, including: Mortenson provided critical subject matter expertise and a validation site.

JLG Industries supplied the mobile elevating work platform used for the AWV, onto which the Guardian XM robotic system was mounted and integrated. Array Technologies supplied the tracker technology used in the project along with engineering resources. Pratt Miller provided the mobile base, leveraging their Flexible Robotic Platform with the PM-ADS™ autonomy system, on which the ADV prototype was built.