Palladyne AI said its software enables robots to perceive and adapt to changes in real-world environments. | Source: Palladyne AI
Palladyne AI yesterday said it has received additional funds from the U.S. Air Force as part of its contract with the Air Logistics Complex at Warner Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. The AI software developer also recently completed a series of Military Utility Assessment milestones.
“Through our work with the U.S. Air Force, we are making significant strides with the Palladyne IQ software and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with robotic automation,” stated Ben Wolff, president and CEO of Palladyne AI. “These recent Military Utility Assessment milestones, combined with the additional funding we have received for the project, demonstrate not only the technical feasibility, but also the operational value of our AI software to help automate a variety of complex and variable tasks for Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex.”
The company‘s latest milestones involved performing autonomous engineered media blasting on complex aircraft components and automated sanding at height using several commercial robotic systems. They represent the continuation of the multi-million-dollar Phase II contract with the U.S. Air Force, said the company. The Air Force hopes to validate the Palladyne IQ closed-loop autonomy software for use in various remediation activities on complex aircraft components.
This is the second year of a potential four-year effort with the Air Force, resulting from Palladyne AI’s selection in the Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) program that emerged from the Air Force’s innovation incubator, AFWERX AFVentures. The successful completion of the first milestones of the contract was announced in October 2024.
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Palladyne completes Air Force sanding demonstrations
Palladyne AI said it has accomplished several milestones in advancing automated surface finishing tasks. These include successfully demonstrating autonomous media blasting using Palladyne IQ software on a FANUC M710 robot. It enabled seven degrees of freedom and control along a linear rail with precise control over blasting parameters such as stand-off distance, path width, angle of incidence, and speed.
A second milestone included completing teleoperated and autonomous sanding using a Universal Robots UR10e collaborative robot with a compliant end effector and Palladyne IQ software. This allowed for high-precision sanding across contoured, overhead, and at-height surfaces. It also enabled customizable sanding areas and patterns for automated sanding.
The company claimed that its software operates on the edge and can reduce the effort required to program and deploy robots. This enables industrial and collaborative robots to achieve autonomous capabilities even in dynamic and or complex environments.
Palladyne AI said its software has wide application, including in industries such as automotive, aviation, construction, defense, general manufacturing, infrastructure inspection, logistics, and warehousing.
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