Major North American infrastructure firm MasTec has committed to rolling out Gritt's artificial intelligence-driven robotic attachments across its utility-scale solar developments in multiple US states, building on positive results from on-site testing. The announcement follows MasTec's decision to partner with Burns & McDonnell in August on a comparable initiative. The companies have not released pricing or contract specifics.

Gritt's technology consists of robotic arms that attach to standard construction equipment like skid steers and forklifts, enabling crews to position and lift solar panels with greater efficiency. During field evaluations on active projects, MasTec's teams confirmed the systems' capacity to handle substantial panel installation volumes. Both organizations intend to expand deployment across numerous states going forward.

We've evaluated Gritt systems on active construction sites, and we see an opportunity to pair our teams' expertise with technology that supports them in the field

Rob Turner, vice president of construction at MasTec Renewables

This partnership represents Gritt's second publicly announced collaboration within a three-month window. Burns & McDonnell entered into a comparable arrangement in August, according to reporting by Solar Power World, following twelve months of evaluation work.

When Gritt secured $32 million in funding during July, the company indicated it had been collaborating with three firms among the nation's ten largest power construction businesses, though it withheld their identities at that time. The startup emphasized that its robotic systems enable work crews to deploy between 3,000 and 4,000 panels daily, a substantial increase from the approximately 800 panels that manual crews typically install. At the time of that funding announcement, Gritt had deployed just two systems in operational settings. The company's current website now displays more than seven active job locations.

The construction sector is increasingly adopting robotic solutions as experienced tradespeople move into retirement. This trend extends beyond solar work: Procore announced its acquisition of drone technology company DroneDeploy for $845 million in July, while welding robotics firm Path Robotics announced a $300 million funding round on Tuesday.

Source: The Next Web