Flying Food, Warehouse Workhorses, and Humanoids on the Job: This Week’s Robotics Revolution

TL;DR

This week in robotics: AEON, a full-stack AI humanoid trained in simulation, is stepping into the real world; DoorDash's drones are now dropping off lunch in Charlotte; Gap is arming its largest distribution center with Boston Dynamics bots to unload trucks; and Yokogawa and Shell are teaming up to make plant inspections fully autonomous with robots and computer vision.

Hexagon Robotics Unveils AEON, AI-Powered Humanoid Robot at Scale

Hexagon Robotics has unveiled AEON, a humanoid robot designed for industrial use, powered by NVIDIA’s full-stack AI and robotics platform. AEON performs tasks like asset inspection, part manipulation, and 3D reality capture across sectors including manufacturing and logistics. It’s trained using NVIDIA’s foundation models (like Isaac GR00T) and simulations in Omniverse, allowing it to learn complex skills in weeks instead of months. With advanced sensors and onboard AI, AEON captures spatial data in real time and feeds it back to Hexagon’s HxDR platform for collaborative analysis. Currently in pilot programs with Schaeffler and Pilatus, AEON is targeting deployment within six months.

Major Takeaway: AEON shows how combining simulation training and edge AI can make humanoid robots deployable in real-world industries faster than ever. Read more

DoorDash and Wing Expand Drone Delivery to Charlotte, North Carolina

DoorDash has launched drone delivery in Charlotte through its partnership with Wing, offering residents within a four‑mile radius of The Arboretum Shopping Center access to orders from local favorites like Curry Junction, Matcha Café Maiko, Joa Korean Food—and national partner Panera Bread—delivered within approximately 15–30 minutes by autonomous drones that hover and lower packages via tether. DashMart essentials and special bundles are also available. This expansion builds on pilots in Australia, Virginia, and Dallas–Fort Worth, and leverages North Carolina’s drone-friendly policies ahead of a broader U.S. rollout.

Major Takeaway: Food and retail delivery are going airborne, and DoorDash is one of the first to scale real, working drone logistics in American neighborhoods. Read more

Gap Pours $58 Million into Robotics Automation at Tennessee Distribution Hub

Gap Inc. is investing $58 million to bring robotics and automation to its 1.4 million sq ft distribution center in Gallatin, Tennessee, deploying multiple Boston Dynamics Stretch mobile robots to unload trailers. These bots use advanced vision and vacuum grippers, moving autonomously and syncing wirelessly with conveyor belts. The upgrade has already reduced injuries, boosted morale, and sped up operations—transitioning staff from hard manual labor to managing robot fleets with minimal setup time.

Major Takeaway: Boston Dynamics' warehouse bots are becoming everyday coworkers—offloading boxes and injuries alike. Read more

Yokogawa Collaborates with Shell on Robotics and AI Technology for Plant Maintenance

Yokogawa Electric has partnered with Shell Global Solutions to integrate Shell’s AI-powered “Operator Round by Exception” (ORE) into Yokogawa’s OpreX Robot Management Core. This means robots and drones can autonomously inspect industrial plants—reading gauges, detecting gas leaks, and identifying issues while integrating with existing safety systems. Initial trials at two Shell facilities aim to prove that plants can one day be inspected—and maybe maintained—entirely by autonomous machines.

Major Takeaway: Shell and Yokogawa are betting on a future where robots do the dirty (and dangerous) work of industrial inspections. Read more

About Lucid Bots:

Founded in 2018, Lucid Bots is an AI robotics company that is committed to uplifting humanity by building the world's most productive and responsible robots that can do dangerous and demanding tasks. Headquartered in Charlotte, the company engineers, manufactures, and supports its products domestically, which include the Sherpa, a cleaning drone, and the Lavo Bot, a pressure-washing robot. Lucid Bots' products are elevating safety and efficiency for a growing number of customers around the world. Lucid is a Y Combinator-backed company, with investments from Cubit Capital, Idea Fund Partners, Danu Ventures, and others. Lucid Bots was recently recognized as the fastest growing robotics manufacturer in the United States.