The Week in Robotics

NVIDIA launches Jetson Orin Nano 2 edge AI module for robots, drones

NVIDIA introduced Jetson Orin Nano 2, an entry-level edge AI computer meant to serve as the 'robot brain' for runtime deployment in drones, robots and vision AI systems, as part of its three-computer robotics stack alongside Omniverse/Cosmos for simulation and DJX for training.

The company says the module doubles inference performance over its predecessor, the Jetson Orin Nano Super, while cutting power draw by 40% at the same peak performance in 15-watt mode. Partners including Wing, Matic Robots, Cognex and Doosan Bobcat are evaluating or using the chip; the module and developer kit are due in the first half of 2027.

Bedrock Robotics deploys operator-free autonomous excavators at three named job sites

Bedrock Robotics has deployed fully autonomous, retrofitted heavy excavators without operators in the cab onto active infrastructure projects in Texas and Nevada, working with named contractors Sundt Construction, Champion Site Prep, and Zachry Construction Corp.

The company said its Bedrock Operator retrofit system requires a same-day installation and no permanent equipment changes, and that the excavators have completed a year of testing under human supervision before this operator-free rollout.

Bedrock is backed by $350 million in venture capital and led by former Waymo autonomy veterans, according to the company.

AeroVironment gets $51M Army order for Switchblade 600 loitering munitions

The U.S. Army has ordered $51 million worth of AeroVironment's Switchblade 600 loitering munition systems, including the newer Block 2 variant and Block 1 units, some of which will support a Foreign Military Sale to a U.S. ally.

The order comes under the Army's five-year Lethal Unmanned Systems contract, which carries a potential value of $990 million. More than 20 brigade combat teams have already received Switchblade 600 systems, and hundreds of soldiers have trained on the weapon since 2025.

Block 2 adds upgraded avionics, automatic target recognition via SPOTR AiTR, Silvus MANET radios for distributed operations, and improvements for GPS-disrupted environments, developed with input from U.S. Special Operations Command.

XPeng's Dogotix raises over $900M for humanoid robotics at $6.3B valuation

XPeng Motors said its Dogotix robotics unit, developer of the IRON humanoid robot, raised more than $900 million in its initial funding round, led by IDG Capital with strategic investors including Alibaba and Tencent.

The round brings Dogotix's pre-money valuation to $5 billion and post-transaction valuation to more than $6.3 billion, which XPeng said is a record for a single private financing in China's embodied AI sector.

XPeng plans to use the funding to develop hardware and software, train physical AI models, and build mass-production facilities, targeting 1,000 IRON humanoids per month by the end of 2026 with commercial deliveries starting in 2027.

Gatik raises $200M Series D to expand driverless freight trucking

Gatik AI Inc. said it has raised $200 million in Series D funding, led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies, with participation from Millennium Management, ARK Invest, and Intact Private Capital.

The company said it will use the funding to accelerate driverless commercial freight across Fortune 50 retail, consumer packaged goods, and grocery supply chains, building on existing partnerships with customers including PepsiCo, Kroger, Tyson Foods, and Georgia-Pacific.

Gatik said it has more than $600 million in contracted revenue, has completed 85,000 fully driverless orders, and maintains 99% on-time delivery, with dozens of driverless trucks operating across North America and plans to expand to thousands.