Summary
The Gravis RACK is a rooftop-mounted retrofit autonomy kit that converts existing excavators and wheel loaders (10 to 100+ tonnes) into supervised-autonomous earthmoving machines. It handles repetitive bulk excavation cycles, utility trenching to pipelaying standards, and hopper feeding; complex geometry work, grading, and non-bucket tasks stay with the operator. One qualified operator programs trench geometry on a tablet, steps out of the cab, and the machine delivers fifteen trenches to pipelaying standards on a live construction site (NCE, Manchester Airport deployment). The RACK has shipped since 2025 across seven countries, with deployments spanning quarrying, commercial construction, and pipeline operations on machines from seven confirmed OEM brands.
How it works on your site
Site Clearing and Mass Excavation (Cut)
The RACK runs autonomous dig-swing-dump-return cycles on repetitive bulk tasks. The system reads hydraulic pressure to detect soil hardness and adjusts excavation strategy across varying ground conditions. Operators define jobs from a CAD/BIM model or on-site reference points through the Slate tablet; the machine executes while the operator monitors from outside the cab.
Trenching (Utility Excavation)
The RACK digs trenches to a programmed geometry, navigating around subsurface pipes without human intervention. The operator defines trench dimensions on the Slate tablet using CAD/BIM coordinates or bucket-position reference points, then steps out of the cab for the duration of the autonomous cycle. A 5-week refinement period preceded pipelaying-standard output on the first documented construction site.
Soil Hauling
The system adapts to highly compacted and heterogeneous soil conditions using hydraulic pressure feedback, producing consistent bucket loads across variable ground. On pipeline operations, multiple RACK-equipped excavators handle trench spoil on extended linear projects.
What users have experienced
133 cycles/hour
Throughput
Gravis Robotics99%
Performance
Gravis Robotics1500 tonnes/day
Throughput
Gravis RoboticsRobot deployment record
6 deployments on public record
| Project | Organizations | Country | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Moor Quarry hopper feeding trial trial |
Holcim
|
UK | |
|
|||
| Clough Bank B Car Park construction, Manchester Airport pilot |
Taylor Woodrow
|
UK | |
|
|||
| 60-mile pipeline trenching pilot | Techint Group | Argentina | |
|
|||
| KTEG ZE135 battery-electric autonomous integration demonstration |
KTEG
|
Not stated | — |
| Holcim global quarry automation program pilot |
Holcim
|
Not stated | — |
| AMRC controlled test environment pre-trial trial |
Taylor Woodrow
|
UK | — |
| No deployments match these filters. | |||
Other companies that have deployed this robot
6 organizations on record for this robot
Should your company be on this list?