US navy to use robots for inspecting ships, aircraft

The United States Navy has awarded a $71 million contract to Gecko Robotics to deploy robotic systems for inspecting ships and aircraft, Defense One reports.

The robots, equipped with artificial intelligence systems, will be used to detect faults significantly faster and more accurately than human inspectors, with the ability to conduct checks even before vessels arrive at port. 

According to the company, the technology identifies issues up to 50 times more efficiently.

Gecko Robotics co-founder and CEO Jake Loosararian said the solution combines visual inspection with predictive maintenance, enabling teams to anticipate potential failures and address them quickly, reducing downtime.

Founded in 2013, Gecko Robotics develops advanced robots designed to carry out detailed inspections of critical infrastructure, including power plant systems and large-scale industrial equipment.

Some of its machines are capable of climbing vertical surfaces to examine ship hulls and even intercontinental ballistic missile launch tubes, identifying structural and material weaknesses that may go unnoticed by human inspectors.

The company also produces drones that can assess joints, connections, openings, and other potential defects.

Gecko Robotics is already collaborating with the Navy to accelerate maintenance processes for aircraft carriers and submarines.

By Jeyhun Aghazada