Robots join the sewer bandwagon

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RedZone Robotics is capitalizing on the shambolic state of US sewer infrastructure. It has attracted the attention of venture capitalists.

When looking for candidates to climb around leaky sewers, the best man for the job just might be a robot, according to RedZone Robotics.

The Pittsburgh-based wastewater technology company started out more than 20 years ago manufacturing robots that could go in and identify problems at highly toxic nuclear waste sites.

It is now taking that expertise to make robots that can venture down into the less treacherous but equally stinky underworld of sewers, to inspect pipes and identify possible leaks.

These robots are autonomous and create a 360° video inspection of sewer conditions that can then be used to develop maintenance priorities and a cleaning programme.

“We took a lot of knowledge in terms of robots going into these dirty, dangerous and dull environments,” says CEO Eric Close. “We saw that there was a vast unmet need to go and gather intelligence about our underground infrastructure; namely, our sewer pipes.”

When Close acquired RedZone in 2004, the company was in bankruptcy. The move from nuclear waste – which has a narrow clientele – to sewer inspection, has helped turn the company around. In the last two years, RedZone has taken on 20 new employees and secured $7 million in new financing, mostly venture capital.

The company’s plans fit well with the dilapidated state of sewer systems in the US. Several states, including California, are requiring comprehensive sewer management plans.

“The key is that the combination of robots with software as a service really helps solve these wastewater and water management problems, and it does so in a low-cost and highly efficient way,” says Close.