Who operates it, and what does a person still do each shift?

Why it matters: Autonomy differs by vendor. KEWAZO describes LIFTBOT as remote controlled. Voliro describes automated flight modes and assisted autonomy. Pronto says an operator drives a haul route once, then dispatches trucks to saved routes from a smartphone app, with ADAS, collision avoidance or L4 autonomy depending on site maturity. Okibo describes the EG7 as fully autonomous, and Dusty Robotics claims its layout output with one person (vendor claims). Tip: Ask the vendor to walk through one full shift: who sets up, who supervises, who stops the machine, and who fixes what it gets wrong.

Are you buying a machine, renting one, or paying for use?

Why it matters: Civ Robotics is the only robotics vendor in our directory with public prices: CivDot purchase from $60,000 (rental and rent-to-buy by quote), CivDot Mini $40,000, and CivNav rental at $3,000 per month. Dusty Robotics describes usage-based pricing by days of layout used, plus platform access and implementation, and says its plans include the portal, laser tracker, robot, iPad, joystick and support. Okibo offers "Order a Robot" and KEWAZO "Request a quote"; the others publish no pricing page. Tip: Ask for a written quote that names implementation, transport, support, consumables and what you pay on days the machine sits idle.

Does it retrofit the machines you already own, or is it a new machine?

Why it matters: Gravis Robotics retrofits existing machines with its RACK compute and control hardware, sensors and a touchscreen. Bedrock Robotics describes turning existing excavators into autonomous machines and says other machine types will follow. Pronto describes a retrofit drive-by-wire kit and says its system is OEM, vehicle and application agnostic. Built Robotics sells its own pile-driving robots (RPD 35 and RPS 25). Tip: Bring the make, model and year of the machines you would want converted, and ask which are supported today and who services the added hardware.

What does it need from you before day one?

Why it matters: Dusty Robotics prints layout from Revit and AutoCAD models using a laser tracker. Okibo says the EG7 needs no BIM, markings or site prep. Civ Robotics says no surveying experience is needed. Pronto says its software learns a route after one manual drive. Tip: Ask to start the demo from the file or site condition you will actually have, not a prepared sample.

What are the throughput and accuracy figures based on?

Why it matters: Vendors publish figures we have not tested: Dusty Robotics 10,000 to 15,000 sq ft per day and up to 1/16 in; Civ Robotics 3/100 ft (8 mm) for CivDot+ and 8x faster layout; Okibo about 1,000 sq ft per hour; Built Robotics within 1.0 degree of plumb and 15 mm of design elevation; Gravis Robotics up to 30% higher throughput. All are vendor claims, not verified. Tip: Ask on what task, site and crew each figure was measured, and plan your pilot to measure output per shift and error against an independent check.

Which site conditions and physical limits apply?

Why it matters: Okibo lists the EG7 at 800 lb and 27 in wide with swappable 5 kWh batteries. Dusty Robotics says it prints as close as 1 3/4 in from obstacles. Built Robotics lists the RPD 35 carrying up to 224 piles, piles up to 19 ft, W6x7 to W8x28. Voliro says Voliro T flies in GPS-denied spaces. CivDot Mini marks lines on paved surfaces. Tip: List your doorways, elevators, floor loads, slopes, ground conditions and connectivity, and ask which ones the vendor has worked in before.

Where is it available and supported today?

Why it matters: Dusty Robotics says it is available in North America. Built Robotics says its robots are used in the US and Australia. Bedrock Robotics says it is starting with excavators. Our robotics category asks where each product is available today because coverage differs. Tip: Ask where the nearest service technician and spare parts are, and how long a breakdown takes to fix.

What safety system does it use, and who is liable if it damages work in place?

Why it matters: Built Robotics cites an 8-layer safety system and Okibo cites CE certification for the EG7 (vendor claims). Pronto describes machine-learning object detection meant to reduce false positives. Liability and insurance terms are not described on the pages we read. Tip: Ask for the stop procedure, exclusion zones and insurance terms in writing before the machine arrives on site.

What data does it record, and who owns it?

Why it matters: KEWAZO describes its ONSITE platform with live operational data. Dusty Robotics includes the Dusty Robotics Portal in its plans. Pronto dispatches through a smartphone app. We did not record a data-ownership policy from these vendors. Tip: Ask what the machine logs, how you export it, and what happens to that data if you stop using the product.

Home / Guides / Questions to ask before a construction robotics pilot

Questions to ask before a construction robotics pilot

A checklist for a first conversation with a construction robotics vendor. These are our suggestions, drawn from our robotics and automation category, compares and roundup. They are not findings: Means & Methods Lab has not tested any robot. Where a question mentions a vendor, it points to something that vendor publishes. Desk research, not tested.

SUGGESTIONS, NOT FINDINGS. No tool has been tested by Means & Methods Lab. Vendor facts are desk research from vendor websites and are not verified. Updated 2026-10-16.

The questions (9)

Q01Who operates it, and what does a person still do each shift?
WHY IT MATTERS · Autonomy differs by vendor. KEWAZO describes LIFTBOT as remote controlled. Voliro describes automated flight modes and assisted autonomy. Pronto says an operator drives a haul route once, then dispatches trucks to saved routes from a smartphone app, with ADAS, collision avoidance or L4 autonomy depending on site maturity. Okibo describes the EG7 as fully autonomous, and Dusty Robotics claims its layout output with one person (vendor claims).
WHAT TO ASK · Ask the vendor to walk through one full shift: who sets up, who supervises, who stops the machine, and who fixes what it gets wrong.
Q02Are you buying a machine, renting one, or paying for use?
WHY IT MATTERS · Civ Robotics is the only robotics vendor in our directory with public prices: CivDot purchase from $60,000 (rental and rent-to-buy by quote), CivDot Mini $40,000, and CivNav rental at $3,000 per month. Dusty Robotics describes usage-based pricing by days of layout used, plus platform access and implementation, and says its plans include the portal, laser tracker, robot, iPad, joystick and support. Okibo offers "Order a Robot" and KEWAZO "Request a quote"; the others publish no pricing page.
WHAT TO ASK · Ask for a written quote that names implementation, transport, support, consumables and what you pay on days the machine sits idle.
Q03Does it retrofit the machines you already own, or is it a new machine?
WHY IT MATTERS · Gravis Robotics retrofits existing machines with its RACK compute and control hardware, sensors and a touchscreen. Bedrock Robotics describes turning existing excavators into autonomous machines and says other machine types will follow. Pronto describes a retrofit drive-by-wire kit and says its system is OEM, vehicle and application agnostic. Built Robotics sells its own pile-driving robots (RPD 35 and RPS 25).
WHAT TO ASK · Bring the make, model and year of the machines you would want converted, and ask which are supported today and who services the added hardware.
Q04What does it need from you before day one?
WHY IT MATTERS · Dusty Robotics prints layout from Revit and AutoCAD models using a laser tracker. Okibo says the EG7 needs no BIM, markings or site prep. Civ Robotics says no surveying experience is needed. Pronto says its software learns a route after one manual drive.
WHAT TO ASK · Ask to start the demo from the file or site condition you will actually have, not a prepared sample.
Q05What are the throughput and accuracy figures based on?
WHY IT MATTERS · Vendors publish figures we have not tested: Dusty Robotics 10,000 to 15,000 sq ft per day and up to 1/16 in; Civ Robotics 3/100 ft (8 mm) for CivDot+ and 8x faster layout; Okibo about 1,000 sq ft per hour; Built Robotics within 1.0 degree of plumb and 15 mm of design elevation; Gravis Robotics up to 30% higher throughput. All are vendor claims, not verified.
WHAT TO ASK · Ask on what task, site and crew each figure was measured, and plan your pilot to measure output per shift and error against an independent check.
Q06Which site conditions and physical limits apply?
WHY IT MATTERS · Okibo lists the EG7 at 800 lb and 27 in wide with swappable 5 kWh batteries. Dusty Robotics says it prints as close as 1 3/4 in from obstacles. Built Robotics lists the RPD 35 carrying up to 224 piles, piles up to 19 ft, W6x7 to W8x28. Voliro says Voliro T flies in GPS-denied spaces. CivDot Mini marks lines on paved surfaces.
WHAT TO ASK · List your doorways, elevators, floor loads, slopes, ground conditions and connectivity, and ask which ones the vendor has worked in before.
Q07Where is it available and supported today?
WHY IT MATTERS · Dusty Robotics says it is available in North America. Built Robotics says its robots are used in the US and Australia. Bedrock Robotics says it is starting with excavators. Our robotics category asks where each product is available today because coverage differs.
WHAT TO ASK · Ask where the nearest service technician and spare parts are, and how long a breakdown takes to fix.
Q08What safety system does it use, and who is liable if it damages work in place?
WHY IT MATTERS · Built Robotics cites an 8-layer safety system and Okibo cites CE certification for the EG7 (vendor claims). Pronto describes machine-learning object detection meant to reduce false positives. Liability and insurance terms are not described on the pages we read.
WHAT TO ASK · Ask for the stop procedure, exclusion zones and insurance terms in writing before the machine arrives on site.
Q09What data does it record, and who owns it?
WHY IT MATTERS · KEWAZO describes its ONSITE platform with live operational data. Dusty Robotics includes the Dusty Robotics Portal in its plans. Pronto dispatches through a smartphone app. We did not record a data-ownership policy from these vendors.
WHAT TO ASK · Ask what the machine logs, how you export it, and what happens to that data if you stop using the product.

Bring to the demo

One task from a recent job with a known crew output per shift (square feet, layout points, piles or loads).
The file or condition the robot would start from: a Revit or AutoCAD layout model, survey control, a haul route, or floor plans with doorway and elevator sizes.
Make, model and year of any machines you would want retrofitted.
The independent check you already trust, such as a total-station check or QA/QC record.
Your site safety plan and the insurance requirements you set for equipment and subcontractors on site.

Sources

Dusty Robotics https://www.dustyrobotics.com
Dusty Robotics pricing https://www.dustyrobotics.com/pricing
Civ Robotics pricing https://www.civrobotics.com/pricing
Okibo https://okibo.com
KEWAZO https://www.kewazo.com
Built Robotics solutions https://www.builtrobotics.com/solutions
Bedrock Robotics https://bedrockrobotics.com
Gravis Robotics https://www.gravisrobotics.com
Pronto solution https://pronto.ai/solution/
Voliro https://voliro.com

Tools mentioned (alphabetical, not ranked)

Bedrock Robotics · Autonomous excavation
Built Robotics · Autonomous pile driving
Civ Robotics · Layout robots & machine control
Dusty Robotics · Layout robotics
Gravis Robotics · Autonomous earthmoving
KEWAZO · Material-lifting robot & site data
Okibo · Painting & drywall finishing robots
Origin · Construction robotics
Pronto · Autonomous haulage
Voliro · Contact-inspection drone (NDT)

Side-by-side comparisons

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