Swap Robotics

Swap Robotics builds robots that cut grass and clear snow, though the company’s current focus is large-scale (1,000+ acres) vegetation maintenance at solar farms. Solar vegetation maintenance is challenging as it requires a cutting deck that can operate beneath solar panels; traditional solutions—sheep-grazing and diesel-powered lawnmowers—are inefficient or unsustainable. Swap’s robots are 100% electric, and can cut beneath panels and around wiring and poles. The robots operate quietly, can navigate diverse terrain, feature built-in hydraulics and a “quick-swap” system for attachments, are equipped with depth-sensing cameras, can handle vegetation up to two inches thick, and have easily-swappable, rechargeable batteries that last between 4-12 hours, depending on the density of the vegetation.

Swap operates on a robots-as-a-service (RaaS) business model, in which customers pay per acre maintained rather than purchasing a robot outright. The per-acre fee varies depending on the size and terrain of the site and the frequency of cuts; but it’s a convenient pricing model, as it mirrors the one customers already know from traditional grass-cutting services. Swap performs all maintenance, repairs, and battery charging. If a robot ever stops working, the company promises a new one onsite within 90 minutes.