‘Bandicoot’ fame Genrobotics expanding into defence and space tech

'Bandicoot' fame Genrobotics expanding into defence and space tech The robotics firm has opened a new production facility in Thiruvananthapuram.

Key points

• Balagopal Chandrashekar, Chairman, Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, and Santhosh Koshy Thomas, Managing Director of KINFRA, were among those present.
• Mohammed Hanish inaugurating the Menamkulam facility of Genrobotics on Thursday.
• Keralam-based Genrobotics, best known for its 'Bandicoot' robotic scavenger, is expanding into defence production, aerospace and space technology.
• Genrobotics co-founder and CEO Vimal Govind remarked the company's journey had evolved significantly since its early work in sanitation robotics.
• With the three facilities in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad, Genrobotics is seeking to position its next phase of expansion around a larger manufacturing base in Kerala, the statement stated.

Extra Chief Secretary (Industries) A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish inaugurating the Menamkulam facility of Genrobotics on Thursday. Photo Credit: Special arrangement.

In practice, the robotics firm has opened a new production facility in Thiruvananthapuram, a statement stated on Thursday. "The facility, located at KINFRA, Menamkulam, near Thumba, will focus on the development and production of robotics technologies for defence and space applications, marking the company's expansion from its established standing in sanitation and medical robotics, " it remarked.

Extra Chief Secretary (Industries) A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish inaugurated the Menamkulam unit. It is designed for research and development-led production, with a focus on robotics for defence and space applications. The firm has sought to strengthen its aerospace capabilities in recent months by inducting senior hands from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) into its team, according to the statement.

Genrobotics co-founder and CEO Vimal Govind remarked the company's journey had evolved significantly since its early work in sanitation robotics. "We began by going where no one else would: into the sewers. Today, we're headed where few dare to dream: into space. From sanitation to space, that's the journey Genrobotics has been on, and this is just the beginning, " he was quoted as saying in the statement.

In practice, the new facility forms part of a larger expansion of Genrobotics' manufacturing infrastructure in Kerala. The company's production facility at Palakkad, its largest, is nearing completion. It will focus on sanitation and medical technologies. A new headquarters-cum-R&D facility is additionally being developed at Chanthavila in Thiruvananthapuram.

Notably, the 'Bandicoot' robot created headlines by eliminating the need for humans to physically enter manholes and sewers for cleaning.

For now, 'Bandicoot' fame Genrobotics expanding into defence and space tech remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.