Gecko Robotics wins $300 million expansion of its US Navy contract

Gecko Robotics says the US Navy and General Services Administration have added $300 million to its contract, quadrupling the ceiling value six months after an initial $71 million IDIQ award, The Robot Report reports. The Pittsburgh company's wall-climbing robots, drones and fixed sensors collect high-fidelity data on the condition of Navy ships and submarines, including hulls, decks and welds, with AI models identifying current and future structural issues. Its Komodo system scans through thick non-skid deck coatings without stripping them, producing a full-deck heatmap of corrosion and material thickness so repairs can be planned before a ship enters drydock. Gecko claims its technology saves up to $8 million in repair costs per ship, identifies structural issues up to 50 times faster than traditional methods and cuts inspections from months to days; these are company claims. The expansion comes as the Navy pushes toward the chief of naval operations' target of 80% fleet readiness.

DTT summary based on The Robot Report's report. The full article is on the publisher's site.