Guangdong Crownpower Electric Power Technology Development has taken a path less travelled in China’s robotics industry, as its products and services are geared for the utility sector – specifically, the dangerous task of maintaining power grids.
While many of its hi-tech peers are developing humanoid robots, Crownpower remains focused on taking over the potentially deadly work of safety inspection and maintenance of high-voltage power lines on the mainland and abroad.
Founded in 2006 in Foshan, a city in southern Guangdong province, Crownpower started as a power-safety solutions provider to state-owned China Telecom, which operates a vast domestic fixed-line and mobile communications network.
The company expanded into robot development in 2018, following its use of drones for inspection in 2013 and creation of a coating material for power lines in 2008.
After signing its first foreign client in Chile last year, Crownpower has stepped up its overseas promotions this year, according to Jacky Yu Mingjie, from the firm’s overseas business division. The company’s latest robots were on display from April 15 to 19 at this year’s China Import and Export Fair, known as the Canton Fair, which concludes on Monday.
The growing interest in Crownpower’s robots outside China reflects how innovative technologies, especially in the electric utility sector, are meeting efforts to remove human labour from potentially deadly tasks.
