LEAPTING unveils electric autonomous solar forklift — SkimNews
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- LEAPTING debuted its battery-powered Auto-Navigation Forklift Robot (AFR) at a solar technology conference in Dubai this week, calling it the "missing link" in solar material handling for utility-scale projects.
- The AFR autonomously delivers module pallets from terminals or laydown yards to installation rows, combining GPS-RTK, laser SLAM, 3D computer vision, 360-degree multi-line LiDAR, intelligent obstacle avoidance, and a three-tier braking system — removing the need for a human operator or flagman.
- A 48V, 400Ah lithium battery (19.2 kWh nominal capacity) drives a pair of electric motors, producing roughly 10 horsepower and a claimed eight hours of continuous operation under standard conditions.
- IP67 all-weather protection and fully tracked, tank-like mobility let the robot carry 3,000 kg (~6,600 lbs) of solar materials across desert sand, gravel, mud, and icy ground.
- LEAPTING claims the AFR can mount modules on trackers every 40 seconds — 3 to 5 times faster than manual labor — with placement accuracy within +/-1mm.
Why it matters: Automating pallet delivery and module mounting directly targets the labor and safety bottleneck at utility-scale solar job sites; LEAPTING claims the AFR replaces a human flagman while mounting modules 3–5x faster than manual crews, which could compress install timelines on remote or hazardous terrain.
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