Explore how Exotec combines autonomous mobile robots, high-density storage racks, and intelligent warehouse software to automate inventory storage, retrieval, and order fulfillment.
Exotec Skypod autonomous mobile robot for automated warehouse storage and inventory retrieval.
Exotec is a French warehouse robotics company specializing in automated storage and retrieval technology for distribution centers, e-commerce fulfillment operations, retail logistics, and manufacturing facilities. Its flagship Skypod system combines autonomous mobile robots, high-density storage racks, standardized storage bins, and intelligent warehouse software to automate the movement of inventory between storage locations and order fulfillment stations. Unlike conventional automated storage systems that depend on fixed cranes or shuttle mechanisms, Skypod robots travel independently across the warehouse floor and climb vertically along storage racks to access inventory.
The Skypod system is designed to support goods-to-person fulfillment, where products are automatically transported to workstations rather than requiring employees to travel through storage aisles. Robots retrieve inventory containers from designated rack positions and deliver them to picking, replenishment, or processing stations. Exotec has also developed its next-generation Skypod system to expand beyond basic storage and retrieval, incorporating more integrated picking, buffering, and order-sequencing capabilities. This architecture allows warehouse operators to coordinate multiple fulfillment activities through a shared robotic system.
Traditional warehouse picking operations require workers or material handling equipment to move through aisles to access stored inventory. Even conventional automated storage systems often depend on dedicated machinery serving specific aisles or storage levels. These arrangements can limit flexibility when demand changes across different sections of a warehouse. Exotec addresses these challenges through a fleet of autonomous robots capable of traveling horizontally between work areas and vertically along storage racks, allowing individual robots to access multiple storage locations.
The Skypod storage structure uses closely arranged racks that extend vertically to accommodate multiple levels of inventory containers. Exotec's latest system supports storage heights of up to approximately 14 meters, allowing facilities to make extensive use of available building height. The robots move through aisles at ground level and climb the rack structures to retrieve bins without requiring separate lifting equipment at each storage level. Because the robots can serve different areas of the installation, the system can distribute retrieval activity according to operational demand while maintaining a compact storage footprint.
Exotec's Skypod robots are autonomous mobile machines equipped with mechanisms that allow them to travel along warehouse floors and climb vertically on specially designed storage racks. During retrieval, a robot navigates to the appropriate aisle, ascends the rack structure, and positions itself at the required storage level. It then extracts the designated bin using its onboard handling mechanism before descending and transporting the container to a workstation. The same process operates in reverse when returning inventory to storage, allowing robots to perform both replenishment and retrieval tasks within the automated system.
The robots use onboard sensors and coordinated navigation software to move safely and efficiently throughout the warehouse. Exotec's system is designed to support multiple robots operating simultaneously, with each unit independently accessing storage locations and delivering bins to workstations. Its next-generation Skypod robots can travel at speeds of up to approximately 4 meters per second and carry loads of up to 30 kilograms. This combination of horizontal mobility, vertical climbing, and independent bin handling allows the system to retrieve inventory from elevated storage positions without conventional stacker cranes or fixed shuttle mechanisms.
Exotec's warehouse execution software coordinates robot movements, storage assignments, inventory retrieval, and workstation operations. The system receives instructions from warehouse management software and translates them into robotic tasks, determining which bins must be retrieved and where they should be delivered. Robot traffic is managed across storage aisles and workstation areas to maintain continuous inventory movement while minimizing unnecessary travel. The software also coordinates replenishment activities, allowing incoming inventory to be placed into storage while outbound orders are processed.
The next-generation Skypod system incorporates additional order fulfillment capabilities, including integrated buffering and sequencing functions. These features allow retrieved inventory containers and completed orders to be organized according to downstream processing requirements. Workstations can support picking, replenishment, and order consolidation, while connected conveyors and other material handling equipment move completed orders toward packing and shipping. By coordinating storage, retrieval, and fulfillment within a single robotic environment, Exotec reduces the need for separate handling stages between inventory storage and outbound order preparation.
Exotec's Skypod system is used in e-commerce fulfillment centers, retail distribution facilities, grocery operations, manufacturing environments, and third-party logistics warehouses. These facilities frequently manage large inventories of individual products that must be retrieved quickly and accurately for customer orders or store replenishment. During receiving, incoming products are identified and placed into storage bins, which are transferred into the Skypod system. Autonomous robots then transport the bins to available storage positions, maintaining inventory accessibility while reducing the need for manual movement throughout the storage area.
When orders are received, the system retrieves the required inventory containers and delivers them to picking stations. Employees or automated picking equipment select the appropriate products, after which the bins can be returned to storage or routed for additional processing. Exotec's next-generation system can also support order buffering and sequencing, helping facilities organize completed orders before packing or shipment. This makes the technology particularly suitable for operations handling many different products, frequent order changes, and fluctuating fulfillment volumes.
Exotec's Skypod technology is designed to increase storage capacity by using vertical rack space while reducing the amount of manual travel required for inventory retrieval. Its high-density storage configuration allows facilities to organize large numbers of bins within a compact footprint, while mobile robots provide automated access to individual storage locations. Because robots are not permanently assigned to specific aisles, the system can allocate equipment across different warehouse areas according to demand. This flexibility helps operators maintain throughput as inventory patterns and order volumes change.
The modular architecture also allows warehouse operators to expand capacity by adding storage racks, robots, and workstations as their operations grow. Additional robots can increase handling throughput without requiring an entirely new storage system, although overall performance depends on rack layout, workstation capacity, and system configuration. Automated bin retrieval reduces repetitive walking and manual transport, while warehouse software improves inventory visibility and coordinates fulfillment activity. By combining autonomous climbing robots, high-density storage, and integrated order processing, Exotec provides a flexible alternative to conventional crane-based and shuttle-based automated storage systems.
Explore how AutoStore combines high-density cube storage, autonomous robots, and intelligent warehouse software to automate inventory storage, retrieval, and order fulfillment.
Explore how Symbotic combines autonomous mobile robots, high-density storage structures, and intelligent warehouse software to automate inventory storage, retrieval, and distribution.
Tesla could combine existing automated food-production systems with Optimus to create a real-world environment where humanoid robots learn the physical tasks that connect an autonomous restaurant.
Building the integration layer that connects specialized food-service robotics into one modular, autonomous operating system.
Developing highly automated food production facilities that combine robotics, industry expertise, and regional partnerships to reduce costs and supply prepared food at commercial scale.
An exciting head-to-head competition where humanoid robots tackle real-world challenges, showcasing the latest advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous technology.
