Mobile robots in logistics can be seen to work throughout an entire supply chain from manufacturing processes, to reaching consumers and shops, according to researcher IDTechEx.

The report provides an in-depth overview of the role of robot technologies at each stage of the chain, highlighting mobility, flexibility and scalability as benefits of adoption.

Material handling, including material transportation and mobile picking, are some of the key jobs for mobile robots at the beginning of the supply chain. Material transportation alone was seen to hold around 90% of market revenue share as of 2024, according to IDTechEx, signifying the large uptake and importance of mobile robots in redesigning intralogistics and transporting applications.

Autonomous trucks used for the long-haul trucking stages of supply chain distribution play another vital role in mobile robot technology. Their ability not just to move from point A to B within a warehouse but to do so across significant distances could enable the expansion and upscaling of companies. Robots and drones used for last-kilometre delivery also offer advantages, with common technologies including delivery vans, sidewalk robots and delivery drones.

Driven by the demand for last-kilometre delivery and the advancements of autonomous driving, the market of last-kilometre delivery drones is expected to have a 34-fold increase over the next ten years.

Mobile robots receive their name from the advantage they hold over the roles of fixed robots – their autonomous mobility. Jobs such as material transportation, space cleaning and patrolling are achieved only with a functionality not attainable by fixed robots, as mobile robots can allow these services to be carried out in various locations without the same limitations of space or movement, enabling greater flexibility.

Modern automated-guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can operate independently and navigate their environments with limited human control, and this semi-supervision-free operation and adaptability allows them to work in multiple surroundings and change tasks quite easily.

Integration into existing infrastructure and environments can be a barrier to implementing fixed robots, likely requiring extra costs than just the robot machinery alone. Mobile robots therefore have a scalability advantage, and deploying them could be a more cost-effective option when considering their other mobility and flexibility advantages.

In periods of high demand, mobile robots can be easily implemented to increase productivity and, when demand is low, numbers can be reduced so as not to create unnecessary operational costs or waste resources.

IDTechEx identifies this as a business model called robot-as-a-service and is proof of the innovative and apt technological advantages of businesses choosing to invest in mobile robot technology as opposed to fixed robots.

The integration of mobile robots into logistics is creating space for technology sectors to crossover, including the implementation of autonomous trucks into supply chains and drones delivering parcels to people’s doors. IDTechEx explores funding opportunities, alongside acquisition and mergers within the sector, providing an outlook of the mobile robot landscape over the next decade.

For more information on the Mobile Robotics in Logistics, Warehousing and Delivery 2024-2044 report, visit www.idtechex.com/en/research-report/mobile-robotics-in-logistics-warehousing-and-delivery-2024-2044/960.