MicroWatt Controls has launched the ExR-2.5, the first inspection robot certified under the UL 6260 framework for potentially explosive hazardous industrial locations in North America. Acting as ExRobotics’ exclusive North American distributor, assembler, and service provider, MicroWatt is introducing what it describes as a new class of certified autonomous inspection technology to the oil and gas, LNG, and petrochemical sectors.
The ExR-2.5 carries Class I, Division 2, Groups C and D, T4 certification – the relevant classification for environments where explosive gases or vapors may be present under abnormal conditions. UL Solutions evaluated the robot for fire, explosion, electrical shock, and mechanical hazards, with testing focused on battery systems, electrical controls, and mechanical components under both normal and fault conditions in potentially explosive atmospheres.
Why Certification Matters in This Context
Inspection robots operating in oil and gas facilities, LNG terminals, and chemical plants face a specific regulatory constraint that inspection robots in other industrial settings do not: the robot itself cannot become an ignition source in an environment where flammable gases or vapors may be present. Without certification under a recognized framework, operators cannot deploy autonomous inspection systems in these zones regardless of their functional capability.
The UL 6260 framework, now established for the first time, creates a dedicated certification pathway for robotic inspection technology in hazardous-area environments. By certifying the ExR-2.5 under this framework, ExRobotics and MicroWatt are providing operators with a legally and operationally defensible basis for deploying autonomous inspection in areas previously reserved for human workers equipped with explosion-proof personal equipment.
The Platform and Its Applications
The ExR-2.5 uses LiDAR-based navigation for autonomous, repeatable inspection routes without requiring infrastructure modification at the facility. Its multi-sensor payload covers emissions monitoring, gas leak detection, and visual and thermal anomaly identification – building a continuous picture of facility health across every mission. The platform is already deployed by major operators including Shell, BP, and Repsol, with thousands of successful inspection missions completed across upstream and downstream operations.
Oil and gas operators face compounding pressure from aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, and the cost of unplanned downtime from missed or delayed inspections. Certified robotic inspection addresses all three simultaneously: removing workers from repetitive hazardous rounds, providing more frequent and consistent data collection than human inspection schedules can sustain, and generating actionable intelligence for maintenance decisions before failures occur.
MicroWatt’s Role
MicroWatt provides local assembly, commissioning, operator training, ongoing servicing, and technical support for North American deployments – the field-ready service layer that enables industrial operators to adopt new robotic systems without building internal expertise from scratch.
“As industrial facilities look to improve safety while maintaining operational efficiency, robotics is becoming an essential part of the solution,” said Shawn Coffey, CEO of MicroWatt Controls. “Bringing ExRobotics’ UL Certified inspection robot to North America is a natural extension of that mission.”
