Renu Robotics will present its industrial autonomous mowing platform at eMERGE Americas in Miami this May as a featured company with SBIR Advisors. The San Antonio-based company, founded in 2018 by Tim Matus, developed its autonomous vegetation management solution specifically for utility-scale solar farms where extreme heat, safety hazards, and labor shortages make traditional mowing impractical.
The company's third-generation robot stands 28 inches tall with a 64-inch cutting deck across a 10-foot platform, operating at three to five miles per hour using LIDAR, cameras, and AI-powered Human-Animal-Vehicle detection for safe autonomous operation. A fourth-generation platform is currently in development.
What began as a commercial solution for solar energy sites has evolved into a dual-use platform serving both civilian and military applications. Through its partnership with SBIR Advisors, Renu Robotics has secured multiple Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3 SBIR awards that have funded critical technology advances. These include LTE GPS RTK corrections that eliminate the need for complex on-site signal infrastructure and tower communication systems that enable the robot to operate near active military runways.
"When we can find help in grant funding to build the technology and then use it in other markets, it really is helpful," said Matus. "The key is how you communicate with people in the military to understand the need for the use case on the commercial side as well."
Attendees can see the Renu Robotics unit in action during eMERGE Americas Demo Day and throughout the conference at the Garage, a new hands-on exhibition space on the conference floor. Matus and members of the Renu Robotics engineering team will be available for conversations and live demonstrations.
"There's no better feel for a product and what it can do than when you see it on the ground and moving around," said Matus. "Your mind will start flowing into what this can do differently and how we take people out of the process and put machines in place to solve real issues."
The company's technology represents a significant advancement in addressing persistent challenges across multiple industries. For solar energy operators, autonomous mowing eliminates dangerous working conditions in extreme heat environments while solving chronic labor shortages. For military applications, the technology provides safe vegetation management near sensitive infrastructure and active runways without risking personnel.
The development path from commercial solar applications to military use demonstrates how dual-use technologies can leverage funding from programs like SBIR to accelerate innovation. The successful transition from Phase 1 through Phase 3 SBIR awards indicates both technological maturity and market validation for Renu Robotics' platform.
Business leaders and technology executives attending eMERGE Americas will have the opportunity to examine how autonomous robotics can transform operations in hazardous environments. The demonstration provides insight into practical applications of AI, computer vision, and autonomous systems that directly address workforce challenges while improving safety outcomes. For more information about the company's technology, visit renurobotics.com.
