San Francisco-based construction technology company Civ Robotics is beta-testing a new tool aimed at simplifying solar farm construction.
The system, called CivNav, is designed to address labor shortages affecting many engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) companies in the solar sector.
CivNav consists of a GPS sensor box that can be mounted on most skid steer and telehandler machines used in solar construction. Operators control the system through a handheld tablet inside the vehicle. The technology has already been field-tested on machines from Bobcat, Takeuchi, Caterpillar, and John Deere.
Once installed, CivNav guides operators in distributing piles, pallets, and PV modules. The interface enables placement accuracy of up to 5 cm, and the company claims that, with GPS-enabled sensors on pile-driving machines, surveying layouts can be skipped entirely. Civ Robotics says this could accelerate construction timelines and allow larger solar sites to be built with fewer staff.
According to CEO and co-founder Tom Yeshurun, the system was designed with usability in mind. “We’re seeing really exciting tech entering the industry to solve long-standing inefficiencies,” he said. “The most important element for us is to keep it simple and approachable, so everyone on the worksite can benefit from new developments, no matter their experience level. As we continue to build new robotics systems, we ensure innovation and user experience always go hand in hand.”
CivNav also generates daily reports with real-time operational data, including productivity, output, hours, distance traveled, and insights to help managers identify bottlenecks. The system is currently available for rent in beta.
The tool complements Civ Robotics’ existing construction robotics portfolio, including Civ Dot and CivDot+ robots, which handle surveying tasks such as locating fencing points, identifying optimal concrete casting locations for battery storage, marking medium-voltage trenching layouts, and mapping pile staging and layouts.
Civ Robotics’ technology has contributed to more than 20 GW of solar projects worldwide. The company has raised $12.5 million from investors, including Bobcat Company, ff Venture Capital, and AlleyCorp, and its systems are used by Qcells, Bechtel, Trimble, and LPL Solar.
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