Cities Are Putting Robots to Work: Robots are starting to do jobs like firefighting, lawn mowing and beach cleaning, among other things

“Robots are coming to a town near you -- deployed by cities to do work that is labor-intensive, repetitive or dangerous for humans.

 

Cities have long lagged behind the private sector when it comes to giving jobs to robots. That's because robots are expensive and work best in highly controlled environments, not exactly the definition of city streets. Questions about safety, cybersecurity and job displacement also loom large in public settings. Police robots, for example, have occasionally stirred up fears about surveillance and the potential for lethal force.

 

So for now, the robots being rolled out in cities are friendly and low-profile -- they mow lawns, clean beaches and guide people through buildings, among other things. And they still have to prove their worth, experts say.

 

"Cities are on relatively tight budgets," says Peter Stone, a computer-science professor at the University of Texas at Austin. "And so far, robots aren't making things less expensive."

 

But cities and counties have identified some use cases where deploying robots makes sense. Here is a look at some of them:

 

Kansas City, Mo.:

 

Firefighting

 

The Kansas City Fire Department deployed a firefighting robot in March 2024 that is capable of delivering more water than most fire engines while keeping firefighters out of hazardous environments.

 

The robot, which has tank-like treads instead of wheels and is roughly the size of a small car, can push out up to 2,500 gallons of water a minute while advancing toward fires and navigating obstacles. Battalion Chief Benjamin Schloegel, who leads the fire department's drone and robotics division, says the robot has been deployed several times, primarily for large-scale fires.

 

The department operates the remotely controlled robot alongside drones, which help the operator chart the best path. The robot features four thermal and visible-light cameras, a front blade for pushing vehicles, and a winch for clearing paths. Schloegel says the applications could extend beyond firefighting, to wilderness rescue and even active-shooter situations where it could transport patients without exposing personnel to danger.

 

At the robot's first deployment, a fire at a recycling facility, the blaze was under control but the labor-intensive work of extinguishing hot spots remained. The fire initially required 30 firefighters but once the incident commander saw the robot's capabilities, he released more than half in response, freeing crews for other emergencies. The robot, fire officials say, handled work firefighters would typically spend hours doing in calf-high water and muck.

 

"At that recycling fire, there was 12 hours less of smoke flowing over neighborhoods because we were able to get to the seat of the fire and put it out that much faster," Schloegel says.

 

Englewood, Colo.:

 

Building guide

 

Arapahoe Libraries, a public library system in Colorado, plans to deploy a four-wheeled robot at a new co-working facility in Englewood, Colo. The robot's job will be to help visitors navigate the public space, which is opening in early 2026.

 

The building, called the Space and Cafe, will have a 200-person event space, a boardroom and a variety of meeting spaces that can be reserved by the public.

 

The robot will act as a backup concierge when human staff are unavailable, says Anthony White, the district's director of innovation and technology. Visitors tap the robot's screen to select various spaces, and the robot guides them through the building at a customizable walking pace, navigating around obstacles.

 

The library is testing a second robot for cafe delivery to workspaces.

 

White sees the technology as part of the library's broader mission. "We want to expose our patrons to technology that exists in the world, in a setting where it's functional," he says.

 

Irvine, Calif.:

 

Assessing public infrastructure

 

Irvine deployed five robots, beginning in late August, to conduct a comprehensive assessment of its public infrastructure. The project, aimed at determining compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, typically would have taken at least two city staff members four years to complete but will be finished in under six months with the robots, according to Vu Tran, a principal civil engineer for the city.

 

The robots are measuring more than 9,000 curb ramps, 950 miles of sidewalk, 400 transit stops and 70 miles of paved trails, documenting compliance issues like crossfall slopes, sidewalk uplift and cracks. Tran says the robots provide far more detailed data than traditional inspection by human assessors. While humans typically measure at 10-foot intervals, the robots take measurements every few centimeters.

 

"It's going to be a lot more accurate," Tran says.

 

The robots operate during weekday business hours and can run for 12 continuous hours before they need to be recharged. The main challenge has been curiosity -- the robots are programmed to stop when pedestrians approach, and people frequently pause to take photos, causing minor delays, according to Tran.

 

Sanford, N.C.:

 

Lawn mowing

 

Sanford has deployed 10 autonomous lawn-mowing robots across roughly 6 acres at City Hall and nearby water towers. The battery-powered robots run up to 23 hours daily, cutting grass continuously in programmed patterns and returning to individual charging docks when needed.

 

The robots provide multiple benefits beyond labor savings, according to Brian Flynn, the horticulturist with the city's grounds division. The robots improve safety by removing workers from potentially hazardous slopes where traditional riding mowers once operated. The frequent cutting also reduces thatch buildup and creates healthier, thicker grass, while minimizing the use of pesticides.

 

"These mowers give you consistent quality cuts, so the appearance is neat and uniform seven days a week," he says.

 

The robots have eliminated noise pollution from gas-powered equipment around City Hall offices and conference rooms. They also have freed up staff to focus on other maintenance tasks, he says. The city engaged residents by crowdsourcing names for some of the robots. Now, "Jason Ma Mowa," "Britney Shears" and "Snippy Longstockings" patrol the grounds.

 

Detroit:

 

Trash scooping

 

Detroit deployed a beach-cleaning robot on Belle Isle, a popular island park in the Detroit River, to remove debris from sand and waterways while showcasing emerging technology to residents.

 

The robot, which can clean up to 32,000 square feet of sand an hour, digs up the top layer and shakes it like a prospector panning for gold, says Tim Slusser, Detroit's Chief of Mobility Innovation. But instead of gold, the robot is collecting cigarette butts, food wrappers and broken glass. The robot is remotely controlled, though autonomous capabilities are being investigated for future versions.

 

Detroit also has a water-based drone that filters up to 200 pounds of debris daily from the island's streams and marina. The Belle Isle Conservancy, which helps the city operate both robots, analyzes the collected debris to identify patterns and develop mitigation strategies.

 

To encourage more experimentation with robots, the city offers streamlined permitting for companies and researchers. The approach has supported diverse projects including autonomous food-waste collection robots and mobile EV charging robots. Slusser says the goal is to create pathways for companies to demonstrate real-world applications and attract customers or investors.

 

"We want them to understand that these are the opportunities of the future," he says.

 

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Jackie Snow is a writer in Los Angeles. She can be reached at reports@wsj.com.” [1]

 

1.  Artificial Intelligence (A Special Report) --- Cities Are Putting Robots to Work: Robots are starting to do jobs like firefighting, lawn mowing and beach cleaning, among other things. Snow, Jackie.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 03 Nov 2025: R1.