Autonomous robot drills data centers 10x faster with 99.97% accuracy

DEWALT, a US power tool manufacturer, has developed an autonomous downward-drilling robot in partnership with August Robotics to automate the labor-intensive task of high-volume concrete drilling in data center construction. Designed specifically for hyperscale infrastructure projects, the robot significantly increases productivity by operating up to ten times faster than traditional drilling methods while maintaining 99.97% accuracy in hole placement and depth. During pilot deployments across ten data center build phases with an unnamed hyperscaler, the system completed over 90,000 holes, cutting a combined 80 weeks from construction schedules and reducing costs per drilled hole. Bill Beck, President of Tools and Outdoor at Stanley Black & Decker, emphasized that the rapid growth in data center demand necessitates faster construction speeds, which this autonomous drilling technology addresses by removing a major bottleneck in large-scale builds. The robot not only accelerates project timelines and lowers costs but also improves jobsite safety and precision. Following successful live demonstrations in early 2026, DEWALT plans to