Passengers at Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) can scan a QR code to buy food and drinks and other retail goods and have them delivered by robot right up to the gate.

California-based Ottonomy.IO has launched Ottobot 2.0 at pier A of ADR’s terminal one. The autonomous delivery project is part of ADR’s long-term strategy to enhance passengers’ experience using technology and innovation.

“We chose automation as one of our topics for our first call for ideas because we truly believe in enhancing passenger experience with a continuous improvement approach that has led FCO in its path of quality excellence and innovation since 2016,” said Emanuele Cala, vice president at ADR.

Rome International Airport has partnered with Plug & Play Tech Center, LVenture Group and PWC in the development of Runway to the Future, a programme set in ADR’s innovation hub, said to be the first industrial incubator inside an airport.

Ottonomy is one of ten start-ups selected to take part in the hub’s Runway to the Future acceleration programme and was chosen for the innovation it brings to market with its proprietary indoor and outdoor autonomous robot. This technology will now be offered to travellers boarding from the new pier A at Aeroporti Di Roma.

Air passengers can scan a QR code to purchase food, beverage and retail items at the airport and get them delivered right up to the gate in a digital and completely frictionless experience.

“We are actively working with global organisations to implement our autonomous robots,” said Ritukar Vijay, CEO of Ottonomy.IO. “This allows them to become more sustainable. We are seeing growing interest in our technology in a variety of industries including travel, retail and hospitality. The launch of Ottobot 2.0 for ADR’s acceleration programme is another milestone in the adoption of autonomous robots and how they fit into our daily lives.”

Ottonomy first introduced Ottobot at CVG International Airport in USA in 2021 enabling air passengers to make purchases of food items and get them delivered straight to their boarding gates from the robots.

Ottobot 2.0 is the first customisable and modular robot designed for increased access for customers and directional mobility. It can navigate completely autonomously through crowds and complicated environments using a proprietary navigation platform that is scalable and flexible, and uses a suite of tools to manage a fleet of robots deployed at a location.