The Industry Standard: Flagship Deploys Cobots to Enhance Airport Cleaning Operations

Airports face significant challenges when it comes to upholding high standards of cleanliness along with consistent operational efficiency. With the constant influx of passengers and heavy foot traffic, conventional cleaning methods often fall short.

Maintaining large, dynamic facilities requires innovative solutions that can meet rigorous demands while also ensuring passenger safety and satisfaction.

However, integrating new technologies into existing operations can be daunting due to substantial upfront costs, complex implementation processes, and potential disruptions to daily activities. Airports must also address the ethical concerns related to job displacement and provide staff with the training necessary to adapt to new technological roles.

Flagship’s fleet of SBRA cobots features four types of solutions: the Scrubber 50, Vacuum 40, Phantas, and Whiz. These cobots perform a wide range of tasks, including vacuuming, scrubbing, sweeping, and dust mopping on various types of hard and soft flooring.

The cobot deployment process requires environment mapping along with staff training to ensure janitorial teams can effectively manage and collaborate with the technology. Since the first deployment, cobots have autonomously operated for almost 10,000 hours and cleaned more than 35 million square feet, highlighting the speed and efficiency of Flagship’s deployment program.

The integration of cobots has elevated the role of janitorial staff by expanding their responsibilities to include oversight and management of advanced technology. The program has also resulted in more streamlined cleaning processes, enabling janitorial staff to focus on other high-value tasks, such as cleaning restrooms and responding to customer needs.

Cobots provide a consistent quality of clean backed by near-time performance data. Their efficient operation can also extend the life of airport assets, such as carpets and flooring. Through precise and regular cleaning, cobots help preserve these assets, reducing wear and tear and delaying the need for costly replacements.

Furthermore, cobots serve as a visible reminder of airports’ commitment to passenger well-being. The program ensures a pristine environment while also enhancing the overall airport experience, leading to increased passenger satisfaction scores and trust in airports’ dedication to high cleanliness standards and technological advancement.

Flagship has plans to continue the expansion of the SoftBank Robotics program across key accounts and new contracts. This expansion is ushering in a new standard of airport cleanliness while also establishing a benchmark for operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction in the aviation industry.