Ati Robotics says its Sherpa Mecha industrial humanoid and four other robotic platforms have been cleared to continue being sold in the United States following a national security review.
The company announced the decision on November 6, citing an FCC notice dated October 30. The authorization exempts the named systems from restrictions affecting certain foreign-produced advanced robotic devices on the Federal Communications Commission’s Covered List. It covers Sherpa Mecha, Sherpa 10K, Sherpa 3K, Sherpa FlexFork 1500 and Sherpa FlexFork 3000.
Sherpa Mecha is a mobile, dual-arm industrial robot designed to travel around factories, collect bins and handle parts. Ati describes it as a humanoid, although its wheeled mobile-manipulator configuration differs from the legged machines produced by several leading humanoid developers. The company’s wider product range includes autonomous tuggers and forklifts used for material movement.
The regulatory approval is important for the company’s US business because equipment authorization affects whether qualifying robotic systems can be distributed and supported in the market. Ati says the exemption allows customers to continue purchasing the five covered platforms without the restrictions that would otherwise apply under the relevant FCC rules.
According to Ati, the US Department of War granted conditional approval and the FCC published the decision under the company’s legal name, ATI Motors, Inc. The company’s statement says Sherpa Mecha was one of two humanoid robots cleared as of October 30, a characterization that depends on the specific scope of the regulatory review rather than the wider US humanoid market.
Ati is headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan, and says it has completed more than two million autonomous missions across more than 70 factories worldwide. Those operating figures apply to its wider robotics portfolio, not specifically to Sherpa Mecha.
The company has not disclosed the number of Sherpa Mecha units sold or installed in the United States. The decision confirms regulatory clearance for continued sales of the named platforms, rather than announcing a new robot launch or deployment.
