Built for the high-pressure world of hyperscale infrastructure, DEWALT’s new fleet-capable drilling robot is designed to take over one of the most time-consuming jobs in data center construction: high-volume concrete drilling. 

The system, developed in partnership with August Robotics, uses autonomous, downward-drilling technology to deliver faster, more consistent results while reducing the physical strain on human crews.

Now nearing the end of its pilot program, the non-humanoid robot has already been deployed across 10 separate phases of data center builds with an unnamed hyperscaler. During those trials, it significantly increased crew productivity by handling repetitive, precision drilling tasks at an industrial scale, demonstrating how robotics could help meet the surging global demand for new data center capacity.

Delivering 10x speed and near-perfect accuracy

During its real-world deployment on active construction sites, the autonomous drilling robot demonstrated performance that would be difficult to match with conventional crews. It operated at speeds of up to ten times faster than traditional methods, delivering consistent, high-precision results at scale.

Across ten data center projects, the system helped cut a combined 80 weeks from construction schedules, while sharply reducing the cost per drilled hole. In total, it completed more than 90,000 holes with 99.97 percent accuracy in both placement and depth, underscoring how robotics can bring industrial-grade precision to one of the most repetitive and time-critical phases of data center construction, the company noted.

According to Bill Beck, President of Tools and Outdoor at Stanley Black & Decker, customers consistently emphasize that speed of construction is critical as data center demand continues to surge. He says this urgency is driving the company’s push into autonomous drilling, where robotics can remove one of the biggest bottlenecks in large-scale builds.

Furthermore, he noted that the robotic drilling solution meets this need head-on by accelerating project schedules, cutting costs, delivering near-perfect accuracy, and improving jobsite safety, adding that DEWALT’s relentless pursuit of innovation to drive productivity is redefining how the world builds.

Drilling robot heads to job sites by mid-year

Following a strong reception during a series of live demonstrations at the beginning of 2026, DEWALT plans to make its August Robotics–developed autonomous drilling system available to commercial customers by mid-year. After proving its performance in pilot deployments and public showcases, the robot is now being prepared for broader commercial rollout, positioning it as a core tool for high-volume concrete drilling in large infrastructure projects.

Beck also explained that hyperscalers now account for nearly 80 percent of global data center demand and are pouring investment into infrastructure to support AI computing, noting that industry-wide capital expenditure on data centers is projected to reach around $7 trillion by 2030.

Integrating the robot into construction workflows complements DEWALT’s existing data center toolkit, which includes technologies designed to reduce vibration and dust while improving operator control, alongside its ICC anchoring solutions. Together, these tools create a more streamlined, precise, and safer approach to the repetitive and high-volume tasks common in large-scale data center projects.