Robotic Cleaning Will Enhance Airport Experience

As India builds a technology-led future for its aviation sector, the focus is shifting toward sustainable and secure operations that can manage this rapid scaling. Keerthana Sundar, Special Correspondent, Clean India Journal, explores how autonomous robots are redefining the standards of hygiene and passenger experience at airports, in conversation with Anil Sathe, Chief Growth Officer, Kinetiq Rrobotics Pvt. Ltd.

Imagine an airport terminal where a multilingual AI guide assists a lost traveller, or an entertainment-enabled robot distracts a restless child during a flight delay. Whether it is broadcasting real-time security reminders or ensuring floors are cleaned based on real-time dirt detection, these machines are the new nervous system of the modern airport.

Advertisements

Q. How do AI cleaning robots ensure a consistent standard of hygiene within high-traffic airport terminals?

A. Airports are defined by constant footfall. Traditionally, maintaining these spaces requires a fleet of equipment: Single-disc vacuum cleaners, scrubber dryers and sweeping machines. This combination of four or five different products is the current standard. However, the new range of Kinetiq AI-driven autonomous robots, specifically our Kinetiq cleaning Robots like CleaniBot S55 & CleaniBot C5, can handle all these applications with a single unit, as it has good back-up with Lithium Ion Battery & has fast charging mechanism.

The core advantage is real-time mapping. In a high-traffic area, our robots perform an accurate mapping of the space in real-time. This is the most important factor: The robot detects dirt as it happens and responds autonomously with precise water & detergent dosing. In an environment as vast as an airport, manual cleaning often misses spots or struggles to keep up with spills in food courts. AI ensures every square metre is cleaned to the same standard. This creates audit-ready digital logs that help airports demonstrate compliance with global hygiene and safety standards such as ISO 41001 (Facility Management) and ASQ cleanliness benchmarks. We are achieving a level of hygiene that, while not strictly ‘hospital grade’ due to the different detergents used, is remarkably close to it. No area is skipped; spill zones and high-footfall areas receive extra priority.

Q. What impact does this technology have on water and detergent consumption?

A. While AI-driven cleaning is a relatively new entry to the market, the thumb rule for Autonomous Robot cleaning it saves up to 25% to 30% in water and detergent usage.

For large international terminals, this translates into millions of litres of water saved annually — supporting ESG goals while directly lowering operating expenditure.

This is because you are no longer performing a repetitive, overlapping job without a plan; you are standardising the process. Every drop is accounted for, and the robot only applies what is necessary based on the data it collects.

Q. Airports operate 24/7. How does the Cleani-bot series handle maintenance without disrupting passenger flow?

A. These robots are designed to complement the airport aesthetic—they are sleek and professional, fitting perfectly into an airport setting. Powered by lithium-ion batteries, they feature fast-charging capabilities; a three-hour charge allows for extensive operation. For example, a 30-litre robot can cover approximately 3,500 to 4,000 square metres per hour.

Crucially, they use Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and 3D cameras for dynamic obstacle avoidance and predictive path planning.

This reduces slip-and-fall incidents, one of the most common airport liability risks, by ensuring wet areas are cleaned and dried systematically rather than reactively.

This allows them to operate safely during peak hours rather than just at night. They are not just cleaning; they are learning the environment every day through AI to optimise their routes. They can even perform dual operations, such as scrubbing and vacuuming, or dedicated mopping, ensuring high productivity in totality.

“Imagine a worker that never gets tired, slashes costs by 30% and makes your customers twice as happy. These AI robots handle the grunt work so your team can focus on the ‘human touch’ that keeps travellers coming back!” – Anil Sathe

Q. Beyond cleaning, how do Greeting robots like the Nova and Mini series streamline the experience for international travellers?

A. Language barriers are a significant hurdle in global travel. Multilingual greeting robots can bridge this gap. These units can be integrated with platforms such as ChatGPT to provide real-time flight information, directions to smoking zones or washrooms, and even local tourism tips. We also feature a ‘Follow Me’ function, where the robot leads a passenger directly to their destination, such as a specific boarding gate or an airport lounge.

They can also be used for ‘Smart Restaurant’ solutions within the terminal. A robot can autonomously plan the optimal route and lead customers to their target table. This creates a premium, futuristic first impression and reduces the pressure on human information desks.

Airports using digital wayfinding and interactive service robots have reported higher retail dwell time and improved passenger satisfaction scores, which directly correlate to increased non-aeronautical revenue.

Q. How does the LuckiBot series enable a ‘Smart Airport’ vision?

A. The LuckiBot acts as a mobile IoT sensor. It collects data on crowd density, air quality and traffic flow, feeding this into the airport’s Smart Control Room. This data can also integrate with airport digital twins, enabling planners to simulate passenger movement, optimise queue layouts, and proactively redesign bottlenecks. This enables predictive maintenance and energy optimisation, effectively becoming the ‘nervous system’ of the terminal. It can also be linked with advertising screens to increase exposure for merchants’ promotions or integrated with tax refund systems to display rules to passengers.

Q. What are the primary challenges you have encountered during robot deployment?

A. The biggest challenge is the ‘excitement factor’. Passengers, particularly children, are enamoured with the machines. It is quite common for people to stop the robots for selfies or even try to place children on them. We have seen families put their toddlers on autonomous robots because it
looks fun.

While this shows the technology is being welcomed, we need a ‘co-working’ mindset where the public respects the robot’s workspace. Forward-looking airports are already introducing robotic usage guidelines, signage, and public awareness programs to normalise human–robot collaboration. It requires patience from the buyers, sellers and public. As we adapt, these robots will move from being ‘celebrities’ to being standard co-workers in the terminal ecosystem.

Q. Kinetiq’s philosophy is to ‘Amplify Human Capability’. How does this address concerns about job displacement?

A. This is a vital point. Robots are not here to take jobs; they are here to eliminate the ‘dirty, dull and dangerous’ tasks. Most Facility Management companies currently operate at 80% to 85% of their required manpower. This gap leads to fatigue and stress.

By deploying robots to handle repetitive floor care or waste transport, we allow human staff to focus on tasks that require a human touch, judgment and empathy. We are also creating new career paths for engineers to maintain and manage these robotic fleets. Facility teams are being upskilled into roles such as Robot Supervisors, Fleet Managers, and Automation Coordinators —creating a future-ready workforce. We are not removing people; we are empowering them to work more efficiently.

Q. What airport tasks are best handled by the CarryBot series?

A. The CarryBot is designed for the niche, physical tasks that are often overlooked. Consider waste management: transporting garbage from one end of a massive terminal to the disposal point is a significant job. CarryBot can act as a garbage collector, moving from shop to shop to collect waste and deliver it to the last mile without manual intervention. It can also handle duty-free stock movement, catering supplies and maintenance kits, removing thousands of manual trolley trips per day. This significantly reduces musculoskeletal injuries and manpower attrition — two major hidden cost drivers in airport logistics operations.

Q. How do these robots align with the sustainability goals of modern airports?

A. Sustainability is about more than just conserving electricity. It is about measurable resource management. With robots, you have real-time data on water and detergent consumption. You are supporting the human ecosystem by reducing staff fatigue. Every action is documented — This data enables sustainability reporting, carbon tracking, and continuous improvement —turning cleaning and logistics into measurable business intelligence. You know exactly when a floor was cleaned orwhen waste was moved. This accountability helps airports reduce their carbon footprint and optimise their staff deployment year-on-year.

Q. How is Kinetiq preparing for future mega-hubs such as expanded International airports?

A. We are not just selling a product; we are providing an automation roadmap. Our robots are modular and upgradeable, designed to scale as terminals expand. They integrate into future smart-city systems and run on low energy. As airports become ‘self-learning’ through the data these robots collect, they will be able to redesign layouts and predict congestion more effectively than ever before.

In the future, airports will not just be smart — they will be self-optimising, where robots continuously learn, adapt, and redesign operations in real time.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ask the Expert:

• Anil Sathe, Chief Growth Officer, Kinetiq Rrobotics Pvt. Ltd

Name *

First

Last

Designation *

Company Name *

Mobile no *

Email *

Question you want to ask the Expert *

Submit