Pace Robotics Moves Construction Automation From Pilot Stage to Commercial Deployment

Bengaluru-based Pace Robotics has moved its Centa Painter construction robot into sustained commercial deployment, with the company reporting a ₹5-crore order book within six months of commercialisation. Pace Robotics began commercial deployment in December 2025 and says the platform is now operating on live construction sites rather than being confined to demonstrations or controlled pilot projects.

The company has received orders from real-estate developers, construction contractors and paint companies, while more than 20 developers and construction firms have evaluated the robot through live demonstrations. Several of those evaluations have progressed into commercial discussions and orders, including repeat purchases.

Sobha Places Repeat Order After Live-Site Deployment

One of the clearest indications of the transition to commercial use has come from Sobha. Pace Robotics has confirmed that the real-estate developer initially purchased and deployed two Centa Painter units and subsequently placed a repeat order after using the robots on live projects.

Pace Robotics is now working with Sobha on a phased expansion beyond the initial deployment. The company has described the repeat purchase as an important test of the platform because the decision followed months of actual construction-site operation rather than a short demonstration.

Centa Painter robots deployed at commercial sites are being operated and supervised by existing painters. Pace Robotics has structured the system around this operating model rather than requiring a separate category of technically trained robotics personnel for routine use.

One Robot Platform for Putty, Sanding and Painting

Centa Painter is a modular robotic platform developed for interior finishing work. Its interchangeable modules allow the same base system to undertake putty application, sanding and painting on walls and ceilings.

Pace Robotics developed the platform around the complete finishing sequence rather than automating only a single task. The company says its system can determine where material has to be applied, work around doors and openings, execute finishing operations and capture information about the work completed.

The robot is designed to work in active construction environments where layouts, obstructions and surface conditions can change continuously. This distinguishes the application from factory automation, where robots generally operate within tightly controlled spaces and repeat predetermined movements.

Centa Painter Works Without a Pre-Fed CAD Model

One of the more significant technical features of Centa Painter is its ability to operate without being supplied with a pre-defined CAD model or fixed movement path.

Pace Robotics says the system detects walls and openings in real time and determines which surfaces should be worked on and which should be avoided. During sanding operations, for example, the robot can recognise an opening and adapt its work path around it instead of relying on a previously programmed trajectory.

The platform also localises itself within the working area, plans its movement and adapts to obstacles encountered during execution. This autonomy is important on construction sites because rooms are rarely identical and working conditions continue to change as different trades move through a building.

Existing Painters Become Robot Operators

Pace Robotics has focused on integrating the machine into the existing construction workforce. The company says painters operating Centa Painter continue to manage finishing work but shift from carrying out every repetitive application manually to supervising robotic execution and completing areas that require manual attention.

According to company co-founder and CEO Srinivas Pai, workers operating the system at one live construction site have been using the robots for several months. Pace Robotics says a small crew operating the system can cover work that previously required a substantially larger manual team.

This operating approach allows contractors to introduce automation without completely restructuring established site workflows. Workers already familiar with paint, putty and surface preparation remain part of the process while the machine takes over larger repetitive sections of wall and ceiling work.

Commercial Deployment Began in December 2025

Pace Robotics delivered its first commercial order in December 2025. The following months were used to establish whether the robot could continue functioning under normal project schedules, interact with other site activities and consistently meet finishing requirements.

Pai has described the distinction between pilot work and commercial operation as substantial. Controlled pilots can isolate a robot from many normal construction-site constraints, while commercial deployment requires the system to work around changing schedules, other contractors and normal project pressures.

The repeat order from Sobha followed this period of sustained use, while other developers have subsequently evaluated the platform through live demonstrations.

₹5-Crore Order Book Within Six Months

Pace Robotics says it has built an order book worth approximately ₹5 crore within six months of commercialisation. Additional orders are currently progressing through discussions as developers and contractors move from technology evaluation towards deployment planning.

The company is now increasing manufacturing capacity to support further installations in India. International expansion is also part of the next stage, with Pace Robotics preparing to take its construction-robotics platform into overseas markets.

Founded by Ayushmoy Roy and Srinivas Pai, Pace Robotics has developed and patented its construction-robotics platform in India. The company operates from Bengaluru and is concentrating on autonomous systems for building-finishing applications.

From Construction-Site Trial to Working Equipment

The development of Centa Painter has reached a stage where the important measure is no longer whether a robot can demonstrate painting or sanding under controlled conditions. Pace Robotics now has machines working on commercial construction sites, repeat orders from an existing customer and a growing pipeline of developers evaluating the technology.

Its next phase will depend on manufacturing scale, deployment across a wider range of projects and the ability to maintain consistent performance as the installed fleet grows.

For Indian construction robotics, Pace Robotics provides an early example of an autonomous hardware company moving from development and site trials into repeat commercial orders for machines performing everyday construction work.

References

Pace Robotics — Official company announcement, 21 September 2026: Construction Robotics Gains Commercial Momentum in India as Pace Robotics Scales Deployment.

Pace Robotics — Official company update: Confirmation that Sobha initially deployed two Centa Painter units and subsequently placed a repeat order, with a phased expansion under discussion.

Pace Robotics — Centa Painter technical updates: Company information covering autonomous detection of walls and openings, operation without pre-fed CAD models, path planning and the modular putty, sanding and painting architecture.