Pune: Affordable Robotic & Automation Limited (ARAPL), India’s first listed robotics and automation company based in Pune, on Tuesday announced that its subsidiary ARAPL RaaS Private Limited, operating under the Humro brand, has received Conditional Approval from the US Department of War (DoW) for its specified autonomous industrial vehicles and robotic devices under the revised regulatory framework announced by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The approval, announced by the FCC on October 30, covers Humro’s Maia2000 autonomous pallet trucks (V1, V3 and V4) and Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklifts (V1, V2 and V4).
The specified devices have been granted exemption from FCC Covered List restrictions, subject to applicable conditions.
According to the company, Humro is among 13 robotics operators globally to have received Conditional Approval under the revised framework. It is also the only Indian robotics company among the approved operators.
The 13 operators include Husqvarna AB, ANSCER Robotics, Matic Robots, Volley Automation, Vulcan Robotics, Haystack Robotics, T-Robotics, ARAPL RaaS (Humro), ATI Motors, Lightberry Holdings, SunScout Holdings, Swap Robotics Canada and OMRON Holdings.
The approvals cover different categories of robotic devices, including robotic lawn mowers, autonomous mobile robots, automated guided vehicles, industrial robots and other robotic platforms.
Humro Gets Pathway to US Autonomous Material-Handling Market
The Conditional Approval provides Humro with a regulatory pathway to pursue opportunities in the US autonomous material-handling market, estimated at USD 150 billion, subject to applicable regulatory and equipment authorisation requirements.
Potential government procurement opportunities would also be subject to eligibility requirements under the Buy American Act and other applicable regulations.
The FCC’s revised framework follows the inclusion of foreign-produced advanced robotic devices in its Covered List in July 2026 on national security grounds.
Under the framework, companies can seek Conditional Approval through a national security assessment by the US Department of War.
Approvals are subject to compliance with submitted onshoring plans and product vetting requirements.
Robinson Philipose, Co-Founder and CEO of Humro, said, “This is a significant milestone for Humro and an important validation of our technology and our commitment to building globally competitive robotics solutions.
Being among the first few robotics companies worldwide to receive Conditional Approval under the revised US regulatory framework is a matter of great pride for us.”
“Following the regulatory changes, our team worked relentlessly to replace certain key components that did not meet the revised guidelines.
This also required us to make corresponding changes to our technology to ensure compliance. We completed the modifications, submitted our application and secured FCC approval within a remarkably short period. This demonstrates the agility and technical capabilities of our team.”
Philipose added, “The approval strengthens our position as we look to expand our international footprint and take our autonomous material-handling solutions to customers in the US. We see considerable potential for robotics to transform warehouse, manufacturing and logistics operations.”
“As part of the Conditional Approval, we are also committed to commencing manufacturing in the US in phases over the next two years. We are actively looking to partner with like-minded local players to establish our manufacturing operations in the country.”
ARAPL Group Outlines US Manufacturing Plans
Melind Padole, Founder and Director of ARAPL Group, said, “These are exciting times, with our teams in the US and India expanding rapidly. Securing FCC approval within such a short period demonstrates the strength of our team and the capabilities of our products.”
“As we prepare to commence manufacturing in the US in line with FCC requirements, we have also begun working towards meeting the requirements of the Buy American Act (BAA) and the Trade Agreements Act (TAA).”
The company said Humro is preparing to commence manufacturing in the US in line with FCC requirements, while also working towards meeting BAA and TAA requirements.
Humro Developing Vision-Language-Action Robotics Platform
Padole also said the company is developing a new technology platform based on Vision-Language Action models.
“In parallel, we are developing a new technology platform based on Vision-Language Action models. Our next-generation robots will be more human-like in their ability to perceive, understand and interact with their surroundings, and will incorporate reinforcement learning capabilities.”
“This will enable them to learn from experience, adapt to changing environments and perform increasingly complex tasks.”
Humro is also developing a next-generation robotics platform based on Vision-Action-Language models and reinforcement learning.
The technology is being developed to enable robots to understand instructions, adapt to changing environments and undertake more complex tasks across manufacturing, warehousing and logistics.
Humro’s Maia2000 and Atlas AC2000 Robots
The FCC approval specifically covers Humro’s Maia2000 autonomous pallet trucks, including V1, V3 and V4 variants, along with Atlas AC2000 autonomous forklifts, including V1, V2 and V4 variants.
The specified robotic devices have been granted exemption from FCC Covered List restrictions, subject to applicable conditions.
With the Conditional Approval, Humro is expected to engage with potential customers and business partners in the US, subject to applicable regulatory and equipment authorisation requirements.
The company said the approval provides Humro with a regulatory pathway to pursue opportunities in the US autonomous material-handling market, while its planned US manufacturing operations are expected to be established in phases over the next two years in line with FCC requirements.
The development also comes as Humro works on next-generation robotics based on Vision-Action-Language models and reinforcement learning, with applications across manufacturing, warehousing and logistics.
The company said the approval is expected to support Humro’s engagement with potential customers and business partners in the US, subject to applicable regulatory and equipment authorisation requirements.
