117,000 Transport and logistics’ robots lead as top application
Frankfurt, Sep 30, 2026 — Global shipments of professional service robots increased by 24% to almost 250,000 units in 2025, highlighting a successful shift to commercial automation. These findings are presented in the World Robotics 2026 Service Robots report by the IFR.
“Service robots are expanding into everyday operations,” says Jane Heffner, President of the International Federation of Robotics. “Sales went up across all three segments with double-digit growth rates: professional service robots gained 24%, medical robots grew 19%, and consumer service robots surged by an impressive 37%.”
Top applications for professional service robots
Transportation and logistics stays in the lead as top application, with 117,500 units sold in 2025. This was up 21%, and represents a market share of 47%. These robots are primarily used for transportation as well as for the automation of material flows and delivery processes.. Although traditional sales remained the main monetization channel, RaaS business models continued to grow in popularity. In the US, this already is the dominant business model. (....)