Professional service robots are growing dynamically worldwide. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the number of newly installed professional service robots rose by 9% to almost 200,000 units in 2024. This is shown in the World Robotics Report 2025, which the IFR published at the end of September 2025.
This trend is being driven by the structural shortage of skilled workers, the need for 24/7 processes and the desire for resilient supply chains. Instead of high initial investments, more and more companies are opting for Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS rental and subscription model), which is significantly increasing acceptance. The IFR reports a 31% increase in RaaS fleets. This is relevant for any investment calculation: lower entry hurdle, predictable OPEX instead of CAPEX. This development can also be seen at Innok Robotics. Many customers are increasingly requesting RaaS as their preferred solution or are not in a position to make high CAPEX investments due to internal requirements.
In practice, the transportation & logistics category dominates: more than half of all professional service robots are purchased precisely for this purpose. This is followed by the hospitality industry, professional cleaning, agriculture, search and rescue and security. Particularly interesting: while transport robots grew by 14%, cleaning grew by 34%, security by 19%, agriculture fell slightly by 6% in 2024 after a very strong previous year, and the hospitality industry recorded a correction of -11% after a pandemic-related upswing. For decision-makers, this means that demand is shifting towards production-related, scalable tasks - precisely the area in which Innok plays to its strengths with the INDUROS and RAINOS. In the IFR, there is still no differentiation between outdoor and indoor applications in the "Transportation & Logistics" sector. The possibility of automating outdoor and brownfield processes for the first time with the INDUROS means that much higher growth rates can be expected in this segment.
IFR overview: Distribution by field of application
Fig. 1: Share of the top 5 application groups in all professional service robots (2024). Source: IFR World Robotics 2025.
IFR overview: Growth of the fields of application
Fig. 2: Growth rates 2024 vs. 2023 in the top 5 application fields. Source: IFR World Robotics 2025.
Companies today are faced with three operational realities:
1) Staff are scarce.
2) Throughput times must be reduced.
3) Safety and quality must not suffer.
Autonomous mobile robots (AMR) solve precisely these conflicting goals. They work reliably, are scalable and, in the case of Innok, can even be integrated into existing environments without structural measures. Once the first robots have been successfully deployed, the fleet can be expanded step by step - particularly easily via RaaS.
For logistics, this means a constant flow of materials between production islands, less forklift traffic, fewer waiting times and significantly greater process reliability.
In the green sector - from municipal green maintenance to cemetery gardening - monotonous routines such as watering are automated. Staff can concentrate on value-adding work. The result: noticeable efficiency gains, better service quality and greater attractiveness as an employer. Saving on personnel costs is often cited as a reason for automation, but this is not usually the biggest effect in terms of cost savings.
Innok Robotics specializes in robust, flexibly configurable AMRs that navigate reliably indoors and outdoors. This is particularly relevant for companies whose material flow connects halls and yards. The modular design, sensor-supported navigation and, above all, Innok's own software, InnokCOCKPIT, ensure that customers can quickly teach in, change and expand their own routes. The systems can be integrated into existing IT systems and grow with requirements.
INDUROS - the standard for autonomous transportation in rough everyday life
The INDUROS is Innok's universal transportation platform. It connects production areas, pulls trailers, bridges outdoor routes between halls and drives safely in mixed operation with people and forklifts. Safety scanners, emergency stop and predictive path planning ensure protection, while the robust drive provides traction in all weathers. Customers benefit from shorter throughput times and more stable shifts. Practical experience has shown that even a single INDUROS can significantly reduce costs. With high capacity utilization in combination with RaaS, the purchase of an Innok robot pays for itself from the very first month.
Our Innok proprietary software offers further advantages: Operation remains simple. Routes are created via InnokCOCKPIT, orders are prioritized and loading stops are planned. The fleet can be scaled without having to modify the infrastructure. This creates real layout flexibility - an advantage when production grows, new lines are created or temporary peaks need to be absorbed.
RAINOS - precision irrigation for the green sector
RAINOS automates the watering of graves, parks and green spaces. The robot works mainly at night, dosing water precisely and refilling its tank automatically at stations. This saves working time, conserves resources and increases reliability during hot spells. The result is a scalable service for nurseries, local authorities and operators - from individual neighborhoods to large facilities.
ROI: Autonomous transport and automated irrigation reduce direct personnel costs, lower follow-up error costs and increase plant utilization. Overall, this results in short amortization times.
RaaS: Subscription models reduce CAPEX, accelerate implementation and make scaling plannable. As a result, savings can be realized from the first month.
Risk minimization: Get started easily and efficiently, sharpen the use case, expand the fleet step by step - with measurable KPIs such as throughput, waiting time or water consumption and personnel deployment.
The addressed market is growing at double-digit rates, and Innok Robotics currently serves three of the most exciting segments: Intralogistics, agricultural robotics and safety. Its unique selling point lies in its robust indoor-outdoor capability, modular platform and rapid implementation without the need for structural measures.
Industrial robotics remains at a record level globally. The future is networked, AI-supported fleets that combine material flows, inspection and simple manipulation. Innok is paying into this: mobile physcial AI platforms as a link in the smart factory and as an enabler for digital services in the field.
The IFR data is clear: service robotics is growing - especially in transportation. With the INDUROS RAINOS and INSPECTOS, Innok Robotics delivers scalable, practice-ready solutions for precisely this demand. For customers, this means measurable efficiency gains and rapid amortization. In short: those who automate with Innok today are betting on a trend that will be standard tomorrow.
Sources
IFR - World Robotics 2025: Service Robots. Press documents and market presentation.
IFR - World Robotics 2025: Industrial Robots. Press conference documents.