McLaren Construction to deploy autonomous robots at scale through partnership with FieldAI

McLarenConstruction has agreed a partnership with FieldAI, an international leader inphysical AI, to bring general-purpose robots to its UK construction sites.

Under the partnership, McLaren will deploy autonomous quadruped robots, initially to capture 360° site imagery, generate point cloud data and support progress verification, model-to-site deviation analysis, safety compliance patrols and quality assurance. The range of tasks will grow over time, adding value to the robots already on site with each new capability.

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Regular automated scans by FieldAI robots will create a visual and spatial record of work as it is installed. AI-enabled deviation analysis will compare site data against the design model, reducing the time between install and identification of on-site quality issues. This capability will support correct installation at the point of delivery, ensuring true quality control, tolerance management and a reduction in rework. 

The partnership marks FieldAI's entry into the UK market and extends construction deployments that already span hundreds of sites across Europe, Asia, and North America. The two companies will work together to meet UK regulatory and data security requirements as deployments scale up.

At the core of the deployment are FieldAI's Field Foundation Models, which combine data-driven AI with physics-based reasoning and uncertainty quantification to unlock environments that are otherwise too complex and unpredictable for robots. One universal “brain” enables robots of all shapes and sizes to perform a widening range of tasks in unstructured environments they have never seen before. Because the software does not depend on prior maps, supporting infrastructure or pre-planned routes, the robots can be deployed quickly and adapt as a site changes.

McLaren expects the partnership to deliver more reliable project monitoring, earlier identification of installation issues and a stronger evidence base for compliance and quality assurance. Over time, the collaboration will also provide practical lessons that can inform wider deployment of robotics within the business.

McLaren Construction’s group pre-construction director, Adam Nicholson, explains,

“The significance of this deployment for the construction industry is that we can move beyond machines that are remote controlled or pre-programmed for a limited range of tasks and routes. Instead, we now have autonomous robots navigating stairs, doors and other obstacles and constantly working with our human teams to support productivity, safety and quality.”

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 Patrick Purwin, VP of Sales at FieldAI, comments,

“One of the impactful features ofthis partnership is McLaren's willingness to expand use cases asgeneral-purpose robots grow more capable. The work starts with monitoring andmodelling missions and expands across the full spectrum of physical work,including site logistics, dexterous manipulation and multi-robot coordination.”

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McLaren’s deployment of on-site robotics is a key stage in the implementation of a five-year digital transformation strategy, started in 2022. The success of this strategy led to McLaren winning Technology Team of the Year at the Construction News Workforce Awards 2024, Digital Team of the Year at the Digital Construction Awards 2025 and Digital Contractor of the Year at the Digital Construction Awards 2026. McLaren’s group IT and security director, Daniel Blackman, was recognised in the 2025 CIO 100.

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