How Octobotics Is Saving Human Lives By Placing Robots In Hazardous Industrial Jobs

In July 2025, two operators from Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) perished whilst investigating a malfunction in a storage tank, highlighting the dangers faced by those conducting regular inspections. Inspectors frequently encounter risks like falls, exposure to toxic gases, and oxygen-deficient environments.

Ishan Bhatnagar and Gulshan Kumar, who had observed several industrial inspection casualties, founded Octobotics in 2020 to address the issue. Based in Delhi NCR, Octobotics has developed magnetic crawler robots capable of climbing steel structures, operating ultrasonic sensors, and generating inspection reports. Bhatnagar explained that witnessing people risk their lives to determine the safety of ships, tanks, or pipelines motivated the creation of these robots.

Over five years, the startup has created two prototypes catering to various sectors, including oil and gas, marine, and railways. In July 2025, Octobotics secured a seed funding round of ₹10 Cr from Navam Capital and BYT Capital. The founders, who initially studied engineering at the Marine Engineering and Research Institute, Kolkata, later worked as offshore engineers for companies like a Norwegian oil and gas firm and a Belgian offshore energy contractor.

A turning point came when they built a magnetic crawler robot prototype in 2021, filing patents for robotic arm designs and phased array ultrasonic technology used in non-destructive testing. The startup's core technology combines phased array ultrasonics with software training using test samples with known defects. Octobotics plans to debut a modular inspection platform weighing under 15 kg, which can carry both welding and ultrasonic gridding technologies, targeting India and the Middle East markets.

The company currently has eight commercial clients across the oil and gas, marine, and railway sectors.