DPD has become the first UK parcel delivery company to roll out an autonomous ‘Locker’ robot, known as Ottobot.

The announcement follows a recent partnership with delivery robotics company Ottonomy.

The first deployment of Ottobot will take place in Milton Keynes, a city where DPD has already been operating autonomous deliveries since 2022.

According to DPD, the Ottobot is equipped with advanced features and increased capacity for efficient delivers.

Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability at DPDgroup UK, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be deploying locker robots in the UK.

“This is the next chapter for us in terms of autonomous deliveries after a very successful roll-out across a number of different locations.”

Ottonomy’s CEO, Ritukar Vijay, also shared his enthusiasm for the partnership stating that it is fantastic to see the robotic company’s ‘Ottobot’ being deployed in the UK parcel delivery market. 

The Ottobot differs from DPD’s existing autonomous robots due to its size and multi-compartment design, with a maximum payload of 70kg and eight separate compartments that can carry parcels of various sizes.

The new design also allows the robot to handle parcel collections, adding further versatility to its use.

DPD said the Ottobot doesn’t have a problem navigating around complex environments due to its four-wheel swerve drive, independent steering and suspension for maximum manoeuvrability.

It uses advanced light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors, along with cameras and sophisticated software.

The parcel delivery company confirmed that is the secret ingredient that additionally allows the robot to navigate independently through challenging terrains.