Designed by Beech’s Ryonics company to venture into large pipes and ducts, the Maxi Crawler is equipped with high definition cameras and a laser-powered LIDAR array for spotting flaws in materials used for conduits.

Barely launched on to the market, a South African designed and developed inspection robot has already won local orders and attracted international interest, with potential overseas clients set to come to this country to examine it.

The budding robotics industry in South Africa is working to replace people with machines in the most dangerous industrial situations.

From detecting life in collapsed mines to inspecting pipelines and oil rigs, robots can now do the jobs humans once had to risk their lives to do.