Percepto Launches Hardware-Agnostic Axion Platform, Bringing Physical AI to Mission-Critical Operations

Software-first strategy opens Percepto's platform to existing drone fleets and industrial sensor systems,
backed by new leadership and a vision for continuous infrastructure visibility.

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Percepto today launched Axion, a hardware-agnostic Physical AI platform designed to give mission-critical operators a continuously updated understanding of their infrastructure and the knowledge to act before problems escalate. The launch marks a major expansion of Percepto's business, making its Physical AI platform available to companies using their existing or new drone fleets, third-party sensors, or other data collection channels.

Axion puts more than 160 specialized AI models to work for operators, trained on more than 100,000 hours of real-world autonomous inspection data gathered over more than a decade. By combining these models with asset context, historical trends, and expert-backed workflows in one platform, Axion turns raw inspection data into actionable intelligence.

The platform establishes the foundation for Percepto's software-first strategy and broader Physical AI vision: connecting AI with a centralized source of truth that observes the physical world to help operators understand how assets and infrastructure are changing and where intervention is needed.

Across power grids, oil and gas facilities, and industrial sites, the ambition is to make reliable and current knowledge of asset conditions a routine part of operations. This strategy builds on Percepto's established customer relationships while expanding its reach to the broader market for AI-powered infrastructure inspection and asset management.

To build on this momentum and lead its software-first expansion, Percepto has assembled a leadership team headed by CEO Julien Bellanger and joined by Chief Revenue Officer Kurt Nantkes and Chief Marketing Officer Amir Khoshniyati. Together, they bring decades of successful experience spanning robotics, sensors, IoT, Physical AI, and cybersecurity to expand Percepto's role in how industries monitor and maintain critical infrastructure.

"The infrastructure powering our economy should benefit from the same advances in AI that are transforming the digital world," said Bellanger. "Our vision is to provide operators with a trusted understanding of what is happening across their infrastructure, with the foresight to protect the people and operations that depend on it. Axion is the first step in this next chapter, opening our technology to more operators and putting their existing inspection investments to work toward that goal. From day one, a team can bring the inspection data it already has and see which assets need attention first."

Aging infrastructure and workforce shortages are placing growing pressure on the teams responsible for preventing outages, production losses, and safety incidents. Drone and sensor programs generate vast amounts of data, but reviewing it and deciding what requires action remain major bottlenecks. Axion closes that gap. It surfaces the findings that matter so teams can cover more infrastructure with less manual review.

Available as a new software-as-a-service offering, Axion organizes inspection data by asset and applies AI that interprets equipment condition in context. It ingests data from supported third-party drone platforms, fixed and mobile sensors, and existing inspection archives, so operators are not tied to a single hardware provider. It can identify a downed wire by its relationship to surrounding components, or evaluate a thermal anomaly against expected asset behavior and environmental conditions. Each finding is backed by inspection history and expert validation, giving teams confidence in what needs attention.

Axion also lets operators ask questions about their assets and inspection findings in plain language.

Drawing on data within the platform, its AI capabilities deliver answers and recommendations, helping teams investigate issues and prioritize maintenance without piecing together separate reports.

Operators can start with their existing inspection data and add Percepto's autonomous systems and managed remote operations wherever more frequent coverage is needed. Percepto's Ranger drone portfolio and Harbor autonomous station collect fresh data for Axion to support that approach.

Reflecting its growing role in critical infrastructure inspection, Percepto has been awarded a multi-year contract by a leading U.S. energy company to support its transmission line inspection program, extending a long-standing partnership. Under the agreement, Percepto will provide aerial data collection and AI-powered inspection analytics across the customer's transmission network, helping teams identify issues earlier, prioritize maintenance, and strengthen grid reliability.

Founded in 2014, Percepto brings more than a decade of autonomous inspection experience in complex industrial environments, supported by proprietary AI and managed remote operations. Its operations are backed by a nationwide FAA beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) waiver.

Percepto is also consolidating its engineering, manufacturing, and assembly in the United States, alongside its existing U.S. remote operations. The effort is underway, reinforcing the company's commitment to American Drone Dominance.

Axion is available today. For more information or to request a demonstration, visit www.percepto.com. Hi-res imagery can be found here.

About Percepto

Percepto is a Physical AI company that gives operators of mission-critical infrastructure a continuously updated understanding of their assets and infrastructure. Its Axion platform applies contextual AI and asset intelligence to inspection data from any source, including third-party drones and sensors as well as Percepto's own autonomous Ranger drones and Harbor stations. Backed by a nationwide FAA BVLOS waiver and managed remote operations, Percepto helps leading Fortune 500 organizations across power, oil and gas, and industrial sectors find and act on issues earlier, at a scale no manual program can match. Founded in 2014, Percepto is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

For more information, visit www.percepto.com.

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SOURCE Percepto