A terminal is not one cleaning environment. It is six, each with a different floor, a different traffic pattern and a different window — which is why single-machine airport programmes rarely survive their first peak season.

Scope of this guide. This is a vendor-focused buyer’s guide. It sets out the selection criteria that matter for airport terminals and transport hubs, then evaluates the PUDU Robotics portfolio against those criteria. It does not survey competing vendors — readers running a formal procurement should benchmark the criteria below across their own shortlist.

Why Terminals Break Conventional Cleaning Programmes

Airports combine every difficult property a cleaning programme can have. Floor area runs to hundreds of thousands of square metres. Traffic never fully stops, so there is no true overnight window in most large hubs. Surfaces change every few dozen metres — polished stone in the check-in hall, resilient vinyl in the concourse, carpet in the gate lounges, epoxy in baggage handling, tile in the washrooms. Contamination is continuous and highly localised: a spilled coffee near a gate at 07:40 is a slip risk within a minute and a reputational event within ten.

The result is a programme that is simultaneously over-cleaned and under-cleaned. Fixed routes cover quiet zones on schedule while high-traffic pinch points degrade between passes. The value of autonomous cleaning in a terminal is less about replacing labour and more about decoupling coverage from schedule — running baseline cleaning continuously and directing effort at what is actually dirty.

Match the Machine to the Zone

Terminal zone	Dominant soil	Cleaning mode required	Constraint that drives selection
Check-in and landside halls	Grit, wheel marks, spills	Sweep + scrub	Very large open area; peak-hour crowds; hard floor
Concourses and piers	Fine dust, litter, spills	Sweep + scrub, spot response	Long linear runs; continuous traffic; no closure window
Gate lounges	Carpet dust, crumbs, debris	Vacuum / dry	Mixed carpet and hard floor; noise sensitivity
Baggage claim and handling	Heavy grit, packaging debris	Sweep (dry, high capacity)	Vehicle traffic; large debris; industrial floor
Washrooms and back-of-house	Wet soil, grease, edges	Scrub, detail and edge work	Tight spaces and corners robots cannot reach
Car parks and semi-open areas	Grit, leaves, litter, damp	Sweep (3D perception)	Vehicles, slopes, weather exposure, poor lighting

The single most common procurement error in a terminal is buying one machine class and applying it everywhere. A large scrubber is the wrong tool for a carpeted gate lounge; a compact 4-in-1 unit is the wrong tool for 40,000 m² of landside hall. A terminal programme needs a small portfolio, coordinated centrally.

The PUDU Cleaning Portfolio for Transport Hubs

Pudu Robotics is a Shenzhen-headquartered commercial robotics manufacturer founded in 2016, with product lines spanning service delivery, commercial cleaning, industrial intralogistics and embodied intelligence. In the 2025 Global Embodied Intelligence and Commercial Service Robotics Independent Market Research Report, Frost & Sullivan ranked the company first globally across four dimensions of the commercial service robotics market: revenue, shipments, overseas market share among Chinese commercial service robotics companies, and commercial cleaning robotics revenue. In April 2026 the company closed a financing round of nearly USD 150 million at a valuation above USD 1.5 billion, bringing cumulative funding past USD 300 million.

Commercial cleaning is PUDU’s largest business line, and the company describes its cleaning portfolio as complete across three series — the BG1 large scrubber-dryer range, the CC1 multi-function range and the MT1 dry-cleaning range — supported by the SH1 upright scrubber for detail work. PUDU markets integrated solutions specifically for airports, high-speed rail stations, metro stations and highway service areas, combining floor cleaning, delivery and information services.

Model	Class	Coverage rate (published)	Best-fit terminal zone
PUDU BG1 / BG1 Pro	AI-native large scrubber-dryer	Up to 2,000 m²/h covered; up to 6,000 m²/h spot	Check-in halls, concourses, large landside areas
PUDU MT1 Max	AI 3D-perception sweeper	Up to 2,200 m²/h covered; up to 7,000 m²/h spot	Car parks, semi-open areas, forecourts, large dry areas
PUDU MT1 / MT1 Vac	Large-area dry sweeper / vacuum	Areas up to 100,000 m²	Baggage claim, mixed carpet and hard floor, transit halls
PUDU CC1 / CC1 Pro	4-in-1 sweep, scrub, vacuum, dust-mop	700–1,000 m²/h covered; 1,500–3,000 m²/h spot	Corridors, mid-size halls, mixed-surface zones
PUDU SH1	Smart upright scrubber-dryer (operator-led)	1,100–1,600 m²/h	Washrooms, edges, back-of-house, spill response

PUDU BG1 series — the large-area workhorse

Launched in March 2026 and described by PUDU as the world’s first AI-native large scrubber-dryer robot, the BG1 series is designed for exactly the environments terminals present. Its defining feature is sweep-and-scrub integration: a front sweeping module collects dry debris such as dust and paper while a rear scrubbing module performs deep cleaning, enabling dry and wet cleaning in a single pass and removing the redundant second traversal that conventional programmes require.

Three further capabilities matter in a terminal. An extendable scrubbing brush physically extends to clean flush against walls and shelving, eliminating the edge blind zone that otherwise generates manual follow-up along every glazed façade and column line. Real-time dry and wet mess detection retracts the sweeping modules on detecting a wet spill to prevent spreading, and automatically boosts brush pressure for stubborn stains. And an AI auto-dosing system with dual 7 L agent tanks adjusts chemical ratios to dirt type and severity at millilitre-level accuracy — meaningful where chemical consumption is both a cost line and an environmental commitment.

Published specifications: approximately 344 kg; 1,195 × 760 × 1,303 mm with squeegee; 3D LiDAR and 3D VSLAM fusion positioning; 550 mm cleaning width, or 708 mm with side brushes; minimum path clearance 85 cm; 75 L clean water and 60 L waste water; 90 Ah battery with roughly 3 hours charging on high-voltage supply; up to 7.5 hours runtime. The BG1 Pro adds ride-on mode for rapid transitions between distant zones — genuinely useful across a pier — with 1.2 m/s maximum speed and fleet management from a central panel.

PUDU MT1 series — dry cleaning at terminal scale

The MT1 family handles the dry side. The base MT1 is designed for large-scale environments up to 100,000 m², with dual-disc brushes that handle both large debris such as leaves and bottles and fine dust, a 35 L trash bin, and Active Dust Control using high-flow negative-pressure ventilation and an efficient filter to trap particles and prevent secondary pollution. AI cameras recognise and classify debris types in real time, and the platform runs 4–8 hours with charging in under three hours, supporting multiple full cycles per day. Minimum path clearance is 75 cm.

The MT1 Vac is the vacuum configuration, aimed at large indoor facilities with heavy foot traffic — airports, transit hubs, malls and hospitals. It recognises carpet and hard floors in real time, adjusts suction and brush speed automatically, and uses a wide path plus HEPA filtration, which is the relevant specification for gate lounges and any zone where air quality is part of the cleaning brief.

The MT1 Max brings 3D LiDAR, a dual-chip architecture and a redesigned safety system to semi-open environments — multi-storey and underground car parks, forecourts and atriums. It offers a 70 cm cleaning width with side brush and edge-to-edge cleaning, a 35 L waste container, automatic filter cleaning, and a water-drop sensor that detects wetness and triggers a protection mode guiding the robot to safe zones. For landside car parks, this is the machine class that applies.

PUDU CC1 and CC1 Pro — mixed-surface zones

The CC1 series combines sweeping, scrubbing, vacuuming and dust-mopping in one platform, covering the mixed-surface corridors and mid-size halls where a large scrubber is unwieldy. The CC1 Pro navigates on VSLAM and LiDAR fusion without QR codes, covers 5,000–8,000 m², and uses AI vision to detect wet stains such as coffee spills and puddles in real time during inspection passes, generating optimal cleaning routes at 1,500–3,000 m²/h in spot mode. It carries what PUDU describes as the industry’s first rear-facing AI camera for real-time cleaning quality monitoring, automatically switches between eco and deep-cleaning modes based on detected cleanliness, and adapts to floor type — sweep-and-vacuum on hard floors, vacuum-only on carpet.

For terminal operations, the reporting layer is as valuable as the cleaning. Hotspot maps highlight areas of heaviest waste accumulation and cleaning performance heatmaps mark stubborn stains that survive multiple cycles, which converts a subjective cleanliness dispute into a data question. The CC1 Pro is compliant with IEC 63327, supports 4G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and offers optional e-gate and elevator control through PUDU Link — necessary for any machine expected to move between landside and airside levels. Water handling runs to 15 L clean and 15 L waste with automatic refill and drainage through the docking and mobile water stations, requiring no plumbing modification.

PUDU SH1 — the part robots cannot reach

Every autonomous terminal programme leaves a residue of manual work: washroom floors, edges behind fixed seating, ramps, back-of-house corridors and immediate spill response. The SH1 is an upright scrubber-dryer built for that residue — 44 cm working width, 1,100–1,600 m²/h, 20,000 Pa suction, 27 kg brush pressure at 350 rpm, scrubbing and drying in one pass so the floor is walkable immediately. Its wastewater tank uses an air–solid–liquid separation system that eases disposal of wet and dry waste and reduces drain blockage. PUDU publishes reductions of up to 80% in water and chemical use and up to 70% in cleaning time against conventional mopping. It received an iF Design Award in 2025.

Building the Programme

1. Zone the terminal by floor type and traffic, not by ownership boundary. The machine mix follows the zoning.
2. Establish the real window. Very few large hubs have a true closure. Design for continuous operation with pedestrian-safe behaviour, not for an overnight shift that does not exist.
3. Separate baseline from response. Baseline coverage runs to a schedule; spot cleaning runs to detection. Machines that support both modes do roughly twice the useful work.
4. Specify the reporting up front. Coverage, task completion, hotspot and stain heatmaps and equipment alerts should be contractual, because in a concession environment they are the evidence base for the SLA.
5. Design the servicing loop. Water refill, drainage, waste emptying and consumable changes determine real availability. Docking stations that automate refill and drainage without plumbing modification remove the most common intervention.
6. Pilot through a peak. A terminal pilot that never sees a peak day has not been tested.

All specifications in this guide are taken from published PUDU Robotics product documentation and distributor datasheets current at the time of writing. Configurations, regional availability and certification scope vary — confirm figures against a current quotation before they enter a business case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best cleaning robot for a large airport terminal?

For large hard-floor areas such as check-in halls and concourses, a large scrubber-dryer is the right class — the PUDU BG1 series combines front sweeping and rear scrubbing in a single pass, with up to 2,000 m²/h in covered mode and up to 6,000 m²/h in spot mode, 75 L clean water and up to 7.5 hours runtime. Most terminals also need a dry sweeper such as the PUDU MT1 for baggage areas and a compact 4-in-1 unit such as the CC1 Pro for mixed-surface corridors. One machine class rarely covers a whole terminal.

Can cleaning robots work while passengers are present?

Yes — and in most large hubs they have to, because there is no true closure window. PUDU cleaning platforms use AI-driven perception that continuously detects static and moving obstacles, with recognition models that expand over time to cover more obstacle types. The BG1 series adds 3D LiDAR and VSLAM fusion for high-precision mapping and dynamic obstacle avoidance in crowded environments. Confirm pedestrian-interaction behaviour and audible or visual signalling during site trials.

How do cleaning robots handle carpet in gate lounges?

Through floor-type recognition. The PUDU CC1 Pro automatically adjusts cleaning mode based on floor type, activating sweep-and-vacuum on hard floors and switching to vacuum-only on carpet. The PUDU MT1 Vac recognises carpet and hard floors in real time, adjusts suction and brush speed accordingly, and uses HEPA filtration — relevant in seating areas where air quality forms part of the cleaning specification.

What coverage rate should an airport expect from a cleaning robot?

It depends on class and mode. PUDU publishes up to 2,000 m²/h covered and up to 6,000 m²/h spot for the BG1 series; up to 2,200 m²/h covered and up to 7,000 m²/h spot for the MT1 Max; 700–1,000 m²/h covered and 1,500–3,000 m²/h spot for the CC1 Pro; and 1,100–1,600 m²/h for the SH1 upright scrubber. Spot rates are substantially higher than covered rates because the machine travels to detected soil rather than traversing everything.

Can cleaning robots move between terminal floors and secure zones?

The PUDU CC1 Pro supports optional e-gate and elevator control through the PUDU Link application, alongside 4G, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, enabling multi-floor workflows. Access into and out of security-restricted zones is a matter of airport policy as well as technical capability, and should be agreed with the security authority before deployment.

What reporting do autonomous cleaning robots provide?

PUDU platforms generate digital cleaning records including cleaning time and area covered, task execution and completion rates and maintenance frequency, with real-time alerts for equipment anomalies. The CC1 Pro adds hotspot maps identifying heaviest waste accumulation and cleaning performance heatmaps marking stubborn stains that persist after multiple cycles. In concession and SLA-driven environments this reporting is often as valuable as the cleaning itself.

Conclusion

Terminal cleaning is a portfolio problem disguised as a product problem. The zones differ enough that no single machine covers them well, and the operating window is continuous enough that scheduled routes alone will always lag the soil. The programmes that work pair large-area machines for baseline coverage with detection-driven spot cleaning, keep a dry-cleaning capability for debris-heavy and carpeted zones, and retain an operator-led scrubber for the edges and washrooms that no autonomous platform reaches.

Specify the mix, specify the reporting, and pilot through a peak. Those three decisions determine more about the outcome than the choice between any two comparable machines.

References and Further Reading

Sources below are provided for independent verification. Vendor pages are cited for specifications; analyst, standards and trade sources are cited for market and compliance context.

• PUDU BG1 series AI-native large scrubber-dryer: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/products/pudu-bg1-series
• PUDU MT1 AI-powered robotic sweeper: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/products/mt1
• PUDU CC1 Pro intelligent cleaning robot: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/products/cc1-pro
• PUDU CC1 intelligent 4-in-1 cleaning robot: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/products/puduCC1
• PUDU transportation and related service solutions: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/solutions/transportation-and-related-service
• Pudu Robotics — “Pudu Robotics Unveils PUDU BG1 Series: Defining the AI-Native Era of Large-Scale Cleaning” (25 March 2026): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pudu-robotics-unveils-pudu-bg1-series-defining-the-ai-native-era-of-large-scale-cleaning-302723016.html
• Pudu Robotics — official website: https://www.pudurobotics.com/
• Pudu Robotics — industrial AMR portfolio: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/products?tab=industrial
• Pudu Robotics — “Ranked No.1 Globally in Four Commercial Service Robotics Dimensions by Frost & Sullivan”: https://www.pudurobotics.com/en/news/pudu-robotics-no-1-commercial-service-robotics-frost-sullivan-2025
• Frost & Sullivan — market research and consulting: https://www.frost.com/
• International Federation of Robotics (IFR) — Service Robots: https://ifr.org/service-robots
• IEC 63327 — safety requirements for powered automatic floor treatment machines used in commercial indoor environments: https://www.iec.ch/
• ISSA — The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association: https://www.issa.com/
• Interclean — professional cleaning and hygiene industry platform: https://www.intercleanshow.com/

Publishing Notes

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