Hey guys,
Quick question: Would you rather crawl through a muddy crawlspace yourself, or send a robot named the Wombat to do it?
We’re building new stuff for our inspection crawler and need your expert opinion on what attachments would actually be useful (vs. what sounds cool in theory, but you’d never use).
2-minute survey: https://forms.office.com/r/f9F8ssr0TQ
Help us not waste everyone’s time by building the wrong thing!
Cheers, UplinkRobotics
One with an AI Spider detector with an Auto laser 
That would be #1 on my list.
something else that actually detects rodents/ Snakes/other pests from a quick scan would also be really good. https://ateaseinspections.ca/
One that can mix a nice, stiff Jack & Coke and bring it to me when I am under there! The crawlspace is a great place to relax!
What kind of moisture meters are you all using?
Do the non-penetrating kind work for your inspections?
Not a problem because I have never and will never crawl through a muddy crawlspace. Your crawler better have flotation for the mud we sometimes see. A hover craft is needed.
In all seriousness, good question and good luck with your crawler.
Yeah, they work ok. Never hurts to have a pin-type as well, just for further verification. I have both in my bag and use one, or both in various situations.
I bought one of your Marten V2 crawlers and a MK2 Pro.
I’d like a higher resolution display on the remote like you get with a DJI product, with accurate colors. The current cameras are not good compared to popular action camera brands.
You need better lights… color correct lights… brighter lights.
A blinking red tail-light so I can peek in the crawlspace and quickly see where the crawler is if I somehow get it lost. Joists all look alike. it’s possible to get turned around when alternating from looking up and looking forward.
A camera that can pivot left and right, not just up and down.
A brighter (3000 NIT or greater) that can be used outdoors. Again, buy a DJI and learn from what they are doing. That”s what a lot of people want. Copy DJI.
A remote that has only buttons that are used for your product. the remote with buttons A thru P is a nightmare. Why all the extra buttons and nothing is labeled. WTF.
Wifi to download videos and pictures to Iphone, fast. In seconds. like DJI.
I would be happy with a crawler that has a 1/4-20 screw mount, mounted at 90 degrees off the deck. Attached to this, I would place my Insta360 x5. At the right distance a small spring loaded spherical cradle would allow for the lower camera lens to rest against something to not break off said 1/4-20 mounting bolt. The screw holder could be on a pivot so you could use it vertically or horizontally, but I’d lay it down to get better clearance.
The deck would be a ginormous bed of LEDs that have a few color settings. I would then mount my 360 camera on there and use just the one side of the camera to inspect crawls. I’ve done enough of these crawls lately, I really am willing to plop down some cash but I want a good camera that captures the scene.
I also think these crawlers should have a tow hitch hard mounted somewhere that allows you to attach an automatically paying out “retrieval line” when going into a dodgy spot. Something with like a mule tape reel. Having pulled a few miles of mule tape through conduits, I’m sure it’s enough to pull a few pounds of crawler out of a tight spot.
Bert, thank you for the insight! Feedback is always super helpful.
Also, our new Wombat addresses many of the things you brought up. The new camera and transmitter system streams HD video to the new controller with a 1000-Nit screen which is daylight viewable.
Also, the new lighting system uses in-house designed dimmable LEDs and drivers that hit 1000+ lumens with a neutral 5000K color and 80CRI. This combined with a much higher dynamic range camera results in very bright and accurate video.
The camera can also pan left and right +/- 30deg.
Brady,
Thank you for adding features like these. It makes for a more useful inspection tool. Good work!!!
Any chance I can trade in my almost new MK2 for a partial credit towards a new Wombat. I only have a couple hours of use on it (bought it this summer).
I wear rain gear if I’m in a muddy crawlspace. I like the idea of a robot inspecting it, but just like every other tool that we use as inspectors, there is nothing comparable to actual eyes and hands on.
Many times, I’ll find moisture damage under entry door areas where insulation needs to be moved to view the sill and rim joists in those areas, unfortunately, that’s something the crawlers are still not capable of doing.
I quit drinking years ago, but if a crawler could mix a Jack & Coke while inspecting a crawlspace, I don’t see myself falling off the wagon, but instead jumping off. 
Bert,
We are working on refining our trade-in program for the Wombat and we hope to have it done soon. We will post about it on our social media platforms once we finalize it.
