Xpanner launches automated pile driver to speed up utility-scale solar, energy storage installation
Xpanner launched the X1 Piling R6, an automated pile driver designed to accelerate utility-scale solar and battery storage construction by replacing manual pile-driving crews with a single remote-controlled machine.
Xpanner, a construction automation company, has commercially launched the X1 Piling R6, a fully automated pile driving machine engineered to speed up civil installation timelines for utility-scale solar and battery energy storage systems. The system integrates Xpanner’s automation hardware and software with an Everstar R6 crawler base, automating pile positioning, travel, alignment, hammering, and depth control in one continuous cycle. Traditional pile driving requires multiple crews for surveying, marking, and operation, but the X1 consolidates these steps into a remote-controlled workflow, reducing manual labor and site coordination.
The X1 operates via a single command after uploading a pile schedule and coordinate file, using high-precision dual-antenna GNSS receivers with Real-Time Kinematic support for centimeter-level positioning. An onboard industrial controller manages navigation, mast alignment, and pile driving to specified tolerances without personnel near the mast. Built on Xpanner’s PD10 platform, deployed across 67 U.S. job sites by major EPC contractors, the X1 achieves a 45% faster cycle time than its predecessor. Powered by a 130 horsepower engine at 2,900 psi hydraulic pressure, the crawler delivers up to 929 foot-pounds of impact energy with adjustable settings for varying soil conditions.
The Everstar R6 carrier features fine-positioning capabilities, including a guide rail that slides 11.8 inches fore and aft, 19.7 inches laterally, and rotates 180 degrees, while the mast adjusts 10 degrees forward and backward with a side tilt range from 7 degrees left to 64 degrees right. The system accommodates pile lengths up to 7.0 meters with a maximum driving depth of 4.8 meters, driving piles flush to grade without adapters for tracker, motor, and BESS foundation piles. Optional mast configurations support down-the-hole drilling, auger drilling with diameters from 2.6 to 13.8 inches, and ground screwing, with a transport weight of 14,330 pounds and compact dimensions.
The X1 Piling R6 is available starting October 26, 2026, through an Automation-as-a-Service subscription that includes the crawler chassis, automation hardware, cloud software, site validation, and on-site support. The machine features a 10.1-inch sunlight-readable touch display for extreme conditions and operates reliably from -40°F to 185°F. Xpanner Connect, a web-based dashboard, logs spatial coordinates, driving depth, and plumb status in real time, eliminating manual reporting and providing remote fleet visibility into machine state and site progress.