Sales of professional service robots rose by 9% in 2024 to nearly 200,000 units globally, according to the World Robotics 2025 Service Robots report published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). The increase is attributed primarily to labor shortages and rising demand in sectors such as logistics, healthcare, and public-facing services.
The report highlights transport and logistics as the largest application category, with 102,900 units sold in 2024, representing a 14% year-on-year increase. These robots are primarily used for moving goods in indoor environments and are increasingly being adopted under subscription or rental models. The robot-as-a-service (RaaS) model within this segment expanded by 42% in the same period.
Hospitality robots ranked second, with over 42,000 units sold. Despite a decline of 11%, these robots remain widely used for customer guidance, information services, and telepresence in public venues. The category is also diversifying into new applications, including food and beverage preparation.
Professional cleaning robots were the third-largest segment, with sales rising 34% to more than 25,000 units. The majority of these robots are deployed for floor cleaning tasks.
Agricultural robot sales declined by 6% to around 19,500 units, primarily due to lower demand in cultivation and milking applications. Security and search-and-rescue robots accounted for 3,100 units, a 19% increase, with the majority used in surveillance and patrol services.
The report treats medical robots as a distinct category alongside service and industrial robots, in line with ISO classification. Sales of medical robots grew by 91% in 2024 to approximately 16,700 units. Within this category, rehabilitation and non-invasive therapy robots increased by 106%, surgical robots by 41%, and diagnostic and laboratory robots by 610%.
Dr. Werner Kraus, Chair of the IFR Service Robot Committee, noted that automation in medical laboratories is becoming a growing area of interest amid ongoing labor shortages and increasing healthcare demands from aging populations.
Consumer service robots also saw growth, with unit sales rising 11% to nearly 20 million in 2024. Robots for domestic tasks such as floor cleaning and lawn mowing made up the largest share. Growth was led by manufacturers in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, which posted increases of 16%. Sales in the Americas declined by 1%, attributed to reduced market share in robotic vacuum cleaners.
The data presented in the World Robotics 2025 Service Robots report is based on a sample of 294 service robot suppliers. Figures are not extrapolated to represent the entire industry and should not be directly compared with data from previous editions due to changes in sample composition.
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