IN Brief:
- FedEx is piloting Berkshire Grey’s Scoop robotic trailer unloader in parcel hub operations.
- FedEx says the system targets high-variability unloading, maintaining operator access for exceptions.
- The pilot is underway, with first Scoop systems expected in operation later in 2026.
FedEx has begun piloting an autonomous robotic trailer unloading system designed to remove one of the most physically demanding and operationally variable tasks in parcel hubs: unloading inbound trailers containing mixed parcel sizes, shapes, and packaging types that rarely arrive in neat, machine-friendly configurations.
The system, Scoop, is supplied by Berkshire Grey and is described by FedEx as a “physical AI” solution that performs fully autonomous trailer unloading via a bulk-handling approach. FedEx’s focus is not simply faster piece handling, but more predictable inbound flow. In its announcement, the company notes that unloading wide package mixes has long been among the most unpredictable tasks in hub operations, and says Scoop is intended to deliver continuous flow while still providing operator access when human intervention is needed.
FedEx says the pilot is already underway and that it expects the first Scoop systems to be in operation later in calendar year 2026. The company has also framed the work as part of a broader collaboration with Berkshire Grey aimed at scaling robotic handling in complex, high-throughput environments without forcing major facility redesign.
From a technical and integration standpoint, FedEx’s description points to a design intent that will matter to operators: minimal facility impact and real-time autonomy in constrained trailer interiors. FedEx says the system recognises a variable package mix and makes real-time decisions to manoeuvre safely inside trailers, emptying them at high throughput before autonomously exiting. It also highlights maintainability and a safety-first approach that supports human assistance for exceptions.
Berkshire Grey’s own product positioning for Scoop is explicit about the kinds of conditions that break many automation concepts at the dock door. The company describes the system as built for “real trailers” and “real-world variability”, including mixed parcel sizes, collapsed walls, floor-level piles, and soft-sided parcels such as polybags, with an emphasis on deployment into existing dock environments rather than greenfield-only builds. That combination — autonomy inside a trailer, but with brownfield integration constraints — is where many dock automation programmes have historically stumbled.
FedEx executive vice president Kawal Preet said the deployment reflects a commitment to safety and resiliency, adding that the business is using “smart technologies for trailer unloading” to equip teams with “cutting-edge technology” while maintaining service standards. Berkshire Grey CEO Dave Paratore said the Scoop deployment demonstrates how robotics can improve “real world logistics operations”, with an emphasis on scalable systems designed to reduce maintenance complexity.
The move builds on an existing relationship between the two companies. FedEx notes that it deployed Berkshire Grey robotic sortation systems for small packages in 2021 and expanded development activity in 2022, signalling that Scoop is being treated as another step in a multi-year effort to automate labour-intensive handling points that can constrain throughput.
