Punggol Digital District Multi-Operator Robot Testbed

On 20 May 2026, at ATxSummit 2026, IMDA announced a multi-operator robot testbed at Punggol Digital District (PDD) — launching later in 2026. This is the moment the precinct-scale robotics testbed (IMDA-SIT-JTC collaboration, in planning since 2025) moves from concept to commercial launch.

First-batch operators (announced 5/20): - Certis — security patrol robots - DHL — logistics and parcel delivery - Grab — food delivery - QuikBot — delivery + inspection

Core innovation: "multi-operator co-located" — unlike prior single-operator trials, multiple robot companies will deploy and test services in the same physical PDD space simultaneously, under a precinct-level exemption granted by the *Active Mobility Act*.

Companion infrastructure: - Centre for Intelligent Robotics (CIR) — co-built by IMDA + the National Robotics Programme (NRP), with knowledge partners FieldAI and Thoughtworks, and technology partners Slamtec, Unitree and QuikBot - SIT joint labs — with Unitree, Slamtec and QuikBot, covering robot cognitive capabilities, spatial perception, and humanoid-robot parcel sorting

Test scenarios: food and parcel delivery, cleaning, and security patrol — across PDD's real public environment.

Strategic linkage: together with the same-day NVIDIA Singapore AI Research Lab (embodied-AI axis) and the "Advanced Manufacturing" mission under the NAIS update, the three announcements form Singapore's complete 5/20 embodied-AI strategy package. Teo's speech: "We are also developing Punggol Digital District as a frontier testbed... provide special testing permits for robot deployment."