Robot Dog assists PostNL Delivery in Leerdam Pilot
Leerdam, โNetherlands โ- PostNL today โtrialed the use of a robot dog to assist wiht package deliveries in Leerdam, marking a step toward increased automation in the logistics sector. โThe quadrupedal robot, alongside service and humanoid robots, aided delivery personnel by transportingโข packages from delivery vans to customers’ โขfront doors.
The experiment,โ conducted today, October 21, 2025,โข isn’t about replacing delivery staff, but rather supporting them, according โto PostNL director stephan vanโ den Eijnden.”By experimenting with robotics now, โขwe gain insight into how technology can โhelp our delivery drivers,”โ he stated.The trial focused on the robot dog’s ability to navigate obstacles, including โstairs, making it possibly useful for apartment deliveries. While the โrobots didโ not operate independently, the initial results have been โpositive, with a PostNL spokesperson telling RTV Utrecht they were “enorm tevreden met hoe het ging” (enormously satisfied with howโ it went).
PostNL has long utilized โrobots for sorting packages at its Nieuwegein facility. This latest trial expands the scope to last-mile delivery, a notoriously challenging and labor-intensive part of the supply chain. The company anticipates robots will play a growing role in deliveries in the coming years, though widespread implementation hinges on further growth. Currently, the humanoid robot tested is limited in its ability toโฃ handle all package sizes. PostNL maintains that delivery personnel will continue to be responsible for the final handover of packages to customers.