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Skild Robotics Operations

Communications

Scope

How the on-site operator and remote operator coordinate during a deployment, plus general Slack discipline.

Purpose

Every major action is a two-sided handshake. A silent run is a misrun. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §"Coordination Is the Operation"]

Roles

On-site operator

  • Physically present with the robot.
  • Owns: pickup, transport, staging, physical safety, public interactions, battery swaps, emergency intervention.
  • Owns ground-truth assessment — what is actually happening in the environment right now.
  • Cannot be replaced by remote monitoring at current autonomy stage (L0). [SOURCE: SOP V3 §"Deployment Roles"]

Remote operator

  • For GO2: operates from Skild control panel at https://control.skild.ai/robots (browser) or the Skild tablet (WiFi).
  • For Vega: operates from skild-app on tablet via Ethernet/USB-C; robot IP 192.168.50.20. No browser equivalent.
  • Owns: route execution, real-time monitoring (pose, alerts, metrics), issue documentation, coordination.

Required inputs / tools

  • Slack — primary channel. Per-deployment channel + operator-team channels.
  • Operator app:
    • GO2 — Skild tablet OR browser at control.skild.ai/robots.
    • Vega — skild-app on tablet via Ethernet/USB-C.

Coordination — every major action is a handshake

Every major action is a two-sided handshake. The on-site operator sets the route plan based on live conditions; the remote operator executes it. The remote operator flags issues; the on-site operator intervenes physically. Battery swaps, re-mapping requests, and route changes all require explicit communication via Slack before proceeding. A silent run is a misrun. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §"Coordination Is the Operation"]

Required handshakes (must Slack before proceeding)

  • Battery swap.
  • Re-mapping request.
  • Route change mid-run.
  • Power-on / status (initial connection message).
  • Encountering an obstruction, closure, or unusual condition that affects the route.

Required messages

Power-on / arrival (on-site → remote)

Send when the robot is powered on and stable: [SOURCE: ABM Ops Manual §5; SOP V3 §"On-Site Shift Startup"]

  • Confirmation that the robot is powered on.
  • Current location (site + zone + nearby landmark).
  • Any immediate operational constraints (crowds, closures, connectivity issues, security instructions).
  • Confirmation that you are ready for remote operation.

Example:

“GO2W-26 powered on. LGA Terminal B, Food Court near Starbucks. Light traffic. Ready for remote ops.”

Battery 25% heads-up (on-site → remote)

“Battery at 25% — preparing swap. Spare staged.”

Wait for remote acknowledgement before powering down. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §XVI "The 25% Rule"]

Route plan (on-site → remote)

For a new run, on-site shares: [SOURCE: ABM Ops Manual §1]

  • Route name/identifier (or clear description).
  • Starting location and intended direction of travel.
  • Number of loops.
  • Any known constraints (high-traffic region, temporary closure, “avoid this corner”).

End-of-run (on-site + remote)

At completion: communicate end-of-run status and next steps (repeat loops, change route, recharge, or shutdown). [SOURCE: ABM Ops Manual §"Completion Criteria"]

On-shift communication discipline

Brief, friendly public interactions are part of the job. The risk is distraction: every moment of divided attention is a moment where localization loss, a collision, or a thermal event can go unnoticed. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III "Public Interaction"]

At L0 autonomy stage:

  • No side conversations during runs.
  • No distractions.
  • L0 maintained for 5 full shifts after any major software change. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §"Autonomy Stages"; ABM Ops Manual §4]

Slack discipline (general)

  • Enable notifications. Check in regularly.
  • Use professional language.
  • Confidentiality is paramount. Do not share, post, or discuss work, machines, software, employees, or anything inside the office externally. This includes LinkedIn / Glassdoor public posts. [SOURCE: Operator Onboarding Guide Pittsburgh — confidentiality note]

Quality checks

  • Power-on Slack message includes location + ready confirmation.
  • Battery swap is preceded by a 25% heads-up and confirmed by remote acknowledgement.
  • Mid-run route changes are announced; not silently executed.
  • End-of-run summary is posted before the on-site operator leaves.

Common failure modes

IssueLikely causeAction
Battery swap mid-run without remote notificationHabit of “just doing it”Stop. Restore the 25% handshake. Even a 30-second pre-swap message is required.
Route change because of obstruction, not communicatedOn-site operator decided aloneBrief Slack message before redirecting; remote needs to update monitoring focus.
Remote operator silent during entire runNo active monitoringSurface this to the deployment lead; remote presence is the safety net for L1+.
Operator answers public questions while robot is movingDistractionStop or sit the robot first, then engage. [SOURCE: SOP V3 §III]

Confidentiality

Skild is a startup working on sensitive technology. Confidentiality is paramount. Do not share, post, or discuss any of the work you do or see or interact with at Skild. This includes making your employment at Skild public on platforms such as LinkedIn. Do not take photos or videos of our machines, software, employees, or anything inside of the office. Failure to adhere will result in immediate off-boarding. [SOURCE: Operator Onboarding Guide Pittsburgh]

Source notes

  • [SOURCE: GO2_Standard_Operating_Procedure_V3.docx] §“Coordination Is the Operation”, §“Deployment Roles”, §III “Public Interaction”, §“Autonomy Stages”, §XVI “The 25% Rule”, §“On-Site Shift Startup Workflow”.
  • [SOURCE: GO2_Standard_Operating_Procedure_ABM.docx] (April 2026, Tyler Kugima) — §VIII Tablet Setup + §IX Browser Setup confirm operator-app interfaces. Authoritative for ABM-LGA.
  • [SOURCE: ABM Operations Manual.docx] §1-5 of Operation Workflow.
  • [SOURCE: Operator Onboarding Guide Pittsburgh] — confidentiality + schedule cadence.
  • [SOURCE: Skild Dexmate/Vega SOP — adapted from Skild Dex Robot Guide] — Vega-side Slack channel pattern (vega-indoor-nav-operations).