VIDEO: Xpanner launches excavator-based solar panel installer

How the X1 Panel Lift system works 

The X1 Panel Lift transports the PV panel box, picks panels directly from it, and installs them using a single excavator, without the need for separate feeder equipment such as a compact track loader or forklift.

By combining panel transport, pick, and placement into one machine, X1 reduces the number of pieces of equipment and specialized roles a project needs to keep an installation crew productive.

The one-button automated workflow guides the operator through the full installation sequence, pick-up, lifting, placement, and pre-release, through an intuitive visual interface that requires no specialized training, helping contractors staff and scale crews more easily in a tight labour market.

X1 automates repetitive panel handling while keeping the operator in full control through a simple remote interface. Rather than replacing the installer, the system assists the crew with automated vacuum handling and assisted panel positioning, while built-in Precision Align Assist helps ensure consistent, uniform panel placement across every cycle. Sensor-controlled handling is designed to maintain the same precision and pace from the first panel to the last, and a standardized installation sequence with audible and visual cues helps crews follow a repeatable process on every job.

Manual panel handling is one of the more physically demanding and injury-prone parts of solar installation, involving repeated lifting, carrying, and walking heavy panels across uneven terrain. By shifting that material handling from workers to the machine, X1 is designed to reduce manual lifting and the associated strain and injury risk for installation crews. The system’s remote operation keeps personnel clear of the load path during lifts, and its standardized, sensor-guided sequence is intended to make each installation cycle more predictable and controlled.