Procon Brings Robotic Technology to the Expansion of Cruise Terminal 5 at Port Canaveral
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Procon Consulting, a construction management and technology consulting firm, partnered with the Canaveral Port Authority to expand the use of robotic reality capture during construction of Cruise Terminal 5. The work began following a successful pilot project in which a four-legged robot documented changing site conditions through repeatable 360-degree capture walks.
A $78 Million Expansion
The terminal's expansion and renovation carries a price tag of $78 million and will nearly double its size: according to the English-language source, it will grow from 90,000 to 170,000 square feet, while the Spanish-language version from Portal Portuario states it in terms of 8,350 to 15,800 square meters. The goal of the project is to accommodate the world's largest cruise ships and enhance the passenger experience.
How Sparky Works
Through a robotic platform nicknamed Sparky, Procon provides Port Canaveral and its project teams with more frequent visual documentation of construction progress, reducing the time spent on routine site inspections. Jason Lopez, Senior Vice President at Procon, noted that periodic data capture makes it possible to spot discrepancies early, resolve questions faster, and maintain better records, with value that extends into the future maintenance of the facilities.
Origins in a Pilot Project with Virginia Tech
The initial pilot grew out of Procon's research into construction robotics, carried out in collaboration with Virginia Tech's Myers-Lawson School of Construction through the MARIO initiative (Multi-Agent Robotic System for Inspection On Site), which explores how robots and remote monitoring can help project teams gather and use field data. Procon also works with Teleworker AI, which developed camera components used in the robotic capture process and assisted with assembling and fine-tuning the robot.
Bill Crowe, Vice President of Engineering and Construction at Port Canaveral, highlighted that working with Procon gives his team ongoing access to progress documentation on one of the port's most complex projects. According to prnewswire, Procon's robotics work will be presented during Port Canaveral's State of the Port 2026 event on Thursday, November 19, ahead of remarks by the port's CEO, Captain John Murray.
