Footage showing a robot shovelling snow outside of developer Reflex Robotics’ New York City office has spread like wildfire on social media, garnering millions of views. The video was shot during the blizzard that swept through Manhattan last week.
Viewers marvelled at the machine’s determination as it cleared a narrow path through heavy drifts amid swirling winds.
Reflex Robotics operates as a New York-based startup focused on logistics automation. The company develops robots that streamline warehouse operations, aiming to address labour shortages in supply chains.
Its flagship model, the Reflex QR, features a semi-humanoid design with a wheeled base for mobility on smooth surfaces and an upper body equipped with a head, adjustable mast, and two highly dexterous arms.
Engineers adapted it for snow removal by programming the arms to wield a standard shovel, though questions linger about whether it functions autonomously or under remote control. One of these robots currently costs about US$50,000.
The blizzard hammered New York City from Feb. 22 to 23, dumping up to two feet of snow in parts of the region and whipping winds over 30 miles per hour that created whiteout conditions.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency, imposing a travel ban on non-essential vehicles until noon on Feb. 23. This stranded taxis and disrupted public transit with delays on subways and buses. Nearly 6,000 flights were canceled across New York, New Jersey and Boston airports. Schools shut down for the first traditional snow day since 2019 and power outages plagued the east coast.
Reflex HQ SLAMMED by snow pic.twitter.com/FgdlIkno89
— Reflex Robotics (@ReflexRobot) February 23, 2026
Robot is coming for warehouse, snow removal jobs
Beyond this useful winter adaptation, the Reflex QR excels in indoor environments, where it fetches items from shelves, stocks inventory, packs boxes and handles simple manual duties to boost efficiency in warehouses. Its compact, wheeled form suits flat floors but limits its use on uneven outdoor terrain, making the blizzard demo a notable test of versatility.
Humanoid-like robots like the Reflex QR could potentially transform snow removal in the Big Apple as winters grow more unpredictable. Cities might deploy fleets of these machines to clear sidewalks and driveways round-the-clock, reducing reliance on human labour that costs around US$29 per hour + other expenses and minimizing injury risks from slippery conditions.
Future advances in AI and mobility could equip them with plows or blowers for larger areas, integrating with urban infrastructure to respond faster to storms.
Read more: Toyota Canada employs 7 humanoids from Agility Robotics for manufacturing
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