In front of a capacity crowd at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Festival Grounds, Develon officially unveiled its most advanced machine lineup to date: the -9 Series heavy excavators. The reveal marked the North American debut of an excavator platform built on fully electronic hydraulic (EH) technology and integrated artificial intelligence.
The Develon -9 Series excavators represent a fundamental shift in how operators interact with heavy machines. For example, by moving from pilot-operated controls to a sophisticated EH system, Develon has unlocked a suite of smart features designed to increase job site safety and precision while lowering the barrier of entry for newer operators.
“Today isn’t just about a new model year; it’s about a new standard for the industry,” said Brian Kim, heavy excavator product manager, Develon. “With our new -9 Series, the machine is no longer just a tool — it’s an intelligent partner. By combining EH controls with AI-powered safety and a tablet-style interface, we are giving our customers a level of control and site awareness that was previously impossible.”
Intelligence Behind the Power
The Develon -9 Series excavators feature several industry-leading innovations.
- AI-powered safety and intelligent E-Stop: The new smart around view monitor (AVM) camera system uses artificial intelligence to identify humans in the work zone. With the addition of a new radar system that detects objects up to six meters away, the machine can automatically trigger an intelligent E-Stop to halt the excavator’s swing or travel if a person is detected in the danger zone.
- Electronic hydraulic precision: The shift to EH allows for stick steer travel via joystick thumbwheels. EH controls allow for greater customization, including joystick sensitivity, response time and joystick button layout, for operators to maximize precision.
- Smart-ready grading: Every -9 Series excavator is factory-equipped for 2D and ready for 3D systems, featuring built-in IMU sensors for “plug and play” compatibility with providers like Trimble and Leica.
- 12-inch touch screen: A vertical tablet-style touch screen replaces the traditional monitor. It offers a customizable, split-screen interface where operators can monitor 2D/3D grade systems, AI camera feeds and machine vitals simultaneously.
Also on display were the following new Develon -9 Series excavators: DX230LC-9, DX260LC-9, DX360LC-9 and DX400LC-9.
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.