Celona Launches Orion Platform to Converge 5G and Wi-Fi for Physical AI

Celona has launched Celona Orion, a converged wireless platform designed to provide the deterministic connectivity required for physical AI and robotics. The system unifies private 5G, Wi-Fi 7, public cellular, and Starlink satellite connectivity into a single managed network fabric.

To facilitate this integration, the platform introduces "Celona Brain," a custom AI model trained on six years of network data and the company's own software code. This model provides automated root cause analysis and fixes for network issues. Additionally, Celona is releasing AerConnect, an open-source agent that allows robotics OEMs to implement seamless traffic steering between different network types based on specific performance thresholds. As part of a unified subscription model, Celona will provide Wi-Fi 7 access points at no additional cost. General availability for the Orion platform is expected in Q4 2026.

The Challenge of Uncarpeted Environments

For enterprises operating in "uncarpeted" settings—such as mining, logistics, and manufacturing—wireless infrastructure has traditionally been split into separate silos of Wi-Fi and private 5G. While Wi-Fi offers high-capacity data transfers and 5G provides the stability needed for high-mobility assets, managing them independently often leads to dropped packets or loss of identity during handoffs.

The rise of physical AI, including computer vision systems and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), has intensified the need for a unified system. These machines require a level of reliability where connectivity is constant and deterministic, regardless of the underlying radio technology being used.

Implications for Robotics and AI

By merging these technologies under an agentic AI layer, Celona aims to eliminate the "connectivity skill gap" for robotics developers. This allows robots to autonomously select the optimal network for a specific task—such as utilizing 5G for real-time operations and switching to Wi-Fi for large software updates—all while maintaining a single SIM identity.

According to Rajeev Shah, co-founder and CEO of Celona, networks must begin to operate as one system as AI moves into physical operations. Brandon Butler, a senior research manager at IDC, noted that platforms converging Wi-Fi and private 5G management address a significant operational challenge in an era where connectivity is foundational to business innovation. The shift is expected to reduce network troubleshooting times from several hours to just a few minutes.

Looking Ahead

As the industry moves toward the Q4 2026 general availability date, the focus will remain on how effectively the open-source AerConnect agent is adopted by robotics manufacturers. The success of the platform depends on whether this converged fabric can truly scale the deployment of physical AI by removing the friction of multi-network management.