After some quantum leaps in battery technology I can see Tommy with a TIG capable R/C helicopter reparing a leak in a refinery pipe. :-)

lol well learning the copters takes stubborn will and a wad of cash for parts by yourself   LOL!!!  but its a fun time waster

I run and programmed a FANUC 5 axis with a CO2 laser for a about a year....it was interesting but basically I was the robots monkey making sure it was running right and fed with product. The best thing I got out of the experience was learning how laser welding works, how to manage setups for the weld parameters and to be able to say I have laser welded on my resume (don't see that too often eh?). I like running CNC stuff and robots are no different.  But I can make more $$ with a tig pedal under my foot it seems. Now setting up/designing work cells from scratch...yea there is some money in that I would bet..as well as specialized maintenance....but in the places I have been it seems mostly the engineers got it all in hand not the technicians.    BUT you got a real good point about it all.....that robot is not gonna figure out how to reattach that broken hitch, or fix that crack in that turbine.
Something I read years ago in the field of industrial robotics I found highly interesting....I believe it was Mazak that was working on it in particular......had to do with robots programs being written by physically moving the joints into the positions at each stage of operation and the robotics recording the movements and making the program on the fly.   Basically little to no knowledge of the language, ability to measure accurately, or other skills needed......like teaching a child how to put his toys back in the toybox without speaking.  With the power of todays processors and memory; I see no reason something like that could not be possible and inexpensive in the way of controls.  Kinda a neat concept...sounds like a very productive idea.

how ya doin Henry....everything falling your way bud?

Tommy