Service vehicle for a storage system

A service vehicle for operating in an automated storage and retrieval system of a type having (i) a storage grid comprising storage columns arranged in rows, in which storage containers can be stacked one on top of another, (ii) a rail system comprising a first set of parallel rails arranged in a horizontal plane and extending in a first direction, and a second set of parallel rails arranged in the horizontal plane and extending in a second direction which is orthogonal to the first direction, which first and second sets of rails form a grid pattern in the horizontal plane comprising a plurality of adjacent grid cells, and (iii) at least one container handling vehicle configured to move on the rail system in at least one of the first direction and the second direction;

• wherein the service vehicle comprises:
• a container vehicle handling part for mechanically interacting with the at least one container handling vehicle,
• an operational part for controlling operations of the service vehicle, and
• propulsion means configured for allowing movement of the service vehicle in any direction over a top of the rail system during operation.