A single destination for timely, editor-curated robotics news from around the world.
The U.S. Department of Defense is significantly increasing its investment in autonomous systems, with recent contracts awarded to various companies for drone production and AI-piloted aircraft. Notably, Orqa U.S. secured a $38 million contract for the Drone Dominance Gauntlet II program, while Shiel...
Digital Force Technologies (DFT) has been awarded a $500 million contract by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to supply advanced counter-drone systems. This contract, announced on September 29, supports the Domestic Shield program, which aims to enhance drone defenses for military installations and...
Ukraine-founded defense technology company Uforce raised $700 million in Series A funding at a $6 billion valuation to expand production of autonomous military systems for Ukraine and allied nations. Valor Equity Partners and the UK National Wealth Fund co-led the round, with participation from the...
Rownd, a defense autonomy startup, has obtained a $10 million contract from the Department of War to advance its development of low-cost, autonomous drones for military use. This initiative is part of Rownd's strategy to create attritable mass, allowing military forces to deploy affordable drones th...
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled three new air defense systems at the AUSA conference, showcasing advancements in technology to counter emerging battlefield threats. The systems include a mobile aerostat-based radar named Point@Air, a counter-drone interceptor called HawkGuard, and a d...
FireDome has introduced an autonomous launcher designed to deploy water or fire retardant projectiles up to 1,000 feet. This innovation aims to protect communities and critical infrastructure from wildfires before firefighters arrive, addressing a significant gap in current fire response technology....
Recent discussions have emerged regarding the ability of machines and AI agents to respond to unexpected events. For instance, when ChatGPT is faced with a challenging question, or a Waymo vehicle encounters an unusual obstacle, these systems may struggle to adapt as humans do. This highlights a sig...
The Navy has launched the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center (RASWDC) to develop tactics and procedures for unmanned systems. Headquartered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia, RASWDC aims to unify efforts across the Navy to enhance operational...
Cellula Robotics Ltd. and Industrias FERRI S.A. have launched Nautical Reach Systems Ltd., a joint venture based in East Coast Canada. This new entity will focus on designing and manufacturing marine motion, lift, and handling systems tailored for autonomous maritime operations, including smart laun...
Overland AI has been awarded a $20 million contract by the U.S. Army to develop autonomous ground systems aimed at breaching battlefield obstacles. This initiative, part of the Engineer Autonomous Breaching Capability (EABC), will integrate Overland AI's OverDrive autonomy software with various grou...
The Navy has announced the creation of a new Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (DRPM RAS) as part of a leadership restructuring. Chris Miller, currently leading the portfolio acquisition executive Maritime office, will take on the role of acting DRPM RAS, reportin...
Neya Systems and GS Engineering have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing robotic and autonomous construction equipment for defense applications. This partnership combines Neya's N-Drive™ autonomy technology with GS Engineering's Remote Expeditionary Autonomous Pioneer (REAPr) unma...
RAD, a marine technology firm, has successfully raised £4.4 million in funding to accelerate the commercialization of its autonomous vessel technologies and expand its electric propulsion systems. This funding round, led by Mercia Ventures, comes after a year of significant product development and c...
In response to aggressive maneuvers by Russian military satellites, U.K. startup Shield Space is developing swarms of autonomous cubesats to protect Western satellites. These drones, which can be deployed at a fraction of the cost of traditional satellites, will utilize lasers and other technologies...
Elbit Systems, based in Israel, has acquired International Submarine Engineering (ISE), a Vancouver-based company specializing in autonomous underwater systems. This acquisition, announced on Tuesday, marks Elbit's strategic expansion into the underwater autonomous systems sector, enhancing its posi...
Stellios Technologies, based in Austin, has emerged from stealth mode with $2 million in signed purchase orders for its MW-class high-power microwave systems. These systems are aimed at counter-drone defense and various industrial applications. The company officially launched on October 20, 2026, fo...
Hanwha Systems has successfully demonstrated its laser air defense capabilities by intercepting three target drones during the South Korean Army's Army TIGER+ exercise on October 14. The Cheongwang laser weapon, along with a mobile 30-kilowatt-class laser cannon, showcased its effectiveness in a mil...
Fortem Technologies and MBDA are expanding their collaboration to integrate autonomous counter-drone systems into military air defense networks across Europe and allied markets. This partnership builds on a technical collaboration initiated in 2024, which saw the integration of Fortem's DroneHunter...
Ondas and Palantir Technologies have launched Regna AI, a new company focused on developing sovereign AI models tailored for defense and critical operations. Regna AI will leverage Palantir’s AIP and open-weight models to facilitate mission-specific AI applications within customer-controlled environ...
In a recent address, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined a vision for establishing a new Autonomous Warfare Command. This initiative aims to expedite the integration of drones and robotic systems into the hands of servicemembers, enhancing operational capabilities. The significance of this prop...
Boston Dynamics has introduced Spot 5.2, a significant software update aimed at integrating its Spot quadruped robots with enterprise systems. This update allows AI agents to initiate autonomous inspections and other actions on factory floors, enhancing the robot's capabilities alongside the Orbit f...
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and NEC announced their partnership to develop domestic defense drones and AI-driven command and control systems. This collaboration aims to enhance Japan's defense capabilities amid increasing global reliance on drone technology in combat scenarios. The significance of...
A recent report indicates that China is investigating a maritime defense model utilizing autonomous drones to protect contested islands in the South China Sea. Researchers from the China Coast Guard Academy and Dalian Maritime University propose a network of aerial, surface, and underwater drones, w...
Moove has successfully raised $250 million in Series C funding, elevating its valuation to $2.1 billion. This capital will facilitate the expansion of its autonomous vehicle business, focusing on autonomous fleet ownership and the development of robotics-first depot infrastructure known as 'Nests.'...
Frankenburg Technologies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Babcock International and ACUA Ocean Technologies to develop integrated maritime counter-drone air defense systems. This collaboration aims to address the increasing threat of uncrewed aerial systems in naval environments by comb...
Greece's defense minister announced the approval of over €3 billion (approximately $3.4 billion) for air defense systems, primarily sourced from Israel, as part of the Achilles’ Shield initiative. This initiative aims to establish a comprehensive air defense network across Greek territory, integrati...
BAE Systems has launched the UK's first autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), named Brontanax, at the Farnborough International Airshow. This aircraft is designed to operate alongside crewed fighter jets like the Eurofighter Typhoon, enhancing combat capabilities through missions such as e...
Vertical Aerospace has partnered with Near Earth Autonomy to enhance its Valo aircraft with advanced autonomous flight capabilities. This collaboration aims to integrate Near Earth's autonomy software with Honeywell Aerospace's Anthem digital cockpit, facilitating the development of self-flying tech...
U.S. defense startup Vatn Systems has unveiled SIGURD, a compact autonomous system designed to detect and neutralize naval mines. This innovative platform allows military operators to locate underwater mines without the need for large mine warfare vessels, addressing a critical challenge in naval op...
In mid-June 2026, the CNRS deployed ten SEAEXPLORER autonomous underwater gliders in the Ligurian Sea as part of Mission 6 under France's 2030 funding plan. This initiative aims to create a comprehensive environmental data atlas for the northwestern Mediterranean, focusing on the impacts of human ac...
French startup Alta Ares has been selected to participate in NATO's counter-drone framework agreement, announced on November 5. This agreement enables allied nations to procure protective systems against aerial threats directly from Alta Ares, streamlining the procurement process through a catalog o...
Axiom Space is advancing plans for orbital data centers to meet the increasing demand for AI computing. The need for maintenance solutions in space has become critical as infrastructure expands, highlighting the importance of humanoid robots for operational support. As the challenges of maintainin...
BAE Systems has showcased the TRV-150 cargo drone's capability to intercept enemy drones using laser-guided APKWS rockets during a military experiment in Florida. This demonstration, part of the US military's Joint Readiness Experimentation exercise, highlights the potential for logistics platforms...
Recent developments indicate that data centers may require enhanced protection measures against drone warfare. This includes the integration of blast-resistant concrete, jamming equipment, and missile-defense systems to safeguard critical infrastructure. The necessity for these protective measures...
The US Army is progressing with its Enduring-High Energy Laser (E-HEL) program, aimed at developing high-energy laser weapons to combat drone threats on the battlefield. This initiative focuses on creating modular systems that can be easily transferred between various military vehicles, enhancing ai...
Aurelius Systems has demonstrated the integration of its Archimedes autonomous laser weapon on an American Rheinmetall unmanned ground vehicle at AUSA 2026. This system combines high-power directed energy lasers, advanced sensors, and AI to track and neutralize aerial threats in seconds, forming a r...
The US Army has announced the redesignation of its Futures and Concepts Command to the US Army Futures and Autonomous Systems Command (FASCOM). This change aims to enhance the integration of autonomous capabilities within the Army's warfighting functions under a new three-star command structure. Th...
On the second day of AUSA 2026, the Army announced a significant change in its command structure, with acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Chris LaNeve renaming Futures and Concepts Command to Futures and Autonomous Systems Command (FASCOM). This rebranding highlights the Army's increased focus on drone...
The U.S. Army has officially redesignated its Futures and Concepts Command (FCC) as the Army Futures and Autonomous Systems Command (FASCOM). Acting Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve announced this change during the annual AUSA conference, emphasizing the integration of autonomous and unmanned...
BAE Systems has launched two innovative air defense technologies aimed at assisting the US Army in countering mass drone assaults without solely depending on traditional missiles. These systems, revealed at the AUSA 2026 exhibition, integrate a high-power microwave weapon with an artillery platform...
On October 12, Fortem Technologies and MBDA announced an expanded strategic partnership to integrate autonomous drone interceptors into military air defense systems. This agreement builds on their previous collaboration in 2024, which incorporated Fortem’s DroneHunter technology into MBDA’s Sky Ward...
EOS Defense Systems USA is advancing its Slinger counter-drone system, integrating upgraded sensors and selectable autonomy. This next-generation system combines a 30mm cannon, targeting radar, and advanced stabilization, nearing the end of its development phase. Production is set to begin in Huntsv...
Recent advancements in robotic pose estimation have been reported in the Journal of Field Robotics, focusing on landmark features-based LiDAR odometry. This innovative approach aims to improve the accuracy and reliability of autonomous systems in various environments. The significance of this devel...
Cyngn, a maker of autonomous warehouse robots, has successfully obtained ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, which is a globally recognized standard for information security management systems. This certification confirms that Cyngn has established an Information Security Management System (ISMS) that...
The U.S. Navy has launched the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center (RASWDC) on September 24, aimed at integrating robotic and autonomous systems into naval operations. Led by Rear Admiral Melvin Smith, the center is headquartered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-For...
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are launching a new branch dedicated to unmanned systems and artificial intelligence, as announced by Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. This initiative aims to adapt to the rapidly evolving battlefield, emphasizing the integration of robotics, drones, and AI technol...
The U.S. Air Force is actively seeking anti-aircraft gun systems to enhance the defense of its overseas air bases against drones and cruise missiles. This Request for Information (RFI) is part of a broader initiative to improve ground-based air defenses, a role traditionally held by the Army, as the...
Taiwan has entered into a partnership with U.S. defense startup Vatn Systems to develop autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) aimed at enhancing maritime surveillance and defense capabilities. The agreement, signed with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), focuses on...
The US military is advancing towards integrating uncrewed aircraft with advanced fighter jets, specifically the F-35 and F/A-18. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has showcased its XQ-58A Valkyrie drone's capabilities during a recent flight test in Southern California, where it successfully operat...
Lockheed Martin is addressing the urgent need for commanders to access trustworthy mission data instantaneously. In modern warfare, the ability to quickly interpret intelligence reports is critical, as every moment spent analyzing information can provide adversaries with an opportunity to act. The c...
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