SteerAI Launches xRift Autonomous & Versatile Flat-Deck Platform for Rugged Terrain
SteerAI unveiled xRift, an autonomous flat‑deck all‑terrain vehicle at Abu Dhabi's Unmanned Systems Exhibition. The platform replaces a traditional cab with a modular deck, supporting up to 500 kg of payloads ranging from ISR kits to weapon systems. Powered by the CoreX AI‑driven software stack and a 225 HP liquid‑cooled engine, xRift can reach 50 km/h while navigating deserts and rocky terrain. Production units are scheduled for deployment by the end of 2026, targeting defense and logistics markets in the Gulf region.
Titan Dynamics Joins Department of War’s Drone Dominance Gauntlet I
Titan Dynamics Inc. has been named one of the top 25 firms to compete in Gauntlet I of the U.S. Department of War’s Drone Dominance Program, the first live‑testing phase for small unmanned aerial systems. The initiative evaluates performance, production readiness,...
CCAs Start Carrying Inert Missiles, Live Fire Shots Expected Later This Year
The U.S. Air Force has equipped its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) prototypes – General Atomics' YFQ-42A and Anduril's YFQ-44A – with inert AIM‑120 missiles, marking the first weapons‑carriage milestone for the uncrewed fighter program. Live‑fire testing is scheduled for later...
Inside Pakistan’s Pivot: From Assembling Kits to Designing Advanced Defence Solutions
At the 2026 World Defence Show in Riyadh, Pakistan’s defence industry announced a strategic shift from licence‑based kit assembly to indigenous design and systems integration. State‑run firms displayed a range of home‑developed products, including GIDS’s Shahpar UAVs and Blaze loitering...
Chinese Ship Completes First Autonomous Docking and Cargo Handling
Four years after launching the world’s first autonomous electric feeder, China’s 300‑TEU vessel Zhi Fei completed its first fully autonomous docking at Qingdao Port, completing the maneuver in just 30 seconds. The ship, capable of crew‑managed, remote‑controlled or unmanned navigation, operates...
Ottonomy Unveils Platform Connecting Robots, Drones and Smart Infrastructure on NVIDIA
Ottonomy unveiled Ottumn.AI, a cloud‑based platform that orchestrates autonomous robots, drones, and smart infrastructure across healthcare, manufacturing, and commerce. The solution runs on NVIDIA AI hardware, leveraging Jetson edge devices, Isaac Sim digital twins, and cloud GPUs for sub‑30 ms decision...
Picogrid and Guardian RF Partner to Deliver Drone Defense for Space Launch Operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Picogrid and Guardian RF have secured a joint contract to protect Vandenberg Space Force Base from unauthorized drone activity. The deal integrates Guardian RF’s low‑SWaP Scout passive RF sensors with Picogrid’s Expeditionary Command and Control Nodes, creating a unified, real‑time...
Uber Autonomous Solutions Turns AV Innovation Into Real-World Operations
Uber Technologies unveiled Uber Autonomous Solutions, a turnkey suite that equips partners with data, mapping, regulatory access, financing and operational tools to commercialize autonomous vehicles worldwide. The offering bundles a high‑resolution multisensor data fleet, dynamic geospatial APIs, an AV‑first in‑car...
What Capabilities Are Being Tested Under AUKUS Pillar II?
Under AUKUS Pillar II, Australia, the UK and the US are testing next‑generation autonomous and uncrewed maritime capabilities. The latest Maritime Big Play exercise in Australia featured live‑fire trials of C2 Robotics’ Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle and involved around 30 emerging systems....
Creating the 'Ecosystem of Worker and Machine' With 5G
The mining sector is moving toward fully autonomous operations, with 5G networks emerging as the backbone for real‑time worker‑machine collaboration. Newmont’s Cadia mine has deployed teleremote dozers that are controlled over a private 5G slice, delivering sub‑10 ms latency. Early performance...
Neolix Sets Robovan Test Miles Record
Neolix announced its autonomous robovan fleet has exceeded 100 million kilometres of real‑world driving, becoming the first company in the segment to reach this milestone. The record validates its self‑driving technology at massive scale and demonstrates reliability across diverse environments. The...
Pennsylvania Guard Soldiers Win Innovation Title at Army’s Best Drone Warfighter Competition
A Pennsylvania National Guard team from the 28th Infantry Division captured the innovation prize at the Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition. Their Project R.E.D. uses AI‑driven object recognition and a 3‑D‑printed carbon‑fiber robotic arm to retrieve downed drones for intelligence...
GA-ASI and USAF Demonstrate Manned-Unmanned Teaming With F-22 and MQ-20 In Joint Autonomy Exercise
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems and the U.S. Air Force completed a joint autonomy exercise at Edwards AFB, pairing an F‑22 Raptor with the MQ‑20 Avenger unmanned jet. The test used government‑reference autonomy software and a tactical data link to let...
Schiebel to Establish a UK Entity to Support Expanding Defense Opportunities
Schiebel announced the formation of a dedicated UK legal entity to capitalize on growing British defence opportunities. The move follows the successful deployment of its Peregrine rotary‑wing UAV with the Royal Navy, delivered in partnership with Thales UK. Schiebel also...
UK Joins European Air Defence Project Despite DIP Hold-Up
The United Kingdom has signed onto the Low‑Cost Effectors & Autonomous Platforms (LEAP) programme, a five‑nation European effort to field an affordable, AI‑driven surface‑to‑air weapon capable of neutralising drones and missiles by 2027. The move comes as the long‑awaited Defence...
UK Drone Rules Risk Splintering Sector and Stalling Innovation
The UK Civil Aviation Authority plans to enforce new drone rules from January 2026, requiring a UKCA conformity mark and conspicuity devices on drones as light as 100 g. Industry leaders warn that the lack of a transition period and the...
Eurogate and Embotech Launch Second Autonomous Terminal Tractor Pilot in Hamburg
Eurogate and Embotech have launched a second autonomous terminal tractor pilot at the Hamburg marine terminal, moving containers between the railway and quay. The six‑month trial shifts focus from technical feasibility, proven in Wilhelmshaven, to operational performance metrics such as...
NATO Is Not Ready for Drone Warfare in the Arctic
NATO’s Arctic defence plans are outpaced by Russia’s rapid expansion of uncrewed systems, with Moscow now producing over 1.5 million drones a year and fielding Arctic‑adapted platforms. The alliance’s ambition to secure the High North is hampered by a shortage of...
An MQ-20 Drone Just Teamed up with an F-22 for Mock Combat Missions
General Atomics demonstrated its MQ-20 drone operating under direct orders from an F‑22 pilot at Edwards Air Force Base, using Autonodyne’s Bashi pilot‑vehicle interface. The test showed the drone executing tactical maneuvers, waypoint changes, combat patrols and threat‑engagement tasks autonomously....
Stride Dynamics – Flight Test Engineer
Stride Dynamics, an early‑stage robotics startup in Rajkot, India, is hiring a Flight Test Engineer to build, configure, and rigorously test UAV systems. The role spans bench, simulation, and field testing, data analysis, and client demonstrations, requiring hands‑on experience with...
Robin Radar to Support Counter-UAS Operations at FIFA World Cup 2026
Robin Radar Systems announced that its IRIS plug‑and‑play radar will be deployed by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, state agencies and FEMA for counter‑UAS operations at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America. The system offers 360‑degree, 12‑km detection,...
Review: Robotic Weed Control in Rice Shifts Toward AI, Sensor Fusion and Amphibious Platforms
A new review of 191 papers highlights that robotic weed control in rice is moving toward AI‑driven sensor fusion and amphibious platforms. Paddy fields pose extreme challenges—water, mud, glare and plant similarity degrade detection and mobility. Researchers argue that edge...
Ascend Engineering Strengthens PX4 Ecosystem Through Upstream Contributions & Flight Testing
Ascend Engineering has delivered a suite of upstream contributions to the PX4 open‑source drone ecosystem, including a new UAVCAN hardpoint command node, a major QGroundControl joystick refactor, and drivers for the Lightware GRF‑500 rangefinder. The company also fixed a critical...
Cellula Robotics Joins Canadian Technology Accelerator for UK Maritime Defense & Security
Cellula Robotics has been chosen for the Canadian Technology Accelerators Maritime Defence and Security program in the United Kingdom. The initiative, led by the Canadian High Commission and BMNT, connects Canadian ocean‑technology firms with UK defence and industry stakeholders. In...
Function-First Robot To Redefine Factory Automation
Midea Group unveiled the MIRO U, a six‑arm robot mounted on a mobile wheeled base that prioritizes function over humanoid form. The platform can perform parallel operations, reducing cycle times and consolidating tasks traditionally spread across multiple fixed robots. Its mobility...
Comau Expands Wearable Robotics Portfolio with MATE-XT GO Exoskeleton
Italian automation leader Comau unveiled the MATE‑XT GO, a lightweight wearable exoskeleton aimed at improving arm and shoulder ergonomics. Weighing less than 3 kg, the device can be donned in 30 seconds and removed in 10, delivering up to 50 % reduction in perceived...
Israeli Firm Develops Shadowfax Drone with SAURON Turret
Israeli robotics firm Macushla unveiled the Shadowfax unmanned ground vehicle equipped with the SAURON remote‑controlled weapon station ahead of the Enforce Tac Nuremberg 2026 exhibition. The platform is lightweight, highly modular and can be re‑configured for combat, engineering or rescue missions. Demonstrations...
How Eyes Affect Our Perception of a Humanoid Robot's Mind
Researchers at Tampere University and the University of Bremen used AI‑generated images to compare humanoid robots with and without eyes. Participants consistently rated the eye‑equipped robots as possessing higher agency and experience, regardless of age‑like appearance or eye placement. The...
Myanmar Passenger Plane Struck in Alleged FPV Drone Attack at Myitkyina Airport
On 20 February 2026 an ATR‑72‑600 operated by Myanmar National Airlines was struck by an alleged first‑person‑view (FPV) drone while preparing for take‑off at Myitkyina Airport. The impact caused minor damage to the nose, mid‑body and tail, but no passengers or crew...
Visual Drone Detection Moves Into Critical Infrastructure Playbooks
Unauthorized drone activity around critical infrastructure is surging, prompting agencies like CISA to issue updated guidance for operators. Incidents have risen dramatically—over 217% across facilities and up to 300% at European airports—driving demand for specialized visual detection systems. The global...
Video: Drone Aids N.J. PD in Locating Missing Teenager Evading Officers
Ocean Township police in New Jersey deployed an all‑weather DJI M30T drone equipped with a thermal camera to locate a 13‑year‑old runaway. Using Life360 data from the teen’s mother, officers narrowed the search and found the boy in a dense...
U.S. Marine Corps Awards New ROGUE-Fires Missile Carrier Deal
The U.S. Marine Corps awarded Oshkosh Defense a $16.8 million contract modification to procure ROGUE‑Fires autonomous missile carriers. The JLTV‑based, crew‑less launchers can fire Naval Strike Missiles or Tomahawk cruise missiles, supporting the Navy and Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. Fielding...
Tekniker Unveils Robotic Metrology System Combining Collaborative Robots and Digital Measurement at BIEMH 2026
Tekniker showcased a new robotic metrology system at BIEMH 2026, merging a Kuka 7‑axis collaborative arm with Zeiss’s DuraMax measuring head and Schunk handling tools. The integrated solution automatically identifies, picks, positions, measures and classifies parts of identical geometry, delivering in‑process...
National Guard Team Clinches Award for Clawed Drone at Army Competition
The Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division won the Best Innovation award at the Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition for Project RED, a system that locates, identifies, and retrieves downed drones using AI and a robotic claw. The solution employs...
National Guard Team Clinches Award for Clawed Drone at Army Competition
Soldiers from the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division won the Best Innovation award at the U.S. Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition in Huntsville, Alabama. Their Project RED system employs AI and a 3D‑printed carbon‑fiber claw to locate, retrieve,...
Humanoid Home Robots Are on the Market—But Do We Really Want Them?
Norwegian‑US startup 1X launched Neo, a $20,000 consumer‑ready humanoid robot that can fold laundry and load dishwashers, but it relies on remote operators wearing VR headsets to handle complex tasks. The robot records video of its actions for future AI...
AI Impact Summit: Meet ‘LuSI’, the ‘Made in India’ AI-Integrated Robotic Baby Revolutionising Medical Training
At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Maverick Simulation Solutions unveiled LuSI, a 2.5 kg AI‑integrated robotic newborn that replicates real‑time respiratory conditions for high‑fidelity medical training, already adopted by AIIMS, AFMC and PGI. The same event highlighted PhonePe's launch of...
CharterUP Partners with Holon to Deliver Scalable Autonomous Mobility Solutions
CharterUP has teamed up with Holon to fuse Holon’s autonomous vehicle ecosystem with CharterUP’s AI‑first mobility platform and nationwide network. The deal enables CharterUP to roll out Holon’s self‑driving shuttles across campuses, airports, transit agencies and community settings. By offering...
When It Comes to Drones, the Pentagon Should Mind the Experience Gap
The article argues that the Pentagon’s biggest hurdle with drones is technology adoption, not a lack of options, and stresses the need for experienced defense partners to field reliable unmanned systems. It highlights that trust, scalability, and maintainability hinge on...
How Commercial Drones Make the Pentagon’s ‘Blue UAS Select’ List
The Department of Defense has launched the first phase of its Drone Dominance Program, dubbed “the Gauntlet,” to evaluate commercial uncrewed aerial systems from 25 vendors at Fort Benning. Ahead of testing, the Pentagon’s Blue UAS List, maintained by the...
Humanoid Robots that 'Catch Themselves' Instead of Falling: What a New Walking Algorithm Changes
Georgia Tech researchers unveiled a real‑time planning and control framework that lets bipedal robots recover from instability without human input. Implemented on the Cassie robot, the algorithm uses signal‑temporal‑logic‑guided model predictive control to adjust upcoming steps when perturbations are detected....
A3 Presents ‘Age of Automation,’ Global Film Series Produced by BBC StoryWorks
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) launched “Age of Automation,” a global film series produced by BBC StoryWorks that showcases how automation is reshaping industries and daily life. The series combines short films and articles that highlight real‑world applications in...
Around the Commercial Drone Industry: Training Schools, New NPRM Comments, El Paso Airport Closure
A new UAS training centre at West Wales Airport aims to certify over 120 drone operators in 2026, offering hands‑on and simulator instruction for both line‑of‑sight and BVLOS flights. The FAA briefly reopened comments on its Part 108 BVLOS NPRM, drawing...
Norway’s Trener Robotics Closes $32 Million Series A to Turn Industrial Robots Into Adaptive Teammates
Trener Robotics announced a $32 million Series A round, bringing its total funding to over $38 million. The capital, co‑led by Engine Ventures and IAG Capital Partners with strategic investors Cadence and Nikon, will accelerate development of Acteris, a robot‑agnostic AI skills platform...
Robot Talk Episode 145 – Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing, with Agata Suwala
Technology manager Agata Suwala at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) is steering advanced robotics projects that modernise aerospace production lines. Her team integrates automation to replace labour‑intensive steps, cutting cycle times and error rates. The latest initiative targets a circular‑economy...
U.S. Air Force Deploys Skiron X Drone in Counter-UAS Training
The U.S. Air Force employed Aurora Flight Sciences’ Skiron X hybrid drone as a simulated adversary during counter‑UAS training at Germany’s Grafenwoehr Training Area on Feb. 19, 2026. The exercise evaluated expanding the Joint Multi‑Domain Counter‑UAS Operator Course into a joint, multi‑service program...
Environment Agency Plans Drone-Fleet Upgrade to Combat Waste Crime
The Environment Agency (EA) is boosting its waste‑crime enforcement with a £5 million budget increase, expanding its fleet of 33 drones and fitting several with lidar laser‑mapping technology. Since July last year the agency logged 272 drone flight hours, using the...
Nauticus Robotics, Inc. Announces Major Leadership Enhancements, Aquanaut Manufacturing Expansion, and Accelerated Growth Strategy
Nauticus Robotics announced a suite of senior appointments, including Dr. Kjerstin Easton as Vice President of Software, Chuck Claunch as Chief Software Architect, and Jason Close as Vice President of Growth & Go‑to‑Market. The leadership overhaul coincides with Master Investment...
PTZOptics Aims to Make Video More ‘Actionable’ with Visual Reasoning Initiative
PTZOptics announced a Visual Reasoning initiative that fuses its robotic PTZ camera systems with Moondream’s open‑source vision‑language models. The partnership enables real‑time video interpretation, powering features such as auto‑tracking, smarter search, automated indexing, and event‑driven triggers. By offering an open...
Altomaxx RPAS Specialist – UAS/RPAS Pilot (Calgary AB)
Altomaxx Technologies, a Canadian drone‑service leader, is hiring experienced UAS/RPAS pilots for its Calgary field‑operations team. The role supports oil‑and‑gas inspections, ground‑penetrating radar, bathymetry, and confined‑space surveys across domestic and international projects. Candidates must hold a Transport Canada RPAS Pilot...
