The US Army has selected Denver-based AZAK for a rapid-acquisition program aimed at fielding its high-torque unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) following successful soldier-led trials.
The wheeled robot uses a chassis-free design in which each wheel functions as a self-contained power unit housing a motor, gearbox, control electronics, and battery system.
These components sit below the wheel’s center point, giving the UGV a low center of gravity and allowing it to climb over obstacles rather than maneuver around them, according to AZAK CEO Ben Meager.
The wheel-centric design also allows AZAK to increase torque without developing a new drivetrain, enabling the same system to power vehicles of different sizes and configurations.
The company first demonstrated the UGV to the army in July, when the 227-kilogram (500-pound) platform towed a 24,000-kilogram (53,000-pound) military truck loaded with 454 kilograms (1,000 pounds) of ammunition.
In total, the robot hauled more than 100 times its own weight.
Moving Field-Tested Tech Into Service
AZAK signed an Other Transaction Agreement with the US Army’s Global Tactical Edge Acquisition Directorate, which aims to move tested technologies into operational use within six months.
Rather than relying solely on conventional acquisition procedures, the program uses soldier-led evaluations to select systems that address operational needs in the field.
It has reportedly fielded Perennial Autonomy’s Merops interceptor and the FD One quadcopter, with AZAK now joining the first group of companies selected for the program.
