The U.S. Army has awarded Swarmbotics AI a contract to deliver swarming, expendable small unmanned ground vehicles for operational evaluation with the 1st Cavalry Division.
The award stems from Swarmbotics’ successful showing at the xTechOverwatch competition, where its autonomous robotics technology competed against dozens of innovative small businesses. The sUGVs are designed to function as coordinated swarms, enabling the Army to present adversaries with multiple tactical challenges while reducing reliance on costly manned platforms.
Evaluation activities involved soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division assessing autonomous ground and aerial systems, with oversight provided by the Army’s Training and Doctrine Command and other stakeholders.
xTechOverwatch, launched in April 2025, is an Army innovation program intended to accelerate the development of autonomous air and ground capabilities by engaging companies specializing in AI, robotics, and advanced sensors. The initiative received more than 630 proposals and selected 40 finalists to demonstrate systems capable of operating autonomously across complex terrain and mission profiles.
In addition to Swarmbotics, the competition recognized several other firms whose technologies align with Army priorities. FieldAI Federal was selected for GPS-independent navigation technology, while Allen Control Systems and AZAK were recognized for autonomous overwatch and terrain-adaptive robotic systems. Selected teams will collaborate with Army units between January 2026 and July 2027 to refine capabilities in real-world training settings.
