Ground drones with Steyr power: Steyr Motors engine to drive RTC's Cornus UGV

Powertrain specialist Steyr Motors AG is further expanding its presence in autonomous systems. The company's propulsion technology has already proven itself in unmanned surface vessels (USV); now it is also powering ground drones, i.e. modern unmanned ground vehicles (UGV).

Specifically, the Cornus UGV, developed by Slovenian specialist RTC, will in future receive an engine from Steyr Motors. The modular platform is intended for military and security tasks; logistics, power supply and reconnaissance missions are among its possible fields of use. These require compact, rugged powertrains that run reliably even under extreme conditions.

For Steyr Motors, the integration of our engine into RTC's Cornus platform is an important and forward-looking example of how our engines, developed for highly critical defence applications, can optimally support the rapidly growing UGV segment. Unmanned systems require maximum resilience. The technological DNA that makes our engines so successful in the maritime domain and in protected vehicles now also gives autonomous land systems the necessary power and reliability— Julian Cassutti, CEO of Steyr Motors AG

Ground drones as a growth market

The unmanned systems sector is growing rapidly worldwide. Armed forces are investing more and more in platforms that operate partly or fully autonomously – for reconnaissance, for logistics tasks and to protect soldiers. According to industry analyses, global volume is likely to exceed 67 billion US dollars by 2033, the equivalent of around 58 billion euros. The unmanned ground vehicle segment is considered particularly dynamic.

Steyr Motors considers itself well equipped for this trend and points to decades of experience: the company develops engines for special military applications, for maritime operations and for safety-critical systems. The potential of unmanned surface and ground vehicles is only partly reflected in its order backlog, which stood at 308 million euros at the end of the first quarter, the company says.

We greatly value the cooperation with RTC, look forward with great anticipation to the further technological development and future applications of the CORNUS platform, and are pleased to further expand our presence in the market for unmanned systems— Julian Cassutti, CEO of Steyr Motors AG