Unmanned ground systems: Czech Republic tests more than 30 robotic platforms at “Drone Shield 2026”

Unmanned ground systems and robotics form a focus of the international experimental exercise “Drone Shield 2026”: the Czech Armed Forces, together with industry representatives and experts, are examining which operational uses modern systems of this kind offer. The venue is the NATEP UGV test site (National Technological Test Bed for unmanned ground systems) in Lipník nad Bečvou, south-east of Olomouc. Unmanned wheeled and tracked vehicles as well as four-legged robotic systems took centre stage there.

An industry day for unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) opened the three-day programme, which ran from 22 to 24 September: almost 30 companies and organisations brought along more than 30 robotic platforms. This was not a conventional technology show – rather, different technological approaches were meant to meet potential military users. Systems developed specifically for military tasks were shown alongside dual-use technologies.

Robotics is developing extraordinarily fast. A large share of innovation today does not originate exclusively in the traditional defence industry— Colonel Jan Jelínek, Director of the Communications and Information Systems Agency

All the more important, according to Jelínek, is to match technologies against the specific requirements of soldiers and to identify those solutions that deliver genuine military benefit.

Unmanned ground systems in a practical test: manufacturers' claims under scrutiny

The presentation of the individual systems was followed by practice: military specialists and civilian experts scrutinised the platforms' performance, their behaviour in the terrain and various autonomous functions. The basis was the TEVV approach (Testing, Evaluation, Verification and Validation) – which allowed manufacturers' claims to be checked beyond pure capability tests and matched against the actual needs of the armed forces.

The list of possible fields of application is long: reconnaissance, logistics, materiel transport, engineer tasks, explosive ordnance disposal or operations in hazardous environments could in future be supported by such systems, among other things. Each platform type – wheeled and tracked vehicles, four-legged or humanoid systems – is intended to take on specific tasks.

Autonomous functions form a further focus. Automatic navigation, obstacle detection or following persons and vehicles are intended to relieve operators. The intention is not to remove humans from the decision-making process; rather, their workload is to fall and their protection in dangerous situations to rise.

From the collected data, user experience and findings, the Czech Armed Forces want to derive their own requirements for future unmanned systems. The programme in Lipník nad Bečvou is part of the broader experimental exercise “Drone Shield 2026”, which, alongside unmanned ground systems, also addresses unmanned aerial vehicles and their detection, identification and defeat.