Ukraine's DevDroid doubles operating range of its ground robots with generators

Ukrainian technology company DevDroid has unveiled a version of its Droid TW 12.7 ground robotic system equipped with a fuel-powered generator designed to double the robot's operating range.

Source: DevDroid CEO Yurii Poritskyi in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda during the 7th Air Assault Corps & Gunsmiths Council: Mil Tech Innovations event held in Kyiv on 11 May

Details: According to Poritskyi, the entire range of DevDroid robots to be supplied under government contracts this year will be equipped with either petrol or diesel generators.

"Right now, 99% of ground robotic systems on the market run on electricity. But we predict that by the turn of 2026–2027, the kill zone on the front line will increase from 20 to 50 km. There will be many missions where robots will have to travel 50 km to positions and 50 km back. Achieving that range on electricity alone would be very expensive," he explained.

The generator has been installed beneath a turret fitted with a Browning M2 12.7mm machine gun. Depending on the modification, the generator may be placed in different parts of the ground robot.

The generator itself does not directly power the vehicle. Instead, it recharges the batteries both while the robot is stationary and while it is moving. Charging is activated by the operator, who monitors battery charge levels via a control tablet.

According to the company's CEO, the generator has increased the Droid's operating range from 20-40 km – depending on the model, terrain and weather conditions – to 80-100 km.

Meanwhile, the fuel generator costs only about one-third of the price of a single battery used to power the robotic system.

"The generators are modular and can easily be removed if the mission does not require them. We now realise that it will take three to four months from the time we deliver the robots until they are distributed from warehouses to military units. It will already be autumn by then. By that time, the kill zone may have expanded, making this highly relevant. Plus there is winter and the cold. Temperatures just a few degrees below zero can reduce battery capacity by up to 30%," Poritskyi said.

In addition to extending the robot's operational range, the generator allows the unit to remain in position without recharging for around a week instead of only several days.

Poritskyi also noted that frontline positions often lack powerful energy sources for charging robotic systems. Delivering small amounts of fuel and topping up charge levels at remote positions is significantly easier.

Background:

• Earlier, DevDroid unveiled electronic trigger systems for combat platforms that enable the firing of machine guns and grenade launchers to be controlled remotely.
• Ukrainska Pravda previously reported that the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine had officially approved and codified the Droid Box universal control system for ground robotic systems developed by DevDroid. The company noted that most ground robotic systems currently use proprietary control systems, while Droid Box is intended to standardise the process.

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