Indian defence technology companies EndureAir Systems and Addverb Technologies are exploring a new dimension in autonomous reconnaissance by integrating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with Addverb’s Trakr quadruped robot, creating a robotic team designed to extend surveillance capabilities into difficult and potentially hazardous environments.
Keywords: EndureAir Systems, Addverb Trakr, UAV Quadruped Robot, Autonomous Reconnaissance, Defence Robotics, Indian Defence Technology, Unmanned Systems, Make in India
The concept brings together the complementary strengths of aerial and ground-based autonomous systems. EndureAir’s UAV platforms are designed for high-endurance missions involving surveillance, logistics and operations in challenging terrain, while Trakr is engineered to negotiate environments that can be difficult for conventional wheeled robots.
According to the demonstration highlighted by EndureAir, the integrated system is intended to enable a UAV-supported ground robot to reach confined or risky areas before personnel are exposed to potential hazards. Trakr’s perception and navigation architecture combines LiDAR, cameras and other onboard sensors to support autonomous movement, including traversal of stairs, slopes, rubble and confined passages. Addverb also lists security, defence and remote inspection among the robot’s intended applications.
Such human-out-of-the-loop or human-at-a-safe-distance operations could have relevance across a range of missions, including reconnaissance of restricted spaces, infrastructure inspection, disaster response and assessment of potentially unsafe locations. Rather than replacing individual platforms, the approach points towards combining different autonomous systems so that each can perform the task for which it is best suited.
The development also reflects the growing convergence between India’s unmanned aviation and robotics sectors. EndureAir, an IIT Kanpur-linked company headquartered in Noida, has developed UAVs for applications including defence, border surveillance and logistics. Addverb, meanwhile, has been expanding from industrial automation into autonomous mobile and quadruped robotics, with Trakr positioned as a platform for demanding environments.
The UAV–quadruped pairing therefore represents more than a technology demonstration: it signals a broader move towards interoperable autonomous systems capable of sharing missions across air and ground domains. For defence forces, the principal attraction could be straightforward, extending situational awareness while reducing the need to send personnel first into uncertain or dangerous environments.
contact: drrajeshjauhri@gmail.com
Dr Rajesh Jauhri is a Journalist with an experience of over 25 years in Indian and foreign media, a Social Scientist, an Ac-complished Author, a Political & Strategic Analyst, a Marksman (Rifle & Pistol), an Orator, a Thinker and an Educationist. He holds a Ph.D. degree on “Impact of colonial heritage on Indian police”. He runs an NGO dedicated to the social and eco-nomic uplift of tribal communities in MP and two decades back, he established a school in a village of Indore district, providing education and moral values to children belonging to underprivileged and minority families. Has received multiple awards in various fields.
