Hoverfly Technologies, a leader in tethered unmanned aerial systems (TeUAS), and Overland AI, a pioneer in autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) technology, announced the continued expansion of their collaboration to accelerate the development and deployment of integrated unmanned solutions for defense, national security, and government customers.
The partnership brings together Hoverfly’s Blue UAS Cleared, persistent aerial platforms with Overland AI’s award-winning autonomy stack for ground systems, creating a tightly coupled air–ground capability that extends sensing, communications, and operational endurance across complex and contested environments. Together, the companies are delivering a remotely operated, multi-domain solution that provides persistent situational awareness and mission resilience.
The combined system has been highlighted in demonstrations across the country with organizations such as CAL FIRE, the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Division, and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), showcasing how autonomous ground mobility paired with persistent tethered aerial sensing enhances operational effectiveness in dynamic and contested environments.
EXTENDING AUTONOMY ACROSS DOMAINS
As the Department of War accelerates adoption of autonomous and semi-autonomous systems across formations, the ability for unmanned assets to operate collaboratively across domains has become a priority. Hoverfly and Overland AI’s collaboration directly supports this objective by integrating persistent aerial overwatch and communications with autonomous ground maneuver. The result is a more resilient and adaptive robotic ecosystem-designed to operate where traditional platforms fall short.
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“Modern operations demand autonomous systems that work together—not in silos,” said Steve Walters, CEO of Hoverfly. “By partnering with Overland AI, we’re extending the reach and effectiveness of unmanned ground systems with aerial persistence that fundamentally changes how Warfighters sense, decide, and act.”
Hoverfly’s tethered UAS provides continuous power and data, enabling hours or days of uninterrupted operation-ideal for command-and-control (C2) extension, perimeter security, and expeditionary missions. When paired with Overland AI’s autonomous ground platforms, operators gain a decisive advantage in mobility, perception, and endurance.
Multiple mission sets have been demonstrated through the collaboration, including persistent situational awareness, electronic warfare (EW) sensing, and communications relay. By combining Overland AI’s autonomous navigation with Hoverfly’s vehicle-mounted TeUAS, operators gain a mobile, elevated vantage point that can remain aloft for extended periods while remaining RF-quiet and logistically efficient.
EXTENDING MISSION EFFECTS THROUGH AUTONOMOUS MANEUVER
Deployed across multiple government evaluations, Overland AI’s ULTRA vehicle has consistently demonstrated its ability to project power and sustain autonomous mobility in unstructured environments. Whether supporting ISR, fires, or resupply missions, ULTRA delivers decisive advantages on the ground for warfighters. By integrating Hoverfly’s persistent aerial systems, this capability is elevated, transforming the autonomous vehicle into a mobile unmanned platform for extended overwatch and communications retransmission.
“Warfighters need autonomous systems that significantly extend their operational reach,” said Stephanie Bonk, co-founder and president of Overland AI. “Our collaboration with Hoverfly delivers a fully integrated, mobile overwatch and communications node to reduce unnecessary risk while sustaining maneuver across the battlefield.”
SOURCE: Overland AI
