Paris. American aerospace leader AeroVironment has launched a compact, backpackable uncrewed ground vehicle called the TOM 50 RE, engineered to safely execute rapid reconnaissance and explosive ordnance disposal in complex environments.
Unveiled at the Eurosatory 2026 defence and security exhibition in Paris on Monday, June 15, 2026, the advanced tracked platform represents a major shift toward lightweight, portable tactical systems. Developed by Telerob, AeroVironment’s wholly owned subsidiary specialising in ground robotics, the system directly answers an urgent global demand from military forces, bomb disposal squads, and specialised SWAT law enforcement teams for tools that can safely scout high-risk terrain before exposing human life to hidden hazards.
Compact Engineering at the Tactical Edge
Historically, heavy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robots required dedicated transport vehicles, complicating operations for highly mobile infantry units. The TOM 50 RE completely overcomes this friction by packing sophisticated sensing and manipulation capabilities into an incredibly portable, sub-10-kilogramme chassis.
The TOM 50 RE deployment archetype is anchored by three primary core capabilities. First, its ultra-lightweight design ensures the platform scales under 10 kg, allowing it to fit effortlessly into a single soldier’s rucksack for maximum field portability. Second, it features autonomous navigation powered by onboard SLAM mapping, which enables the system to safely navigate and chart GPS-denied structures and deep tunnels. Finally, the platform delivers high mission modularity, supporting swappable arm attachments and specialised payloads weighing up to 5 kilogrammes to easily adapt to evolving tactical demands.
Despite its diminutive size, the vehicle is ruggedly built, featuring an articulate tracked design and an integrated flipper system. This setup allows the robot to fluidly climb standard concrete stairs, push past urban rubble, and navigate uneven, cluttered pathways while maintaining up to five hours of continuous mission endurance.
Operating Blind in GPS-Denied Environments
Modern urban battlefields, subways, and subterranean tunnel systems present severe challenges for electronic communication. To maintain operational readiness when communications collapse, the platform relies on sophisticated Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) technology.
This enables the robot to autonomously generate precise digital blueprints of multi-story buildings and unknown indoor layouts entirely without a GPS signal.
The operational capability blueprint of the robotic platform is defined by five key system performance vectors. It features a lightweight system curb weight of less than 10 kg (22 lbs) while maintaining a robust payload capacity that supports attachments up to 5 kg (11 lbs).
Engineered for prolonged field deployment, the vehicle delivers a maximum endurance of up to 5 hours on a single battery cycle. Its onboard sensor architecture integrates four wide-angle day and night infrared cameras to provide continuous environmental awareness. Ultimately, these combined technologies empower its primary capabilities, which focus on autonomous SLAM mapping and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) hazard neutralisation.
Operators navigate the vehicle safely from a distance via four high-definition, wide-angle cameras equipped with full infrared night-vision capabilities. This grants a comprehensive 360-degree visual envelope in absolute darkness.
Furthermore, the platform’s advanced radio mesh network can function as a mobile signal relay, extending critical radio connectivity back to team members operating outside the structure.
