Bhairav Robotics Unveils “Vrishabh” Combat ATV, a Multirole Unmanned Ground Platform for India’s Armed Forces

Bhairav Robotics has unveiled “Vrishabh” Combat ATV, an advanced unmanned ground platform (UGV) designed to take on some of the most dangerous jobs on the battlefield – from direct combat and intelligence gathering to casualty evacuation and front-line logistics support. The system reflects a growing push within India’s defence ecosystem to field indigenous autonomous and robotic solutions for high-risk, high-tempo operations. 

Multirole Combat Support Vehicle

According to the company, Vrishabh is built on a robust all-terrain vehicle chassis and is engineered to operate in Combat, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Casualty Evacuation (Cas Evac) and Logistics roles. The unmanned platform can be tele-operated or used in semi-autonomous modes, allowing troops to push a sensor or weapon forward without exposing personnel to direct fire, ambush, mines or improvised explosive devices.

In its ISR configuration, Vrishabh can carry electro-optical and infrared cameras, along with other mission payloads, to provide live video and situational awareness from the forward edge of the battle area. In logistics and Cas Evac roles, the flatbed/utility layout can be adapted to carry ammunition, rations, water, or to mount a stretcher frame for evacuating wounded soldiers from under fire.

Integrated with Rakshak Autonomous Weapon Station

A key feature of Vrishabh is its seamless integration with Bhairav Robotics’ “Rakshak” Autonomous Weapon Station (AWS), which has already been showcased as a modular, AI-enabled remote weapon system.

Rakshak is designed to convert medium machine guns (MMG), assault rifles and other weapons into autonomous or remotely controlled stations, using long-range stereo vision and artificial-intelligence–based detection and tracking. The system offers human recognition ranges of up to 2 km by day and 1 km by night and incorporates in-built ballistic correction for accurate fire.

Mounted on Vrishabh, Rakshak can host weapons such as MMGs, automatic grenade systems and heavy machine guns like the NSVT, giving the small unmanned vehicle significant firepower for base defence, convoy escort, perimeter security or urban combat support. The combination effectively turns Vrishabh into a compact unmanned combat vehicle that can move ahead of infantry, detect threats and deliver suppressive fire while the operator remains under cover.

Stabilised Fire and On-the-Move Engagement

Bhairav Robotics says Vrishabh features two-axis stabilisation, enabling the onboard weapon station or sensor mast to remain steady even when the vehicle is moving over uneven terrain. This stabilisation is critical for accurate firing on the move and for obtaining usable ISR imagery in cross-country conditions, where vibration normally degrades performance.

The stabilisation approach draws on the firm’s broader work in motion-compensation platforms like “Dhruv,” a 3-DOF stabilisation system developed for keeping payloads level against vehicle motion and environmental disturbances. This technology base helps Vrishabh maintain weapon or camera alignment, improving first-round hit probability and target tracking.

Designed for Indian Terrain and Tactics

Though detailed specifications of Vrishabh – such as weight, payload, endurance and range – have not yet been publicly released, the Combat ATV concept is clearly tailored for rugged Indian terrain and high-altitude or desert deployments, where traditional manned patrols face fatigue and exposure. The ATV-style chassis is expected to offer good off-road mobility, while its modular architecture allows commanders to switch between:

• a combat configuration with Rakshak AWS for fire support,

• an ISR configuration with mast-mounted sensors,

• a logistics/Cas Evac configuration with cargo or stretcher fittings.

Such flexibility is intended to reduce the logistical footprint: the same unmanned platform can be re-tasked as the tactical situation evolves.

Part of a Growing Indigenous Robotics Ecosystem

Vrishabh joins a growing portfolio of systems from Bhairav Robotics, which already includes the “Shvana” armed quadruped UGV – a robotic dog equipped with cameras, audio sensors, AI-based perception and options to carry munitions or electronic warfare payloads – and Prabal quasi-direct-drive actuators for legged robots and weapon stations.

Together with Rakshak, these products position the company as one of several Indian start-ups trying to offer integrated unmanned and autonomous solutions for defence and homeland security, in line with New Delhi’s emphasis on “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) in critical defence technologies.

Implications for Future Battlefield Operations

For the armed forces, systems like Vrishabh could eventually be used to:

• probe suspected ambush zones or IED-prone stretches before manned vehicles enter,

• provide 24/7 surveillance around temporary posts and forward bases,

• act as armed escorts for supply convoys or infantry sections in built-up areas, and

• perform rapid casualty evacuation from locations where sending a manned vehicle or stretcher party would be too risky.

Much will depend on field trials, reliability in harsh conditions, integration with existing communications networks and doctrine development. But the unveiling of Vrishabh underlines how unmanned ground systems are moving from concept to deployable hardware in India’s defence ecosystem.

Further technical details and timelines for user trials are expected to emerge as Bhairav Robotics engages with the Indian Army and other security forces for evaluations.