Overland AI Unveils Fully Autonomous Ground Breaching Vehicle at Project Convergence Capstone 5
At one of the U.S. Army’s premier technology innovation events, Project Convergence Capstone 5 (PC-C5), Overland AI took a significant leap in military automation by demonstrating its autonomous ground breaching capabilities. Working closely with the 20th Engineer Brigade of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the Sandhills Project, the company showcased a new level of battlefield autonomy with its upgraded Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (SMET) vehicle.
Traditionally operated using tethered remote controls, the SMET platform was transformed into a fully autonomous system with Overland AI’s proprietary technologies. These included the OverDrive software for intelligent navigation, SPARK hardware for sensor integration, and the OverWatch tactical interface for human-machine interaction. Once integrated, the system was no longer dependent on manual operation—allowing soldiers to execute missions with minimal intervention.
During the two-week joint training and demonstration, soldiers from the 27th Engineer Battalion received hands-on training with the new system. By the end of the exercise, they were independently conducting autonomous breaching missions—managing everything from system startup to shutdown without assistance from Overland AI engineers. This marked a major milestone in proving the system’s ease of use and operational reliability in field conditions.
The demonstration also featured two crucial payloads. One was a trailer-mounted unmanned aerial system (UAS) for mine clearing, and the other was a drone launcher developed by Stratin Engineering that enabled the SMET to deploy small, expendable drones. These systems enhanced the vehicle’s ability to tackle complex battlefield obstacles such as minefields, barbed wire, and trenches—typical challenges in ground breaching operations.
According to Overland AI CEO and co-founder Byron Boots, the exercise not only validated their technology’s readiness but also emphasized its real-world impact by keeping soldiers out of harm’s way during high-risk missions. He noted that “breaching exercises continue to demonstrate the maturity of our capability and the tactical benefit of removing humans from some of the most dangerous missions.”
In a sign of continued confidence, the 20th Engineer Brigade has retained the upgraded SMET vehicle for extended field experimentation. Overland AI will support the Army with ongoing field services and a contracted software license.
Project Convergence Capstone 5 is part of the Army’s long-term effort to explore future combat solutions across all domains, with special attention on operational readiness in the Indo-Pacific (INDOPACOM) region. Overland AI’s involvement underscores the growing role of autonomous systems in transforming ground combat operations and reducing risks for frontline troops.
