German startup tests RDX 1 tracked ground drone with troops

German startup Reactive Dynamics says combat troops have put its RDX 1 tracked unmanned ground vehicle through its first tactical trials, using it to haul supplies and carry soldiers, evacuate casualties and run reconnaissance patrols by day and night.

The company said the tests took place last week with frontline units and also covered using the vehicle as a lead element ahead of manned systems, a role that sends the uncrewed platform first into ground where mines or ambushes are a risk. Reactive Dynamics did not identify the units, the country whose troops took part, or where the trials were held.

The company said it plans to add more payloads over the coming weeks and keep testing with the same units.

“Their feedback goes directly into the next RDX1 iterations,” Reactive Dynamics wrote.

Registered in Eching, just north of Munich, Reactive Dynamics describes the RDX 1 on its website as a fully electric tracked platform running on rubber tracks with full suspension. The company lists a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), a range of 150 km (93 miles) and a payload of 1,200 kg (about 2,650 pounds), along with the ability to climb a 60% gradient. Its 400-volt electric drivetrain gives off little heat or noise, which makes the vehicle harder to pick up with thermal cameras and acoustic sensors.

For now the RDX 1 is driven by remote control, with Reactive Dynamics planning to push autonomy features to the fleet through over-the-air software updates until the system can operate on its own. The company’s longer-term concept is a “Reactive Squad,” in which several vehicles carrying different payloads move together under the command of a single operator.

Payloads plug into an open architecture, and the company names German drone maker Quantum Systems and turret specialist Valhalla Turrets as partners. Its website shows mission modules for combat and reconnaissance, alongside supply, protection and casualty evacuation versions, although the LinkedIn post described no armed configuration in last week’s trials.

Unmanned ground vehicles have moved from experiments to daily use in Ukraine, where both sides rely on them to move ammunition and food to frontline positions and to pull wounded soldiers out under drone and artillery fire. Several European firms are now chasing the same market, among them Munich-based ARX Robotics, which also builds tracked UGVs and partners with Quantum Systems.