Palladyne AI Activates $4.2 Million Air Force Contract to Unify Autonomous Systems Across Space, Air, and Land
Palladyne AI Corp. has formally begun work on a $4.2 million contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) aimed at solving a long-standing obstacle in modern warfare: making disparate autonomous platforms operate as a single, coordinated team. The project, dubbed "Hierarchical Adaptive Networked Game-Theoretic Integration of Multiple Echelons" (HANGTIME), will leverage the company’s patented SwarmOS software to connect drones, ships, satellites, and ground vehicles in real time.
Multi-Domain Coordination
Currently, most autonomous systems function in isolation, limiting the speed and accuracy of military responses. HANGTIME intends to bridge that gap by using Palladyne AI’s SwarmOS platform—a defense variant of its Palladyne Pilot embodied AI—as the foundational technology. The platform enables cross-domain intelligence sharing, adaptive decision-making, and synchronized mission execution across air, space, maritime, and land environments. By turning independent platforms into a cohesive sensor network, the system gives commanders a more comprehensive view of the battlefield.
Satellite Integration Expands Reach
A key advancement in this contract is the integration of satellites for the first time, extending Palladyne’s autonomous software from terrestrial and aerial domains into orbit. This space-based link will allow tactical commanders to access broader cross-domain intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) data, effectively transforming them into strategic-level decision-makers with faster, more informed options.
“Our collaboration with AFRL showcases what's next for autonomous operations,” said Ben Wolff, President and CEO of Palladyne AI. “This isn't about replacing humans—it's about giving them sharper, faster insight. By connecting satellite, aerial, and ground systems using the patented SwarmOS embodied AI platform as a foundational technology, we're helping the warfighter make better decisions in real time and stay one step ahead on the battlefield.”
Dr. Denis Garagic, Chief Technology Officer, added: “The HANGTIME project is a breakthrough that unites high-altitude assets and situational unmanned systems into one coordinated sensor network—delivering a major advantage for the defense industry. For the first time, a single AI framework can coordinate assets across multiple domains, including satellites. That means these systems can now think and act together as a team, sharing what they see and learning as conditions change.”
AFRL Program Manager Caleb Williams commented: “The HANGTIME effort represents a critical step in multi-domain autonomy for coordinated execution in challenging environments.”
The source for this article is https://www.roboticstomorrow.com/news/2026/07/07/palladyne-ai-executes-42-million-us-air-force-contract-to-advance-swarming-capabilities-for-integrated-cross-domain-operations/26814/.
