LeadTech Inc AI · Technology · Defense

Technologies in development

Two airframes, one autonomy stack

LeadTech is developing a purpose-built attritable strike platform for the Group 1 class — the segment addressed by the Army's Purpose Built Attritable Systems requirement — and a companion Group 1 reconnaissance platform, both flying a common LeadTech autonomy stack on an open architecture.

PROGRAM STATUS — IN DEVELOPMENT. Both platforms are in active development. Descriptions on this page are general system descriptions and design intent; they are not measured performance. No production units have been delivered, no flight-test results are published, and specifications are subject to change without notice. Nothing on this page is an offer to sell or a warranty of performance.

Platform 01

Group 1 strike platform

A first-person-view strike platform built to the attritable-systems economics the mission actually demands: low unit cost, a modular payload interface the using unit controls, and field repair without vendor involvement.

In development DoD Group 1 Quadrotor FPV Open architecture

Mission

Organic precision effects at the squad and platoon level, employed by the unit that owns the problem, without reaching back for an external fires asset. The design assumptions are contested airspace, degraded communications, and an operator who has minutes rather than hours.

Design approach

  • Attritable by economics, not by slogan. Unit cost is a design constraint carried from the first CAD session, not a result reported at the end.
  • Government-furnished effects. LeadTech supplies the airframe, the autonomy, and the integration. LeadTech does not manufacture, integrate, or supply energetics, warheads, or fuzing — effects payloads are government-furnished or supplied by a licensed integrator.
  • Soldier-modifiable. A published interface control document — mechanical mounting, available power, data — so a unit can fit a third-party payload without calling us.
  • Field-repairable. Line-replaceable modules, common fasteners, and a repair kit that travels with the unit.
  • Link-degraded behaviour. The platform is designed to continue executing its commanded task when the control link is jammed or lost, rather than aborting.
General system description — design intent, not measured performance
DoD UAS groupGroup 1
ConfigurationMultirotor, FPV
Propeller class7 in and 10 in configurations
Gross weight classUnder 20 lb MGTW
Payload interfaceModular, published ICD; government-furnished effects
LaunchMan-portable, one-operator, no launcher required
ControlOperator-in-the-loop with autonomous terminal behaviour on link loss
ArchitectureOpen — accepts government-furnished radios, payloads, and autonomy software
Supply-chain design basisFY2020 NDAA § 848, FY2023 NDAA § 817, American Security Drone Act (FY2024 NDAA §§ 1821–1826)
Program statusDesign phase — no prototype flight-test results published
Performance data is not published here. Range, endurance, speed, payload mass, datalink bands, encryption, autonomy behaviour, and interface drawings are released only to screened U.S. persons under non-disclosure agreement, following export-control review. Request a technical briefing →

Platform 02

Group 1 reconnaissance platform

A short-range reconnaissance platform for the squad and company scout mission — man-packable, fast to get airborne, and built around a stabilised EO/IR payload with navigation that does not depend on GPS.

In development DoD Group 1 EO/IR GPS-denied navigation

Mission

Seeing the next terrain feature, the far side of the building, and the road you are about to drive — without requesting an asset, waiting for a window, or exposing a soldier to do it. Designed for the short-range reconnaissance role, carried by the unit and launched from where it stands.

Design approach

  • Carried, not convoyed. The whole system — aircraft, controller, spares — is sized to a rucksack, and setup is measured in the time it takes to stop walking.
  • Navigation without GPS. Visual and inertial navigation so the aircraft holds position and returns home in a spoofed or denied environment.
  • Detection on the aircraft. Onboard inference for detection and tracking, so useful information survives a link that is intermittent or contested.
  • A sensor the operator can actually use. Mechanically stabilised EO/IR with a control scheme that does not require a trained gimbal operator.
  • Common with the strike platform. Shared autonomy stack, shared ground control, shared training, shared spares logic.
General system description — design intent, not measured performance
DoD UAS groupGroup 1
ConfigurationMultirotor, folding
Gross weight classUnder 20 lb MGTW
Primary payloadStabilised electro-optical / infrared
NavigationGNSS with visual-inertial fallback for GPS-denied operation
Onboard processingEdge inference for detection and tracking
TransportMan-packable; one-operator setup
ArchitectureOpen — accepts government-furnished payloads, radios, and autonomy software
IdentificationDesigned for Remote ID in accordance with 14 CFR Part 89
Supply-chain design basisFY2020 NDAA § 848, FY2023 NDAA § 817, American Security Drone Act (FY2024 NDAA §§ 1821–1826)
Program statusDesign phase — no prototype flight-test results published
Performance data is not published here. Endurance, range, sensor resolution, datalink, and autonomy behaviour are released only to screened U.S. persons under non-disclosure agreement, following export-control review. Request a technical briefing →

The common layer

Autonomy that survives the loss of the link

The hard problem in this class is not flying the aircraft. It is what the aircraft does in the seconds after the operator stops being able to talk to it. LeadTech's autonomy work targets that window, and the same stack flies on both platforms.

A

Navigation without GPS

Visual-inertial odometry and terrain reference so position hold and return-to-home survive jamming and spoofing.

B

Onboard detection and tracking

Inference runs on the aircraft, not at the ground station, so recognition and track continuity do not depend on bandwidth.

C

Task continuation under EMCON

Commanded tasks continue through a degraded or denied link rather than aborting on signal loss.

D

Government-furnished software

The architecture is open by intent: government autonomy, third-party payload software, and LeadTech's own stack are interchangeable at published interfaces.

Human control. LeadTech designs its platforms for continuous positive identification and operator-in-the-loop employment, with autonomous behaviour scoped to navigation, sensing, and completion of an operator-commanded task. Rules of engagement and the decision to employ an effect remain with the using unit.
Designations. Platforms are identified here by mission role. Program designations and product names have not been announced.

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