// Portable Multi-Role Ground Robot
Ark-1
- Manufacturer
- Ark Robotics
- Status
- Fielded
Key specifications
- Weighs 12 kg and carries about 15 kg (company figures)
- Up to 40 km/h (company figure given to Janes)
- Range 15–20 km (sources differ)
Ark-1 / Ark Robotics
Overview
Ark Robotics is a Ukrainian-founded startup headquartered in Estonia. Its Ark-1, also written A1, is a four-wheel-drive ground robot of about 12 kg that carries roughly 15 kg and, according to company figures given to Janes, reaches up to 40 km/h. Company representatives told Janes that Ukraine’s armed forces have used it since 2024 as a one-way attack vehicle, and Defense News described it as battle-proven in Ukraine. Its wider product, Frontier, lets one operator control many robots. In May 2026 a Latvian battalion used the Ark-1 in NATO exercise Crystal Arrow, and in September 2026 Babcock signed a memorandum to explore manufacturing and support for it in the United Kingdom. Funding amounts and investors have not been made public.
Sources
- Janes, 13 May 2026
- Defense News, 15 May 2026
- European Security & Defence, 17 Sep 2026
- UK Defence Journal, 16 Sep 2026
Public figures as reported by the company and the press, with dates. Independent verification is part of our vetting process and is shared with counterparties under NDA.
