German Engine Giant DEUTZ Invests in ARX Robotics to Scale Combat-Proven Ground Drones for NATO Forces

German mobility systems provider DEUTZ is becoming the lead investor in defense technology company ARX Robotics‘ strategic funding round, forming a partnership to integrate industrial-grade drive systems and energy infrastructure into ARX’s combat-proven unmanned ground vehicles for European NATO forces, according to a joint announcement released today.

The partnership positions DEUTZ to combine its century-old manufacturing expertise with ARX’s battlefield-tested autonomous ground systems that are already deployed with Ukrainian forces. For the drone industry, this signals unmanned ground vehicles entering the same rapid-scaling phase that aerial drones achieved over the past three years of warfare in Ukraine.

Industrial Manufacturing Meets Battlefield Innovation

The collaboration centers on integrating DEUTZ drive systems into ARX’s Gereon series unmanned ground vehicles. Initial deployments will use battery-powered drives, followed by compact internal combustion engines and hybrid powertrains. The companies are developing an interface connecting DEUTZ propulsion technology to ARX’s Mithra OS artificial intelligence platform, enabling intelligent coordination between power systems and autonomous control software.

DEUTZ CEO Dr. Sebastian Schulte stated, “Unmanned and semi-autonomous defense systems are set to play an increasingly critical and central role for armed forces of the future. That is why we are combining ARX Robotics’ leading software and robotics expertise with our strengths in drive systems, decentralized energy supply, and industrial production.”

DEUTZ will provide field energy infrastructure through its Energy and NewTech business units, including generators, battery storage systems, and swappable power modules. ARX Robotics gains access to DEUTZ’s global production and service network spanning over 120 countries, enabling rapid scaling of manufacturing with worldwide support capabilities.

From Ukraine Battlefields to European Production Lines

ARX Robotics’ Gereon platform carries payloads up to 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) with a range of approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers). The Combat Gereon variant unveiled in September 2025 incorporates weapons integration developed with Ukrainian partners and Slovenian manufacturer Valhalla Turrets.

Germany delivered 30 Gereon units to Ukrainian forces in November 2024 for casualty evacuation and logistics support. ARX CEO Marc Wietfeld described the partnership as essential for European defense capabilities:

“Working with DEUTZ, we are combining the intelligence of our Mithra OS platform and vehicle systems with high-quality drive systems, mobile energy, and industrial manufacturing. This will enable us to deliver unmanned systems to troops more quickly, increase availability and reliability during deployment, and to create the basis for scaling up in Europe.”

Strategic Defense Consolidation Accelerates

The DEUTZ-ARX partnership follows ARX’s September 2025 collaboration with drone manufacturer Helsing to develop an artificial intelligence-based reconnaissance and strike network for European defense. Both companies draw on operational experience from Ukraine, where networked autonomous systems play crucial roles in ground operations.

DEUTZ acquired SOBEK, a leading drone drive systems manufacturer, in early September 2025, positioning itself as a comprehensive system provider in the unmanned defense ecosystem. The SOBEK acquisition brought expertise in high-performance electric motors and control electronics serving Formula 1 teams and aerospace applications.

The strategic funding round involving DEUTZ and other investors is expected to close within coming weeks.

DroneXL’s Take

This partnership represents a watershed moment for unmanned ground systems that parallels what we witnessed with aerial drones over the past three years. When we covered ARX receiving NATO Innovation Fund backing in June 2024, these were still primarily logistics and evacuation platforms. Today, they’re combat-proven systems with weapons integration, scaling toward mass production.

The DEUTZ involvement is strategically significant beyond the obvious capital injection. Access to a global manufacturing and service network solves the critical bottleneck that has plagued European defense startups: they can innovate rapidly but struggle to scale production. DEUTZ’s 1,000+ service locations worldwide mean ARX vehicles can be maintained anywhere NATO operates, a decisive advantage over startups limited to regional support.

We’ve extensively covered how Ukraine’s battlefield innovations are reshaping Western military procurement. The Ukrainian-German development partnership that produced Combat Gereon demonstrates this knowledge transfer in action. European defense officials finally recognize that designs forged under daily combat pressure deliver better performance per dollar than traditional Western defense contractors working on peacetime timelines.

The “Made in Germany” angle matters for our European readers concerned about defense sovereignty. This partnership keeps critical autonomous systems technology and manufacturing within Europe rather than depending on U.S. or Asian suppliers. Combined with the Helsing collaboration, ARX is building an integrated ground-air autonomous network entirely within European borders.

What remains to be seen is whether this industrial scaling can match the production rates Ukraine achieved with aerial FPVs. If DEUTZ can apply automotive-style mass manufacturing to these ground drones, we may see thousands of units deployed across NATO forces by 2027.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.