The conversations at this year's AUSA (Association of the United States Army) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. left little doubt about the direction of modern defense imperatives. Keynote addresses, capability demonstrations, industry briefings and panel discussions share a common theme repeatedly: autonomy moved from experimentation to reality.
From autonomous drone swarms and robotic ground systems to distributed sensing networks and AI-enabled command-and-control, defense leaders are no longer asking if autonomous systems will be deployed at scale. The question now is how quickly they will be fielded, sustained and adapted to evolving mission sets.
Attending AUSA shortly after joining ePropelled as Director of Defense Affairs was particularly timely. AUSA highlighted a reality often overlooked: Autonomy and Power are two sides of the same coin.
Shifting from Platforms to Autonomous Formations
One of the most significant discussions emerging from AUSA was the evolution from individual autonomous platforms toward coordinated autonomous formations. Instead of one or two drones, swarms. Instead of a few electric vehicles carrying infantry loadouts, combat maneuverer elements enabled by autonomous aerial and ground systems. Instead of a single uncrewed surface vessel, an entire fleet supported by aerial, surface and subsurface autonomous ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) and strike capabilities.
Operating domains of the air, land and sea, across the current and future battlespace, increasingly rely upon large numbers of embedded and interconnected autonomous systems. Each must work collaboratively to deliver ISR, logistics support and direct engagement capabilities. Programs such as Project Agincourt and broader Army transformation initiatives reflect this shift toward more distributed, adaptive and scalable force structures.
Image Credit: Air Force Staff Sgt. Madelyn Keech, DOW
The vision is compelling. Autonomous systems can extend operational reach, provide tremendous operational flexibility, reduce risk to blue forces, and give commanders unprecedented insight into adversarial capabilities and intentions.
However, autonomous formations create challenges that cannot be solved through software alone.
Every additional sensor, processor, communication link and AI-enabled decision function increases demand for power and electrical capacity—capacity already in short supply. Every additional capability introduces thermal and power-management considerations that must be addressed in the aggregate for the formation. Every mission extension requires greater endurance. Lifecycle sustainment is measured not only in beans, bullets and mo-gas, but voltages and amp-hours. And the sophisticated AI-enabled software to drive autonomy remains equally dependant on these requirements. Power must scale, Reliably and Efficiently.
Adaptation at the Edge Requires Energy Resilience
A recurring message throughout AUSA was the need for forces that can adapt at the tactical edge.
Future autonomous systems must be capable of operating in environments of degraded communications, contested logistics and dynamic operational demands. This means autonomous platforms that can make decisions locally, reconfigure missions on the fly, and extend operating times. The foundation for such flexibility for the joint force is effective propulsion and efficient power management.
For autonomous systems to deliver their full potential, propulsion architectures must be:
- Efficient and performant for ISR, lift and engagement missions.
- Scalable to Air, Ground, and Maritime (Surface, Subsurface) platform domains.
- Supported by resilient and sovereign (NDAA compliant) supply chains.
- Software-enabled to provide real-time optimization, condition monitoring and diagnostics.
These power and propulsion capabilities are no longer desirable attributes—they are operational imperatives for global national security mission sets.
The Missing Layer in the Autonomy Conversation
Much of the industry's focus understandably centers on artificial intelligence, autonomy software and communications architectures. Yet every autonomous capability ultimately sits on top of a physical foundation. Flight endurance determines ISR coverage. Power density determines payload capacity. Thermal performance determines operational reliability. Energy efficiency in the power budget governs mission duration and logistics burden.
As autonomous formations grow in size and complexity, propulsion systems become strategic enablers rather than mere components. Meaningful discussions around autonomy must expand software and algorithms to embed into power, energy and propulsion considerations to make those capabilities not only possible, but mission relevant. Autonomy must scale, Reliably and Efficiently.
Where ePropelled Fits
At ePropelled, we have long viewed propulsion through a systems lens. Our technology has been developed to address precisely the challenges that increasingly define next-generation autonomous operations:
- High-efficiency electric propulsion that extends operational endurance.
- Unified Architectures that enable scaled production across multiple autonomy domains.
- Advanced motor and controller technologies supporting demanding mission profiles.
- Intelligent software and diagnostics that optimise performance throughout the mission lifecycle.
- Flexible manufacturing and supply-chain approaches aligned with sovereign capability requirements.
As Defense Industrial Base organizations field larger autonomous formations, these attributes become increasingly important. The effectiveness of autonomous systems is critically dependent upon AI-enabled software capabilities—and the efficient and reliable power systems that run them.
Translating Autonomy Concepts into Operational Capability
My appointment as Director of Defense Affairs comes at a moment when defense organizations are rapidly refining their autonomy strategies and force-modernisation plans. My focus is straightforward: helping bridge the gap between operational requirements, regulatory compliance and deployable power and propulsion solutions delivered at the speed of industry. This includes supporting defense customers in areas such as:
- Energy-centric autonomy requirements development.
- Mission-specific propulsion integration.
- In-situ analysis and instrumentation of power-budget trade-offs.
- Sovereign manufacturing and supply-chain strategies.
- Operational application of electric propulsion technologies for autonomous formations.
As autonomy programs mature, there is an emergent need to connect strategic concepts with practical implementations enabled by collaborative partnerships. Success depends on understanding not only what autonomous systems can do, but what they require to perform consistently in demanding operational environments.
The Strategic Imperative
AUSA reinforced an important conclusion. The future autonomy race will not be won solely by whoever develops the smartest algorithms. It will be won by those who can combine autonomy, production capacity, energy efficiency and operational scalability into an integrated capability at the speed of industry.
Autonomy has become a power-and-propulsion challenge as much as a software challenge.
Innovators that recognise this reality first can deliver the resilient, scalable autonomous capabilities that today’s joint force requires. At ePropelled, we believe propulsion, energy management and intelligent power systems are the foundation for that future. Because while autonomy may capture the headlines, reliable and efficient energy makes autonomy possible.
Author Bio
Author: Harry Petrey, Director of Defense Affairs, ePropelled
Harry Petrey is Director of Defense Affairs at ePropelled and brings more than 30 years of experience across the defense, intelligence, and national security sectors. He works with Defense customers and industry partners to align emerging operational requirements with advanced power and propulsion management solutions for autonomous air, land, and maritime systems.
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Drone Dominance Enters Phase III: From Innovation Challenge to Industrial Scale