Autonomous ground resupply

A-MPEP

L5VEL's autonomy stack integrated on the tracked Multi-Purpose Expeditionary Platform. It accepts a route, carries a load to a dispersed point of need with no Soldier aboard or alongside, and reports its state to a supervising operator.

Loaded outdoor handling on unimproved ground.

8 of 8 KPPs and 29 of 30 subtasks met

From 3–10 March 2023 the Bush Combat Development Complex Innovation Proving Ground took control of the Autonomous MPEP and its operators for an instrumented, RTK-referenced outdoor test at the Texas A&M RELLIS Campus, under formal incident reporting and Data Authentication Group review.

1,700 lb

carried autonomously, repeatedly, over 1,000 ft at 1 m/s

30°

horizontal slope traversed autonomously on a plotted GPS route

3

soil types held on a prescribed route: sand, clay and gravel

0.5 mi

perimeter loop run autonomously for 30 minutes without route degradation

Source: BCDC Innovation Proving Ground, MPEP Customer Test Report, 18 April 2023. Figures below are drawn from that report's recorded observations.

What was demonstrated under test

Every item below was observed and scored by the independent test organization. Nothing on this page is a projection.

Loaded autonomous transit

Observed carrying a 1,700 lb load autonomously and repeatedly over 1,000 ft at 1 m/s, with no personnel in or beside the vehicle.

GPS waypoint following

Plotted a route and repeated it autonomously multiple times at 0.7, 1.1 and 1.5 m/s, following a series of GPS waypoints.

Mode transition

Transitioned seamlessly between remote-controlled and autonomous modes in both directions, scored independently.

Mixed terrain

Repeatedly and autonomously traversed sand, clay and gravel plus a 30-degree horizontal slope, holding a prescribed GPS route at 1 m/s across all of them.

Sustained patrol

Ran a 0.5 mi perimeter loop continuously and autonomously for 30 minutes at 1 m/s without degradation of the planned route.

Remote operation at range

Operated under direct remote control at over 1,000 ft from the operator, after the receiving antenna was changed mid-test.

Recorded operation

GPS waypoint following

Driverless route execution on the soil lanes, and traverse of the 30-degree slope.

Loaded outdoor handling

Lifting and moving a containerized load across unimproved ground.

The tracked Multi-Purpose Expeditionary Platform on a gravel track

Fitted to a platform already in service

The autonomy is a kit, not a new vehicle. An MPEP is disconnected from its remote-control compute unit and connected to the autonomy unit and sensor set — embedded GPU compute, LiDAR, visual and thermal cameras, and GPS/IMU — feeding a touchscreen operator display that carries active task, speed, trajectory, and vehicle and sensor health.

The stack is ROS/ROS 2-based and MOSA-aligned, with open APIs and no proprietary data lock. The same framework has been run on a diesel tracked forklift and an electric pallet jack.

  • Host platform delivered to Marine Corps organizations and to three Texas Air National Guard wings
  • Autonomy developed at the Texas A&M Center for Autonomous Vehicles and Sensor Systems under an Air Force SBIR, led by L5VEL founder Dr. Srikanth Saripalli, with host-platform partner Tracks North America
  • Carried forward by L5VEL with the same team and code baseline

Specifications

Dimensions and ratings for the platform the autonomy kit is fitted to.

MPEP host platform specifications
Rated lift3,968 lb (1,800 kg)
Gross weight4,519 lb (2,050 kg)
Length, mast retracted93.3 in (2,370 mm)
Width55.9 in (1,420 mm)
Minimum height30.7 in (780 mm)
EngineKubota V1505 diesel, 24.8 hp (18.5 kW)
Fuel capacity7.1 gal (27 L)
Maximum speed8 km/h
Rated grade60°
Payload interfaceUniversal skid-steer plate
DriveTracked

Supplier ratings for the host platform, not L5VEL test results. The autonomous figures on this page are the independently measured ones.

Talk to us about A-MPEP

For test data, the full report, or integration questions.

sri@l5vel.com