What XTEND Builds

[XTEND](https://www.xtend.me) builds aerial robots, a ground-vehicle launch pod, and XOS, a software layer that lets one operator control several robot types from one interface. XTEND groups its connected robots by mission set: Seek & Strike, border protection, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS), and indoor operations. Every mission set runs on XOS. A unit that buys for border work and later adds indoor tasks keeps the same control software and the same operator training. XTEND describes itself as a software and physical AI company, and its catalog reflects that. The XTEND Marketplace sits on top of XOS and lists AI capabilities, payloads, and third-party technologies that plug into XTEND robots. XTEND also fits its systems to other manufacturers' vehicles. The published example is XTEND NEST mounted on an [AM General](https://www.amgeneral.com) unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), which launches the Scorpio 1000 from the vehicle. XTEND's customers are defense agencies, homeland security agencies, and commercial security operators. XTEND has not published how it charges. It has not said whether XOS is licensed separately, sold per operator, or bundled into each robot. Ask XTEND to quote hardware, software, and support as separate lines so you can see where the money goes.

XTEND Robots and Models

These are the XTEND models a buyer is most likely to be evaluating, and what each one actually does.

  • STRIKER — STRIKER is an XTEND aerial system that the U.S. Drone Dominance Program (DDP) selected as a Top Performer in its Gauntlet II round. That selection is third-party evidence from a government evaluation, which tells a buyer more than a vendor demo does. XTEND has not published STRIKER's range, flight time, payload weight, or price. Ask XTEND for the Gauntlet II evaluation summary and a spec sheet, then match the tested conditions to your own mission before relying on the result.
  • Scorpio 1000 and XTEND NEST — Scorpio 1000 is an XTEND aerial robotic system, and XTEND NEST is a mobile launch pod that deploys it from a ground vehicle. XTEND has shown NEST on an AM General UGV with XOS running the launch. A crew can send Scorpio 1000 ahead for reconnaissance while the people stay farther from a dangerous area. AM General is the only published vehicle integration, so ask XTEND to fit and fly NEST on your own vehicle before you sign.
  • XOS Operating System and Mark & Fly Control — XOS is XTEND's operating system for physical AI, and it runs XTEND's aerial and ground robots from one interface. An operator trains once instead of learning a separate controller for each vehicle. Mark & Fly is the control method inside XOS, and XTEND says it lets one operator run air and ground robots, which reduces the crew a mission needs. XTEND has not published XOS latency or cybersecurity accreditation, so write the figures your mission requires into the contract and tie payment to XOS meeting them.
  • XTEND Marketplace — The XTEND Marketplace is a catalog of AI capabilities, payloads, and third-party technologies that connect to XTEND robots through XOS. XTEND says it is open and hardware-agnostic, so another supplier's sensor or detection model can run under the same XOS control station and you avoid buying a second ground station. XTEND has not published the partner list or item pricing. Name each payload you need in your request for proposal and require a live demonstration of it under XOS before the order is final.

XTEND Pricing and Availability

XTEND has not published a price for STRIKER, Scorpio 1000, XTEND NEST, XOS, or any Marketplace item. It has also not published a lease plan or a standard lead time. Treat any figure you see outside an official XTEND quote or a public contract award as unverified. Five inputs set the real cost, and XTEND has not broken out any of them publicly. Quantity and payload choices set the hardware bill. XOS licensing, operator training, and spares and repair support set the running cost over the life of the fleet. Small aerial systems get damaged or lost in use, so the price of replacement aircraft can matter more than the first purchase. XTEND sells to defense, homeland security, and commercial security buyers. Government purchases usually run through contract vehicles, so the lead time depends on the contracting route as well as on production. XTEND has not published which countries it sells into. Military drone sales across borders often need export approval, so a buyer outside the U.S. should ask XTEND early whether STRIKER or Scorpio 1000 can ship to them and how long approval takes. Request a quote that separates hardware, XOS licensing, training, and a multi-year support line, which lets you compare XTEND against competing bids.

Who XTEND Robots Are For

XTEND robots suit military units, homeland security agencies, and security teams that want one operator to run several aerial and ground robots. The case is strongest where keeping people out of a dangerous area is the main goal. Examples include scouting ahead of a vehicle with Scorpio 1000 from XTEND NEST, or checking a building before a team enters. Teams that plan to mix hardware from several makers also gain from XOS, because the Marketplace is meant to bring third-party payloads under one controller. Agencies with counter-UAS, border, or indoor tasks can ask XTEND for a demonstration in that mission set, since all three appear in XTEND's published list. Look elsewhere if you need a robot this quarter with a published price and spec sheet. XTEND publishes neither, so a small security company buying two or three units may find the quote and approval process heavier than the job. A business that only needs routine site patrols could start with [Knightscope](https://www.knightscope.com), which offers patrol robots on a subscription. A buyer who wants a camera drone for roof surveys or mapping is better served by a commercial drone maker, because XTEND designs for defense and security missions.

  • Ask XTEND which vehicles and payloads XOS supports today, with part numbers. The AM General UGV is the only published XTEND NEST integration, so a different vehicle may need engineering work. Require a live demonstration on your own vehicle or payload before signing the order.
  • Request the Gauntlet II evaluation behind STRIKER's Top Performer selection. A government test shows how STRIKER performed on defined tasks, while a trade-show demo shows what XTEND chose to display. Compare the tested range, weather, and threat conditions with your own mission.
  • Get the cybersecurity accreditation status of XOS and every Marketplace item you plan to use. A robot that cannot join your network sits in storage until approval arrives. Make accreditation a contract milestone so final payment waits on it.
  • Book XTEND's simulator and time how long a new operator takes to finish a set mission with Mark & Fly. That number tells you how many training hours to budget per person and whether one operator can run air and ground robots as XTEND claims.
  • Ask for repair turnaround times, spare aircraft pricing, and whether field units can swap parts without shipping the robot back to XTEND. Small aerial systems get damaged in use, so the spares plan sets how many aircraft stay ready on any given day.
  • Build a three-year cost sheet covering hardware, XOS licensing, Marketplace payloads, training hours, spares, and support. XTEND has not published any of these figures, so the sheet only works once XTEND quotes each line separately instead of as one bundled price.
  • XTEND trades on the NYSE, so its [Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings](https://www.sec.gov/edgar/search/) show revenue and cash position. Read the latest quarterly report to judge whether XTEND can support a fleet across a multi-year program.

XTEND Alternatives

Robots and vendors a buyer typically cross-shops against XTEND.

  • Anduril — [Anduril](https://www.anduril.com) builds autonomous drones, counter-drone interceptors, and Lattice, its own command-and-control software. Like XTEND, Anduril sells one software layer across many vehicles. Anduril's range includes interceptor hardware, so a buyer focused on counter-UAS at larger scale should compare Lattice and XOS side by side on the same mission.
  • Neros Technologies — [Neros Technologies](https://www.neros.tech) builds small first-person-view (FPV) drones for military use and focuses on producing low-cost airframes in volume. A buyer who needs many expendable aircraft may cross-shop Neros against STRIKER. A buyer who wants one operating system across air and ground robots will find that XTEND puts more of its offer into XOS software.
  • Ghost Robotics Vision 60 — [Ghost Robotics Vision 60](https://www.ghostrobotics.io) is a four-legged ground robot sold to military and security customers for patrol and inspection. XTEND covers ground missions by pairing XOS and NEST with other makers' vehicles. Compare Vision 60 when the mission needs a robot that walks over rough terrain and around obstacles instead of flying.
  • Boston Dynamics Spot — [Boston Dynamics Spot](https://bostondynamics.com/products/spot/) is a four-legged robot used for industrial inspection and public-safety work such as checking a building before entry. Boston Dynamics sells Spot commercially and publishes its specifications. Its terms bar weaponizing the robot, so Spot fits indoor reconnaissance buyers but not Seek & Strike missions.
  • Knightscope — Knightscope builds autonomous security robots for commercial sites such as parking lots and corporate campuses, offered on a subscription. It serves the commercial security market XTEND also lists, using ground patrol robots instead of aircraft. A site security manager who wants routine patrols without a defense-style procurement should compare Knightscope first.

Recent news

A dated log of developments, each tied to its primary source.

  • 2026-10 — XTEND announced it will exhibit at the AUSA 2026 Annual Meeting (October 12-14, Washington, D.C.) at Booth 7207, showing a mission simulator, XOS-powered platforms across five mission sets, and its XTEND Marketplace, and spotlighting STRIKER, which the company says was selected as a Top Performer in Gauntlet II of the U.S. Drone Dominance Program. It is also displaying an XTEND NEST integration with an AM General UGV at AM General's booth; the company says the mobile launch pod deploys its Scorpio 1000 aerial system from the ground vehicle for ISR missions. Robotics Tomorrow
  • Whether XTEND publishes STRIKER specifications or announces a production contract tied to its Gauntlet II selection.
  • New vehicle makers fitting XTEND NEST beyond the AM General UGV.
  • A public partner list or price sheet for the XTEND Marketplace.

Bottom Line

XTEND is worth evaluating if you are a defense, homeland security, or security buyer who wants one operator running aerial and ground robots under one control system. STRIKER's Top Performer selection in Gauntlet II is the clearest public evidence of field performance. Buyers who need a published price or spec sheet before a first meeting should start with commercial vendors. Our view would change if XTEND published STRIKER specifications and XOS pricing. Start by booking XTEND's simulator and requesting a line-item quote for the XTEND robots that match your mission.

Compare XTEND with other defense and security robot makers in our mobile robot and drone company profiles.

FAQs

What does XTEND make?

XTEND makes aerial robots, a vehicle launch pod, and XOS, the operating system that controls them. Named products include the STRIKER aerial system, the Scorpio 1000 aerial robotic system, and XTEND NEST, which launches Scorpio 1000 from a ground vehicle. The XTEND Marketplace adds third-party payloads and AI capabilities through XOS. XTEND groups its robots by mission set, including Seek & Strike, border protection, ISR, counter-UAS, and indoor operations.

How much does an XTEND drone cost?

XTEND has not published a price for any of its robots or software. Cost depends on how many aircraft you buy, the payloads you add, how XOS is licensed, operator training, and the support contract. Ask XTEND for a quote that lists each of those separately. A single bundled figure makes it hard to compare XTEND against competing bids or to budget for replacement aircraft after the first year.

What does STRIKER's Gauntlet II Top Performer selection mean?

It means the U.S. Drone Dominance Program picked STRIKER as a Top Performer in its Gauntlet II round. That is third-party evidence from a government evaluation, which carries more weight than a vendor demonstration. XTEND has not published the scoring, the tasks tested, or how many entrants took part. Ask XTEND for the evaluation summary and compare its test conditions with your own mission before relying on the result.

Does XOS work with other companies' robots and payloads?

XTEND says XOS is hardware-agnostic and designed to run third-party hardware. XOS runs XTEND's own aerial and ground robots, and the XTEND Marketplace is meant to add other suppliers' payloads, AI models, and technologies. The one published vehicle integration is with an AM General unmanned ground vehicle. Before buying, list the exact payloads and vehicles you need and require XTEND to demonstrate each one running under XOS.

Can XTEND drones launch from a ground vehicle?

Yes. XTEND NEST is a mobile launch pod that deploys the Scorpio 1000 aerial robotic system from a ground vehicle. XTEND has shown NEST on an AM General unmanned ground vehicle, with XOS controlling the launch. The setup lets a crew run reconnaissance while staying farther from a dangerous area. If you run a different vehicle, ask XTEND whether NEST has been fitted to it and what mounting and power changes it needs.

Can a commercial security company buy XTEND robots?

Yes, XTEND lists commercial security as one of its three markets, alongside defense and homeland security. Most of its published products and mission sets point toward military and government work. A commercial buyer should ask XTEND which products it sells to private companies and what licensing or approval each one needs. If you only need routine site patrols, compare a commercial security robot maker such as Knightscope before starting a longer procurement.

Primary Sources