Poland has signed a contract to provide locally-developed Tarantula unmanned ground systems for the armed forces.
Costing approximately 50 million złotys ($13 million), the project will distribute 96 of the reconnaissance capabilities as well as ten maintenance and repair kits to support operability.
Łukasiewicz Research Network, a scientific institute in Warsaw, will lead the initiative and deliver the platforms between 2026 and 2027.
On top of the drones, Łukasiewicz will also provide test and operator training services for the military.
The deal has an option to increase the order by 130 Tarantulas. The effort could also receive funding from EU partners in the future to boost production and improve the technology further.
“I am very happy that we are in a key place for the development of Polish robotics, that we are building the strength of the Polish army,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz commented.
“This is a very important contract, because it meets our directions of action, fulfills the directions that we have imposed, imposed on the defense strategy of the Polish state.”
The Tarantula System
The Polish Armed Forces’ incoming Tarantula drones will aid data-gathering missions without exposing troops to harm by using a wireless connection that relays both audio and video.
The drone’s design supports transport via military vehicles and allows for a single-soldier carry in the field.
During operations, the vehicle will be deployed for inaccessible spaces, paved and undeveloped roads, stairs, and other obstacles in both open and urban areas.
