• The partnership marks a key milestone in the UAE’s expertise in autonomous systems and AI-assisted analytics

Abu Dhabi, UAE – EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups, has signed a Collaboration Agreement with the UAE’s Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a leading global institute in applied research and new-age technology; SteerAI, an off-road autonomous technology company developing autonomous driving and fleet management solutions; and Micropolis, a specialist robotics manufacturer, to pilot a project in the deployment of an autonomous logistics platform (ALP).

Designed to automate the movement of assets within and between manufacturing facilities, the platform will pair advanced, custom-built unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) with AI-driven software. Advanced features of the ALPs include fleet management, navigation and safety, digital twins, situational awareness, operational optimisation, advanced analytics, and enterprise integration.

The partnership aims to integrate complementary technologies from each organisation to deliver a fully integrated ALP. Micropolis will provide the core platform and UGV hardware in multiple variants (M1 and M2) suited to different operational environments. SteerAI will deliver the command-and-control layer through its CoreConnect fleet management system, enabling operators to plan, execute, and oversee autonomous missions with UGV fleets through a single interface. TII will contribute advanced analytics and sovereign AI-driven situational awareness via TACTICAai, unifying data from across sensors, domains, platforms, and systems to turn raw information into trusted, actionable insight.

The agreement, signed at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) and Simulation and Training Exhibition (SimTEX) 2026, marks a major milestone in advancing sovereign Emirati expertise in unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), AI systems, and smart infrastructure. With EDGE’s overarching orchestration and integration expertise, the consortium is expected to deliver an end-to-end autonomous logistics solution that combines hardware, AI, and software for resilient, scalable operations.

Bader Al Jaberi, Vice President for Industrialisation Technologies, EDGE BRIDGE, said: “As a catalyst for injecting emerging technologies into the UAE’s industrial defence hub, we are partnering with the UAE’s growing autonomous ecosystem to champion the development of advanced manufacturing systems. This Collaboration Agreement marks a significant step forward in our mission to build sovereign, end-to-end autonomous capabilities, from advanced research to industrial-scale manufacturing.”

Dr Najwa Aaraj, CEO of TII, said: TACTICAai reflects our vision for next-generation situational awareness, where intelligence is no longer fragmented across sensors, domains, platforms, and systems. By orchestrating data, AI agents, and decision workflows into a single operational layer, TACTICAai enables operators to move from raw information to trusted, actionable insight. It continuously optimizes operations by recommending response options that adapt to evolving conditions. In parallel, it embeds security analytics to detect anomalies and correlate threats across domains. The result is reduced decision time and operational risk, with resilient, sovereign AI that augments human judgment in complex environments, while keeping humans in the loop.

Michael Sonderby, Acting CEO, SteerAI, said: “The real power of autonomous technology lies in aggregating and coordinating individual vehicles as fleets and integrating them with companies’ core systems. CoreConnect does exactly that: It works with any autonomous robot – ground, aerial or marine – and provides operators with centralised planning, execution, and oversight of complex autonomous operations. We look forward to collaborating on this initiative and using it as a model for how autonomy can be rolled out at scale across the UAE."

Fareed Aljawhari, CEO, Micropolis, said: “This collaboration represents a significant step toward building sovereign, end-to-end autonomous logistics capabilities in the UAE. By combining Micropolis’ expertise in autonomous ground platforms and industrial robotics with EDGE’s industrialisation leadership and TII’s advanced research in AI and autonomy, we aim to deliver scalable, production-ready autonomous logistics systems that can operate reliably in complex industrial environments.

About EDGE

Launched in November 2019, the UAE’s EDGE is one of the world’s leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly-skilled talent to thrive.

With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into five core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Technologies & Industrialisation, and Homeland Security.

For more information, visit edgegroup.ae

For media enquiries, please contact:
EDGE Group Press Office
media@edgegroup.ae

About TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION INSTITUTE (TII):

The Technology Innovation Institute (TII) is the dedicated applied research pillar of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). TII is a pioneering global research and development center that focuses on applied research and new-age technology capabilities. The Institute has 9 dedicated research centers in advanced materials, autonomous robotics, cryptography, AI and digital science, directed energy, quantum, secure systems, propulsion and space, and renewable and sustainable energy. By working with exceptional talent, universities, research institutions, and industry partners from all over the world, TII connects an intellectual community and contributes to building an R&D ecosystem that reinforces the status of Abu Dhabi and the UAE as a global hub for innovation.

For more information, visit: https://www.tii.ae/

Press Contact:
Jinan Warrayat
Jinan.Warrayat@tii.ae
tii@edelman.com

About SteerAI

SteerAI is an autonomous technology company founded by VentureOne, the Advanced Technology Research Council’s venture builder. CoreConnect, SteerAI’s fleet management system, is a platform-agnostic software application that supports advanced mission planning, deployment, and real-time monitoring across eCommerce, industrial operations, and defense. SteerAI’s AI-powered autonomous driving system, CoreX, is powering transformation in defense and logistics by turning industrial vehicles into autonomous fleets that can handle complex operations across hazardous terrain. SteerAI's technology was developed by the Technology Innovation Institute.

For more information, visit www.steerai.ai

Press Contact:
ventureoneuae@edelman.com