Cambridge, MA, May 19, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tycho.AI, a pioneer in autonomous intelligence in denied and contested environments, today announced the launch of Halley—a Group 1 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) uncrewed aerial system (UAS). Halley represents a new class of tactical drones, capable of speeds exceeding 200 mph with over 40km range.
Halley is offered in both an operator-controlled first-person view (FPV) configuration and as a fully autonomous platform for operation in GPS-denied and comms-degraded environments. The platform integrates Tycho.AI’s low-SWaP Voyager hardware and software core for best-in-class high-performance visual navigation. Its visual-inertial odometry (VIO) and satellite-image, aerial-image, and map matching capabilities allow it to operate completely independent of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) at altitudes as low as 25 feet above ground level (AGL). Voyager’s AI-enabled obstacle detection, scene understanding, image compression, Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), and high-fidelity map generation enable unmatched autonomous intelligence—even at high speeds and low altitudes.
“Halley isn’t just a new capability; it represents a strategic shift to an entirely new category of small, fast, agile UAS,” said Sertac Karaman, Founder of Tycho.AI. “Coupled with Tycho’s autonomous intelligence hardware and software, Halley allows our forces to penetrate in degraded, denied, and contested environments with a high-speed, highly-agile platform that remains effective when traditional assets are neutralized.”
Halley is a versatile tailsitter platform engineered to thrive in the world’s most challenging environments. Featuring a unique modular design, it can be equipped with extended-range (XR) winglets for long-duration missions exceeding 80 km or configured for high-speed intercepts and dash maneuvers surpassing 200 mph over a radius of more than 40 km. This modular architecture—combined with a 1 kg payload capacity—makes Halley the definitive solution for a diverse range of operations, including counter-UAS intercept, one-way attack, swarming, ISR, search and rescue, and scouting.
Designed for rapid deployment, Halley features a zero-tool assembly and can be transitioned from storage to flight in under 30 seconds. Its modular architecture is 3D-printable and MOSA/IOP-compliant, allowing for rapid field repairs and custom payload integration. Weighing just 5.2 pounds and featuring a folding wing architecture, Halley is designed for easy portability and rapid deployment.
“We have developed the most advanced autonomy stack on a small, fast, low platform to deliver capabilities at the tactical edge,” Karaman added. “Halley is the first vehicle that is able to fly at the speeds and agility that our autonomous intelligence can command.”
Through both simulation and rigorous flight testing in diverse environments, Halley has achieved Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. Tycho.AI is currently transitioning the platform from advanced prototype to full-scale production to meet critical national security demands.
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About Tycho.AI:
Tycho.AI builds mission-critical autonomy software and mission-optimized compute hardware for unmanned systems in GPS-denied and comms-contested environments. The company’s edge-executable AI enables intelligent navigation and operation without remote control or persistent connectivity, allowing for fully autonomous high-speed and low-altitude operations. Steered by national security experts and MIT-educated engineers, Tycho.AI is reshaping the future of battlefield autonomy. Visit tycho.ai for more information.
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