Partnership targets an autonomous cargo and surveillance platform
Oshkosh Defense is partnering with Grid Aero to prepare for large-scale production of the Lifter uncrewed aircraft, the companies announced Monday. The move comes as the Pentagon seeks affordable Group 4 and 5 autonomous systems that can be manufactured and procured in large numbers.
The collaboration will focus on adapting the design for manufacturing, production planning, supply-chain optimization and, ultimately, building Lifter aircraft at scale. Oshkosh Defense, known for military vehicles such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, will contribute its industrial and manufacturing capabilities.
A modular aircraft designed for varied missions
Grid Aero CEO Arthur Dubois described the Lifter as an aircraft capable of carrying a few thousand pounds over a few thousand miles. It is being developed for a range of missions, from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to cargo transport.
The company aims to keep the aircraft’s payload integration systems highly modular, allowing the platform to accommodate different equipment and missions rather than being built for a single purpose.
Testing and a pilot production line ahead
Lifter prototypes currently in development or testing are expected to undergo another six to 12 months of evaluation, according to Dubois. The companies anticipate launching a pilot line at Oshkosh in roughly a year.
Meanwhile, the teams will revisit the aircraft’s design to prepare it for higher production volumes. They plan to assess component availability, suppliers and manufacturing methods, as well as how Oshkosh’s workforce expertise can be incorporated into the design. The aircraft is expected to retain much of its original shape, although some components and materials may change.
Grid Aero’s stated goal is to produce hundreds, and potentially thousands, of aircraft by the early 2030s. The California-based company emerged from stealth in August 2025.
