Overland AI, a Seattle-based defense startup, has unveiled IBEX, a fully autonomous ground vehicle selected by the U.S. Marine Corps for counter-drone air defense and high-risk missions. The vehicle is designed to support operations including resupply, breaching, and electronic warfare, marking Overland AI’s entry as the first ground autonomy startup to serve as a primary defense hardware supplier.
Technical Specifications and Capabilities
IBEX is built on the chassis of the Polaris MRZR, an ultra-light utility vehicle already in use by the armed forces. The vehicle can carry a 2,000-pound payload, exceed 35 mph in autonomous mode, and travel 250 miles at 20 mph. Its compact size allows transport inside a V-22 Osprey. Powered by Overland AI’s OverDrive software stack, IBEX combines real-time terrain perception with adaptive route planning, enabling navigation without GPS or pre-mapped routes.
The platform provides 5 kW of export power to operate onboard sensors and defense systems, addressing energy constraints in forward deployments. Drivers can manage multiple uncrewed vehicles through OverWatch, the company’s command-and-control software. According to co-founder and COO Greg Okopal, IBEX can be deployed immediately and maintained using existing military parts and fuel units.
Company Background and Contract Expansion
Developed under a Department of War APFIT contract, IBEX recently received additional funding to $25 million, including support for the Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment. The initial $20 million deal solidified Overland AI’s role in advancing autonomous ground systems for military use. The startup, founded in 2022 as a University of Washington spinout, has raised over $140 million in venture funding, including a $100 million Series B round earlier this year.
Overland AI operates a 22,000-square-foot production facility in Seattle‘s Rainier Beach neighborhood south of downtown Seattle, which it opened in 2025, and an engineering outpost in Burlingame, California, established this summer to tap into the Bay Area’s robotics and autonomy talent pool. The company ranks No. 7 on the GeekWire 200 index of Pacific Northwest startups.
IBEX joins Overland AI’s existing ULTRA platform as the startup scales production to meet military demand. The Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) will integrate IBEX to enhance counter-drone capabilities. The vehicle’s design prioritizes rapid deployment and compatibility with existing military logistics, reflecting the company’s focus on warfighter-informed technology.
Overland AI’s growth reflects a broader defense technology boom across the Seattle region, where established firms and fast-growing startups are building major hardware and software footprints. Companies expanding in the region include Shield AI, which selected the Seattle area for a massive manufacturing facility to build its autonomous X-BAT fighter jet; Anduril, which sees a path to 1,000 Seattle-area engineers across its Bellevue and Seattle hubs; and Echodyne, which opened a $40 million radar manufacturing factory in Woodinville to support drone detection demand.