UGV Ziesel

An Austrian ski-slope and hunting vehicle turned military mule: the UGV Ziesel from Diehl Defence in Überlingen is the militarised version of the electric Mattro Ziesel tracked platform, fitted with Diehl's PLATON autonomy kit.

First shown at IDET in Brno in May 2023 with 300 kg of weight and over 300 kg of payload, it is now quoted at 380 kg empty and more than 500 kg of load, 160 by 130 cm in footprint and 20 km/h. Swappable 11 kWh lithium-ion batteries supply the drive.

PLATON offers teleoperation with assistance, follow-me without active sensors – neither LiDAR nor GPS are needed – and route repetition, a design aimed at jammed or spoofed navigation. Tasks are infantry support, load carrying and casualty transport. The Bundeswehr is evaluating two prototypes, Ukraine has trialled the vehicle, and the system won the ELROB 'Mule' scenario twice in a row; the status is pilot.

An armed derivative exists but comes from other firms: Hentschel System and INLEAP Photonics with STARK integrated the Fastlight Shield counter-drone laser (3,000 m range) on a Ziesel chassis in 2026. Pricing is on request. The other German tracked carrier, the GEREON RCS, is slightly heavier at 450 kg; the Czech Trail-Blazer fills a similar quiet-evacuation role.