RISE Robotics Collaborates with U.S. Army to Develop Portable Structural Systems
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/ueditor/php/upload/image/20250812/1754965315115488.png" title="1754965315115488.png" alt="3.png"/></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">RISE Robotics, a provider of next-generation actuation technologies, has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the U.S. Army to explore the feasibility of developing collapsible, ultra-lightweight cranes for rapid deployment in resource-constrained and expeditionary environments.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The eight-month, $250,000 contract is sponsored by Letterkenny Army Depot and was awarded under the Army¡¯s Mobile Sustainment Tools Open Topic (A244-P056). The effort aims to evaluate how RISE¡¯s proprietary Beltdraulic actuation system can be leveraged to develop portable structural systems that are easy to transport, quick to assemble, and capable of withstanding harsh conditions.
¡°This effort reflects the Army¡¯s growing focus on enabling rapid mobility and logistical efficiency in the field,¡± said Tom Phelps, COO of RISE Robotics. ¡°With this Phase I award, we¡¯re excited to explore how our Beltdraulic technology can address critical operational gaps through lighter, more agile lifting equipment.¡±
The Phase I work builds on RISE¡¯s proven track record of delivering defense-grade lifting systems. RISE previously completed a Phase III production contract with the U.S. Air Force for the Common Lifting Device (CLD), a compact, electronic-free lift system developed to support the MC-130J Silent Knight Radar program. The CLD features a lift capacity of 200 pounds, a maximum lift height of 11 feet 10 inches, and a total system weight of just 215 pounds. Its successful transition to production highlights RISE¡¯s ability to deliver innovative, field-deployable solutions at scale.
Under this new Army contract, RISE will investigate how its CLD platform and Beltdraulic architecture can be adapted to meet Army-specific needs. This includes exploring structural modifications, such as moving boom-type crane arms, evaluating the use of larger wheels for off-road mobility, and developing design variants for lower-profile lifting use cases. RISE team members will engage directly with Army personnel to gather operational insights and define mission-driven requirements for future development.
The Phase I effort will include demonstrating CLD capabilities to Army stakeholders, developing a tailored document based on end-user feedback, and a roadmap identifying high-impact Army applications for a next-generation collapsible crane. The outcome will help shape a potential Phase II program to deliver a prototype that meets expeditionary mission requirements.</span></p>
12 Aug,2025
