Milipol 2025: Latvia’s Origin Robotics Beak Drone Debuts with PGM-18 Munitions for Precision Strikes
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Latvian firm Origin Robotics used Milipol 2025 to spotlight its BEAK man-portable UCAV paired with two PGM-18 BEAK precision-guided munitions, marketed as a complete infantry-level strike system rather than a simple drone. The concept gives dismounted units fire-and-forget, sub-2-meter accuracy from stand-off range in GNSS- and radio-denied environments, a capability that previously sat with higher echelons and large UCAVs.
During Milipol 2025, Latvian company Origin Robotics highlighted how unmanned combat capabilities are no longer reserved for large UCAVs and manned aircraft but are now directly accessible at infantry level. The company presented its BEAK man-portable UCAV configured with two PGM-18 BEAK precision-guided munitions, illustrating a complete weapon system rather than a simple drone platform. In an era of contested airspace and dense electronic warfare, the ability for dismounted units to conduct precision strikes from stand-off distances is gaining critical importance. This new combination of a backpack-portable UCAV and a dedicated precision-guided munition is positioned as a response to that operational reality, giving small units a capability that previously depended on higher echelons. For armed forces confronted with high-intensity warfare and complex urban terrain, the system’s promise of fire-and-forget accuracy under 2 meters in GNSS- and radio-denied environments makes it particularly relevant.
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The presentation of BEAK and the PGM-18 BEAK at Milipol 2025, displayed together with two precision-guided munitions, signals that infantry-portable UCAVs equipped with dedicated guided weapons are moving from concept to widely adopted reality (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
At the core of Origin Robotics’ offer is the BEAK Man-Portable UCAV, conceived to bring the precision and lethality associated with larger UCAVs down to squad and platoon level. Designed for rapid deployment, the system can be made flight-ready in less than five minutes thanks to a reconfigurable munition integration module and tool-free payload installation. This approach allows units to adapt the payload to the mission, choosing between guided and unguided munitions without changing the basic airframe. By enabling dismounted troops to engage high-value targets from a safe distance, BEAK reshapes the balance between infantry vulnerability and their ability to deliver precise effects on the battlefield.
The payload architecture underlines this flexibility. BEAK can carry two precision-guided munitions while still achieving a circular error probable of under two meters, or it can be configured with up to four unguided munitions within a modular payload capacity of 4 kg. This gives commanders the option to tailor the loadout to specific missions, whether the priority is surgical engagement of a single target or delivering multiple effects against dispersed threats. The presence of a dedicated Reconfigurable Munition Integration Module ensures seamless integration of these different payload types without lengthy technical preparation, which is a decisive factor for units that need to shift from one mission profile to another on short notice.
To support both strike and intelligence missions, BEAK incorporates an advanced EO/IR camera system optimised for target acquisition and ISR. The sensor package includes a three-axis stabilisation system, a high-definition EO zoom camera with a global shutter and 8x optical zoom for general observation, a 4K spotter EO camera with a narrow field of view and digital zoom for precise target identification, and an IR sensor capable of detecting a human at a distance of 1 km at night. This combination allows operators to detect, identify and track targets in complex environments, by day and by night, and to provide the precision coordinates and visual confirmation needed before releasing munitions.
The PGM-18 BEAK precision-guided munition is the weapon element that turns the man-portable UCAV into a true infantry-level UCAV system. Developed as a UCAV-launched precision-guided munition, it delivers genuine fire-and-forget capability in GNSS- and radio-denied environments with a CEP of less than two meters. The munition uses EO/IR sensors, computer vision and an advanced guidance suite to continuously correct its trajectory in flight, ensuring accuracy even at higher release altitudes and in challenging wind conditions. Once the guidance is engaged, the system is designed to be immune to jamming and spoofing, severing the dependence on external navigation signals that can be targeted by an adversary. This is a key differentiator for forces operating under heavy electronic attack, where many traditional guided systems see their effectiveness degraded.
The PGM-18 BEAK is equipped with a versatile range of effectors designed to support diverse mission requirements. The HEAT variant can penetrate up to 300 mm of rolled homogeneous armor, making it highly effective against armored vehicles and fortified positions. The high-explosive version provides a 30-meter lethal radius, ideal for engaging infantry and lightly protected targets, including dispersed units. For operations in urban or enclosed environments, the thermobaric configuration delivers a powerful overpressure effect with the same 30-meter radius, amplifying its impact through blast propagation within structures. When paired with the system’s ability to launch two munitions from a single man-portable UCAV, dismounted forces gain the capability to execute sequential or combined strikes against multiple target types in a single mission.
Survivability and resilience in contested electromagnetic environments are central to BEAK’s concept. The platform uses a MANET datalink designed to maintain connectivity in heavily jammed RF conditions, with automatic interference avoidance supporting continuous control and data transmission. An anti-jamming GNSS solution provides robust positioning through real-time interference mitigation, and an automatic tracking antenna on the ground maintains alignment with the drone to preserve signal strength. In the event of a complete loss of GNSS and communications, automated safe recovery protocols allow BEAK to autonomously manage mission termination and recovery, reducing the risk of uncontrolled loss in enemy territory. This architecture makes the system more than a simple drone carrier; it is conceived as a complete, self-protected UCAV solution for the lowest tactical level.
The system’s current deployment footprint provides a clear indication of its operational significance. BEAK and its associated munitions are actively used by the Ukrainian and Latvian Armed Forces, as well as by a NATO member state in Europe. Their selection by militaries engaged in high-intensity, technologically advanced environments highlights the system’s proven relevance. The assignment of a NATO Stock Number (1550550012667) further demonstrates its progress toward standardization and interoperability within allied inventories. By integrating a man-portable UCAV and a precision-guided munition into a single, unified solution, the system embodies a broader transformation in modern military doctrine: precision air-delivered effects are now extending beyond traditional air force assets, reaching down to small maneuver units at the infantry level.
Strategically, the BEAK and PGM-18 pairing illustrates the convergence of three trends: miniaturisation of weapon systems, the democratisation of precision strike, and the growing centrality of electronic warfare. By enabling small units to deliver high-precision effects without relying on vulnerable GNSS signals or continuous radio links, Origin Robotics is responding to a battlefield environment where adversaries contest the electromagnetic spectrum as aggressively as the physical domain. For states seeking to strengthen their defence posture, especially within NATO, such systems offer a way to distribute lethality across a larger number of small, mobile units while complicating an adversary’s targeting calculus. As more armed forces adopt man-portable UCAVs with dedicated precision-guided munitions, the threshold for employing precision air-delivered firepower in both conventional and hybrid scenarios is likely to lower, with implications for escalation management and operational planning at the strategic level.
The presentation of BEAK and the PGM-18 BEAK at Milipol 2025, displayed together with two precision-guided munitions, signals that infantry-portable UCAVs equipped with dedicated guided weapons are moving from concept to widely adopted reality. By combining rapid deployment, modular payloads, accurate EO/IR-based guidance and resilience in electronically contested environments, the system offers armed forces a compact but sophisticated tool for engaging high-value targets while preserving the safety of dismounted troops. Its presence in the inventories of Ukrainian, Latvian and NATO forces, its NATO Stock Number and its focus on fire-and-forget precision underline how this capability is being integrated into modern doctrines. For military planners and policymakers alike, the emergence of such man-portable UCAV and munition families marks a notable evolution in how precision combat power is generated and distributed across the battlefield.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Latvian firm Origin Robotics used Milipol 2025 to spotlight its BEAK man-portable UCAV paired with two PGM-18 BEAK precision-guided munitions, marketed as a complete infantry-level strike system rather than a simple drone. The concept gives dismounted units fire-and-forget, sub-2-meter accuracy from stand-off range in GNSS- and radio-denied environments, a capability that previously sat with higher echelons and large UCAVs.
During Milipol 2025, Latvian company Origin Robotics highlighted how unmanned combat capabilities are no longer reserved for large UCAVs and manned aircraft but are now directly accessible at infantry level. The company presented its BEAK man-portable UCAV configured with two PGM-18 BEAK precision-guided munitions, illustrating a complete weapon system rather than a simple drone platform. In an era of contested airspace and dense electronic warfare, the ability for dismounted units to conduct precision strikes from stand-off distances is gaining critical importance. This new combination of a backpack-portable UCAV and a dedicated precision-guided munition is positioned as a response to that operational reality, giving small units a capability that previously depended on higher echelons. For armed forces confronted with high-intensity warfare and complex urban terrain, the system’s promise of fire-and-forget accuracy under 2 meters in GNSS- and radio-denied environments makes it particularly relevant.
The presentation of BEAK and the PGM-18 BEAK at Milipol 2025, displayed together with two precision-guided munitions, signals that infantry-portable UCAVs equipped with dedicated guided weapons are moving from concept to widely adopted reality (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)
At the core of Origin Robotics’ offer is the BEAK Man-Portable UCAV, conceived to bring the precision and lethality associated with larger UCAVs down to squad and platoon level. Designed for rapid deployment, the system can be made flight-ready in less than five minutes thanks to a reconfigurable munition integration module and tool-free payload installation. This approach allows units to adapt the payload to the mission, choosing between guided and unguided munitions without changing the basic airframe. By enabling dismounted troops to engage high-value targets from a safe distance, BEAK reshapes the balance between infantry vulnerability and their ability to deliver precise effects on the battlefield.
The payload architecture underlines this flexibility. BEAK can carry two precision-guided munitions while still achieving a circular error probable of under two meters, or it can be configured with up to four unguided munitions within a modular payload capacity of 4 kg. This gives commanders the option to tailor the loadout to specific missions, whether the priority is surgical engagement of a single target or delivering multiple effects against dispersed threats. The presence of a dedicated Reconfigurable Munition Integration Module ensures seamless integration of these different payload types without lengthy technical preparation, which is a decisive factor for units that need to shift from one mission profile to another on short notice.
To support both strike and intelligence missions, BEAK incorporates an advanced EO/IR camera system optimised for target acquisition and ISR. The sensor package includes a three-axis stabilisation system, a high-definition EO zoom camera with a global shutter and 8x optical zoom for general observation, a 4K spotter EO camera with a narrow field of view and digital zoom for precise target identification, and an IR sensor capable of detecting a human at a distance of 1 km at night. This combination allows operators to detect, identify and track targets in complex environments, by day and by night, and to provide the precision coordinates and visual confirmation needed before releasing munitions.
The PGM-18 BEAK precision-guided munition is the weapon element that turns the man-portable UCAV into a true infantry-level UCAV system. Developed as a UCAV-launched precision-guided munition, it delivers genuine fire-and-forget capability in GNSS- and radio-denied environments with a CEP of less than two meters. The munition uses EO/IR sensors, computer vision and an advanced guidance suite to continuously correct its trajectory in flight, ensuring accuracy even at higher release altitudes and in challenging wind conditions. Once the guidance is engaged, the system is designed to be immune to jamming and spoofing, severing the dependence on external navigation signals that can be targeted by an adversary. This is a key differentiator for forces operating under heavy electronic attack, where many traditional guided systems see their effectiveness degraded.
The PGM-18 BEAK is equipped with a versatile range of effectors designed to support diverse mission requirements. The HEAT variant can penetrate up to 300 mm of rolled homogeneous armor, making it highly effective against armored vehicles and fortified positions. The high-explosive version provides a 30-meter lethal radius, ideal for engaging infantry and lightly protected targets, including dispersed units. For operations in urban or enclosed environments, the thermobaric configuration delivers a powerful overpressure effect with the same 30-meter radius, amplifying its impact through blast propagation within structures. When paired with the system’s ability to launch two munitions from a single man-portable UCAV, dismounted forces gain the capability to execute sequential or combined strikes against multiple target types in a single mission.
Survivability and resilience in contested electromagnetic environments are central to BEAK’s concept. The platform uses a MANET datalink designed to maintain connectivity in heavily jammed RF conditions, with automatic interference avoidance supporting continuous control and data transmission. An anti-jamming GNSS solution provides robust positioning through real-time interference mitigation, and an automatic tracking antenna on the ground maintains alignment with the drone to preserve signal strength. In the event of a complete loss of GNSS and communications, automated safe recovery protocols allow BEAK to autonomously manage mission termination and recovery, reducing the risk of uncontrolled loss in enemy territory. This architecture makes the system more than a simple drone carrier; it is conceived as a complete, self-protected UCAV solution for the lowest tactical level.
The system’s current deployment footprint provides a clear indication of its operational significance. BEAK and its associated munitions are actively used by the Ukrainian and Latvian Armed Forces, as well as by a NATO member state in Europe. Their selection by militaries engaged in high-intensity, technologically advanced environments highlights the system’s proven relevance. The assignment of a NATO Stock Number (1550550012667) further demonstrates its progress toward standardization and interoperability within allied inventories. By integrating a man-portable UCAV and a precision-guided munition into a single, unified solution, the system embodies a broader transformation in modern military doctrine: precision air-delivered effects are now extending beyond traditional air force assets, reaching down to small maneuver units at the infantry level.
Strategically, the BEAK and PGM-18 pairing illustrates the convergence of three trends: miniaturisation of weapon systems, the democratisation of precision strike, and the growing centrality of electronic warfare. By enabling small units to deliver high-precision effects without relying on vulnerable GNSS signals or continuous radio links, Origin Robotics is responding to a battlefield environment where adversaries contest the electromagnetic spectrum as aggressively as the physical domain. For states seeking to strengthen their defence posture, especially within NATO, such systems offer a way to distribute lethality across a larger number of small, mobile units while complicating an adversary’s targeting calculus. As more armed forces adopt man-portable UCAVs with dedicated precision-guided munitions, the threshold for employing precision air-delivered firepower in both conventional and hybrid scenarios is likely to lower, with implications for escalation management and operational planning at the strategic level.
The presentation of BEAK and the PGM-18 BEAK at Milipol 2025, displayed together with two precision-guided munitions, signals that infantry-portable UCAVs equipped with dedicated guided weapons are moving from concept to widely adopted reality. By combining rapid deployment, modular payloads, accurate EO/IR-based guidance and resilience in electronically contested environments, the system offers armed forces a compact but sophisticated tool for engaging high-value targets while preserving the safety of dismounted troops. Its presence in the inventories of Ukrainian, Latvian and NATO forces, its NATO Stock Number and its focus on fire-and-forget precision underline how this capability is being integrated into modern doctrines. For military planners and policymakers alike, the emergence of such man-portable UCAV and munition families marks a notable evolution in how precision combat power is generated and distributed across the battlefield.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
