ABEJA,Inc. began studying an operating platform for VLAOps with the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA). It will validate a vision-language-action model and define the platform requirements needed to achieve autonomous operation of off-road UGVs.
On 15 September 2026, ABEJA,Inc. entered into a contract with the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency's Ground Systems Research Center for services involving the validation of a vision-language-action model and the study of an operating platform. The objective is to validate the latest AI models and build an operating platform for their continuous management and improvement, with a view to achieving autonomous operation of unmanned ground vehicles in off-road environments.
The core of the contract is the validation of a VLA model, which integrates visual information and natural-language instructions to determine actions, and the definition of requirements for VLAOps, a practical framework for continuously managing and improving the model. ABEJA,Inc. has previously entered into a contract with the agency for verification services, and this time will advance the assessment of applicability, additional training, and the development of an operating structure.
The delivery deadline is scheduled for 26 March 2027, and the work will include preparing a work report and holding a briefing. With a view to achieving actual operational deployment of autonomous UGVs in off-road environments, the company plans to conduct verification and improvements with an emphasis on operability and safety in the field.
Centered on its own ABEJA Platform, ABEJA,Inc. is promoting zero-PoC initiatives premised on field operations rather than PoCs alone, and places importance on designing for Human-in-the-Loop collaboration between people and AI in mission-critical defense applications. Going forward, it is expected to accelerate implementation for field use and extend the practical application of physical AI across a broad range of industries.