Researchers in Hungary have just unveiled their blueprint for the future of surveillance, and it involves far less trudging about with a torch and a lot more autonomous, high-tech teamwork. The HUN-REN Institute for Computer Science and Control (SZTAKI) announced on 28 January 2026 that it has perfected a robotic patrol system that pairs a rugged ground vehicle with aerial drones for a total security lockdown.
The backbone of the operation is the Husky UGV, a beefy, four-wheeled research platform from Clearpath Robotics. Tipping the scales at 50kg, this all-terrain unit is built for the rough stuff and can lug around a 75kg payload without breaking a sweat. The team at SZTAKI’s Systems and Control Laboratory (SCL) has souped up the Husky for fully autonomous patrols. It’s now capable of spotting suspicious objects, generating pin-sharp 3D imagery for remote analysis, and—crucially—acting as a tactical partner for drones. If the ground unit flags something dodgy, it doesn’t just sit there; it calls in an eye-in-the-sky to provide a bird’s-eye view, offering a multi-angle threat assessment without putting a single human life at risk.
Why should we care?
This isn’t just about making the traditional night watchman redundant. The SZTAKI project is a masterclass in “force multiplication”—the idea that ground and air robots can work in tandem to police an area far more effectively than any human team could. While the ground bot provides 24/7 persistence and up-close scrutiny, the drone offers rapid-response agility and wide-angle situational awareness. Together, they create a robust, data-heavy security net. And best of all? These robots won’t be tempted to nick the office biscuits or disappear for an unscheduled tea break.
