Otaman

Name: Otaman - Active Protection System for UGVs
Brand: VARTA

Products

Detect. Engage. Survive. Active protection for UGVs.

16,600

Logistics and evacuation missions completed in June 2026 — up 18.6% from May

22,000

UGVs contracted for delivery in 2026

Capabilities

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DOZOR AI Sector Detection

Two sensor blocks scan for FPV threats up to 80 meters out, feeding VARTA's own computer-vision models trained specifically to pick out small, fast aerial targets.

Ammunition

Kinetic ammunition systems

Different kinetic countermeasures run in the same complex, extending the coverage zone across the full engagement envelope.

Anti-drone charges

Purpose-built rounds tuned specifically for the FPV threat class.

Tied shot

Bound buckshot that holds a wider, denser pattern in flight.

Mortar primer

High-energy primer charge for close-range knockdown.

Net launcher

Deploys a capture net to disable rotors without a kinetic kill.

Sensor & AI

VEZHA sensor module

Every Otaman turret carries an independent VEZHA sensor block — the eyes that drive a sector before a single round is fired.

180° sector sweep

Independent vertical and horizontal servo drive sweeps and tracks the target through the full engagement arc.

Track & auto-fire

Locks onto the threat and fires automatically once it enters the effective engagement distance.

Self-cleaning dome

An automatic cleaning system keeps the observation dome clear in the field.

RF & acoustic add-ons

Optional radio-frequency and acoustic detectors extend the detection envelope beyond optical and thermal.

Purpose-built AI models

VARTA's own computer-vision models, trained on real and synthetic data and tuned to pick out small aerial targets, refined through the Palantir and Brave1 data-room programs.

In development

Ground defense

Extends monitoring to the area around the UGV itself, not just the sky above it.

The engagement sequence

From detection to kinetic interception, Otaman closes the loop without waiting on a human trigger.

Detection

Two DOZOR AI sensor blocks scan continuously for FPV threats out to 80 meters, classifying every object before any engagement decision.

Detection

Direction

Sector activation

Engagement

Reset & watch

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Detection

Two DOZOR AI sensor blocks scan continuously for FPV threats out to 80 meters, classifying every object before any engagement decision.

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Direction

Once a threat is confirmed, Otaman works out the attack vector on its own — no operator has to slew a camera or call out a bearing.

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Sector activation

Only the module covering that arc wakes up. The rest of the turret stays still, so there's no mechanical rotation delay like a classic automatic turret. Under a double-attack tactic, neighboring modules arm in sequence.

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Engagement

VEZHA locks on and fires the matched kinetic charge — tied shot, mortar primer, or net-launcher round — the instant the target enters the 5-30m effective range.

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Reset & watch

The sector resets and returns to continuous monitoring, backed by autonomous power, ready for the next threat without a trip back to base.

Technical Overview & Applications

FPV drones are now one of the most effective ways to destroy vehicles on the battlefield. Ground robotic complexes, logistics transport, evacuation vehicles, and light combat platforms are especially exposed. Classic electronic warfare is losing ground against fiber-optic FPVs, autonomous drones, and drones that simply wait for a target — and automatic turrets remain expensive with a mechanical slew delay that costs precious seconds.

Otaman is VARTA's answer: a modular active-protection complex for UGVs that fuses DOZOR AI computer vision with VARTA DroneHunter kinetic interception. Once a threat is detected, the system determines the attack direction on its own and activates only the sector that needs to fire — if an operator faces a double-attack tactic, Otaman activates the neighboring modules in sequence.

Each VEZHA sensor block rotates 180 degrees, tracking and auto-firing within the effective engagement distance, driven by independent vertical and horizontal servos. The dome has a self-cleaning system to keep the sensor clear, and the platform supports optional RF and acoustic detector integration for full autonomous, round-the-clock sky monitoring.