What Cyborg Dynamics Engineering does

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering is a Brisbane-based robotics and autonomous systems specialist founded in 2017 by Stephen Bornstein, the 2017 Australian Young Engineer of the Year. The company designs, engineers, and integrates multidisciplinary robotics solutions spanning unmanned ground vehicles (the Warfighter UGV developed with BIA5, and the All Terrain Robot - Firefighter delivered to Tier 1 mining operators including Rio Tinto), autonomous underwater vehicles for research institutions such as the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and supporting work on unmanned aerial systems including the Australian Army SUAS replacement program. Its proprietary Cyder platform is a modular, CAN-bus-based ecosystem of plug-and-play robotics components (IMUs, RTCs, compute modules, battery management, power switching, cabling and accessories) targeting commercial and industrial robotics integrators, sold both through direct enterprise engagement and a public e-commerce store.

The company's technology base combines mechanical, electronics, control, and software engineering under a 'Both Ends Against the Middle' design philosophy. Differentiated AI capabilities include Athena AI, described as the world's first lawful targeting AI integrated into the Warfighter UGV, and multi-agent reinforcement learning for autonomous robot swarm coordination, demonstrated at a 99.67% success rate in firefighting trials with Griffith University and the Queensland Defence Science Alliance in February 2026. Earlier work includes computer vision algorithms used in counter-poaching drones for the International Anti Poaching Foundation in Mozambique and South Africa.

Cyborg Dynamics monetises through three streams: hardware sales of Cyder modular components (A$8 to A$850 per module, with international shipping), specialised engineering services and custom integration for defence, mining, marine and industrial clients, and non-dilutive government funding including a Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority grant from the Commonwealth Defence Innovation Hub and an A$384,814 Business.gov.au award in July 2025. The company is privately held, founder-owned (Stephen Bornstein and co-founder Ryan Marple), and operates with 1–10 employees from a single Brisbane headquarters.

Name

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering

Legal name

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering

Website

https://cyborgdynamicseng.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering is a Brisbane-based robotics and autonomous systems firm that designs unmanned ground vehicles, modular CAN-bus robotics components (Cyder), and AI-enabled systems for defence, mining, marine science, and industrial clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Modular Robotics and Autonomous Systems Engineering

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH), Aerial Robotics (Drones & UAV Autonomy) (HDAAAIAG), Marine & Underwater Robotics (USVs/UUVs) (HDAAAIAH)

Keywords

• Modular robotics components
• Autonomous systems engineering
• Unmanned ground vehicles
• CAN bus modules
• Defence robotics

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Robotics and Autonomous Systems Products: Sale of modular robotics components including CAN-based sensors (IMU, temperature), compute modules, power management systems, and cabling. Products are sold directly through the company's e-commerce store with prices ranging from A$8 to A$850 per module.
2. Engineering Services and Custom Integration: Providing specialised engineering project services for robotics and autonomous systems development. Services include system specification, electronics design, software design, control systems integration, and project management for defence and commercial clients.
3. Government Grants and Defence Contracts: Revenue from government-funded programs including the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority (SICP) grant and project funding from the Queensland Defence Science Alliance. Also includes defence innovation hub projects with the Australian Army.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering designs and builds modular robotics and autonomous systems, including the Cyder CAN-based component ecosystem (sensors, compute modules, power management, networking, cabling) and unmanned ground vehicles such as the Warfighter UGV and ATR-FF. The company also provides specialised engineering services across defence, mining, marine science, and UAS domains, delivering end-to-end robotics integration from specification through to commercialisation using its 'Both Ends Against the Middle' design approach.

Product overview

Cyborg Dynamics Engineering is a robotics integration company offering a modular product ecosystem called Cyder, consisting of CAN-based hardware modules (sensors, compute modules, power management, networking, and I/O devices) designed for plug-and-play integration in commercial and industrial robotics systems. The company also develops unmanned ground vehicles (Warfighter UGV, ATR-FF), provides AUV and UAS engineering services, and offers open-source software tools (CyderVis, Windows CAN Utilities). The Cyder platform is designed to reduce development time and engineering overhead by providing reliable, standardized robotics components that work out of the box.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cyder: A modular ecosystem of robotics components built for easy integration in commercial and industrial systems. Includes CAN bus modules, sensors, compute modules, and cabling for robotics development.
• Athena AI
• Warfighter UGV

Products and services

• CAN-Based IMU / Tilt Sensor 9-32VDC input power, 6-axis IMU (3x accelerometer, 3x gyroscope) with pre-computed orientation estimate (roll and pitch) and an easy CAN interface, priced at A$125 per unit. Designed for commercial and industrial robotics developers.
• CAN-Based Real-Time Clock (Ninox RTC) CAN bus real-time clock module with 3ppm worst-case timing tolerance, onboard CR2032 battery, 10-year battery lifespan, and ±58VDC overvoltage protection, available in Standard and OEM variants at A$100.
• Premade Cyder CAN Cabling Pre-made ETFE insulated CAN cables in lengths from 5cm to 10m with 0.25mm insulation thickness, priced from A$8, designed for reliable robotics applications.
• CAN Data Tap Non-intrusive data tap for branching or reconfiguring CAN nodes without requiring cable splicing, priced at A$20 for robotics and CAN bus development.
• CAN Termination Module 120Ω termination resistor with split termination to reduce reflections and protection up to 250V differential, priced at A$20, with fault-protected automatic disconnection.
• CAN-Based Embedded Compute Module STM32H523 microcontroller, 250MHz Arm Cortex-M33, 512KB Flash, 272KB SRAM compute module for deterministic real-time performance on CAN bus at A$100.
• CAN-Based Temperature Sensor Module Supports up to 4 thermocouples for multi-point thermal monitoring of motor temperatures, battery health, and enclosure temperatures, priced at A$125.
• CAN-Based Compute Module Carrier Board Carrier board compatible with Raspberry Pi CM4 and CM5 modules with onboard CAN transceiver, mezzanine design, power, CAN, USB-C, and Ethernet connectivity, priced at A$150.
• Battery Management System 8-16S LiFePO4 LiPo 8-16S LiFePO4/LiPo battery management system with 45A maximum continuous current, isolated CAN interface, low quiescent draw (~200μA), and comprehensive protection circuitry, priced at A$350.
• CAN Isolation Module Provides galvanic isolation for CAN bus to protect downstream equipment from ground loops and electrical faults, priced at A$100.
• CAN-Based Power Switching & Fusing Module High-power 36-80V load switching module with 3x 50A and 2x 10A outputs, onboard fusing, and current monitoring for in-depth diagnostics, priced at A$850 with a 6-week lead time.
• Cyder Expansion Module Versatile STM32G474-based expansion board providing SPI, ADC, DAC, UART, I2C, and H-Bridge drivers connected to CAN bus, available for pre-order.
• Embedded Ethernet Switch 10-Port 1GigE High-performance 10-port 1-GigE Ethernet switch via mezzanine connectors with a compact form factor for space-constrained embedded systems and distributed sensor networks, available for pre-order.
• CAN-Based Joystick Robust joystick with integrated deadman switch for safety, 9-32V input, serial interface to receiver, ±58VDC overvoltage protection, and automotive-grade transient protection.
• Warfighter Unmanned Ground Vehicle (Warfighter UGV) Sovereign-developed multirole unmanned ground vehicle built for offensive and support roles to dismounted warfighters, featuring a patented 'go anywhere' suspension, Athena AI for target evaluation, onboard power generation, optics suite, and various weapons and logistics configurations, developed in partnership with BIA5 for defence customers.
• All Terrain Robot - Firefighter (ATR-FF) Firefighting unmanned ground vehicle developed with Cyborg electronics design and software integration for Tier 1 mining companies, used for autonomous firefighting training and operations in mining environments.
• CyderVis CAN Bus Visualizer Cross-platform CAN bus visualizer for Windows and Linux providing an intuitive GUI for monitoring, decoding, and transmitting CAN messages, including real-time plotting, message decoding using DBC files, and both one-shot and configurable cycle-time message transmission, available as an open-source software tool on GitHub.
• Windows CAN Utilities (win-can-utils) Open-source tools porting Linux can-utils functionality to Windows, supporting canserver, candump, and cansend utilities with DSD TECH SH-C30A and SH-C31A USB-to-CAN adapter drivers for cross-platform CAN bus development, available via GitHub.
• Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Engineering Services Engineering services for the development of autonomous underwater vehicles including electronics redesign for marine robustness, ROS software architecture updates, attitude controller development, collision avoidance systems, and ground control station design, delivered for marine science customers such as the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
• Supporting Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Engineering Services Technical advisory, project management, computer vision, autopilot integration, and systems integration services for unmanned aerial systems including the Australian Army SUAS programme, IAPF counter-poaching drones, and custom UxV integrations across defence, conservation, and commercial programmes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.67% success rate in autonomous navigation and fire extinguishing by AI-powered robot swarms in simulated environments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Griffith UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Research partnership with Griffith University for AI-powered firefighting robot swarm development. Led by Cyborg Dynamics with Griffith researchers, funded by Queensland Defence Science Alliance. Demonstrated autonomous swarms achieving 99.67% success rate in firefighting operations using multi-agent reinforcement learning.
• BIA5coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Warfighter UGV development combining BIA5's patented 'go anywhere' suspension system with Cyborg's user interface and Athena AI. Cyborg also supported BIA5 with electronics design, software design and control systems integration for the All Terrain Robot - Firefighter (ATR-FF).
• JAR AerospacemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCyborg Dynamics provided technical advisory and project management to JAR Aerospace for Australian Army Small Unmanned Aerial System (SUAS) replacement project. Managed team of airframe design, computer vision, GNC, communications, ground control systems, payloads and electronics experts. Project delivered on time and on budget to Australian Army capability manager in June 2018.
• Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on further development of ReefScan Deep AUV and CoralAUV including electronics redesign for robustness, software architecture updates, ROS module integration, attitude controller development, collision avoidance development, and ground control station design.
• International Anti Poaching Foundation (IAPF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing technical support for IAPF drone program including computer vision algorithms for tracking, autopilot integration, mechanical design of payload retraction mechanism, and flight testing. Co-founder Stephen Bornstein developed algorithms and conducted flight testing for counter-poaching operations in Mozambique and South Africa (2015-2017).
• Skyborne TechnologiesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on SUAS (Small Unmanned Aerial System) design in partnership with JAR Aerospace and Cyborg Dynamics Engineering. Skyborne contributed airframe design expertise to the project for Australian Army WASP UAS replacement.
• University of QueenslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for research and development collaboration in robotics and autonomous systems. Listed as a partner in the company's ecosystem.
• Skills GenerationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with Skills Generation and Grace Lutheran College on STEM Recycle Robot project. Cyborg designed and engineered a robotics kit for Cert 2 trade students to develop and teach robotics skills. Project completed in 8 weeks including custom PCB design.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Clearpath Robotics: Clearpath Robotics provides modular mobile robot platforms (Husky, Jackal, Warthog) and components widely used in research and field robotics. Comparable to Cyborg Dynamics in offering standardised platforms plus custom autonomy integration across land, sea and air domains.
• Maritime Robotics: Maritime Robotics produces unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and autonomy software for marine survey, research, and defence applications. Comparable to Cyborg's ReefScan/CoralAUV work for AIMS in providing AUV electronics, control software, and mission systems.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Dynamics: Boston Dynamics builds advanced legged and wheeled autonomous robots (Spot, Stretch) for commercial and defence use. Comparable as a high-end autonomy/robotics developer whose products compete for similar defence and industrial safety budgets as Cyborg's UGVs.
• Saildrone: Saildrone builds wind- and solar-powered autonomous USVs for ocean data collection and defence surveillance. Comparable in delivering marine autonomy platforms with embedded electronics, autonomy stacks, and ground control stations similar to Cyborg's AUV offering.
• BAE Systems (Autonomous Systems): BAE Systems is a global defence prime with significant UGV, UAV, and autonomous systems programmes (e.g., Ironclad UGV). Comparable as a major defence contractor whose autonomous ground/air portfolios overlap with Cyborg's Warfighter UGV and SUAS work.
• Anduril Industries: Anduril develops AI-driven autonomous systems across air (Roadrunner, Ghost), sea (Dive-LD), and land for defence customers. Comparable in building autonomy-first platforms with embedded AI for sovereign-defence customers, although at vastly larger scale.
• Saab (Autonomous and Robotics): Saab produces a portfolio of autonomous underwater, surface, and aerial vehicles plus missile systems. Comparable to Cyborg's UxV engineering services and Warfighter UGV work, particularly relevant given Australia's defence ties with Saab.

Emerging players

• Husarion: Husarion offers ROS-based modular robotics controllers (ROSbot) and integration platforms for research and commercial robotics developers. Comparable to Cyder as a modular hardware ecosystem aimed at accelerating robotics integration with plug-and-play compute and sensors.
• Tekever: Tekever builds autonomous UAVs and AI-driven surveillance systems for defence and security customers across Europe and allied markets. Comparable to Cyborg's UAS and AI/autonomy integration work for defence primes and government clients.

Regional players

• Edge Technology Group: Australian-engineered unmanned systems and subsea robotics integrator serving defence and resource-sector customers. Comparable to Cyborg as a similarly-sized Australian UxV engineering firm competing for the same sovereign-capability contracts.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/cyborg-dynamics-engineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cyborg-dynamics-engineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cyborg Dynamics Engineering