What Łukasiewicz – PIAP does

Łukasiewicz – PIAP (Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz – Przemysłowy Instytut Automatyki i Pomiarów PIAP) is a Polish state-owned research institute headquartered in Warsaw, operating within the Łukasiewicz Research Network. Founded in 1965/1970 (sources vary) and employing 101–250 staff, the institute specializes in mobile robotics, automation, and measurement technologies, with a primary focus on defence and security applications including explosive ordnance disposal, reconnaissance, combat support, and medical evacuation. Its core product family comprises the PIAP Gryf (EOD robot exported to 27 countries), PIAP FENIX (lightweight EOD robot), PIAP IBIS (modular transport/medical evacuation platform), PIAP HUNTeR (hybrid combat platform with AREX ZMU-03 turret integration), and the Tarantula wheeled reconnaissance vehicle (96-unit Polish MOD contract worth ~50M PLN).

The institute generates revenue through hardware sales to government and defence clients via formal procurement tenders, supplemented by commercial engineering and contract R&D services, training programmes, and technology licensing/know-how transfer. Its go-to-market is anchored by direct engagement with ministries of defence, armed forces, and law enforcement, complemented by a strong event-driven motion through premier international defence exhibitions (Eurosatory, MSPO, Enforce Tac, Automaticon, Adriatic Sea Defence & Aerospace) and a regional showroom in Seoul targeting Asia-Pacific clients. Strategic partnerships include AREX Group (turret integration) and WCBKT (co-production exploration), and the institute maintains active involvement in European Defence Agency research programmes and Industry 4.0/EDIH initiatives.

Recent strategic activity signals expansion across product lines (IBIS variants, HUNTeR combat platform), geographies (Seoul showroom, Togo deliveries), and partnerships (WCBKT co-production LoI, AREX integration). The institute has been recognized with the IGNAC 'Implementation of the Year' award in 2023 for patrol-conveyor robot deployment in the Polish Armed Forces and operates a unique digital knowledge repository of nearly 50 years of Polish robotics history.

Name

Łukasiewicz – PIAP

Legal name

Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz - Przemysłowy Instytut Automatyki i Pomiarów PIAP

Website

https://piap.pl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Łukasiewicz – PIAP is a Polish state-owned research institute developing mobile robots (EOD, reconnaissance, combat, medical evacuation) for defence and security clients, exporting to 27 countries and supplying the Polish Ministry of National Defence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defence Robotics

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Ordnance & Accessories, (No Vehicles/Guided Missiles) (3480)

akta.pro primary industry

Autonomy Software, AI & Mission Management (UAS/UXV) (IMABAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Explosives, Energetics & Pyrotechnics (Military-Grade) (IMABAHAK)

Keywords

• Defence robotics systems
• Mobile unmanned vehicles
• EOD robot manufacturing
• Industrial automation research
• Reconnaissance platform engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Warszawa

HQ country

Poland

HQ region

Europe

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

Revenue model

1. Defence and security hardware sales: Sale of mobile robots, unmanned ground vehicles, and EOD systems to military, law enforcement, and government agencies. Major contracts include MOD purchases of Tarantula vehicles (~50M PLN for 96 units) and international deliveries of PIAP Gryf robots to armed forces in France, Finland, Togo, and Korea.
2. Commercial engineering and R&D services: Commercial engineering services and contract research and development for industry clients. The institute offers custom technology development, prototyping, and engineering consulting services to commercial and government customers.
3. Training services: Professional training programmes for robotics, automation, and industrial applications.
4. Technology licensing and know-how transfer: Transfer of technologies and know-how developed by the institute to commercial partners and licensees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Łukasiewicz – PIAP designs, develops, and manufactures proprietary mobile robotic systems and unmanned ground vehicles for defence, security, and industrial automation. Its flagship product family — PIAP Gryf, PIAP FENIX, PIAP IBIS, PIAP HUNTeR, and Tarantula — is used for explosive ordnance disposal, pyrotechnic reconnaissance, combat support, medical evacuation, and patrol missions, with the PIAP Gryf exported to 27 countries. The institute complements hardware sales with contract research and development, custom engineering, prototyping, professional training, and technology licensing across automation, robotics, and measurement domains.

Product overview

Łukasiewicz – PIAP is a research institute within the Łukasiewicz Research Network specializing in automation, measurement, and mobile robotics. Its product portfolio consists of a family of mobile robots for special applications, primarily serving defence, security, and internal forces. The core products include the PIAP Gryf (EOD/neutralization robot, the best-selling export model at 27 countries), PIAP HUNTeR (hybrid rapid-response/combat platform with optional ZMU-03 turret, developed with AREX), PIAP IBIS (modular platform offered in transport and medical evacuation variants), PIAP FENIX (lightweight EOD robot), and the Tarantula wheeled reconnaissance drone (96-unit MON contract awarded). The institute also offers commercial engineering services, R&D cooperation, training programmes, publications, and events such as the AUTOMATICON trade fair and PIAP Robot Night. Research domains span security, space, medicine and health protection, special vehicles, industry, mobile robotics, and social robotics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PIAP Gryf Mobile pyrotechnic EOD robot for neutralisation and reconnaissance of hazardous objects and devices. Sold to armed forces and law enforcement agencies; exported to 27 countries including France, Finland, Korea, and Togo.
• PIAP FENIX Lightweight mobile pyrotechnic robot for EOD operations, reconnaissance, and neutralisation. Showcased at international defence exhibitions and the Seoul showroom.
• PIAP IBIS Modular large-scale unmanned ground platform available in transport and medical evacuation variants for military logistics and casualty evacuation.
• PIAP HUNTeR High-mobility unmanned hybrid platform for rapid-response and combat support tasks, equipped with AREX ZMU-03 remote weapons turret. Tested on military training grounds and included in European Defence Agency autonomous combat ground vehicle research.
• Tarantula (MBPR) Wheeled mobile unmanned reconnaissance vehicle (Mobilny Bezzałogowy Pojazd Rozpoznawczy — MBPR) for the Polish Armed Forces. 96-unit contract signed in 2025 for ~50 million PLN.
• Commercial engineering and R&D services Custom technology development, prototyping, and engineering consulting for industry and government clients in automation, robotics, and measurement technologies.
• Professional training programmes Professional training in robotics, automation, and industrial applications for defence, security, and industrial clients.
• Technology licensing and know-how transfer Licensing of technologies and know-how developed by the institute to commercial partners and licensees.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96 Tarantula reconnaissance vehicles contracted by Polish MOD for ~50 million PLN, deliveries through 2027
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Wojskowe Centralne Biuro Konstrukcyjno-Technologiczne (WCBKT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025Łukasiewicz – PIAP signed a letter of intent with WCBKT covering cooperation in mobile robotics, military support systems, and technologies supporting security and crisis management. The partnership also includes analysis of possibilities for launching joint technology production lines. This is a strategic defence industry collaboration focused on developing and potentially co-producing advanced military robotics systems.
• Zakład Automatyki i Urządzeń Pomiarowych AREX (Grupa WB)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2024AREX, part of the WB Group, partnered with Łukasiewicz – PIAP to integrate the ZMU-03 remote weapons turret onto the PIAP HUNTeR unmanned platform. The joint system was first showcased at Eurosatory 2024 in Paris and demonstrated during the FEX-2024 field exercises in Nowa Dęba. This technology integration combines PIAP's unmanned ground vehicle platform with AREX's remote weapons turret system.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: Large US defence prime with a robotics portfolio including the T7 EOD robot. Overlaps with PIAP's EOD and tactical ground-robotics offerings but as part of a much broader sensor, communications, and weapons-systems franchise.
• Saab: Swedish defence and aerospace company developing autonomous and unmanned ground capabilities (e.g., AUV62, autonomous combat solutions). Overlaps with PIAP in the European defence robotics market but operates across a much broader product portfolio.
• Rheinmetall: German defence prime with growing unmanned ground systems activity (including partnership with Auterion and the Mission Master family). Comparable to PIAP as a European ground-systems supplier but at vastly greater scale.
• QinetiQ: UK defence and security technology company with a long-standing robotics portfolio (including the TALON family of EOD robots). Directly comparable to PIAP in EOD robotics but operates across a much wider defence engineering footprint.
• Teledyne FLIR Defense: US provider of unmanned ground and aerial systems (SUGV, PackBot, Kobra) for military and security customers. Direct overlap with PIAP's EOD and reconnaissance robot portfolio, embedded within Teledyne's broader sensor and imaging franchise.
• General Dynamics Land Systems: Major US ground combat systems prime with emerging activity in unmanned ground vehicles (TRX, MUTT). Comparable to PIAP at the combat-UGV category but competing with vastly greater resources and an armoured-vehicle heritage.
• KNDS: European land systems prime (KMW + Nexter) integrating unmanned ground and robotic combat capabilities into its armoured vehicle portfolio. Comparable to PIAP in combat UGV adjacency and a likely partner/competitor for Polish and EU UGV programmes.

Direct peers

• HDT Global: US-based manufacturer of EOD and tactical unmanned ground robots (e.g., HDT Hunter Wolf, Titus), directly comparable to PIAP's Gryf and IBIS platforms for explosive ordnance disposal and reconnaissance missions.
• Milrem Robotics: Estonian unmanned ground vehicle manufacturer behind the THeMIS platform, the most prominent European competitor in the modular UGV and combat UGV categories. Both firms sell tracked/wheeled unmanned ground platforms to NATO and EU defence ministries.

Emerging players

• Boston Dynamics: US quadruped robot manufacturer whose Spot platform has been adopted by police, military, and EOD units worldwide. Competitor in the EOD and reconnaissance robot category, with a different (legged) form factor but overlapping mission profiles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/piap

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Łukasiewicz – PIAP