Liminal Industries Will Demonstrate DUEL-V in North Dakota

The company advanced to the next phase of the GroundBreaker 1 competition and will conduct trials this October.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Robotics

An angular, unmanned robotic vehicle moving across a vast, flat North Dakota prairie under a cloudy sky. — Liminal Industries will conduct field trials of its DUEL-V unmanned ground vehicle at Camp Grafton, North Dakota, in October 2026. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should the U.S. military prioritize purchasing low-cost, mass-produced unmanned ground vehicles over traditional procurement methods?

Liminal Industries will demonstrate its DUEL-V vehicle at Camp Grafton in October 2026. The move follows the company's successful advancement to the second phase of the GroundBreaker 1 competition after meeting the minimum evaluation score.

Why it matters

The GroundBreaker 1 demonstration aims to accelerate the military adoption of unmanned ground vehicles. By participating in this competition, vendors hope to secure a prototype Other Transaction Agreement award.

The competition weights technical merit and design at 40% and readiness at 35%. Cost factors and past performance account for the remaining 15% and 10% of the evaluation, respectively.

The players

Liminal Industries

Liminal Industries is a defense technology company that manufactures unmanned ground vehicles.

U.S. Army Contracting Command

The U.S. Army Contracting Command is a military organization responsible for acquiring equipment and services for the United States Army.

The details

During the demonstration in North Dakota, service members will operate the vehicles in field conditions. Vendors are expected to make live pitches to government evaluators to prove their readiness for military integration.

October 14, 2025: Liminal Industries first unveiled the DUEL-V vehicle.
August 21, 2026: The U.S. Army Contracting Command issued the call for white papers.
September 28, 2026: Liminal Industries announced its advancement to Phase II.
October 2026: Liminal Industries demonstrates DUEL-V at Camp Grafton.

The Tech Race

This competition reflects a broader industry shift toward rapid prototyping and testing of unmanned systems for defense applications. It aligns with the government's effort to replace lengthy traditional procurement processes with faster, performance-based acquisition models.

The demonstration at Camp Grafton provides a testing ground for technologies that could eventually transition to wider industrial or logistical use. Residents near the demonstration site should expect increased military testing activity throughout the month of October.

The takeaway

The transition to Phase II highlights the competitive nature of modern defense procurement for unmanned ground systems. Interested observers should monitor future announcements regarding prototype awards as these programs often signal upcoming technological shifts.