Hovering over old Civil War-era farmland, a small quadcopter is instructed to ascend to 125 feet and then move 50 meters north of a designated target on the ground, specifically a soccer goal. The drone rises and flies off without a pilot controlling it via a standard gaming stick; instead, it receives directions through voice commands.
Lee Ritholtz, the CEO and co-founder of Primordial Labs, demonstrated this innovative capability at a local park in Leesburg, Virginia. He highlighted the ease of using voice commands compared to traditional manual controls. Ritholtz’s senior product manager, Jordan Dross, who is a former Marine Raider, guided the drone’s mission using a headset and push-to-talk radio, explaining that this method significantly reduces the workload associated with drone operations.
Primordial Labs was founded in 2021 by Ritholtz and co-founder Adrian Pope, both of whom have backgrounds at Lockheed Martin, including at Skunk Works, where they focused on advanced development programs. The company seeks to improve human-machine interactions on the battlefield, addressing issues like cognitive overload, manpower requirements, and training burdens.
Ritholtz, who worked extensively on the Stalker XE program, recognized the persistent issues with ground control software. He stated, “People love the airplane, but people always said this ground control station software sucks,” leading to the development of their software, Anura. This software allows operators to communicate with drones using natural language, making the operational experience more intuitive.
Critically, Anura offers a truly natural language interface which moves beyond the limitations of voice commands focused solely on memorized keywords and phrases. Ritholtz explained that the system can understand varied expressions of intent from users, enabling real-time feedback and interaction with the drone.
Demoing Anura, Ritholtz explained its ability to deconstruct spoken commands into actionable instructions for the drone. This autonomy allows for adjustments in real time based on operational needs. The software is compatible with various drone platforms and can easily integrate into systems like the Skydio quadcopter and others, operating without reliance on external AI systems, running locally instead.
Initially focused on unmanned aerial systems in Army aviation and Special Operations Command, Primordial Labs has since expanded its technology applications to include ground combat systems. Currently, they hold contracts with four Army program executive offices and five original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Anura has also been integrated for demonstrations with the Black Hornet, the Army’s Soldier Borne Sensor system. In 2025, the company is set to provide a minimum of 8,000 Anura licenses to the Army’s “transformation in contact” brigades and divisions for experimentation with integrated human-machine operations.
Furthermore, Primordial Labs will participate in Project Convergence in 2024 and the Army’s Expeditionary Warrior Experiment in April. Ritholtz emphasized that Anura is consistent across various applications, noting that updates from new applications enhance its overall functionality.
The demonstration showcased Anura’s capability to control multiple drones simultaneously, which is vital for managing large swarms in military operations. Ritholtz acknowledged the challenges in controlling extensive numbers of drones simultaneously, likening it to dealing with “bad coworker” problems, wherein intelligent autonomous systems may not intuitively understand human workplace operations and protocols.
