U.S. Army xTech Humanoid Competition Announces Hydroplane as Finalist

Hydroplane has officially been announced as a finalist in the U.S. Army xTech Humanoid competition.

This competition is an initiative by the Department of Defense to develop next-gen militarized humanoid systems to support warfighters and reduce risk in operations.

Hydroplane received $25,000 for being named a finalist. The company can now compete for the final award: an offer for a Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract and another cash prize.

All finalist teams will participate in a live prototype demonstration event scheduled for the third quarter of 2026.

There are 10 finalists including Hydroplane, and these teams will face off in a demonstration of live prototypes in Q3 of 2026. The finalists were chosen after being evaluated on characteristics like:

• Scalability
• Merit
• Relevance to Army operations

“Being named a finalist in the Army xTech Humanoid competition is a testament to our modular and scalable architecture,” said Dr. Anita Sengupta, CEO of Hydroplane.

Sengupta continued, “Our powerplant technology supports aviation electric propulsion and mobile power generation, demonstrating its ability to extend into humanoid robotic systems. We are excited to support the armed forces with mission-relevant energy solutions.”

Hydroplane was chosen under the Army xTech 8 program. The organization has also earned SBIR awards from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy.