Developers in the autonomous systems industry often face significant hurdles when testing their algorithms and control methods. The traditional path requires assembling aircraft, coordinating crews, securing ranges, and dealing with travel and weather—all before a single test flight. This process is not only time-consuming but also financially draining. Tempest Droneworx™ aims to change this paradigm with the introduction of Corvus MRDR™ (Modular Robotics Development & Reporting), a platform that allows engineers to test their algorithms at scale using simulated vehicles, then progressively replace them with physical ones without disrupting their existing workflow or relinquishing intellectual property.
The Corvus Platform was originally developed for internal use at Tempest Droneworx™ to solve their own engineering challenges. It has evolved through years of real-world application, including a predecessor used during the company's successful FAA BAA 4One-to-Many Command and Control work. Each project refined the platform, culminating in the robust system now available for sale.
The core value proposition of Corvus MRDR™ is its ability to let teams start with 20 simulated aircraft operating in real-world coordinates. When ready, they can replace one with a physical aircraft and test again. This process can be repeated until the entire fleet is real. The platform works alongside a customer's existing tools and control architecture, ensuring that they retain their algorithms, methodologies, workflows, and IP.
“We're not commercializing our control algorithms. We're commercializing the engineering environment that helped us build them,” said Ty Audronis, Chief Technology Officer of Tempest Droneworx™. “Corvus MRDR™ gave us the freedom to try more ideas, fail without breaking expensive hardware, and go to the field when we were ready—not because we needed the field to find out if something worked.”
Corvus MRDR™ currently supports PX4 and ArduPilot through distributed Core Robotics Object Simulators (CROS). New firmware types are in beta, with future platform updates anticipated. The Robotics Aggregation & Visualization Node (RAVN) combines simulated and physical vehicle telemetry with ADS-B, Remote ID, RADAR, and other sources in a real-time 3D environment. Missions can be recorded and replayed for analysis.
The product line includes MRDR-1, stackable MRDR-2 Expansion systems, and the eight-display MRDR-187 Enterprise. NDAA-compliant configurations are available. The first MRDR-187 Enterprise has already been delivered to the University of Houston Robotics Department.
“The next generation of autonomous systems won't be built by any one company working alone,” said Dr. Dana Abramovitz, Chief Executive Officer of Tempest Droneworx™. “By making Corvus MRDR™ available, we're giving researchers, developers, industry, and government another tool to move faster and advance the next generation of autonomous systems together.”
Corvus MRDR™ is available for pre-order now, with commercial deliveries beginning in October 2026. Corvus MRDR™ Defense, with additional defense-specific capabilities, is scheduled for December 2026. The Corvus Platform Pipeline Beta Program is also open for early access to features under development. For demonstrations and pre-orders, visit www.tempestdroneworx.com.
