Former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Chris Miller Joins Ottopia to Deliver Battle-Tested Teleoperation to U.S. Forces

Former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Chris Miller, Plasan Founder Dani Ziv, and ex-IDF General Saar Tzur Join Ottopia to Deliver Teleoperation to U.S. Forces

TEL AVIV, CENTER, ISRAEL, February 4, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The modern battlefield is evolving rapidly. Robots now fight alongside soldiers across land, air, and sea. Western militaries must prepare for a wide range of threats and quickly adapt to evolving enemy capabilities.

Armies prepare for tactical surprises by deploying unmanned robotic systems as a front guard to absorb surprise attacks—not soldiers. Armies also enhance their ground superiority with robotic systems that carry out advance scouting, breaching, and decoy operations in situations too dangerous for soldiers.

During their ongoing conflicts, both the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Israel Defense Forces have updated their warfighting doctrine to include unmanned vehicles. Ground robotic systems today, and for the foreseeable future, remain teleoperated. Autonomy technology works in limited environments, with soldiers still controlling the machines. As autonomy technology improves, soldiers will be able to control a larger number of machines.


*Ottopia: Enabling Unmanned Military Power With Teleoperation*

Ottopia partners with Western militaries to redefine combat operations, empowering soldiers to push the limits of unmanned ground vehicle capabilities. By seamlessly integrating human operators with robotic systems, Ottopia ensures reliable, secure, and real-time connectivity. Its proprietary AI-driven multi-network bonding and smart routing technology optimize bandwidth, minimize latency, and enhance system resilience across RF, satellite, and cellular networks. In short, Ottopia delivers a complete teleoperation solution, enabling soldiers to command vehicles from thousands of miles away in complex, multi-vehicle human-machine formations.

Ottopia offers its teleoperation platform in two deployment models:
• Turnkey Systems – Partnering with OEMs to embed Ottopia technology directly into new vehicles and robots.
• Retrofit Kits – Giving existing vehicles new life by transforming them into unmanned robotic systems.

Building on its extensive wartime experience and successful collaborations with the Israel Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D-MAFAT) – Ottopia has led innovative projects in special operations, advanced logistics, and combat engineering. Leveraging this expertise, the company is now expanding its defense operations in the United States. It has established a U.S. subsidiary and is forging partnerships with leading American organizations to enhance soldier safety and operational effectiveness.


Welcoming Visionary Leaders to the Advisory Board

To drive this expansion, Ottopia is proud to welcome three distinguished leaders to its advisory board. Bringing deep expertise in U.S. military leadership, the defense vehicle industry, and the IDF, they are helping Ottopia support Western militaries in shaping and implementing their robotic ground system strategies.


*Chris Miller – Former Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense*

Chris Miller, Former Acting Secretary of Defense for the United States, brings unmatched expertise in both commanding special operations forces and senior civilian defense roles, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense and Special Assistant to the President. Chris collaborates closely with Ottopia to shape its strategy for addressing the most pressing challenges faced by the U.S. Armed Forces.

“The United States Armed Forces are woefully behind in automating ground combat vehicles. Ottopia has mastered how to operationalize the theory and research and is leading the way in this transformation of warfare," Chris explains. "The Ottopia team has proven their vision and technology in the most extensive and hazardous ground combat in modern memory. The United States military can't wait any longer for the legacy defense contractors to catch up and provide our warfighters the essential tools they need to fight, win, and survive on the modern battlefield.

That's why I'm thrilled that Amit and the passionate, mission-focused Ottopia team asked me to be part of this absolutely essential effort to bring best-in-class, combat-proven technology to the U.S. military and national security enterprise ASAP. Ottopia epitomizes the scrappy, brilliant, and results-driven start-up culture of our closest ally, and to be part of this effort to strengthen our partnership for the benefit of our warriors is beyond humbling,” Chris concludes.


*Dani Ziv – Founder and Former CEO of Plasan*

Dani Ziv, Founder and former CEO of Plasan, a globally recognized leader in defense composite armor and special vehicles that Dani built to $850 million annual revenue. Dani has been at the helm of delivering innovative solutions that protect soldiers on the battlefield and received the National Defense Industry Association Red Ball Express Award for his contributions to U.S. military vehicle armor. Dani will guide Ottopia on the entrepreneurial path for defense innovation.

"My mission has always been to protect soldiers and save lives on the battlefield. Working with Ottopia, I’ve been impressed by their vision and groundbreaking approach to defense. Joining them lets me continue this work, shaping technologies that will redefine warfare and enhance soldier safety," Dani shared.

Dani guides Ottopia on the entrepreneurial path for defense innovation, leveraging his decades of leadership and experience.


*Saar Tzur – Former IDF Major General and Commander of the Northern Corps*

Saar Tzur, a retired Major General in the Israel Defense Forces, brings unparalleled expertise to Ottopia. As the former Commander of the Northern Corps during wartime in Lebanon and leader of the Multi-Domain Maneuver Array, he drove innovation and long-term strategies for the Ground Forces. Now, Saar guides Ottopia and its customers in developing doctrine for robotic ground systems and adapting products to support these strategies.

"Ground robotics are advancing quickly, but autonomy isn't battlefield-ready. Teleoperation is essential for unmanned operations, enhancing ground superiority by reducing casualties, improving maneuver resilience, and boosting combat effectiveness," Saar explains.

"Military robotics is deeply important to me. Now is the time to advance remote control and robotics as a force multiplier," he adds. "The potential to save lives and enhance effectiveness is immense, and I see my work at Ottopia as a mission to bring this vision to the IDF and global armed forces."


A New Era of Defense Innovation

With Chris, Dani, and Saar leading the way, Ottopia is revolutionizing warfare—saving lives, enhancing ground superiority, and creating new business opportunities. Their expertise in strategy and innovation positions Ottopia to shape the future of defense.

Paul Kandel
Ottopia
+972 54-219-9852
paulk@ottopia.tech
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn