Avius Labs builds complete, purpose-built autonomous systems — from precision agriculture UGVs to lunar exploration — engineered for the real world, not just the lab.
Avius Labs is an autonomous systems research, development, and manufacturing company headquartered in Texas. We were established to bring proven autonomous technologies to civilian markets that have historically lacked access to them.
Unlike platform-agnostic software vendors, we build complete, purpose-built products — sensor stacks, compute platforms, mechanical systems, and the autonomy software — all optimized for each specific use case.
Our founding ethos is Praxis for All Mankind. Praxis is a Greek concept meaning the translation of knowledge into action. Every system we design embodies this principle: ideas become valuable only when engineered into products that serve real human needs.
"We build systems that work in the field — improving the lives of people underserved by the high cost and complexity of advanced robotics."
Avius Labs · Texas · Autonomous Systems / Advanced Robotics / AgTech
Our MVP prototype is a precision agriculture autonomous ground vehicle built on a tracked platform converted for full autonomy via linear actuator override and throttle servo control. Compute is handled on-device by an NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX running a ROS2 stack with YOLOv8 and VLM-based inference.
The system operates on a two-pass concept: Pass 1 uses an RGB camera and CV inference for weed vs. crop discrimination, triggering precision herbicide application only where needed. Pass 2 uses multispectral NIR + Red-Edge imaging to detect per-plant nutrient stress and apply targeted fertilizer dosing. All spray decisions are made on-device, above a confidence threshold, without cloud dependency.
Autonomous UGV platforms for laser weeding, crop inspection, and precision input reduction. 570M smallholder farms in the Americas have no access to autonomous technology. We're building for them.
Year 1 FocusCompact navigation and rendezvous-proximity-operations (RPO) platforms for commercial satellite servicing and lunar surface operations. NASA Artemis and beyond.
Future RoadmapRemotely operated and fully autonomous systems for offshore inspection, underwater welding, and seabed mining as deep-sea energy and mining projects expand globally.
Future RoadmapCompact autonomous navigation platforms for strip mining and underground operations — a cost-effective alternative to large-scale fleet automation under increasing safety and efficiency pressure.
Future Roadmap~7 years as a U.S. Army Space Operations & Innovations Officer. Hands-on experience with autonomous systems, satellites, and remote sensing — plus years connecting startups to defense funding pathways. SBIR scoring bonus for veteran-owned small businesses.
We build complete integrated systems — not software layers dependent on third-party hardware. Sensor stacks, compute platforms, mechanical systems, and autonomy software all designed together for tighter optimization and faster iteration.
Deliberately engineering for sub-$150K deployments. Carbon Robotics and John Deere compete above $500K. We own the gap — and there are 570 million farms sitting in it with no viable autonomous option today.
Focused on the Latin American smallholder farm market — 2.9 billion acres, minimal autonomous systems penetration, and no dominant competitor below $250K. A wide-open market for purpose-built, affordable platforms.
Agricultural technology with defensible defense applications. Maximizes grant eligibility simultaneously across USDA, DoD, NSF, EPA, and AFWERX programs without making defense the primary commercial focus.
Active Master's research in autonomous systems risk mitigation for high-risk environments. Direct pipeline to NDSU faculty in precision agriculture and robotics — critical for STTR and university-linked grant applications.
Chelson brings ~7 years of U.S. Army service as a Space Operations Officer and Innovations Officer — a rare dual background built on one core competency: taking complex, enterprise-level technology and making it work in the field. From satellite operations and telecommunications infrastructure to autonomous ground and aerial systems, his career has been defined by the integration of sophisticated systems into operational environments where failure is not an option. As an Innovations Officer, he operated at the intersection of industry and government — working directly with startups and defense technology companies to bridge the gap between cutting-edge capability and real-world deployment, navigating funding pathways and securing SBIRs along the way. That enterprise-to-field integration experience is the foundation Avius Labs is built on. Currently completing a Master's degree in risk mitigation for autonomous systems in high-risk environments.
Benjamin holds a degree in Leadership Business Management from Humboldt State University, where he competed as a collegiate football player, before a career in real estate title services in Tampa. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman and was selected for a specialized team responsible for integrating and field-validating some of the Army's most advanced emerging technologies — including electronic warfare systems, unmanned ground vehicles, and unmanned aerial systems. He brings a rare operator-to-engineer feedback capability: translating warfighter requirements into actionable product guidance and carrying critical field insight back to the teams building these systems.
Born and raised in San Salvador, El Salvador — and having lived across Central America including Guatemala and Honduras — Cris brings genuine cultural and market fluency to Avius Labs' LATAM expansion strategy. He holds a BS in Management with an Entrepreneurship concentration from Bentley University. His career spans finance (Account Manager at a Latin American-focused private bank, client services at a hedge fund) and U.S. Army service specializing in small unit tactics and field integration of UAS, EW, UGV, AI, and advanced materials. Cris sits at a rare intersection of financial acumen, entrepreneurial thinking, and firsthand experience with next-generation defense technologies.
Whether you're a potential partner, grant collaborator, university researcher, investor, or a farmer who needs a better solution — we want to hear from you.