October 26th, 2026
Picogrid Launches High Performance ECNs to Bring More Computing Power to the Tactical Edge
Picogrid
El Segundo, CA
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Oct. 8, 2026 – Picogrid today announced the release of the HX high performance series of Expeditionary C2 Nodes (ECNs), bringing greater AI-capable computing power to the edge. By processing drone video and sensor data where teams operate, the ECN HX series gives warfighters earlier warning of threats and more time to respond and protect their unit. ECNs are rugged, deployable C2 hardware units that connect sensors, drones, vehicles, and software at the tactical edge of a battlefield. This new line of ECN HXs lets teams run AI models without adding more equipment to carry, power, or maintain.
Drones, sensors, and the models that interpret their feeds are now generating more information close to the operator than ever before, which is why the military’s Chief Digital and AI Officer Cameron Stanley
has identified compute the main bottleneck for AI adoption (DefenseScoop). ECN HXs bridge siloed data from various hardware and software vendors into a single operational network with on-site processing power, secure local networking, and power management. Units can therefore deploy their own AI and machine learning models at the edge, with 7.5x more AI compute than Picogrid’s standard ECN series, and send the results directly into the command-and-control applications they already use, saving operators time and resources on integration at scale.
The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East highlight how success can hinge on the seconds between spotting a threat and responding to it, and those seconds grow longer every time data must cross a network before anyone can act on it. Lessons from field deployments and direct customer feedback guide Picogrid’s development, including the need for more AI processing closer to operations, shortening the path from detection to decision and reducing the risk to the service members who depend on it.
"Every drone and sensor we put in the field adds information at the edge, but that information is only useful when the units relying on it can act in time, including in degraded environments where reachback is limited," said Zane Mountcastle, co-founder and CEO of Picogrid. "ECN HXs allow units to shift processing to the edge to drive autonomous, AI-powered decision making.”
ECN HXs build on the Expeditionary C2 Nodes the company successfully fielded with U.S. and allied forces across the globe, showcasing the widespread need for a vendor-neutral solution with scalable deployment. In a recent Army exercise, Picogrid used its ECNs to integrate 20 defense systems into command networks in just a few days, demonstrating the existing need and one of the many immediate opportunities to increase compute at the edge.
"Engineers need to run heavier workloads closer to the mission without slowing teams down," said Dan Chirita, co-founder and Head of Engineering at Picogrid. "We designed these ECNs so units could take on far more inference and sensor processing workloads while keeping the fast setup they depend on today, because additional computing power only matters if operators can utilize it the moment they arrive."
Attendees at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., can see High Performance ECNs in person at booth #421 in the Small Business Pavilion from October 12 to 14.
About PicogridPicogrid is a technology company that builds products to integrate mission-critical systems. Its hardware and software products connect sensors, unmanned platforms, and digital systems, enabling unified control and data flow in defense and industrial environments. Deployed globally and supported by leading Silicon Valley investors, Picogrid delivers infrastructure for mission execution across land, sea, air, and space. Learn more at picogrid.com.
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