Columbus State University is now part of a collaborative technology hub at the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Moore, where its Robotics Engineering Program serves a key role in uniting soldiers, academics and industry to drive U.S. Army innovation and modernization.

The post’s new Maneuver Innovation Lab—the first of its kind on a U.S. Army Training & Doctrine Command (TRADOC) installation—opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Feb. 7. It is a partnership between Fort Moore’s Maneuver Battle Lab, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), the Civil-Military Innovation Institute and Columbus State.

“At the core of the Maneuver Innovation Lab lies the concept of bottom-up innovation, where soldiers are empowered to transform their ideas into prototypes and collaborate with our academic partners to drive technical solutions,” said Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, Fort Moore’s commanding general, at the lab’s opening event. “This lab fosters a culture of excellence, innovation and experimentation that will shape the future capabilities of our force.”

The lab’s opening featured remarks from senior military, academic and industry leaders, alongside live demonstrations of cutting-edge drone, robotics and experimentation projects. These projects— spearheaded by the Army’s Catalyst Pathfinder Program, Columbus State robotics engineering students and Fort Moore’s Experimentation Force—showcased the lab’s unique capabilities and potential to revolutionize the Army’s Infantry and Armor technology.

“Columbus State is looking at this as an opportunity to engage with advanced technologies, including computer science, cybersecurity, robotics engineering and artificial intelligence. It’s the advanced technology that will dominate our lives as we move forward,” Columbus State President Stuart Rayfield said.

“There is so much opportunity in this facility and the knowledge, skills and abilities coming here together,” she added. “The way that I look at this partnership is it has limitless potential.” 

BRIDGING ACADEMIC AND MILITARY INNOVATION

The MIL’s partnership with Columbus State exemplifies the lab’s role as a bridge between academia and the Army. CSU’s Robotic Engineering Program brings cutting-edge research to the lab setting with its motion-tracking system to experiment with autonomous ground and aerial robotics. The MIL provides CSU students the space and resources to design, build and experiment with robotic systems, offering them invaluable hands-on experience in a professional setting.

“This partnership with Fort Moore enhances our Robotics Engineering program and provides Columbus State students real-world experience in an Army setting,” Rayfield (pictured speaking at the ribbon-cutting) said. “It also strengthens our commitment to serving the military community and the state’s high-tech workforce needs while contributing to national defense and solidifying our reputation as a top military-friendly university.”

The MIL expands students’ hands-on experience in coding, manufacturing and 3-D printing as they work alongside soldiers on drones, robots and artificial intelligence, which, as Tuley said, will ultimately “…protect our soldiers and allow our soldiers to protect our nation.”

Rayfield said that experiential learning will be key in setting Columbus State students apart from their peers as they enter the workforce after college.

“The benefit of having a physical presence here is to allow students to engage in problem-solving and development. They’re right here on site, and they’re getting to have that experiential learning in a way we can’t provide on our campus,” she explained. “They will have experiences here [at Fort Moore] directly connected to what they want to do professionally after graduation.”

Columbus State's Spot robotic dog (Boston Dynamics) and one of its drones being demonstrated in the Maneuver Innovation Lab.

Also situated in the MIL’s physical footprint is the Design, Innovation, Research and Technology (DIRT) Lab, which uses advanced manufacturing tools to prototype solutions for unit-defined problems rapidly. Complementing this, the Maneuver Battle Lab’s Uncrewed Systems Experimentation Facility provides a controlled environment for testing small, unmanned aerial and ground systems. These integrated resources and rapid experimentation processes support the Army’s experimental force (EXFOR) in developing innovative warfighting concepts and preparing for future challenges.

The Maneuver Innovation Lab partnership has been in the works since 2024 and is part of a university-military partnership that has grown since the inception of the Robotics Engineering Program.