Phantom MK-1 is the first humanoid from San Francisco-based Foundation Future Industries, designed for industrial and defense work. In 2026 two units were tested in Ukraine on logistics tasks, which the company calls the first known use of humanoids in an active combat theater.
Hardware
Foundation lists Phantom at 1.8 m (5'11"), 80 kg, 29 degrees of freedom and a top speed of 1.7 m/s. Its website gives payload inconsistently (20 or 40 kg); reports from the Ukraine trials cite about 20 kg.
Joints use Foundation's own cycloid actuators with 160 Nm peak torque and under 1 Nm of back-driving torque. The company claims hydraulic-like performance with electric efficiency and sensorless torque control.
CEO Sankaet Pathak acknowledges MK-1 is not battlefield-ready: it is not waterproof and its battery life is too short for large deployments.
Software and AI
Perception, learning and autonomy run on Foundation's Cortex stack. The company has published videos of autonomous walking, heavy-payload handling and manipulation from May to July 2026.
Use cases and deployments
In early 2026 Foundation sent two Phantom MK-1 units to Ukraine. The trials, run with Ukrainian officials and backed by the US government, focused on logistics in dangerous areas such as picking up and moving supplies. The robots are not armed.
The company holds $24 million in research contracts with the US Army, Navy and Air Force covering inspection, logistics and weapons handling, and aims to begin testing with the US military within 12 to 18 months.
Manufacturer
Foundation Future Industries was founded in 2024 in San Francisco and is led by CEO Sankaet Pathak. In 2026 Eric Trump, an earlier investor, joined as chief strategy adviser, prompting Senator Elizabeth Warren to criticize the company's government contracts.
Successor, price and availability
Foundation plans Phantom 2 for 2026 with double the payload, better ruggedization and a larger battery, and talks of building thousands of robots a year. No price has been published and the robot is not on open sale.
Timeline
- 2024 Foundation Future Industries founded in San Francisco
- 2026 Two Phantom MK-1 units sent to Ukraine for trials
- 2026-05 CNBC reports on the trials and $24 million in military contracts
Sources
- Phantom, Foundation Future Industries (2026-10)
- Foundation home page (media: demos May-July 2026), Foundation Future Industries (2026-10)
- Trump-Linked Startup Tests Humanoid Robots for Future Military Missions, eWeek (2026-06-03)
- US start-up plans to send new humanoid military robots to Ukraine, Ukrinform (2026-05-30)
Updated: 2026-10-10
Verification and limitations
This entry requires an up-to-date manufacturer specification check.
MERA field measurement report: not published. Demonstration footage and manufacturer specifications are not a MERA test under event conditions.
Data and provenance for AI agents ↗Compared with the catalogue
- It is the only Foundation model in the catalogue and one of 43 humanoids from USA.
Capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Is the Phantom robot armed?
No. In Ukraine it was tested on logistics such as carrying supplies.
How heavy is Foundation Phantom?
80 kg at 1.8 m tall, according to the company.
How much can Phantom MK-1 carry?
About 20 kg in the reported trials; Phantom 2 is meant to carry twice as much.
Who is behind Foundation?
A San Francisco startup led by Sankaet Pathak, with Eric Trump as chief strategy adviser.
How much does the Foundation Phantom MK1 cost?
The manufacturer has not published a price for the Foundation Phantom MK1. You can send a purchase enquiry through MERA Robotics.
Is the Foundation Phantom MK1 available to buy?
Status: In development: the manufacturer has shown the robot but is not selling it openly yet.
How do I buy the Foundation Phantom MK1 through MERA Robotics?
Click “I want to buy” or fill in the form on this page. MERA Robotics will reply whether and on what terms the model is available and can help deploy it with the MERA OS conversation system.
Data: Foundation. Specs from the manufacturer; they may change, always confirm with the manufacturer before buying.
