Darius Antanaitis, CEO of Ostaralab
Lithuania-based Ostaralab is involved in specialized projects such as developing hybrid vehicle solutions for off-road applications. The company has created Krampus, an all-terrain vehicle ideal for security, defence or industrial needs; and offers various types of trailers for off-road vehicles. In an interview with Aeromag, Darius Antanaitis, CEO of Ostaralab, provides an insight into the company’s operations and reveals its plans for the future.
Ostaralab has experience in developing hybrid vehicle solutions for off-road applications. Could you tell us about the inception and evolution of the company and major milestones so far?
I have a military background, serving 16 years as a Lithuanian Army infantry officer, including combat and peace missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. After demobilization, I founded a private company which provided a range of services in the defence sphere as well as represented international defence companies in Lithuania. Around 15 years ago, we developed FAMOS (Fast Mortar Support), a light mobile mortar carrier based on a commercial all-terrain vehicle. Although FAMOS initially received interest from the military, they later stressed the need for military-grade certified vehicles over civilian commercial platforms. Therefore, we decisively moved towards the development of a completely new vehicle which would include the best features of mobility, progressive hybrid propulsion and partial autonomy. This decision led us to the eight-year-long Krampus project.
The Krampus all-terrain vehicle is a prestigious project of Ostaralab. What makes it ideal for security, defence or industrial needs?
Krampus provides versatility for use in any area. Hybrid diesel-electric propulsion is indispensable in military use. The diesel generator ensures 1,000 km range, with 200 km in silent battery mode.
A half-ton payload would accommodate any standard weapon station or set of sensors, which makes Krampus ideally suitable for security or force protection missions.
Moreover, the vehicle can run in semi/full autonomous modes, offering a wide range of options to use it in dangerous/hazardous areas, such as chemical or mining industries, where no one wants to put human personnel in harm’s way.
What are the features of the Krampus-MK1? What is the current status of the project?
Krampus-Mk1 project has reached technology readiness level 7. Which means that we are ready for its technology export to industrial partners who are interested in pre-series or serial production.
Ostaralab offers various types of trailers for off-road vehicles. Could you tell us more?
Many business ideas come from daily routines. For years, I have been renting camper vans for family trips to weekend music festivals, although my family did not need many of the amenities in those expensive camper vans.
That’s how the idea of our first foldable trailer – Trollhuset (Troll’s house) – came out. Trollhuset’s foldable cabin provides insulated shelter for any user – it could be either a miniature holiday home for adventurers or a small military command and control post. We have also developed and certified multipurpose all-terrain trailers for SUVs or small-sized military vehicles.
One of our trailers will soon become a platform for landmine dissemination equipment – this is a project we pursue together with an international partner.
Developing technology for the future of mobility is one of the main objectives of the company. Could you elaborate on your tech projects?
We are working on double-purpose projects which can be implemented in military and civilian life. By doing so, we are able to decrease the project cost as well as final product price and offer customers a final product that is balanced and cost-effective.
What are the immediate goals ahead for Ostaralab? What are the expansion plans?
We are looking for investors and partners to work together on common projects with opportunities to transfer technologies.
What are the main upcoming global events to be attended by Ostaralab? How do you look at these expos?
We are now focused on the participation at the main event in the European defence industry – the biannual international exhibition Eurosatory in Paris, France.
Such events provide us a unique opportunity to not only introduce our products, but also to receive immediate feedback and reactions from potential customers, establish new contacts with possible investors and breathe in fresh ideas.
