The Merge E51 – Red 6 and the Military Metaverse
Oct 5, 2025
Dan Robinson, CEO of Red 6 and co-founder of the Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), shares his vision for the future of pilot training. He discusses how AR technology transforms military simulations into immersive outdoor environments. Robinson highlights the challenges of training scarcity and the need for realistic scenarios that enhance safety and readiness. He explores the integration of manned and unmanned teams in training and how data from AR can objectively measure pilot proficiency, ultimately revolutionizing the training landscape.
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Third Way Between Sim And Real Flight
- Dan Robinson identified a chronic undersupply of relevant, scalable pilot training and asked if a third way existed between live flying and simulators.
- He hypothesized AR outdoors could combine real flight dynamics with synthetic scenario scale and frequency to solve training shortfalls.
First AR Flight Around A Cube
- Dan flew a rudimentary AR prototype in 2019 that suspended a cube in the Southern California sky and felt three-dimensional while flying around it.
- That first flight shifted the team's focus from a helmet to the virtual airspace behind it.
Virtual Airspace Removes Range Limits
- ATARS creates virtual airspace so training no longer depends on physical range infrastructure or line-of-sight for long-range engagements.
- That enables secure, relevant training at scale while preserving real assets and reducing red-air needs.
