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European robotics developer Milrem Robotics has tested its autonomous ground robots in off-road manoeuvring through forests, open fields, and dirt roads.
The company delivered its unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS, equipped with intelligent functions kit, for autonomy trials organised by the Estonian Military Academy at the Estonian Defence Forces central training area.
The two-day trials included 11 robotics and autonomous systems developers from nine countries under the watch of Estonian Military Academy leadership as well as defence and autonomy specialists from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The system was put through increasingly complex scenarios including autonomous navigation on the road, off-road, and in a dense forest. Evaluations were made on route planning, point-to-point movement, and obstacle avoidance to determine the technological readiness of the UGV and human-machine cooperation.
Milrem Robotics chief executive officer Kuldar Väärsi said the scenarios included driving on dirt roads, small forest roads, open fields with and without high vegetation, and in the forest with moderate to severe density.
“During the two days, we showcased a really mature autonomous system that is capable of handling very complex environments, succeeding even in the densest forest,” he said.
“Autonomy is a crucial and integral part of unmanned ground systems, especially on the battlefield, since it frees up manpower for other tasks and allows soldiers to concentrate on fulfilling their mission rather than operating vehicles.”
Autonomy development is a marathon, not a sprint, and continuous improvements to reliability, features, and the UI are being made by the company’s autonomy team, Mr Väärsi said.
Robert Dougherty
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