Autonomous robots scoop military prize
A
Cranfield University product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 25, 2008
Team Stellar battled against ten other competitors from across the UK to successfully tackle a series of common threats.
Team Stellar has won first place in the MoD Grand Challenge competition, producing the best autonomous robots that can identify, monitor and report military threats faced by UK troops.
The technology, comprising two flying unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) has been developed by engineering experts from Cranfield University, Blue Bear Systems Research, Selex Galileo, Marshall SDG, Stellar Research Services and TRW Conekt.
As part of the intensive two-week contest, Team Stellar battled against ten other competitors from across the UK to successfully tackle a series of common threats including a roadside bomb, a marksman from a window, group of armed military personnel and an armed vehicle with a rocket launcher.
The judges presented the proud winners with the RJ Mitchell Trophy, named after the WWII Spitfire fighter plane which earned its legendary status for its role in the Battle of Britain.
The trophy is made with aluminium alloy from one of the few remaining Spitfires.
The MoD will now consider the team's robots for further development, potentially leading to use in real front line combat situations by the Armed Forces.
Cranfield University Engineer, Dr Toby Breckon, said: "Over the last year we have all put in a great deal of effort into developing the technology, but I believe our success as a team is due to our unique mix of expertise, spanning business, industry and academia".
"The competition has been tough, but we are delighted, both to have won, and to be one step further towards helping our troops stay safer and become better prepared to deal with potential threats encountered on overseas operations".
Cranfield's input into Team Stellar has involved the creation of computer-based software for automatic target recognition and co-ordination of vehicle guidance and execution.
Blue Bear Systems Research designed both UAV systems and their associated control and avionics systems, and Selex Galileo was involved with overall system integration and development of the project's ground control station.
Stellar Research Services put the team together and lead the team, while Marshall SDG provided the UGV, and TRW Conekt designed the route guidance, obstacle and threat sensors for the UGV.
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