Sherpa UGV has been tested by the British Army as part of a series of trials focusing on robotics and autonomous systems and how they can help the Army be ready for the challenges of the future.
On manoeuvres – Sherpa UGV being trialled at the Centre for Homeland Security, Oxfordshire
Entitled Autonomous Warrior (Land), Army Warfighting Experiment 18 is a study of how robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) technologies can be exploited in the land environment and will inform the Army’s future RAS strategy.
Sherpa UGV was demonstrated traversing different terrain at an event held at the Centre for Homeland Security in Oxfordshire on 10th May. The remote-controlled, all-terrain vehicle is versatile, compact and designed for reconnaissance, logistical support, medevac, CBRN and EOD.
Smith Engineering is taking part in AWE 18 as part of a team of companies led by Digital Concepts Engineering Ltd (DCE) www.dconcepts.co.uk . Based on the successful MoonBuggy platform, Sherpa UGV is fitted with DCE’s Marionette control system. Marionette uses high reliability design techniques, military-grade software standards and an iterative design and integration programme. The modularity of the system allows rapid integration into nearly any vehicle type. It has been successfully deployed in platforms ranging from 20kg to 3500kg and is in service as a replacement architecture for the military Wheelbarrow EOD platform and is incorporated into Smith Engineering’s Nuclear First Response robotic platform.
Further AWE 18 trials are set to take place in Autumn 2018.