IAI develops ground-to-air robot system for border surveillance
The system combines a ground robot with drone operations; the defense firm also unveils a new tactical radar aerial system with 360-degree coverage
Shoshanna Solomon was The Times of Israel's Startups and Business reporter
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has developed a new hybrid robotic system for reconnaissance and surveillance of borders that combines land and aerial capabilities.
The system allows continuous operation under “complex and challenging” conditions, without risking lives, and helps armies and governments cope with changes in modern battlefield threats, the company said on a statement.
The system’s design is combines a ground robot and a small drone: the RoBattle UGV is a robotic terrain-vehicle that has advanced maneuverability capabilities. The vehicle is designed to handle missions under tough conditions and has an advanced autonomous system that lets the vehicle orient itself in the field with real-time 3D mapping and decision support systems.
The RoBattle drives autonomously between points of interest to perform a variety of objectives: observation, detection and attack. In addition, the vehicle sends real-time video on demand, and alerts to any irregularities in real time to command and control centers.
The BirdEye 650D is a small advanced and unmanned tactical aerial robot that can undertake missions including intelligence collection, surveillance and reconnaissance at a range of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles). The BirdEye enables continuous communication between the RoBattle and the command post as well as superior real-time intelligence during day and night. Being an automatic and autonomous aerial vehicle with extremely low noise and visual signature, it is very difficult to detect, the IAI said.
Both systems have embedded sensors, and they offer remotely controlled lethal capabilities from an advanced command and control center that can be located far from the operational area.
“The RoBattle and BirdEye 650D integration is another major step forward in unmanned solutions,” said Shaul Shahar, IAI EVP and general manager of IAI’s Military Aircraft Group. “The synergy between the different domain platforms allows us to use the advantages of each one of them, and provide an adequate response to the challenges of the future battlefield.”
At the Eurosatory exhibition, a defense and security trade fair in Paris, IAI also unveiled a new air defense radar, that can be easily transported and is able to provide 360-degree coverage. The company said it has already signed a first contract for the sale of five radars with a European customer who will integrate the products into an airspace surveillance system by the end of 2019.
