Carnegie Mellon lead team selected to build and test a robotic tactical unmanned ground vehicle

Citation

(2003), "Carnegie Mellon lead team selected to build and test a robotic tactical unmanned ground vehicle", Industrial Robot, Vol. 30 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2003.04930fab.002

Carnegie Mellon lead team selected to build and test a robotic tactical unmanned ground vehicle

Carnegie Mellon lead team selected to build and test a robotic tactical unmanned ground vehicle

Keywords: Robots, Military, Unmanned vehicle

UQM Technologies, Inc., a developer of alternative energy technologies, has announced that it will serve as lead vehicle propulsion and drive train developer on a Phase II, $2.3 million contract awarded by the Office of Naval Research to Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Consortium (NREC) to continue development of the US Marines Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle (TUGV).

The NREC-lead team, which was awarded the Phase I contract in June 2002, consists of The Boeing Co., (Chicago), Timoney Technology Ltd (Meath, Ireland), Tadiran Electronic Systems Ltd (Holon, Israel) and UQM Technologies, Inc. During the 14-month Phase II program, the NREC lead team will complete the design of the vehicle, assemble a prototype and conduct operational demonstrations early in 2004. Initial fielding of TUGV is expected in 2006. The NREC will develop the vehicle's core robotic capabilities, and lead the integration and field validation of the prototype TUGV. Boeing will build the composite hull and payload and provide life cycle analysis expertise. Timoney will design and build the vehicle suspension. Tadiran will develop the operator control unit (OCU) and communications systems. UQM will lead vehicle propulsion and drive train development.

The TUGV is planned as a robust, easy to transport, unmanned, semi-autonomous, multi-purpose ground vehicle system possessing a scouting and direct engagement capability. It will provide the marines with remote reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) reconnaissance, obstacle breaching, and direct fire capability to neutralize threats and reduce risk to the war fighter. For more information on the TUGV program visit http://www.onr.navy.mil/fncs/auto_ops/tugv/

"We are pleased to be part of the NERC Excalibur Team as this program moves from the conceptual design stage to the construction and operational demonstration of the TUGV. Our high performance propulsion motors and controls and our breadth of experience in hybrid electric power system development and application will contribute to the success of this exciting vehicle," said William G. Rankin. UQM Technologies' President and Chief Executive Officer.

Dimitrios Apostolopolous, Carnegie Mellon Systems Scientist and Excalibur Project Manager said, "We believe that our high-mobility vehicle platform, state-of-the-art OCU and flexible payload capability will convincingly address the needs of the TUGV program. Team Excalibur is poised to deliver a complete system solution to the Marines."

The TUGV program is the second unmanned vehicle design and build effort led by the NREC. The other, being developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is Spinner, a 6 ton, highly durable, invertible 6WD vehicle powered by UQM(R) propulsion systems, suitable for unmanned, armed reconnaissance missions integral to the US Army's Future Combat System.

For more details, visit the Web sites: http://www.onr.navy.mil/fncs/auto_ops/tugv and http://www.uqm.com/