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British soldiers also controlled an all-terrain 4x4 vehicle with an Xbox controller in the week-long joint exercise in Michigan. The UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and the US Army’s Research, Development and Engineering Command said the trials showed a glimpse of the future.
Military chiefs are keen to transform the coordination and delivery of supplies to frontline operations, aiming to reduce risk to troops and provide on-demand food, fuel or ammunition with autonomous technology.
“One hundred years ago we pioneered tank warfare with our US allies, and today we remain right at the forefront of military technology together,” said defence minister Harriett Baldwin. “This exercise has proven the success of our ongoing investment in science and technology as we see concepts becoming reality.”
During the demonstration, the first in a three-year project to bring concepts to reality, a British Army MAN SV six-tonne truck led an unmanned, three-vehicle convoy. Two US Light Medium Tactical Vehicles followed at speeds of up to 25mph, using integrated robotics to make decisions about speed, steering and other functions.
The armies also tested British company Malloy Aeronautics’ so-called Hoverbike, an advanced prototype quadcopter drone capable of delivering more than 100kg of supplies. Unveiled for the first time, the drone is controlled with a simple tablet computer and could also find use in humanitarian and disaster relief missions.
A joint UK-US team also remotely operated a Polaris MRZR 4x4 vehicle with an adapted Xbox controller across the bumpy test-ground terrain.
The tests follow a communique signed by the two countries in 2014 for the development of autonomous technology for the most dangerous “last mile” resupplies. The technology “could one day reduce the burden on and risk to the military user, while improving logistics efficiencies and interoperability,” said Pete Stockel from the DSTL.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.