The Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) Future Capability Group (FCG) have partnered with the British Army to test the capabilities of the Ghost Robotics V60 Quadruped. Soldiers from the 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment joined forces with experts from the DE&S Expeditionary Robotics Centre of Expertise (ERCoE) to test the potential use cases of the Ghost robotic dog (also known as a quadruped) for the British Army. Developed by Ghost Robotics, the state-of-the-art system is designed to navigate complex urban and natural terrains. Boasting a top speed of 3 m/s and a max payload of 10kg, the V60 quadruped is an agile and durable all-weather ground drone. It is equipped to deploy by parachute, helicopter, and air landing.
Dave Swan, Lead Engineer, FCG Expeditionary Robotics Centre of Expertise said: “In the modern battlespace, robotics are becoming increasingly important in allowing soldiers to operate faster, for longer. The Ghost V60 quadruped offers increased situational awareness for soldiers on the ground. It has the potential to act as the eyes and ears for military personnel on the frontlines – increasing accuracy in identifying and acquiring targets. This offers many potential use cases for the British Army, from delivering mission-critical supplies, scoping out hazardous areas, or performing combat tasks that are deemed too dangerous for humans. Ultimately, the Ghost V60 quadruped is designed to reduce the risk-to-life and the burden on military personnel.”
The bio-mechanisms of the robotic dog offer interchangeable legs and arms, with potential add-ons such as Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) imaging systems. This allows the user to map out a 3D image of their environment and assess potential dangers. The robotic dog features cameras on the front, rear and sides, offering 360 views. The Ghost V60 quadruped is not an autonomous system, instead it is controlled by an operator at all times using a control pad. FCG are trialling both Boston Dynamics “SPOT” robotic dog and Ghost Robotics V60 robotic dog in several use-case areas for the frontline commands.
Ghost Robotics develops unstoppable, agile and all-weather autonomous 4-leg robots (quadrupedal or Q-UGVs) offering superior operability over wheeled and tracked devices on unstructured terrain in rough and demanding environments. Since 2015, Ghost Robotics has been focused on building a Q-UGV that is the best-in-class, working hand-in-hand with our customers, not just throwing a robot onto the market from the lab. Useful and scalable technology takes time, and Ghost is committed to building the very best platform for defense contractors, technology innovators, and systems integrators to deliver solutions their customers need. Ghost Robotics provides solutions for commercial and military partners and their ever-changing demands.
