Threat detector

Cranfield University researchers have been chosen as part of a team for the MOD’s first “Grand Challenge” – a national competition to design an autonomous robot that can identify, monitor and report military threats in urban areas.

“Team Stellar” combines both local technology firms, Blue Bear Systems Research (Bedford) and Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems (Luton), and Cranfield University academics in a wider partnership with Marshall SV, Stellar Research and TRW Conekt.

The team has just 12 months to carry out an ambitious task to produce their system, which will be  comprised of two unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV). 

Next summer, at Copehill Down training facility in Wiltshire, the robots will be judged on tackling four common threats including a road-side bomb, marksman from a window, a group of armed military personnel, and an armed vehicle with a rocket launcher.