UGV-Unmanned Grunts Into Harm's Way

摘要

Just like its airborne counterpart, the UAV or drones, the unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) has undergone rapid development for the past one decade to meet the current needs of the ground forces. Today's UGV are no longer restricted to only surveillance or reconnaissance duty but also to include operational support and combat duties including explosives and bomb disabling. One of the sole purposes of these vehicles is to replace humans in hazardous situations such as reconnaissance work, monitoring buildings and infrastructures, border surveillance, search and rescue missions and goods transport and today, explosive ordnance disposal and mine clearance. According to Carafano & Gudgel, robots have disarmed over 1,000 roadside bombs in Iraq at the end of 2005. Currently, UGVs are also being used in Japan to repair nuclear reactors that are still emitting too much radiation to warrant a human presence. Aside, the UGVs are also being developed for peacekeeping operations, ground surveillance, gatekeeper/checkpoint operations, urban street presence, and to enhance police and military raids in urban settings. UGVs can "draw first fire" from insurgents-reducing military and police casualties. Furthermore, UGVs are now being used in rescue and recovery missions.