Integrating UGVs in HLS Operations

This post is also available in: עברית (Hebrew)

By Amos Goren

CEO, Automotive Robotic Industry

UGV market Players

Police UGV: The only UGV success story to date are police oriented missions – EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) that requires a man in the loop and has limited markets.

Military UGV: The safety requirements and the technology of autonomous swarms of UGVs that could replace tank battalions or infantry brigades are yet not mature. They are “science fiction” and are not able to perform autonomous operations like: Decision making, diverse missions, swarms, obstacle avoiding, navigation, communication, cyber defence and operate lethal weapons in severe surface and in combat. Due to the military conservativeness that requires mature and proven technology, most UGV’s operations in combat still need human decisions.

Security UG: Technologies and abilities today enable quality and economic replacement of part of the human security patrols in routine missions of critical infrastructure perimeters and borders.

Security missions fit like a glove to a hand.

The perimeter of critical infrastructures and borders requires deploying limited security measurements on wide area and at any given time, while attacking these infrastructures will focus timely on vulnerable points. Therefore there is an importance for the security of these infrastructures to enforce the fixed prevention means and sensors and add dynamic systems to detect, prevent, delay or eliminate the threat before it hits the secured infrastructure. The UGV allows addressing each of these capabilities.

How to assimilate UGVs

The first step of the Defence Ministry to assimilate UGVs should be by implementing UGV solutions in security missions.

Most offense operations are unique while most defence operations are routine. Soldiers fail in routine missions while Robots are made for it. Therefore the best UGVs usages are in routine defence missions that will use the security UGV advantages.

UGV advantages in security operations :

• Always on Guard
• Chief eyes on the scene
• Save human lives
• Cost effective
• Safe, Precise and reliable performance
• Simple COTS components to operate and maintain
• Part of a security holistic solution
• Extension use by remote control
• No need for regulations, Mil-spec and ITAR
• Military UGVs could be tested in battle approximately once in decade, while security UGV’s could be tested just after its first operation

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

UGV costs:

• Millitery UGV +/- US$1 million
• Security UGV +/- US$0.25 Milion
• Cost of manned security patrol +/- US$0.5 Milion per year.

UGV operation

Operating Autonomous team of UGVs in critical infrastructure will upgrade the three elements of the security layouts:

• Dynamic Prevention of threats in routine operations
• Location and verification of threats
• First response to eliminate threats

• At all of these elements the UGV’s team will operate with better reliability, promptness and accuracy and cover wider aria than manned security patrol.
• The UGV’s team will supply to the security management real-time video information of positive identification and recognition of threats while ignoring false alarms.
• The UGV’s team will allow first, prompt and accurate response better than manned security patrol.

Security failures

Security routine missions where soldiers bungle where UGVs should been operated.

Guerilla attack Amenas gas field in Aegir 2013:

Reasons for the failures:

• Erosion of security soldiers resulting in disrespect and inattention.
• Lack of real time picture of the scene by the commander
• Risk to human lives
• High cost and low reliability

The condition to success of UGV integration in security layout:

• Low expectation, limited and simple autonomous and collaborative
• Routine and repeated missions correlated with the UGV abilities
• Fenced and secure site for safety UGV operation
• Security team that believes in integration of advanced technology
• Simple control, cost reduction and low maintenance
• Operator confidence in the reliability, safety and control of the systems
• UGV must augment current capabilities for power multiplier
• Take no risks

Schematic plan of UGV team in Air-Port security lay-out

In a secured airport the UGV teams will operate between the fences for addition dynamic and depth dimensions and replace manned patrols in cooperation with advanced technology systems like: Smart fences, VMD cameras, radars and act as first response Autonomous Fire Distinguisher.

In an AirPort that is not equipped with all these systems the UGV team will replace also the smart fence, VMD cameras and radars in prevention, detection and response to threats.