Mini-UGVs Support Infantry Troops at Battlefield

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A mini, multi-purpose unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) series designed for use by armed forces has been among the latest military equipment presented during the July 2019 military parade for the French National Day.

According to armyrecognition.com, the NERVA UGV series, developed by Nexter Robotics, a subsidiary of Nexter Group, includes tiny vehicles from 47 cm to 350 mm length.

The easy-to-use and fully-waterproof NERVA LG unmanned ground vehicle, which can be fitted with either wheels or tracks, and its lightweight, open-architecture design allows carriage of different interchangeable payloads. 

The UGV can be configured for multiple roles including CBRNe (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives) detection, reconnaissance, observation, surveillance, counter-IED (improvised explosive devices) for route clearance, smoke generator, fire-fighting, transportation, and other civil security missions, according to army-technology.com. The robot has the ability to withstand shocks, vibrations and temperatures up to MIL-STD-810 standard. The UGV can be operated in both manual and semi-automatic modes. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor operations and can be used by mounted and dismounted soldiers.

The Nerva-XX is a multi-purpose medium-size robot designed to perform reconnaissance and support missions. This UGV can be fitted with different types of equipment including night vision camera, gunshot detection system, chemical detection system. The NERVA-XX can reach a speed of up to 5 km/h and has an endurance from 150 to 240 minutes.

The Nerva S is a small-sized UGV, more compact than the Nerva LG. This two-wheeled robot weighing 2 kg can be used both indoors and outdoors operations. The equipment includes a high-resolution day/IR camera and a microphone. The control range is from 200 to 500 m.