Unmanned Systems Technology 023 I Milrem Multiscope I Wireless charging I Logistics insight I InterGeo, CUAV London & USA show reports I VideoRay Defender I OS Engines GR400U-FI I Ultrabeam Hydrographic Ultra-2 I IMUs

26 adapters can be bolted. They are also interconnected with power and data cables, although the drive systems are mechanically independent. In the left-hand track unit (when viewed from behind) is a liquid-cooled diesel generator from Caterpillar, Perkins or Kubota depending on the regional market and customer preference; air intake and exhaust systems; the radiator and electric fan that cool the diesel engine; a second heat exchanger that cools the drive motor; and a 24 litre fuel tank. The right-hand track unit contains the battery pack, which at the moment consists of eight lead-acid absorbent glass matt (AGM) batteries connected in parallel and managed by a dedicated battery control module. Also in this unit are the main vehicle control computer and the command and control radio equipment, along with the right-side drive motor and its cooling system. Chief mechanical engineer Lauri Jurgen explains that the selection process for materials and components is influenced by the many stakeholders in the company, including the r&d, testing, quality control and purchasing departments. “When the design is finished, it goes to the prototyping and testing phases, with the quality department monitoring the process throughout,” he says. Milrem is a young company – its employees have an average age of 27 – and many of the engineers have an IT background in addition to experience in electric vehicles and even the space sector. “These are people who know what they need and can make tools for themselves,” Jurgen says. “This is about streamlining processes and decision-making.” Manufacturing and assembly The only part of the manufacturing process that Milrem carries out in-house is final assembly, as all the components and subsystems come from outside suppliers. Jürgen explains that they use a lot of sheet metal because it is cost-effective, and their suppliers use processes such as laser cutting, bending and welding, but try to avoid milling December/January 2019 | Unmanned Systems Technology The Multiscope’s modularity extends to joining two or more vehicles together, either rigidly or in articulated form (Courtesy of Milrem) Developing military applications for the THeMIS first exposes the vehicle to various harsh environmental and operational conditions (Courtesy of Milrem)