Unmanned Systems Technology Dec/Jan 2020 | Phoenix UAS | Sonar focus | Construction insight | InterGeo 2019 | Supacat ATMP | Adelan fuel cell | Oregon tour | DSEI 2019 | Copperstone Helix | Power management focus

61 Supacat hybrid ATMP | Digest fit the single-fuel policy. Nor do diesel exhaust fluids such as AdBlue, which is a mixture of urea and de-ionised water injected into the exhaust to break down oxides of nitrogen to meet the latest emissions standards. All of this means that, for the moment, the military won’t buy diesel engines that meet emissions standards more stringent than those embodied in the EU’s Euro 3 regulations. As Field explains, “We are stuck at Euro 3 level, but major manufacturers don’t make Euro 3 equipment any more because they can’t fit it to anything.” Development costs are also an issue. “To integrate a generator onto a suitable engine can be a cost driver if it’s not suitably amortised,” he adds. “We will have to see what the customer wants and when they want it.” Near-term development The next steps in the development process through the next 12 months include refining the terrain and vehicle response mapping using data gathered during remote operation, along with a gradual and selective reduction in human intervention. A further task is to link the vehicle to higher-level mission planning and GVA-compliant interfaces that support assured human-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-vehicle collaboration in partnership with like-minded organisations. Supacat also wants to evaluate the vehicle’s performance against a set of realistic tasks that will serve as benchmarks as autonomy increases over time, and it is working with prospective military and civilian users to define those tasks. “What we are looking for is help with devising five or six meaningful tasks that have autonomous parts, then to say on day one, ‘This is what we can achieve with our current sensor suite,’” Austen says. Every few months after that, the vehicle’s performance will be evaluated against the same tasks, showing the ability to pursue them without GPS, and progressively faster, better and with greater assurance, for example. Beyond ATMP, the company intends to integrate the autonomous features and electric drive into its other vehicles, such as the HMT family, and to offer the expertise gained in the process to other OEMs. Unmanned Systems Technology | December/January 2020 Supacat All-Terrain Mobility Platform Technology demonstrator (plus original vehicle specs) Unladen weight: 1950 kg (1850 kg) Payload: 1500 kg (1600 kg) Installed power: 58 kW (58 kW) Power at wheels: 51 kW (45 kW) Torque: 7830 Nm (7372 Nm) Gradeability: 100% (100%) Drawbar pull: 2.45 t (2.27 t) Acceleration: 3 m/sec 2 (2.7 m/sec 2 ) Minimum motive battery capacity: 50 kWh (0 kWh) Some key suppliers Autonomy software: University of Exeter Autonomy software: in-house Drive belts: Gates Reduction gearboxes: Brevini Hybrid electric drivetrain design: University of Exeter Hybrid electric drivetrain design: in-house Main computer: Nvidia Motor controllers: Curtis Instruments Motors: Ashwoods Specifications The motors are interior permanent magnet AC machines, and incorporate magnets directly into prefabricated slots on the rotor