58 Digest | IDV Viking UGV Communication systems Through ATLAS and its autonomy software, Viking is designed with the potential to navigate and complete missions without any communication from its operator – important for operations in contested environments. The system is largely agnostic to communication systems, typically integrating IP mesh radios, and either recommending or fitting in with any system already in use with the defence users. Maloney points to Domo Tactical Communications’ software-defined radios, Persistent Systems’ MPU-5, and Silvus Technologies’ StreamCaster MIMO radios as being frequently chosen for use with the Viking. “Given that we’re going to be integrating into a customer’s network of crewed and uncrewed nodes, we need to be agnostic to use whatever they prefer. You can even replace the comms link with an Ethernet cable for interfacing with Viking over a wired link and it will work.” The IDV-R portfolio Most of the systems discussed on Viking can also be installed to convert crewed vehicles into autonomous ones. These have included very large defence systems, such as Mastiff protected patrol vehicles, and infantry fighting vehicles for uncrewed operations and crewed/uncrewed teams. The Terrier Combat Engineering Vehicle and a tracked loader have also been converted for autonomous obstacle construction and obstacle clearance in support of infantry and mechanised brigades. “The Terrier weighs about 40 t, and it’s the UK MoD’s only in-service, driveby-wire, heavy tracked platform, so the concept came from Army HQ that we might convert it easily, relative to nonby-wire platforms, during a two-year programme. We put MACE, ATLAS and some other systems on it, and five two-week blocks of integration trials and improvements followed, resulting in it driving autonomously using just computer vision and AI,” Maloney recounts. “We’ve also used our simulation systems for training the AI for autonomous ISTAR in MUM-T [MannedUnmanned Teaming] trials. The UGV with ISTAR payload would detect and recognise tanks, despite never actually having seen real tanks before. The ability to use computer-generated and automatically labelled images to train neural networks is improving all the time, as imagery from simulation engines becomes more realistic.” Recently working with DSTL in the UK, Viking was converted to perform autonomous CBRN reconnaissance to find safe routes through contaminated areas, and CBRN surveys to accurately delineate the geographical extent and severity of CBRN threats across an area. This required IDV-R to develop a new payload with mass spectrometers, nuclear spectrometers and other sensors, tied together with software supporting new autonomous behaviours, and interfacing with MACE and ATLAS. With all these capabilities in hand, one can expect to see Vikings continue to travel far and wide the world over. June/July 2024 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Viking UGV 6x6 wheels Diesel-electric, parallel hybrid Dimensions: 3 m x 1.8 m x 0.9 m Gross vehicle weight: 2 t Payload capacity: 750 kg Payload area: 2.2 m x 1.8 m Maximum power output: 140 kW (187 hp) Maximum speed: 45 kph Maximum range: 250 km Maximum range (electric only): 20 km Maximum gradient: 60% Some key suppliers: Chassis: Safety Devices Autonomy computer: NVidia Diesel engine: Kohler Engines Transfer box: Compact Orbital Gears Electric motor: YASA Wiring harnesses: Rockford Data links: Domo Tactical Communications Data links: Persistent Systems Data links: Silvus Technologies Specifications IDV-R has made many other vehicles autonomous, including the Terrier, the UK MoD’s only in-service, drive-by-wire, heavy tracked platform
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