U.S. Army tests autonomous military robots / Vehicles operate in groups and identify targets without GPS

In October, the United States Army tested four autonomous ground vehicles at Fort Knox, Kentucky, as part of DARPA’s RACER program. The robots can explore difficult terrain, operate individually or in groups, and identify potential targets without using the GPS system, while soldiers remain at a distance.

The vehicles build their own maps of the area using sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms. The tests included four-wheeled platforms and tracked vehicles designed to operate even when communications or navigation signals are disrupted.

In one demonstration, a robot detected a suspicious object concealing a drone and transmitted the information to the operator. The soldier analyzed the situation and approved a simulated missile strike. Thus, the systems can locate and report targets, but the decision to use weapons still belongs to a human operator.

The RACER program is based on approximately five years of research and lessons from the war in Ukraine, where unmanned vehicles are used for reconnaissance, transport, and evacuation. DARPA aims to develop platforms capable of operating in deserts, forests, swamps, or snow, including in areas without communications or GPS.