In the Kharkiv sector, the Lava Unmanned Systems Regiment of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine’s Khartiia carried out an autonomous logistics mission using a ground robotic complex with Apex.AI artificial intelligence. The unit reported this on Facebook.
Thanks to the integration of AI with the UGV platform, the vehicle covered 93% of the 20-kilometre route without an operator. The operator took control only for a 1.4-kilometre stretch.
The technology works as follows: first, a specialised UGV drives the route and uses a lidar (from Light Detection and Ranging — a technology for measuring distance using laser pulses) to scan the terrain and create a 3D model of it.
The main vehicle then moves along this model. Cameras recognise the road, verges and obstacles in real time, and the AI makes decisions. The operator can adjust the track and set the speed on certain sections, but continuous manual driving is no longer required.
The technology makes it possible to use robotic complexes even with unstable communications or problems with Starlink. Autonomous movement also makes it easier to pass through sections where it is difficult for an operator to control the robot at high speed or where the connection may drop out, said Andrii “Mathematician” Kopach, commander of the regiment’s UGV battalion.
“This mission showed that autonomous ground systems are already ready for real combat conditions. The most important change is that the operator stops being a driver and becomes a dispatcher. He does not drive the vehicle every second, but monitors its movement and intervenes only where necessary. The ultimate goal is one dispatcher for several UGVs at the same time,” Andrii “Mathematician” Kopach emphasises.
The software solution is being developed by Apex AI. The Lava Regiment contributed to shaping the technical requirements and field testing.
Read alsoRobotisation of the kill zone: the story of UGV use and today’s challenges and tasks
At present, the main area of application for the technology is logistics — one of the most common types of missions for military units. At the same time, the Lava Regiment believes that autonomous systems could deliver the greatest benefit during the evacuation of the wounded, when it is important to increase the chances of safely completing the task and returning the robotic complex.
“The next stage is evacuation. When similar UGVs come into widespread use, personnel will be able to carry out significantly more runs. It is also important that AI-enabled UGVs are less dependent on a constant control channel — for example, on Starlink,” “Mathematician” predicts.
The 21st Unmanned Systems Regiment Lava of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine’s Khartiia carries out combat missions in the Kupiansk and Kharkiv sectors. The regiment brings together aerial reconnaissance and strike drones, ground robotic complexes, the ISTAR system and its own R&D laboratories into a single organism that provides a technological advantage on the battlefield.