Milrem Robotics Shines in Groundbreaking Autonomy Trials for Robotics Revolution
Milrem Robotics, a top-tier developer of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) in Europe, showcased its unmanned ground vehicle THeMIS, equipped with the company’s advanced intelligent functions kit MIFIK, during pioneering autonomy trials orchestrated by the Estonian Military Academy.
Last week, under the guidance of the Estonian Military Academy and with oversight from defence and autonomy experts hailing from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK, extensive trials for autonomous ground robots were conducted.
For two days at the central training grounds of the Estonian Defence Forces, Milrem Robotics’ intelligent ground system underwent rigorous testing through progressively intricate scenarios, while evaluators from the aforementioned nations assessed the capabilities required for autonomous navigation on paved roads, rugged terrain, and within densely wooded areas – including route planning, point-to-point travel, and obstacle evasion. These evaluations gauged the technological preparedness of the UGV and the synergy between humans and machines.
The scenarios encompassed traversal on unpaved roads, narrow forest paths, open fields—with and without significant foliage—and in wooded areas of varying densities.
“Over the course of two days, we demonstrated a highly sophisticated autonomous system capable of navigating extremely complex settings, even excelling in the thickest forests. Autonomy represents a vital and fundamental component of unmanned ground vehicles, particularly in combat zones, as it liberates personnel for other critical tasks and enables soldiers to focus on their missions instead of vehicle operations,” stated Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.
Väärsi highlighted that while Milrem’s intelligent functions can be recognized as a triumph based on the trial outcomes, the advancement of autonomy is a prolonged journey, not a quick sprint, and the company’s autonomy team is continuously enhancing reliability, features, and user interfaces, providing regular updates to clients.
The autonomy trials were hosted by the Estonian Military Academy in collaboration with various branches of the Estonian Defence Forces, featuring 11 RAS developers from nine countries along with participants from nearly 20 nations. This event received partial funding from the EDIDP integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (IMUGS) project led by Milrem Robotics, which also had its autonomy team actively involved.
