Milrem UGV Completes Ground Robotics Autonomy Trials

The intelligent ground system was put to the test throughout increasingly complex scenarios including driving on dirt roads, small forest roads and open fields By Joseph Macey / 10 Jul 2023

Military UGV Unmanned Ground Vehicle

Discover cutting-edge solutions from leading global suppliers
SUPPLIER SPOTLIGHT
THeMIS UGV Completes First-of-its-Kind Ground Robotics Autonomy Trials
Follow DA

Milrem Robotics unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) THeMIS, equipped with the company’s intelligent functions kit MIFIK, has participated in the first-of-its-kind autonomy trials.

Trials of the autonomous ground robots took place under the leadership of the Estonian Military Academy and the supervision of defense and autonomy specialists from Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK.

For two days at the Estonian Defence Forces central training area, Milrem Robotics’ intelligent ground system was put to the test throughout increasingly complex scenarios during which observers from the aforementioned countries evaluated the elements needed to autonomously navigate on the road, off-road and in a dense forest, route planning, point-to-point movement, and obstacle avoidance. The tests assessed the technological readiness of the UGV and human-machine cooperation.

The scenarios included driving on dirt roads, small forest roads, open fields with and without high vegetation and in the forest with moderate to severe density.

“During the two days, we showcased a really mature autonomous system that is capable of handling very complex environments, succeeding even in the densest forest. Autonomy is a crucial and integral part of unmanned ground systems, especially on the battlefield, since it frees up manpower for other tasks and allows soldiers to concentrate on fulfilling their mission rather than operating vehicles,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.

Väärsi emphasized that although Milrem’s intelligent functions can be hailed as a success based on the trials, autonomy development is a marathon, not a sprint and continuous improvements to reliability, features and the UI are being made by the company’s autonomy team and operatively delivered to customers via regular updates.

The autonomy trials were organized by the Estonian Military Academy in cooperation with other units of the Estonian Defence Forces and included 11 RAS developers from nine countries and visitors from nearly 20 countries.

The event was partially funded by the Milrem Robotics’ led EDIDP integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (IMUGS) project and included the project’s autonomy team as a participant.

Posted by Joseph Macey Connect & Contact

Latest Articles

The Importance of VPX Development Chassis for Defense Platforms

LCR explains how VPX development chassis support high-power payloads with advanced cooling options, while accelerating application development for critical embedded systems

Jun 13, 2025
Troposcatter Communication System Debuts in Asia Pacific at Indo Defence

Spectra Group introduces its mobile, satellite-independent Troposcatter on the Move system at Indo Defence 2025, enhancing resilient communications across maritime and littoral environments

Jun 13, 2025
UK MOD & GA-ASI Finalize Sustainment Contract for MQ-9B-Based Protector RG Mk1

The UK MOD and GA-ASI have signed a contract to support and sustain the RAF’s Protector RG Mk1, based on the MQ-9B

Jun 12, 2025
Neousys Brings Rugged Edge AI to IDET 2025 with Elvac

Neousys Technology displayed its rugged edge AI computers at IDET 2025, partnering with Elvac to showcase advanced solutions for armored vehicles, security drones, and UGVs

Jun 12, 2025
Advanced Unmanned Helicopter Systems for Critical Defense & Government Missions

Defense Advancement is showcasing Sabrobotix advanced unmanned helicopter platforms for mission-critical defense and government applications

Jun 12, 2025
Trillium Launches Advanced Gimbal for Medium & Long Range Reconnaissance

Trillium Engineering’s new HD45 LV R delivers advanced imaging performance in an ultra-light gimbal, optimized for long range and medium range ISR missions

Jun 11, 2025

Featured Content

Trillium Launches Advanced Gimbal for Medium & Long Range Reconnaissance

Trillium Engineering’s new HD45 LV R delivers advanced imaging performance in an ultra-light gimbal, optimized for long range and medium range ISR missions

Jun 11, 2025
Honeywell Unveils New Lightweight Tactical-Grade IMU

Honeywell has launched the HG3900 IMU, a compact tactical-grade unit with reduced size and power consumption while maintaining near-navigation-grade performance levels

Jun 10, 2025
Teledyne Marine Showcases Integrated Maritime Security Capabilities at SeaSEC Challenge 2025

Teledyne Marine joined SeaSEC Challenge 2025 to demonstrate integrated sonar, acoustic, and AUV technologies in live maritime threat scenarios, supporting international efforts to protect critical underwater infrastructure

Jun 05, 2025
Advancing Defense Capability Through Strategic Collaboration Defense Advancement works with major OEMs to foster collaboration and increase engagement with SMEs, to accelerate innovation and drive defense capabilities forward.