Interview released with the Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), UK MoD, ahead of SMi’s Military Robotics and Autonomous Systems conference 2019

SMi reports: Ahead of Military Robotics and Autonomous Systems 2019, SMi caught up with Requirements Manager, Special Projects and Counter Measures (SPSCM), DE&S, UK MoD to discuss priorities, developments and the upcoming conference

After the success of last year’s launch, SMi will host its second annual Military Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) conference, in April 2019, in London. The event will seek to further enhance and modernise the British Army’s capabilities with new emerging technologies. Emerging technologies and their implication on future land warfare are vast and understanding the main issues behind land robotics is vital.

For those who are interested in attending, there is a £200 early bird discount which will expire at Midnight on Thursday 31st January 2019, register at www.robotics-autonomous.com/vuelio2

Ahead of this year’s two-day conference, SMi interviewed Major Martin Laverack, Requirements Manager, Special Projects and Counter Measures (SPSCM), DE&S, UK MoD to discuss current developments, priorities and the upcoming event.

Read a snapshot below:

What is DE&S doing to enhance land robotics and autonomous systems?
“We have focused on innovation during our procurement of robotic systems for EOD and think we will continue to work in a similar direction. Other areas that we continue to look at are optimising communications when a robot requires to be commanded and autonomy for when it doesn’t. There will always be a balance between the two and this is an area we are keen to understand and optimise.”

What are the key areas for development in land robotics and autonomous systems?
“Communications and autonomy which I feel are linked. The ability to communicate is more than just commanding a robot to do something, that could be achieved by autonomy. Communication could be more relevant for the gaining of knowledge and the timely passing of this information is key. Within EOD the robot is used for situational awareness as well as taking control of an object. The right balance of autonomy and reliable passage of information, which may be both to and from the robot, are key. Flexibility is another area I would like to see developed, if the robot can easily be rerolled then it’s utility would be even greater. There are numerous EOD platforms in service throughout the world and the experience gained from them would provide a great in sight in to the use of robots across other areas of Defence.”

The full interview is available to download in the download centre

For those who would like to continue this important conversation with the UK MoD and network with International militaries and organisations to help drive capability forward – register for the conference at www.robotics-autonomous.com/vuelio2

Alongside the conference, there will be a half day workshop on Tuesday 2nd April which will discuss “Enhancing Dismounted Soldier Operations with Military RAS”. The pre-conference workshop will be hosted by Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Rob O’Connor, Former CO of ITDU, Pardus Defence and Security, UK. Registration for the workshop is available on the website.

Military Robotics and Autonomous Systems
3rd-4th April 2019
London, UK

Gold Sponsor: Endeavor Robotics
Sponsors: Domo Tactical Communications, Safran & Soucy Defense

To sponsor the conference contact Justin Predescu on: on +44 (0) 207 827 6130 or email jpredescu@smi-online.co.uk

For media enquiries: Contact Natasha Boumediene on nboumediene@smi-online.co.uk

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About SMi Group:
Established since 1993, the SMi Group is a global event-production company that specializes in Business-to-Business Conferences, Workshops, Masterclasses and online Communities. We create and deliver events in the Defence, Security, Energy, Utilities, Finance and Pharmaceutical industries. We pride ourselves on having access to the world’s most forward-thinking opinion leaders and visionaries, allowing us to bring our communities together to Learn, Engage, Share and Network. More information can be found at http://www.smi-online.co.uk

Source: RealWire