NREC is completing two weeks of testing of Crusher operating autonomously under US Army soldier guidance at Ft. Bliss, TX. Under the DARPA TTO UPI Program, Crusher has been operating over 100km2 of Ft. Bliss terrain following missions planned and executed by Ft. Bliss-based soldiers, including defining Main and Alternate Supply Routes, determining and clearing locations to establish Forward Operating Bases, performing Route Reconnaissance, and maneuvering between Checkpoints and Observation Posts. Maneuvers including on-road, off-road in dunes, off-road in washes, off-road at the edges of mountains clearing caves, and in urban environments (MOUT). Soldiers created missions, executed and oversaw autonomous and teleoperation modes of Crusher operation, and operated Crusher payloads. DARPA and NREC monitored autonomous performance. Over 100km (and counting) of autonomous maneuver was logged. In addition to remote operation of Crusher from the UPI Command Post, Crusher’s systems and payloads could also be controlled from an iPod-based handheld controller.
Bliss 08 Night Run Video [1]
Bliss 08 Rough Off Road Video [2]
