URBOT MPRS

Man-Portable Robotic System (2004)

Land Systems / Battlefield

1 / 1

The URBOT is a small, tracked robotic system intended to identify potential IED threats at range.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/14/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

To counter the deadly threat of hidden explosives in urban environments, the US Department of Defense forged ahead with development of a camera-carrying tracked robotic system intended to remove the human risk. This initiative gave rise to the "Unmanned Ground Vehicle/Systems Joint Program Office" (UGV/S JPO) charged with producing a viable end-product for the project. The goal was to produce a robot capable of remote-control traversal of urban indoor/outdoor environments as required. The result became the URBOT based on the Foster-Miller "Lemming" and evaluations with US Army representatives were held as early as 1999.

The URBOT consists of a centralized chassis/hull incorporating the drivetrain, camera and response/navigational facilities. The hull is straddled by a short track system for uneven terrain traversal. The URBOT incorporates its own headlights for low-light/no-light work and its camera function is integrated into the design. Operation is via a remote-control unit from an operator well-removed of danger. A speaker system allows for verbal communication with any parties spotted in the URBOT's video feed. Communications to and from the URBOT unit itself are wholly wireless which does away with any tangling of lines. Due to its rather basic design, the URBOT can operate either rightside-up or upside-down so no complicated internal balancing measures are required in its construction (the camera facilities are doubled along both top and bottom hull panels for this very reason).

The URBOT has proven useful to bomb disposal units charged with identifying potential battlefield threats while also doubling as an ad hoc reconnaissance element in urban settings across the Iraqi Theater during Operation Iraqi Freedom. It is proposed that the URBOT will eventually be developed into a "field surgeon" form as well as an armed "hunter-killer" model.

Specifications

Service Year

2004

Origin

United States

Crew

1
CREWMEN

Production

25
UNITS

Foster-Miller - USA

(View other Vehicle-Related Manufacturers)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Special Purpose
Special purpose design developed to accomplish an equally-special battlefield role or roles.

Powerplant: Not Available.

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base URBOT MPRS production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)

None.

Not Applicable.

URBOT - Base Series Designation

Military lapel ribbon for the American Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of the Bulge

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Kursk

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental military vehicles

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2021 Military Pay Scale Army Ranks Navy Ranks Air Force Ranks Alphabet Code DoD Dictionary American War Deaths French Military Victories Vietnam War Casualties

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.