Russian Robotic Platform Autonomously Covers 18 Miles Of Rough Terrain In Test - Developer

Russian robotic unit, named Marker by its developers at the Foundation for Advanced Research Projects (FPI), has completed the first leg of its trial by autonomously crossing 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of terrain, the defense ministry subsidiary told Sputnik

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2020) Russian robotic unit, named Marker by its developers at the Foundation for Advanced Research Projects (FPI), has completed the first leg of its trial by autonomously crossing 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) of terrain, the defense ministry subsidiary told Sputnik.

"As part of the development of control systems, the Russian experimental robotic platform Marker overcame a 30-kilometer route. The tests were carried out in the Chelyabinsk region," the Foundation said.

Marker, a versatile six-wheel platform with interchangeable parts, was given two coordinate points in the outback of the Chelyabinsk wilderness. The experimental unit had to independently work out a route between them and update it in real-time depending on obstacles in the way, the FPI explained.

Marker made its way through ditches, thickets and bog.

"The technical characteristics of the platform provide the possibility of autonomous operation for up to 48 hours on paved roads and up to 24 hours on rough terrain. In the next tests, the Marker platform will have to cover 50, 100 and 200-kilometer routes," the fund said.

The FPI has been working on the project since 2018 and is set to ready five complete units by July 2021. The project is helping the defensive corporation accrue valuable experience in developing and manufacturing semi-autonomous robotic technologies in the areas of optics, group navigation and more.