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Air Force Seeks EOD Small Robots Development

As the primary source of expert guidance for EOD functional issues and concerns, the AFCEC/CXD EOD Division determines manpower, training and equipment requirements and provides oversight for the development and distribution of new EOD equipment and specialized systems enabling EOD operational forces to meet their missions.

The Air Force EOD community has demonstrated the operational viability of ground robotics and the criticality of this technology for the safe and efficient execution of their mission.

To help fill mission gaps, the selected contractor will provide all materials, equipment, transportation and labor needed to manufacture and deliver a small robotic system that meets the following minimum criteria:

  • The system shall be a one-man small system able to respond to unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive device (IED) incidents and conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) in hazardous environments.
  • The system shall operate in all weather conditions, day or night.
  • The system shall operate in all terrain conditions, indoor, outdoor, inside vehicles and transport aircraft.
  • The system shall operate in all environmental conditions including snow, ice, salt, sand, fog, rain, mud, gravel and extreme temperatures with the exception of underwater and space environments.
  • The total system weight shall be less than 13.6 kg (30 lbs).
  • The system shall be equipped with at least 1 electro optical (EO) near-infrared (IR) pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera to allow for effective operations where direct observation by the user is not available.
  • The system shall be equipped with 1 arm with a gripper end effector allowing manipulation capabilities.
  • The system shall have at least a 100 m (328 ft) wireless line-of-sight (LOS) range.

Further details are available via Solicitation Number: FA8051-15-R-0001.

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