Machines and robots are coming: how technology is helping to clear Ukrainian fields of mines
9 May 14:16
The first heavy Ukrainian remote demining complex “GART 5100” has passed the state certification procedure and is already being prepared for mass production. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, according to
The certificate was issued by the State Research Institute for Testing and Certification of Arms and Military Equipment.
What is the peculiarity of this complex?
“GART 5100 is a fully domestic development and production. All stages of production are carried out in Ukraine, which simplifies logistics, ensures fast delivery, maintenance and repair.
The complex is manufactured by the Ukrainian engineering company XTI Engineering. The machine is capable of clearing more than 2 hectares of explosive contaminated areas in one day.
How the demining complex works
The machine is designed to neutralize various types of mines and other explosive objects by detonating them and destroying them with hammers of a chain unit or a cutter.
The operating speed of the machine is 1.5 km per hour. The demining depth is 300 mm. Replaceable equipment allows you to adapt the work to different types of soil.
The machine is controlled remotely from a distance of 600 meters, which ensures operator safety. The safe distance can be increased to more than 1 km by installing a repeater. The complex is equipped with a system of cameras with a wide viewing angle.
Demining machines can be rented in Ukraine
This year, Ukrainian mine action operators have the opportunity to rent a demining vehicle.
Such services are provided on a systematic basis. This opportunity is offered by GCS Ukraine, which represents the Swiss-German equipment manufacturer GSC.
The first contract was signed with the international operator Danish Church Aid, which leased a GCS-200 heavy demining machine.
The opportunity to lease a Zmiy demining vehicle was also launched by RoverTech, which signed an agreement with a Ukrainian bank.
Demining technologies will be tested at a training ground
The Ministry of Defense has initiated the creation of a system of training grounds for testing the latest demining technologies.
The initiative envisages the creation of specialized testing areas (for explosive, water, and dynamic tests), a laboratory and analytical base for research and testing, an educational center for training specialists, including international trainings, and a platform for testing and approving new technologies for use.
Robots, not people, should demine Ukrainian land
The Danish-Ukrainian company Dropla develops advanced technological solutions for demining using a flock of drones, robotics, artificial intelligence systems and related software.
“We use different sensors. The main idea is that the top drone flies overhead, we attach sensors, various sensors to it, scan the territory, identify safe and dangerous areas. For safe areas where we have found nothing – no metal debris, mines, or explosive devices – we build a map and show that it is a safe area. We also launch lower drones – if we make a mistake somewhere, the drone will suffer, not the person,” says Oleksandr Lysikov, director of Dropla
According to him, this speeds up the demining process and saves resources.
A database for AI is being created in Ukraine
Ukraine’s first AI Labeling Sprint hackathon was held in Kyiv, the practical stage of an initiative to create a training database for detecting explosive objects using drones and artificial intelligence.
The information collected in the field and identified during the hackathon will become the basis for training artificial intelligence algorithms. This, in turn, will help accelerate the pace of demining in Ukraine and make the process more efficient and technologically advanced.
