Novatiq’s new SCORP robot appears to be ideal for scouting and surveillance work

It looks like the military/law enforcement agencies might have just gotten a new helping hand when it comes to conducting scouting and/or surveillance missions, thanks to Novatiq who recently unveiled their latest Micro Unmanned Ground vehicle based on their SCORP platform. According to the privately owned Swiss company, this new robot was designed to be both small and lightweight enough to be put into a backpack for use in scouting and surveillance work.

In terms of its specifications and dimensions, the new SCORP robot measures in at 34cm (13”) long, 27cm (10”) wide, and 12cm (4.7”) high with a weight of a mere 3.5kg (7.7 pounds). It will feature four separate cameras, one on each side of the robot, that will allow the user to see in every direction +/- 90 degrees in both day/night settings with IR illuminators for night vision. It can also be fitted with a variety of sensors radios, cameras and even a robotic arm and can even carry payloads of up to 3kg (6 pounds).

The robot can be controlled via a wearable controller from a distance of up to 500m (1,650 feet) and will sport a top speed of 8km/h (5mph). Its default battery life is said to be up to 2 hours which can further be supplemented by an external battery pack which will provide over 6 hours of operation. If the standard SCORP robot is not enough for you in terms of features, Novatiq has announced that additional accessories will be launched in the future to help extend the range of applications of the SCORP robot.

These new accessories include a Biochemical detector, disruptor adaptor (Peradis, Proparms 12.5 mm, ABL 2000, ABL 3000, RE70 M3+,…) encryption, manipulator with pincer,  indoor autonomous reconnaissance (SLAM), outdoor navigation (obstacle avoidance system) , firing explosive charges, thermal imaging (Tau, Flir), long range transmission, fiber optic communication, PTZ camera, image stabilization, wire cutter, rugged tablet pc (Fieldbook), wrist controller, laptop command monitoring station, etc.

Expect the SCORP robot to launch in March 2012 with a starting price of CHF 10,500 (~$11,447).

Tyler Lee
Categories: Robots