Unmanned Ground Vehicles – Handling dangerous tasks from a safe distance

August 23, 2021

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) have been used in military settings for over a century. In 1915, French engineers developed the “Torpille Terrestre” (Land Torpedo) — a UGV loaded with explosives meant to breach enemy lines. In the 1930s, the Soviets began using UGVs based on the T-18 and T-26 tanks and were dubbed “Teletanks.” The Teletanks were controlled remotely from another tank about a mile away and were deployed in the Winter War against Finland in 1940. The UGV had a humble beginning as little more than a single-use detonation device, but today these vehicles feature state-of-the-art capabilities that work to protect and preserve lives.

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