Holon, Israel -- Tadiran Electronic Systems, a member of the Elisra Group and a recognized expert in C4I systems for the modern battlefield, has just debuted the Spotter, a new and unique tele-operated Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle (AUGV) that is the state-of-the-art in its field.

World known for the unmatched quality and reliability of its cutting-edge C4I systems, Tadiran Electronics Systems has joined forces with Autonomous Solutions Inc., a leading US developer of unmanned vehicle and robotic technology, to create an advanced, intelligent vehicle that can meet many of the defense and security needs of modern military scenarios.

"Within the world trend toward ever wider use of unmanned vehicles, on land, sea and air, the Elisra Group can provide complete, fully integrated solutions to meet a very wide range of operational requirements", said Itzchak Gat, Elisra Group's CEO. "The Spotter is based on a broad systemic concept developed by a group of our experts, whose rich experience enables them to really understand emergent operational needs and find the most suitable answers for them", added Itzhak Beni, President and CEO of Tadiran Electronic Systems. Mr. Beni anticipates that this new development will further strengthen his company's position as a major player in the world of unmanned vehicles.

Computerized Mission Planning

Tadiran Electronic Systems' Spotter AUGV is a direct response to the increasingly lethal, dynamic arena of recent combat encounters, where the critical need for intelligence gathering on forward ground developments often exacts a heavy price on survivability of troops.

The Spotter can be programmed either by downloading GPS waypoints or by simply driving and recording a path. The vehicle then retraces the path in a totally autonomous fashion.

Reducing Risks Without Sacrificing Security

Rugged and robust, the Spotter is ideal also for unmanned on- and off-road reconnaissance and surveillance missions, and it can go through rough terrain that manned vehicles cannot normally traverse.

Among its most important missions, the Spotter is designed to perform routine guard and border-patrolling duties without putting soldiers' lives in risk. The advanced digital communications system installed on the Spotter relays video and sensor readings back to the headquarters and to a forward command post. The line-of-sight operations range can be extended over long distances. Portable control and display devices enable moving the forward command center close to the theater of operations, while still keeping at a safe distance from potentially perilous areas.

Advanced Obstacle Avoidance Capabilities

The Spotter offers advanced automatic obstacle avoidance capabilities, supported by sophisticated yet affordable sensors, such as 3D laser, land radar, and stabilized cameras.

These ruggedized control systems constantly analyze the Spotter's surroundings and automatically steer the vehicle along a safe path. As the project leader for the concept and implementation of the solution, Tadiran Electronics Systems drew on decades of experience in digital technologies, C4I, and unmanned vehicles at the cutting edge of technology. The vehicle is fully deployable, as was demonstrated recently to IDF senior echelons and potential end-users, exhibiting its performance for effective, real-time reconnaissance and surveillance missions without endangering lives.

Tadiran Electronic
12.12.2005